EHF Maker Interview Series– Dr Bo Hendgen from Absolute Essential
Dr Bo Handgen
Welcome to our ‘EHF Maker’ interview series, where we get to know amazing humans in our EHF community and the products they’ve dreamed up.
What inspired the creation of your product?
The idea came from a moment of clarity many years ago while travelling through Africa as ayoung woman. I saw how our comforts in the western world often come at the expense ofproducers and farmers who live in poverty and with very little reward for their hard work. Iwanted to create a better model of global trade. A business that could honour people andplanet equally, proving that ‘trade not aid’ could exist in practice. Absolute Essential began from that intention – to offer natural therapeutics that improve liveswithout harming the earth or those who grow the plants.
How has the last year of your journey surprised you?
The surprise has been how ready people are to demand integrity now. For a long time —remember, I started this company 37 years ago — we were doing the work quietly, focusing onreal sustainability, not slogans. Now I see consumers everywhere seeking true transparency andethical depth. It has been moving to watch a global conversation emerge over the years thatmirrors what we have practiced for decades: that every choice, from seed to bottle, carriesresponsibility.The real joy is seeing how ready people are to go deeper, to understand provenance, impact,and the why behind what they buy. I love being part of that change.
What’s something that defines you as a ‘maker of things’?
I think being a maker is about listening — to people, to plants, to place.
My work has always sat at the meeting point of science and intuition, alchemy and ethics -transforming natural ingredients into something that genuinely improves lives. I love the craftof distilling, the patience of slow extraction, and the quiet joy of seeing something pure takeform. But what defines me most is the desire to create systems that restore fairness and giveopportunities to those with fewer chances to shape their own better fortunes.I have had a maker’s curiosity since childhood, thanks to my French grandmothers who draggedme through forests collecting herbs and plants. Before I could read or write, I could make you acough syrup, a wound-healing cream, or pick mushrooms for dinner. But becoming a maker in the true sense came later - when I realised that what we craft carriesresponsibility. Each drop of oil must hold the story of care, from seed to remedy.
If you were to launch a brand or product all over again, would you create something similar?
Yes, because the intention, the desire, and the need are still relevant.I would perhaps start with all the learnings from my many failures, but my values have notchanged. Ethical sourcing, regenerative trade, and human natural health remain my passionsand responsibilities. I would again choose a small-footprint business with global ethics at itscore. This is where real change happens.
How has the place you live shaped the products you offer the world?
Living in Aotearoa New Zealand has shaped everything. Here, the closeness to nature isconstant — the ocean, the bush, the air. Our production site at Muriwai Beach is mostly off-gridand surrounded by native forest that we have helped to restore over the years. This place keepsme accountable. It reminds me that sustainability is not a department or a badge; it is a dailyact of respect and practice.Aotearoa’s landscapes and culture have profoundly shaped Absolute Essential. I would not havebeen able to do what I did anywhere else in the world. Starting a company without seedfunding or management expertise — only in New Zealand was that opportunity possible. Here,the relationship between people and nature is woven into daily life; it is not an abstract ideal. That connection informs every decision we make, from sourcing native botanicals with localgrowers to operating our certified organic production facility largely off-grid.Living in New Zealand keeps us grounded in nature and global in vision, a balance that allows usto create therapeutics that respect both science and spirit.
How do Fellows best connect & interact with what you make ‘out in the wild’?
Our products are available globally through our website, and we love connecting in personwhenever possible. Our fellow community gatherings are always the highlight. I invite you to reach out and ask me anything. My expertise is in healthcare and essential oils,but I am equally happy to talk about sustainability, global trade, and how to make a permanentand positive difference in people’s lives. It is not just a product connection but a human one.
Special Fellows-Only Offer from Bo…I am proud to contribute to a fellowship that champions ethical entrepreneurship and planetary health. This offer is more than a discount; it is a collective investment in regenerative impact for all of us. 15% of every order will go directly to EHF as a community fundraiser. Use the code EHF15 at checkout and join us in elevating wellness — naturally, ethically, and together.
