Chia Pets are American styled terracotta figurines used to sprout chia, where the chia sprouts grow within a couple of weeks to resemble the animal's fur or hair.[1][2] Moistened chia seeds (Salvia hispanica) are applied to a grooved terracotta figurine.[2]
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| Product type | Terracotta figurine |
|---|---|
| Owner | Joseph Enterprises |
| Produced by | Mexico China |
| Country | United States |
| Introduced | 1977; 47 years ago (1977) |
| Markets | International |
| Tagline | Watch It Grow! |
| Website | chia.com |
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| An alligator Chia Pet | |
The Chia Pet was marketed and popularized by Joseph Pedott.[3] Pedott first learned about "something called the Chia Pet" being imported from Oaxaca, Mexico, when he attended a housewares show in Chicago in 1977. Negotiating the rights from importer Walter Houston, Pedott began marketing Chia Pets in the US.[1]
The first Chia Pet was created on September 8, 1977.[4][5] A trademark registration was filed on Monday, October 17, 1977.[6] They were produced by Pedott's San Francisco-based company, Joseph Enterprises, Inc.,[1] which was purchased by National Entertainment Collectibles Association in 2018.[7] They achieved popularity in the 1980s following the 1982 release of a ram, the first widely distributed Chia Pet.[5] Originally made in Mexico, Chia Pets are now produced in China.[1]
The catchphrase sung in the TV commercial as the plant grows in time lapse is "Ch-ch-ch-chia!". This catchphrase originated at an agency brainstorming meeting, where one of the individuals present pretended to stutter the product name.[1] As of 2019, approximately 15 million Chia Pets were sold annually with most sales during the holiday season.[1][2] In 2000, a Chia Pet was included inside a New York Times time capsule to be opened in the year 3000.[8]
A range of generic animals has been produced, including a turtle, pig, puppy, kitten, frog, and hippopotamus. Cartoon characters have also been licensed, including Garfield, Scooby-Doo, Looney Tunes, Shrek, The Simpsons, and SpongeBob.[4] Additionally, there are Chia Pets depicting real people, including Barack Obama and Bob Ross.[4]
