Mew & XX, a beloved cat cafe chain with 18 branches across major Swedish cities, from Stockholm's trendy Södermalm to Gothenburg's seaside, has long been a popular spot for cat lovers to enjoy lattes and the company of their feline companions. However, by 2024, the chain faced a double crisis severely threatening its reputation: on the one hand, excessive litter dust caused customers to complain of itchy throats and watery eyes; on the other hand, hourly litter box checks and daily litter changes led to soaring labor costs. Each cafe housed 20-30 cats (many of which were rescued and socialized for public spaces), and the sheer volume of litter and odor exceeded the capacity of standard litter. With existing suppliers unable to make adjustments, Mew & XX's Operations Director, Emma Lindstrom, contacted CHONGNING.

After discussions, CHONGNING discovered that each store's litter boxes needed to be cleaned every two hours to control clumping and completely replaced before closing time to eliminate residual odors. Baristas reported that they spent 15% of their work time cleaning litter, which took away from customer service time.

Based on these findings, CHONGNING's R&D team tailored a formula specifically for Mew & XX to meet their unique needs. The core ingredients of this formula are 60% CHONGNING activated charcoal cat litter (with added coconut shell activated charcoal granules to absorb ammonia) and 40% bentonite clumping cat litter. Compared to Mew & XX's previous products, it reduces airborne dust by 75%. The formula also includes trace amounts of natural peppermint extract (safe for cats at low concentrations), adding a fresh and delicate fragrance that won't upset customers or irritate cats.

Packaging was another key improvement. CHONGNING replaced Mew & XX's existing 10kg litter bags with 20kg easy-to-pour litter bags and added reinforced tear-resistant nozzles. The larger packaging reduced storage space (each café now only needs 5 bags per week instead of the previous 10), while the nozzle design allows staff to refill each bag in just 30 seconds—a significant reduction from the previous 90 seconds.

A 30-day trial at Mew & XX's busiest branch in Stockholm yielded significant results. Litter box changing frequency decreased from once a day to once every 2.5 days, a 40% reduction, saving 6 hours of staff time per week. Customer complaints about dust and odor plummeted by 90%; in fact, the branch received no formal complaints during the trial period. A post-trial survey of 200 customers showed that 88% reported "no noticeable dust" in the store, and 42% said they stayed for more than 15 minutes longer than usual. Online reviews corroborated this success: that month, 35% of positive reviews of Mew & XX mentioned phrases like "fresh scent" and "doesn't irritate the throat," a first for the chain.

Encouraged by the trial's success, Mew & XX decided to roll out the customized cat litter to all 18 of its stores by June 2024 and signed a two-year exclusive supply agreement with CHONGNING. Since then, the collaboration has expanded to include seasonal products—such as a limited-edition pine-scented cat litter for Sweden's warm winter—and joint brand social media campaigns. In these campaigns, Mew & XX emphasizes CHONGNING's sustainability philosophy to attract environmentally conscious consumers. "Our brand's initial goal was to make both people and cats happy," said a representative. "CHONGNING doesn't just sell us cat litter; they provide a solution that protects our customers, reduces the workload of our staff, and makes our cats comfortable. This is a true partner who can grow with us."