Bill Whyte was a carpenter suffering from dry, cracked hands in 1993 when he created a soothing balm of extra virgin olive oil and beeswax in his kitchen. That herbal remedy, called Badger Balm, became the foundation of W.S. Badger, a Gilsum company that now ships body care products worldwide. And it has been growing exponentially in recent years.
Last month the W.S. Badger Company moved from three separate buildings totaling 11,000 square feet to a new 23,000-square-foot facility. The move was prompted in large part by sales that nearly doubled between 2009 and 2010 and sales growth of nearly 20 percent in the first eight months of 2011. A quarter of its business comes from foreign sales, including Australia, the United Kingdom, Japan, New Zealand and Canada.
Whyte says that growth is in large part due to sunscreen. In 2008, the Environmental Working Group, a nonprofit that uses public information to protect public health and the environment, reported that most sunscreens were toxic and ineffective. Badger's product, made with zinc oxide, topped the recommended list. That news got picked up by Good Morning America and in two weeks the company sold the equivalent of what it usually sells in a year. Sunscreen, which used to account for 1 percent of business, now accounts for 50 percent. We used to be seasonal, from October through March, because of Badger Balm, relief for working hands, says Whyte. We always thought it would be great to have something that worked in the summertime.
Since 1995 the company has added two to three new products a year and now boasts about 50, including insect repellent, sunscreen and hand balm. Products are sold in Whole Foods stores, select REI stores and dozens of stores in the Granite State, including Portsmouth Health Foods in Portsmouth and Granite State Natural Foods in Concord. With the new building, Badger will be able to meet regulations for FDA-approved facilities to develop herbal over-the-counter drugs.
Success for Badger is not just about making money. It's about providing a healthy work environment and being good community stewards. To that end, the company donates 10 percent of annual profits to charity and provides free organic lunches daily for all 35 workers, a number that jumps to about 40 full-time equivalent employees during the busiest times of year.
When I was a kid, I got the sense there was life and there was work. People went to work when they had to, and life was what happened after work and on weekends. It seemed life was too short and work should be a pleasant, healthy place, Whyte says. We make products that are good for people. We treat our suppliers well. From the source of our raw materials all the way to our customers, we try to do it as a community service. For more information, visit www.badgerbalm.com.
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