Schmidt’s Deodorant

Schmidt’s Deodorant (aka Schmidt’s Naturals), is an American beauty & personal care company known for manufacturing natural personal care products, soap, and toothpaste.^[4] The firm officially rebranded under the name Schmidt’s Naturals in 2015.^[5][6][7]

Products and marketing

Jaime Schmidt, Schmidt's Deodorant's original Founder and CEO, began the company by selling homemade formulations of deodorant creams, soaps, sunscreen, shampoos, and foot bars.^[8][5] Upon receiving exceptionally positive customer feedback for her deodorant formula and noting an opportunity to disrupt the deodorant industry, Jaime ceased selling the other products and focused entirely on deodorant.^[9]

Schmidt's produces at least three deodorant formulas, one whose active ingredient is sodium bicarbonate, a sensitive skin formula containing magnesium hydroxide, and a third containing a combination of sodium bicarbonate, magnesium hydroxide and activated charcoal.^[7] Other notable ingredients include essential oils, coconut oil and candelilla wax.^[5] The company introduced its first line of bar soap in 2017,^[6] followed by "tooth and mouth paste" later in the same year.^[10] In 2018, the company released their first line of body wash.^[11]

Schmidt's deodorant products are distinguished from those of most other company's by their range and uniqueness of scents, blurring the line between deodorant and perfume.^[5]

Originally known only for Jaime Schmidt's deodorant formula, the Schmidt's Naturals product range has since expanded to include plant- and mineral-based soaps, body washes, and tooth and mouth paste, with an international customer base.^[12][13]

Two barriers to main-stream adoption of Schmidt's products are price — they are at least 25% more expensive than large commercial competitors — and the fact that the deodorant products are not antiperspirants, a combined feature which is very popular among American customers.^[5]

History

Schmidt’s Deodorant was founded in 2010 by Jaime Schmidt (born circa 1977), a leader of the Maker Movement in Portland, Oregon.^{[14][15][16][17][18][5][10]} Jaime Schmidt's first product formulations sold were deodorant creams, soaps, sunscreen, shampoos, and foot bars.^[19][5] Upon receiving exceptionally positive customer feedback for her deodorant formula and noting an opportunity to disrupt the deodorant industry, Jaime ceased selling the other products entirely and focused entirely on deodorant.^[20]

Thanks in part to accolades from the press, celebrities, and bloggers endorsing the product^{[21][22][23][24][25]}, and early features by Fox News^[26] and NBC's Today Show ^[27][28], demand grew through word of mouth among customers and retailers and the product was soon available for sale internationally and in retailers like Whole Foods.^[29][5] In 2015, entrepreneur Michael Cammarata became interested in the company's products and together with Jaime Schmidt formed a new company Schmidt's Naturals, through his venture capital firm Random Occurrence and in opposition to his partners.^[5] At the time of Cammarata's investment, Schmidt's Deodorant had a revenue of about US$500,000 per year.^[5]

At the time, the company occupied a 1,200-square-foot facility with four employees.^[30] As a result of the brand's growth and Jaime Schmidt and Michael Cammarata's contributions, the firm quickly moved to a 5,000-square-foot facility, introduced manufacturing automation, and grew to sixteen employees.^[5] By 2017, the firm had two facilities, a 30,000-square-foot facility in Portland, Oregon and a sales office in Florida, and a team of 120 employees.^[5] Additionally, the company expanded their product offerings to include plant- and mineral-based soaps, body washes, and tooth and mouth paste.^[31][32]

By the second half of 2017, Schmidt's products were stocked in 14,000 American retail outlets.^[5]

In December 2017, Unilever acquired Schmidt's Naturals and Co-Founder Michael Cammarata became CEO; Jaime Schmidt continues to function as Co-Founder and Brand Ambassador.^{[10][33][34][35][36]}

Products and services

Schmidt’s Naturals manufactures natural plant and minerals-based personal care products that are aromatic and free of chemicals.^[37][38]

Awards and honors

• 2016 - Oregon manufacturing company of the Year^[39]

See also

• Unilever
• Natural skin care

References