Who Is Burt of Burt's Bees
Burt of Burt's Bees is Burt Shavitz, the co-founder of the personal care brand Burt's Bees. He was a beekeeper and photographer who, together with Roxanne Quimby, started selling beeswax candles and natural skincare products in Maine during the early 1980s. The brand later became known for lip balms, lotions, and personal care items made with natural ingredients. Shavitz remained closely associated with the brand's identity and beekeeping roots throughout its growth into a global personal care company. More background on the company's history is available on the official Burt's Bees website Burt's Bees official site.
Burt Shavitz was born in 1935 and died in 2015. He was originally from New York City and later moved to Maine, where he kept bees and sold honey. His partnership with Roxanne Quimby turned a small side business into a major natural products brand. Quimby later became the majority owner and sold a controlling stake to Clorox Company in 2007. The transaction valued Burt's Bees at roughly $925 million, according to widely reported deal terms at the time. Publicly available company profiles and business news archives provide further details on the transaction.
Burt's Bees Ownership and Corporate Structure
Clorox Acquisition and Current Parent Company
Burt's Bees is currently a subsidiary of Clorox Company, a consumer products corporation headquartered in Oakland, California. Clorox acquired a majority stake in Burt's Bees in 2007 and later gained full ownership. The deal was structured as a cash acquisition of a controlling interest, with Clorox eventually buying out remaining minority shareholders. Clorox reports Burt's Bees as part of its household and personal care segment in its annual filings. Financial details and segment reporting are disclosed in Clorox's public filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission SEC filings.
Brand Portfolio and Revenue Contribution
Within Clorox's portfolio, Burt's Bees operates alongside other personal care and household brands. The brand focuses on natural personal care products, including lip care, skin care, and personal hygiene items. Burt's Bees products are sold in major retail channels, drugstores, and online platforms in North America and international markets. Exact revenue breakdowns for Burt's Bees within Clorox's total sales are not always broken out separately, but the brand is considered a meaningful contributor to Clorox's personal care segment. Clorox's annual reports and investor presentations provide segment-level data.
Financial Performance and Market Position
Revenue Growth and Market Reach
Burt's Bees grew rapidly after Clorox's acquisition, expanding distribution and product lines. The brand became one of the leading natural personal care brands in the United States, with strong recognition in lip balm and skin care categories. Burt's Bees products are available in thousands of retail locations across the U.S., Canada, and other international markets. The brand's growth trajectory is often cited in business coverage of the natural and organic personal care sector. Industry analyses and business news outlets track Burt's Bees performance within the broader personal care market Forbes.
Competitive Landscape and Industry Context
Burt's Bees competes in the natural and organic personal care segment alongside brands such as Tom's of Maine, Dr. Bronner's, and The Body Shop. The broader personal care industry includes large multinational corporations and smaller specialty brands focused on natural ingredients. Burt's Bees positions itself around natural formulations, beeswax-based products, and environmentally conscious branding. Market