Who Is Burt's Bees Founder Roxanne Quimby
Burt's Bees was co-founded by Roxanne Quimby and Burt Shavitz in 1984 in Maine. Quimby, a former art student and teacher, began selling candles and later expanded into beeswax lip balms and natural skin care using Shavitz's beekeeping operations. She transformed the small side project into a nationally recognized natural beauty brand, serving as the primary business strategist and public face during the company's growth years.
Quimby's net worth has been widely reported by financial media. Forbes lists her among notable self-made women in business, and her wealth has been tied to the sale and growth of Burt's Bees. She later became a prominent philanthropist in the Portland, Maine area, funding land conservation and community projects through the Quimby Family Foundation.
Burt's Bees Brand History, Ownership, and Financials
Burt's Bees grew from a single beeswax lip balm product to a global personal care brand. The company was acquired by Clorox in 2007 in a deal valued at approximately $925 million, with Quimby and other stakeholders receiving a significant payout. Under Clorox ownership, Burt's Bees expanded its product line to include toothpaste, body lotion, and hair care while maintaining a natural and sustainably sourced brand identity.
Burt's Bees competes in the rapidly growing natural and organic personal care market, which includes brands like The Honest Company and Dr. Bronner's. The brand is widely available in major retailers and online, and it consistently ranks among the top-selling natural skin care and lip care lines in the United States. Clorox reports Burt's Bees as a key contributor to its portfolio growth.
Key Facts and Figures About Burt's Bees Today
Revenue and Market Position
Burt's Bees is one of the highest-grossing natural personal care brands in North America. While Clorox does not break out exact revenue figures for Burt's Bees in its public filings, the brand is frequently cited as a major driver of Clorox's organic sales growth in recent fiscal years. The company maintains a strong presence in mass retail and specialty channels.
Product Range and Sustainability
The brand offers over 200 products across categories including lip care, skin care, oral care, and hair care. Burt's Bees emphasizes responsibly sourced ingredients, recyclable packaging, and cruelty-free formulations. The company has set public sustainability goals related to carbon footprint reduction and packaging materials, aligning with broader consumer trends toward eco-friendly personal care.
Ownership Structure
Burt's Bees operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of Clorox Company, a publicly traded consumer products conglomerate listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol CLX. Clorox is headquartered in Oakland, California, and Burt's Bees remains a central part of its personal care segment, which competes with other major conglomerate-owned natural brands.
References and Sources
Forbes provides ongoing coverage of Roxanne Quimby's business career and philanthropy, while Clorox investor relations pages offer official financial and segment data. Additional details on Burt's Bees product lines and sustainability commitments are available through the brand's official website and public filings.
Forbes and Clorox serve as primary sources for financial and corporate information about the brand and its founder.