Schmidt's Deodorant Company, LLC (dba Schmidt's Naturals)[1] is an American
personal care company based in Portland, Oregon. A subsidiary of
Unilever, Schmidt's Naturals manufactures and sells plant and mineral-based personal care products including natural deodorant, soap, and toothpaste.[2][3][4][5]
History
In 2011 Jaime Schmidt, a mother and social worker in
Portland, Oregon, began making personal care products in her kitchen.[6][7][8][9][10] Over the next 4 years, Schmidt sold her products at farmers’ markets and co-ops around Portland, eventually gaining shelf space at a regional Whole Foods.[11][12] By 2014, Schmidt had refined her all-natural product line down to five deodorant scents, all sold in small glass jars with an applicator.[12][13][14]
Investment
In late 2014, Schmidt accepted investor
Michael Cammarata's offer to invest in her company in exchange for equity.[12][15][16] In January 2015, the new partners, Cammarata and Schmidt officially formed Schmidt's Deodorant Company, LLC.
Growth
Over the next two years, Schmidt and Cammarata grew the new company rapidly from 4 employees to over 160:[12] moving from a 1,200-square-foot space to a 5,000-square-foot (460 m2) facility and then into one almost three times that size.[12][15] During this time, with Cammarata focused on the business and Schmidt on the product, the company introduced new formulations, produced a stick variation, and rebranded.[17][18][19]
In 2016, Schmidt's launched an exclusive partnership with its first big retailer
Target.com and was named Manufacturer of the Year in the small company category by the Portland Business Journal.[14][20] By late 2016, Schmidt's had grown to almost 50 employees and offered 10 stick deodorants and 6 jar formulations.[12] As the naturals segment continued to grow, Schmidt's Deodorant Company attracted the attention of large retailers.[21]
Rebrand
In June 2017, Schmidt and Cammarata were named Pacific NorthWest Entrepreneurs of the Year by EY (formerly
Ernst & Young).[22] In September, they introduced a line of plant and mineral-based soaps, rebranding the company as Schmidt's Naturals; in November, they released toothpastes.[6][12][23] By late 2017, the company had scaled to 120 employees with a 30,000 square-foot facility in Portland, Oregon and customer support center in Florida.[24]
Unilever acquisition
In December 2017, after months of negotiation by Schmidt and Cammarata,
Unilever, acquired Schmidt's Naturals for an undisclosed sum.[25][26][27] After the acquisition, Cammarata became chief executive officer of Schmidt's Naturals [14] and Schmidt continued on as brand spokesperson.[28][29][30][31][32] Following the Unilever acquisition, the company broadened its product line with the introduction of body wash, mouthwash, and home care products.[15] Between January and August 2018, with Cammarata at the helm, Schmidt's Naturals grew by 300% in sales.[33]
In August 2018, Schmidt's Naturals partnered with Cammarata's family friend,
Jane Goodall to develop the special edition deodorant scent “Lily of the Valley” with 5% of the proceeds going to the
Jane Goodall Institute.[34] In May 2019, Schmidt's announced a collaboration with pop star
Justin Bieber to create a new deodorant called “Here + Now,” which was designed for sensitive skin.[35] The company also started using an AI platform, Alexander, to handle its customer services and to collect data.[36] In July 2019, Schmidt's Naturals began selling deodorant products with
hemp seed oil, including Rose + Black Pepper and Sage + Vetiver.[37] In July 2019, Michael Cammarata left the company and Unilever executive Ryu Yokoi transitioned to chief executive officer.[38]