Sales this year will top $10 million, according to the company, and management expects Zarbee's to be profitable starting next year. While Zarbock says all of the products have gone through clinical testing, the entire FDA approval process "would cost millions and millions of dollars." So for now, "We can't say 'allergy relief' or 'decongestant.' We have to say 'seasonal relief.'"
However, Zarbee's cannot label any of its products as treatments for cold, flu, or allergies, because of FDA rules. One new launch is an allergy-relief aid based on the Butterbur plant. This year, the company plans to grow from two products to seven. (Read more: Last chapter for independent bookstores? Not yet ) "Zak's approach was, 'If I have a coughing child, I'm going to go to Walgreens or Walmart, not Whole Foods'." One seemingly obvious omission for this drug-free natural solution is that Zarbee's is not sold at Whole Foods. Products are now sold in 50,000 stores across the country.
Six months later, Zarbee's got shelf space in Walmart. Johnson said that early on, Walgreens suddenly called wanting an 80,000-bottle order in 10 days. In fact, the young company almost couldn't handle the success. "It took a lot of convincing, a lot of trips to Chicago," he said, but eventually Zarbee's succeeded. Then he began a long and rocky road to get into Walgreen. Next, Zarbock raised $150,000 to increase production. Soon, "We were outselling the competition six to one," said Johnson. Finally, he went to a local grocery chain and asked, "Who makes your decisions on what you put on your shelves?" Eventually, the doctor said, he worked his way up to the buyer for the store and struck a deal. Product in hand, Zarbock started giving away samples to local pediatricians. (Read more: Wal-Mart to start-ups, more dip into pet health insurance ) There is a large base of contract manufacturers with experienced formulators, and Zarbee's hired one to create its first product: a cough suppressant made of buckwheat honey,vitamin C, zinc and natural flavors, "because buckwheat honey doesn't taste very good on its own," said Zarbee's CEO Bryce Johnson. Zarbock is not a chemist, and had no manufacturing experience, but Utah is home to several nutritional supplement companies like Usana and MonaVie. That same year, Zarbock-the father of four boys-took $10,000 of his own money, combined it with $10,000 each from a family member and a friend, and formed Zarbee's, with the aim of making safe, effective and natural cough medicine. Then he found a 2007 Penn State study suggesting buckwheat honey was better at stopping coughs in children than over-the-counter drugs (OTCs). Personal Loans for 670 Credit Score or LowerĪt the time Zarbock began researching his second career, the FDA was recommending that young children shouldn't take cough medicine. Personal Loans for 580 Credit Score or Lower Best Debt Consolidation Loans for Bad Credit
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