Problem
Conventional personal care products are filled with questionable ingredients
For years conventional personal care products have been filled with ingredients that, after a lifetime of use, build up in the body and can potentially cause health problems. Parabens, phthalates, sulfates, petrochemicals, metals and more have been included in the ingredient lists of many popular products. And no better, the more natural and safer options simply weren’t effective enough for once daily applications. We knew that we could do better, for ourselves and our families.
Solution
American Provenance: designed with health and effectiveness in mind
American Provenance is a company dedicated to creating safe and effective all-natural men's grooming products, deodorants, and skincare applications. All of our products are built around simple ingredients that have been used for generations. There’s no need for science degrees (but we have them) to interpret the ingredient panel. We work with your body, not against it, keeping all our customers looking, and smelling, great all day long. We don't rely on "clever marketing" or custom packaging or "celebrity endorsements" to sell our products. We've always insisted that it's what's inside the product that matters most.
Product
Minimal ingredients, maximum effectiveness
All of our ingredients are minimally processed (straining, melting, distillation, etc.) and independently verified.
We never use any harsh chemicals, synthetics, artificial ingredients, or lab-manufactured fragrances. We believe in the old adage that “a dab will do” and encourage our customers to use as little as they deem necessary. A swipe or two of our deodorant will be all that you need to stay fresh all day long.
Our products are made by us, in our own facility, using our own formulations. And let us tell you, that’s very rare in this industry.
But why does that matter? Using our team means having unmatched quality control and product consistency. Having products made in our facility means that we oversee every step of the process–no contract manufacturing surprises we find 6 months from now. And, using our own formulas, well, that means there’s no other deodorant on the market quite like ours. Keeping everything internal means we not only produce the best products we can, but we also support our local community by providing jobs to our neighbors. Our community has supported our growth, and we couldn’t have come this far without their help.
Not only do we support natural ingredients and our local community but we’re constantly working towards lessening our impact on the environment. While we do use plastic in our product packaging, we developed paperboard biodegradable deodorant tubes long before it was cool to do so. Our Biotubes have been a hit with those customers looking to forgo plastic in their personal care. We also use 100% recyclable glass with some products. For the other products we still package in plastics, we offer a trade-in recycling program through Terracycle and a plastic reclamation program in conjunction with CleanHub. We’re also proud members of 1% for the Planet.
The AP facility is ISO 9001, ISO 22716 and FDA GMP compliant.
Traction
Retail and e-commerce presence
American Provenance has come a long way since we first began selling our products locally. We're now selling on over 4,000 shelves nationwide. We made $769K in revenue in 2019, and our expanded brand profile and product traction mean we have projected our ARR to be $1M+ in 2021.
Customers
Conscious consumers looking to make the right choice for their body
Our customers are people looking to elevate their health in every way possible. We're one of the few stand-out companies that offer an alternative to traditional, potentially harmful men's grooming products and deodorants. Our all-natural adaptive formulations are effective at keeping people smelling great without overpowering a room, leaving stains on clothing, or causing irritating rashes. We’ve run our business with transparency and integrity and our customers have noticed. The amount of 5 star reviews across the board speak for themselves and we've satisfied thousands of consumers all around the country.
Business model
Currently retailing at 4,000+ stores across the U.S.
You can find American Provenance products at 4000+ brick and mortar locations across the U.S., including Whole Foods Market, Hy-Vee and Giant Eagle. Additionally, we have key distribution partners including UNFI, KeHE, Frontier Cooperative, Palko, Lotus Light, and Super Naturals.
American Provenance products can also be found on prominent e-commerce websites including Amazon.com, Target.com, Walmart.com, and Kroger.com. On our own website (americanprovenance.com) we have an average return customer rate of 67% and average conversion rate of 4.5% - both well above industry averages.
We have sound unit economics and fair profit margins (net 50%) on all of our products. Manufacturing our own goods allows us to have better control over our costs, inventory management, and sales cycles.
Market
Growing awareness and education is driving the natural products market
In 2018, the global men's grooming and deodorant markets were valued at over $90B. As rising awareness of the importance of avoiding products with harsh chemicals intertwines with the popularity of plant-based products, the natural and organic market is expected to expand. With our current defensible market position we have the opportunity to seize newcomers to the natural and organic space.
Competition
Our products last 2x-3x longer than competitive brands
A stick of our deodorant typically lasts 2x-3x longer than traditional deodorants. This is because we don’t use water or other fillers that deliberately shorten a product's shelf and use life. We believe in quality and value and our deodorants are actually much more cost-effective by a price-per-swipe comparison. Our key competitive advantages are our long-lasting formulas and unique scent profiles.
Vision and strategy
Becoming the men's natural grooming solution
With your investment, American Provenance will continue to build a brand reputation and strive to become a household name. We also plan to launch new scents and product lines in the coming year, which will increase brand awareness and customer loyalty.
Funding
$1M raised*
American Provenance raised $1M in two previous rounds of funding. Our investors include Winnebago Seed Fund and Tru Fragrance & Beauty. With funds from this raise, we can support equipment and infrastructure costs, bringing on key hires, expand our brand, and develop new products.
*as of Form C filing date
Founders
Founded by a former science teacher
American Provenance was founded by Kyle LaFond, a former middle school science teacher. The company originated from Kyle's concern over the questionable ingredients in the brands used by his students. Frustrated by the chemical clouds of product infiltrating the school hallways, Kyle challenged his students to create their own personal care items without harsh chemicals. After years of experiments and improvements to his own formulas, he launched American Provenance from an updated machine shed on his fourth-generation family farm.