Local Company Redesigned Under New CEO
- Details
- Created on Thursday, 02 October 2014 20:47
- Written by Camille DeLongis
LYNDONVILLE - A long-standing business in downtown Lyndonville is making a change. The Dairy Association Company, known for making the iconic Bag Balm, has a new name.
The company now goes by the name "Vermont Original." John Packard, the new CEO of Vermont Original, says the company felt that by changing the name, they would sell more products. According to Packard, products that say they are from Vermont sell better.
The Dairy Association started producing it's one and only product, Bag Balm, back in 1899, originally created to soothe cows' udders after milking. Now in 2014, the more widely used skin-care product is still the only product Vermont Original make. It is sold all over the country in drug stores, hardware stores, and feed stores.
Packard says he is very proud of the company and it's accomplishment, and he is trying to help expand the company.
Packard said, "It's a national brand, it's been around for a hundred and fourteen years. Two investment groups, two venture groups, one out of Boston, one out of Arizona, and two individuals, me being one, invested in it in order to take it and grow it, and take it into more national prominence as a skin care product."
Packard's plan is to start reaching out to younger consumers, more on social media.
"We intend to be aggressive in the market place. We intend to be aggresive in social media, which the company in the past has not been agressive. So we are going to dust off the image. We are going to make it younger," Packard said.
While Vermont Original plans to reach out to a younger crowd, they do not plan on forgetting where the company came from. The company plans to stay located right here in Lyndonville. Packard does hope to increase volume by four times in the next two years, providing more jobs in the community.
"We've committed to Vermont. We've committed to Lyndonville. We are going to be here. The growth that we foresee will be here, Packard said."
Right now, Vermont Original has four buildings in their complex, along Church Street, William Street, and Main Street. They are working to expand their store presence in the next few years.
