California-based Shübug is a brand of insect repellent that offers effective protection against mosquitoes, ticks and other pests. Shübug products are designed to provide long-lasting protection without using harmful chemicals. The company began after co-founder Becki Lyon was diagnosed with breast cancer. Because of that, her husband, Michael Lyon, who she describes as a “serial entrepreneur,” wanted to create a natural bug repellant brand. The couple realized the product can fit in any retail outlet and it is sold at mom-and-pop health food stores, Target, Walmart, Amazon and even tractor supply stores.
After recently being featured on Fox and Friends, the products have “catapulted like crazy,” Lyon said, adding, “Wherever we are we feel we want to do marketing to give the retailers love because they are taking a chance on us.” The company has 15 employees made up of family members and friends. The couple’s son and co-founder, Cameron Byrd “does everything,” according to his mother, and his wife, Abbey Byrd, works with the company facilitating trade shows. Last year the company attended 30 events. Prior to founding Shübug, the Lyons ran the Ignition Airlock Company, which produced a product for DWI (driving while intoxicated) offenders. “Shübug is so much more fun than that!” said Lyon. “We will do everything and anything to expand out and we’re having fun with it.”
Question: Why did you form Shübug?
Answer: Shübug is a family company that was established out of a necessity to create truly natural insect repellent that works all day.
Question: What is the company’s history?
Answer: It was conceived from a mere conversation between me and my husband Michael:
He said, “After all the work we put into making our little country store seem wholesome, boutique-y and fun, you want to put some chemical looking stuff on your shelves? And after surviving breast cancer, and all that you do to eat clean and avoid toxins, you want to put that fake, unhealthy stuff that doesn’t work on your skin?”
I answered, “I know. Well, we need to do something—people need something! Maybe we should try and come up with something on our own …”
Question: What makes Shübug products unique?
Answer: All Shübug products protect for 10 to 14 hours, so a single spray lasts all day. Shübug is the only insect repellent company in the world certified Glyphosate Free by the Detox Project. Glyphosate is a weed killer used on many of our crops, and you don’t want to put that on the biggest organ of your body. Shübug is also nut allergy free. Shübug extracts the proteins that cause allergic reactions during our refining process. And finally, Shübug Kids and Shübug Natural are also certified moisturizers.
Question: What should natural product retailers keep in mind when choosing natural bug repellents for their stores and when they are talking with their customers?
Answer: They should definitely consider the hours of protection as well as the ingredients in the base. Your skin is the largest organ in your body so the quality of what is being applied is very important.
Question: What’s new for the company, new products, etc.? Is there something retailers should look forward to?
Answer: We are so excited to expand our product line … we are working on an equine line, natural home pest line, along with a few others we have up our sleeves. We are having so much fun with our brand. We feel we can be in any space. We worked really hard getting our brand out there! It has been really exciting doing all the shows and talking “one-on-one” to get the feedback from our consumers.
