Meadowfoam has been producing luxurious, cruelty-free skincare and homecare products in Richmond since 2014. All of the products at this women-owned business, from candles to cream soaps and cuticle oil, are handmade. Their Juniper Balsam and Spruce blend is even the signature scent of the Four Seasons Resort Whistler. We spoke with owner and director Barb to learn more.
What is your business called and what does it do?
Meadowfoam Products Inc. is a women-owned and operated small business located at 1040 – 12471 Horseshoe Way in Richmond, BC, Canada. Our goal is to create beautiful, high-quality home and skincare products for simple, elevated living. Our products are created and hand-made in small batches using cruelty-free ingredients. Our packaging is designed to provide myriad levels of delight – the look, the reveal, and ultimately, the use and enjoyment of the product. All Meadowfoam Products are PROUDLY MADE IN CANADA.
What made you want to do this work?
Joanne was the ultimate consumer of both home and body products throughout her life. I can contest that she was addicted to Gift with Purchase products! The nature of our careers dictated that we have some sort of stress outlet – Joanne decided to make candles. Instructional courses were not enough, so she began to look deeper than how they were made, and her research led her down the rabbit hole of good and bad ingredients. What she discovered was the impetus that she needed to develop her own recipes. I can’t say that starting a small business in BC was a stress release, but Meadowfoam Products Inc. certainly fills a void for us, and we hope for a lot of other folks who care what goes into the products they use.
What problem did you want to solve with the business?
The main issue was the ingredients. The secondary issue was the cost. A byproduct of the first two is that we ended up literally hand-making everything in small batches. It has taken Joanne years to source reliable ingredients and affordable packaging options.
Who are your clientele/demographics?
The entire process for us began from the ground level. To say we have been out of our comfort zone throughout is not an exaggeration, and our insistence on doing this on our own has been and will continue to be a progressive learning process. The genesis and character of Meadowfoam Products put it in a premium class with a sophisticated clientele.
How does your business make money? How does it work?
Meadowfoam Products are available for sale in retail stores and directly via our website. West Coast Beauty distributes Meadowfoam Products throughout the spa and hair salon industry in British Columbia. Our wholesale clients buy directly from us and then retail the products to their customers. We ship directly to our customers and offer discounts when interested folks sign up for our newsletter. In addition to this, we actively promote ourselves on social media. We have a small retail selection for customers who wish to shop in person in our warehouse, but do not consider ourselves to be a retail operation. It smells good in here, and folks are catching on that they can come and choose their scent without fear of making the wrong choice. But really, everything we make smells amazing! We primarily design, manufacture and package our products for resale.
Where in the city can we find your profession?
Because West Coast Beauty acts as our main, local distributor, we cannot say which salons and spas carry our products. Joanne gets regular email enquiries from folks who saw us in their spa and are interested in what else we make. We do have some locations that have carried us from the beginning, such as A Monkey Tree and Raintree Spa in Steveston. There are several locations in Whistler that carry our products, as well as multiple locations in the Lower Mainland and the Okanagan. We were recently picked up by Tru Beauty Salon Supply in Alberta and Salon Centre in Winnipeg, Manitoba, so we are very excited.
What is the best question a prospective customer could ask a member of your profession when comparing services? Give the answer as well.
Q: How is Meadowfoam Products different from other like products?
- Our ingredients: We truly believe in the importance of quality of ingredients. We utilize eco-friendly and natural, ethically sourced ingredients in our products.
- Our customer service: Joanne can be contacted directly and returns emails quickly. We ship our orders as quickly as we can make the product. We stand behind what we make, without question.
What is the best part about what you do?
Everything we do here is on us: the research, the product development, packaging design, ingredient sourcing, learning and understanding government oversight and the rules associated to producing our products, warehouse layout, workstation design, storage requirements, learning how to ship, learning and developing quality assurance and control, hiring of and oversight of staff.
What is the worst part?
The cost – literally and emotionally. The levels of government do not support small businesses – the owners do. The constant struggle requires extraordinary energy to overcome.
What is your favourite joke about your own profession?
Other than the fact that our friends think we are certifiable because we could just be retired, there is no joke.
Where can we follow you?
Website | Contact us | Instagram
PAY IT FORWARD: What is another local business that you love?
You will love A Monkey Tree Emporium, located at 3851 Moncton St. in Steveston. Another women-owned, amazing small business!
