From garage to global shelves, Raleigh-based Murphy's Naturals fights bugs and gives back
RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- Summer is around the corner, and so are mosquitoes. This makes it a busy season for Raleigh-based Murphy's Naturals.
The company produces natural mosquito and tick repellent products, including sprays, incense, candles, wipes, and balm.
Murphy's Naturals was founded in 2013 in the Raleigh garage of U.S. Navy veteran and outdoor enthusiast Philip Freeman. He said the idea was sparked by his wife, a self-described "mosquito magnet," who wanted an effective, chemical-free repellent.
"I have a background in figuring things out," Freeman said. "I grew up on a farm in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia. When you live farm life, you're often figuring things out. Later, I went to Virginia Tech, then I was a deep-sea diver, and after that, a deep-sea diving naval officer. In a lot of those different circumstances, especially out in the field, you had to figure things out on the fly."
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Freeman said Murphy's Naturals now manufactures about 90% of its products domestically, with more than 80% made at its Raleigh facility.
The company has grown to 50 employees and produces more than 30,000 products per day. It's also deeply committed to social responsibility, operating with a "triple bottom line" approach -- people, planet, and profit.
"We are a Certified B Corporation," Freeman said. "We give 1% of our revenue-revenue, not profit-every year to organizations under the 1% for the Planet umbrella. Then we give an additional 1% to other causes, including veteran and animal welfare organizations."
Today, Murphy's Naturals products are now stocked in garden centers, local and independent markets, including Whole Foods and Sprouts, as well as major retailers such as Costco, Target, Walmart, Sam's Club, Home Depot, and Lowe's.
However, Freeman said that no matter how much the company grows, "we always remember where we started."
