Eyebrows were raised last October when Clorox bought Burts Bees for $925m. John Replogle, ceo, tells Cosmetics International why that represents real value for money.(INDUSTRY INSIGHT)

Cosmetics International, March, 2008

Once literally a kitchen sink brand, Burts Bees has come a long, long way since it was set up as a beeswax candle company by beekeeper Burt Shavitz, whose face still looms out of the company's logo, and Roxanne Quimby in 1984. Today, the company has 150 different products and retail sales of approximately $300m. And ceo John Replogle says there's still plenty of room for growth--without compromising Burt's Bees principles.

"We run our company according to a very simple model--the Greater Good," explains Replogle. "That means natural products with natural ingredients and manufacturing processes, social well-being and environmental sustainability."

And while all Burt's Bees products are at least 95% natural and 60% are 100% natural, Replogle says...