Beyond Coastal

https://www.beyondcoastal.com/

Employees: 70

Established: 2006

Located: Salt Lake City, Utah

Privately Owned

Industry: Lifestyle & Consumer

Products: Sunscreen & Lipbalm

From the beach to the Rocky Mountains: Beyond Coastal skin care products blossom in Utah.

Born in California, Beyond Coastal was created by avid surfer and skier who was searching for a sunscreen that was comprised of natural ingredients but still worked.

"Beyond Coastal was born in the surf, but raised in the mountains," says Tom Ferries, co-owner of Beyond Coastal and its sister company, Chums.

"We purchased the company because we already had a network of 3,000 open and active retail accounts. Our family business had decades of experience, and we saw a need for an honest, good, healthy sunscreen. So we bought Beyond Coastal and brought it to Utah," adds Ferries.

Beyond Coastal offers a full line of both an active (non-mineral) and a natural (mineral) formula sunscreens and lip balms. "The difference between our active and natural formulas consist of the active ingredients which makes up less than 20 percent of the sunscreen. With our natural formula, we use zinc oxide and titanium dioxide which sit on the outside of your skin and reflect the sun," says Ferries.

Ferries understands that when consumers think of mineral-based sunscreens they think of chalky white, thick sunscreens that lay on top of the skin and are often utilized by lifeguards trying to protect their noses.

"That's not us," Ferries says. "We have refined the formula so it goes on clean and clear and does not leave you white all over."

In formulating Beyond Coastal products, Beyond Coastal only uses premium antioxidants-rich inactive ingredients such as aloe vera, shea butter, and cocoa butter that protect, nourish, repair and hydrate your skin.

"Being headquartered in Salt Lake offers an engaged outdoor market, a large talent pool, and it's centrally located near a large airport. Utah has been a wonderful place for us to do business," Ferries says.

Nearly all of Beyond Coastal products are currently sold in brick and mortar stores, and the company utilizes independent sales representatives to get its products on the shelf. The company is also working on its e-commerce presence as well.

"We know we need to look beyond the big box stores. But, for now, we feel that for our company the brick and mortar stores are still a vital key to our success and our ability to build a brand," Ferries says.

Challenges: Changes in health care laws. Ferries says Beyond Coastal is blessed with great banking relationships and a talented workforce. "But health insurance is one problem that keeps us up at night," Ferries says.

Opportunities: Additional exposure. "We need to expand our marketing efforts through the different channels to reach a younger, female, family-oriented, demographic." Ferries understands that this demographic will be open to his message of safe, natural skin protection. "I just need to get my representatives excited about the brand. Marketing must be a major push in 2018 and beyond."

Need: Steady growth. "Beyond Coastal is not looking to skyrocket out of the universe. We want to do it organically," Ferries says.