As I reflect on the last 12 months, the word that comes to mind to encompass this year in the Wild for Oregon world is "exhilarating". This has been our first full year as owners of Wild for Oregon and we are really coming into our own with the direction and vision we have for its future.
We reached a huge milestone as a business and a family this month because of a culmination of our experiences over the last 12 months. While we are truly a family owned and operated business, only one of us (me, Angela) has been able to work full-time for WFO while Chris (co-owner and my husband) has been working a full-time job elsewhere and dedicating his days off to working for WFO. This means he has been working 7 days a week since we took ownership in July of 2021. This month, however, as we reflected over the exhilarating growth we realized we NEED him to work full-time here, at the WFO headquarters. So, as of tomorrow, Chris and I are both fully employed here to bring you your favorite Oregon-infused personal care products.
Some of the highlights from this year are exactly what has brought us to this point. We expanded our existing product lines throughout the year. In the Summer, we launched our Solid Shampoo and Conditioner Bars to an eager audience. And over the course of the year, we connected with more retail partners and brought Wild for Oregon to new places around the state.
Limited Edition Lotions
All of our essential oil blends we offer in our soaps are someone's favorite. And we are frequently asked to make those favorite scents in the lotions! So, we obliged and began offering limited edition runs of some of the favorite scents in our rich, nourishing lotions.
We started out with the Columbia Gorge lotion.
Then, we offered our Mt Hood lotion with a cooling menthol component right at the hottest point of summer.
You all loved these so much, I'm happy to say we will be adding them to our always available lineup! One more perk of having Chris involved full-time is an expansion of our lotions in a lot of ways. You see, he is the lotion maker and now that we have more hours to dedicate in this area, we have big plans for the new year ;)
Mini Adventure Soap Offerings
We added our Mini Adventure Soaps in collections and individuals at the end of 2021, and expanded this throughout 2022. We started getting requests from owners of vacation rentals and Air B&B's for bulk Mini Adventure Soaps to offer their guests a tangible piece of Oregon! So, you can now buy these in large quantities!
Solid Shampoo and Conditioner Launch
The biggest and most exhilarating highlight of this year was the launch of our Solid Hair Care Bars! Hair care is a passion of mine and something I have been doing for years. Before we acquired Wild for Oregon, I was already operating a successful bath and body business specializing in solid hair care for curly haired individuals. I was excited from day one to formulate solid hair care that would appeal to the Wild for Oregon enthusiasts! This launch had been in the works for a whole year and the launch went AMAZING! You all were so excited to try these bars and the positive feedback has been flooding in!
Not only are our solid shampoos and conditioners completely plastic free and eco-friendly, they are way higher quality than anything you can get at your drugstore. These rival salon quality classics in my not-so-humble-professional opinion, and the reviews on our website confirm this.
New Retail Partners
This year, we expanded our in-store presence by about 20 stores. Many of these are in the vast PDX area and a 60 mile radius, thereof. But quite a few reached new corners of Oregon.
Lincoln City area: In the past, we have attended the Lincoln City Farmers Market, but we knew we would not be there this year. I was excited to find retailers in that area to fill the void we wold be leaving for locals. Coastal Curators in Depoe Bay picked up the WFO line early in the year to serve locals and tourists! On the North side of Lincoln City, Azure Shores opened up and brought in our brand, too. You can even find the solid hair care there!
Eastern Oregon: I know this is a vast area, but we have 6 new locations scattered throughout that I would like to highlight for those in some of these areas.
- toZion in Joseph, OR
- Bar WB in Prairie City, OR
- The Andalusian in Burns, OR
- Maupin Outdoor in Maupin, OR
- Camp Abbot Trading Co in Sunriver, OR
- Legend Cider Company in La Pine, OR
Bend also got a few new additions at The Bend Store and Seventh Mountain Resort.
There are many more locations where you can find your favorite Wild for Oregon goods. Check the "In Stores" map and enter in your zip code to find the ones closest to you!
This year has been so full and amazing! We inherited a truly awesome audience and have kept building upon that to create a community we are so excited to serve. Thank you so much for choosing Wild for Oregon for your shower-time adventures and supporting a local, family-owned business. Where you choose to spend your money matters, and when you choose to keep it in your community you have a positive effect on the people around you.
I hope your New Year is filled with excitement and adventure!
Cheers,
Angela, Chris, Oliver, Madeline & Stella Mayorga
