Going strong after 30 years

ViolaOrganics managing director Janine Matchitt's home-based business producing certified organic skincare products is celebrating its 30th birthday this year. Photo / Michael Cunningham

Attitudes toward natural and organic products have changed dramatically, says the owner of a skincare company celebrating 30 years in business this year.

Viola Organics managing director Janine Matchitt says it is both encouraging and refreshing to be able to talk about organic and natural products without being on the receiving end of "odd" glances.

This has not always been the case, she says.

When the business first launched in 1986, as Pam's Herbs by Ms Matchitt's mother, Pamela, "it was perceived as even more odd, falling into the 'cardigan wearing, garlic munching' category of strange people just for trying to educate people about the dangers of chemical-laden products".

Since when did organic and natural become "alternative", Ms Matchitt said. "Chemicals, medicines and additives should be viewed as 'alternative', after all we lived naturally and organically for hundreds of years at a time when medicine was viewed as 'quackery'," she said.

"How on earth did the tables turn so convincingly?"

Viola Organics is a home-based business with two staff producing certified organic skin care products to a mainly New Zealand market with a small percentage of international shoppers, many of them ex-pats.

Ms Matchitt says customers have adapted well over the years and online shopping is where the majority of sales come from now.

There was a brief 4-year "experiment" with expansion in 2008 but apart from that home is where the heart is for this business-savvy woman who was looking for a challenge in 2003 after selling another business.

"Mum was looking to retire, so it became a natural step that I would take over Viola. There were many, many hours of training from mum. I had to make sure I could perfect the proven formulations of our products, and had to learn every step for every formulation before I was allowed the reins. Even now, 30 years later, most of the original range is made to the exact same formulation."

Ms Matchitt says the expansion "experiment" was a success but made it perfectly clear which way she did not want the company to go - "it was not expansion to the detriment of quality".

In 2012 the business downsized and moved back to its purpose-built workshop and office in Riverside.

This has not resulted in the company's products remaining for New Zealand consumption only. Ms Matchitt found someone in Canada who is as passionate about the products so a "franchise" with a difference was born - a licence-to-manufacture arrangement.

"The operator (Teri) is completely free to operate how she sees fit. I simply passed on the formulations and trained her via Skype. This way others around the world can benefit from these wonderful products.

The only rule was that she could not sell them [the formulations] to anyone else," Ms Matchitt said.

"I am very careful to ensure expansion does not water down the work that we are doing here."

She is not ruling out any more "franchise" arrangements.

"It would have to be with the right person, in the right country. We are proud to get the Viola name and products out there, but it has to be done right, or not at all."

The biggest challenge they face as a SME is consistency of supplies.

"As natural and organic ingredients become more mainstream we often face world-wide shortages or we get locked out of the market due to bulk buying by larger manufacturers. Volatile prices and access to packaging is also challenging."

Ms Matchitt plans to celebrate the 30th anniversary in October with a variety of ways to say "thanks for your support" to loyal customers.

There will be a factory shop sale, online specials, a surprise gift for orders in October and possibly a wine and cheese evening at the factory shop.