The basics of the branch Founders Marilee Nelson, Allison Evans and Kelly Love “never set out to sell soap,” let alone launch a cleaning brand that would generate tens of millions in annual sales.
But “the company's mission to create healthy homes” while keeping cleaning routines simple continues to resonate with customers—50% of whom are returning, according to the brand. Among other select accessories, Branch Basics offers a comprehensive “starter kit,” which features an unscented “plant” and mineral-based cleaning concentrate along with various glass bottles that can be filled with different combinations of solution and water to meet specific needs: from wiping down counters to washing a load of laundry.
Image credit: Courtesy of Branch Basics. Marilee Nelson, left; Allison Evans, center; Kelly Love, right?
The story of how the company was created begins with Nelson, who, after the battle chronic disease, was told she would never have children and had to go on dialysis. Nelson was not sold on the prognosis and turned to another doctor who used “food as medicine“—a leap of faith that “literally changed her life,” erasing those health issues and even inspiring her to become a medical chef. Later, after her 10-year-old son was exposed to pesticides and suffered injury of the brain and immune system, she took another hard look at the environmental factors that may contribute to healing.
“His immune system was so damaged that he couldn't detoxify the things that we're all exposed to every day,” says Nelson, “and he would have extreme reactions. I got a box and thought, Oh, I'll keep my favorite perfumes in here, my favorite skincare products and things, in the closet, and when he gets better, I'll bring them out again.” However, according to Nelson, removing the box made such a significant difference that it showed her “how important it is to (know) how powerful these chemicals are.” Nelson's son began to recover, and when word of mouth spread, she developed a course to help other people better understand the products in their homes.
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“Certainly, the type of fuel we put in our bodies matters to how we feel.”
Nelson's granddaughter, Allison, had a similar experience. Diagnosed with polycystic ovarian syndrome, Evans was told by doctors that “no amount of lifestyle changes” could help her recover and was on birth control indefinitely; in college, she faced a variety of symptoms—muscle pain, loss of motor skills, and more—and says she was given multiple medications to no avail. At the time, Evans and her aunt Marilee weren't particularly close, but she consulted with her and realized that some simple lifestyle changes it might just help him feel better.
According to Evans, cutting out certain products with synthetic ingredients and eating whole foods helped improve her condition, and as graduation approached, she decided to spend eight weeks with Nelson in the Texas Hill Country, where she would learn more. circle healthy living from her aunt. Her friend Kelly joined her, and despite being in good health, also noticed a transformation—“My dry eyes, headaches, muscle aches are all gone,” Love recalls, adding, “how The more I learned about all of this, it just made sense to me: Of course, the type of fuel we put into our bodies matters to how we feel, how we think, how we act.“
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So in 2012, the three women teamed up to launch Branch Basics, the favorite cleaning brand known for its multi-purpose concentrate.
Image credit: Courtesy of Branch Basics
Although Cleveland Clinic reports that most household cleaning products on the market “are reasonably safe when used as directed,” that many cleaning supplies or household products can “irritate the eyes or throat or cause headaches and other health problems,” especially if they emit volatile compounds (VOCs), which evaporate at room temperature, for American Lung Association. The organization also notes that even natural fragrances, such as citrus, “can react to produce hazardous pollutants indoors.”
“Non-toxic” labels on products aren't the be-all and end-all, Nelson notes. After all, “it is the dose that makes the poison,” as the Swiss physician and chemist Paracelsus said. said almost 500 years ago. According to Nelson, looking at the ingredients themselves is key. The founders want people to feel empowered to examine any product—from Branch Basics or another company—and understand the ingredients that are used. To that end, they offer a $99 Toss the Toxins course to “walk you through a step-by-step process to remove the products that pollute your home and body.”
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“Our 32-ounce liquid concentrate cleans your windows, cleans your baby's bottom, cleans your products.”
Branch Basics' “minimalist” line of products is meant to make the whole process easier – and time-saving. “We chose to use our products as a vehicle for our mission,” says Nelson, “so we came up with a concentrate that can literally replace any laundry (and) cleaning product in the home. It's so safe that can be used on the skin.”
“Our 32-ounce liquid concentrate cleans your windows, cleans your baby's bottom, cleans your products, removes eye makeup, cleans your ceilings (or) your hardwood floors — whatever the ratio,” Evans adds.
The approach is resonating with customers, the company announces. Gross sales increased about 42% year-over-year from 2022 to 2023, with Income reaching $40 million last year. The company currently has more than 50,000 product subscribers, 600,000 email subscribers and 10,000 five-star reviews for its concentrate and Oxygen Boost, which increases the power of the concentrate “for tough cleaning jobs.”
Image credit: Courtesy of Branch Basics
“We know that people's health is our priority… (that) keeps everything in line.”
The company is focused on lasers commitment to its customers – said to answer every customer question on Instagram and TikTok – no doubt driving a lot of that brand loyalty. Additionally, Branch Basics boasts a referral rate of 6% compared to the industry average of 2%.
“We approach everything (by asking) What do we want?“Love says.”What is missing in the market? What do we, as people who are mothers, as people who are health conscious, need and want? Because, most likely, other people would need and want those things too. We know that human health it's our priority, so when we're formulating products or making our marketing plans, (it) keeps everything in line.”