Conrad and Jonathan Plimpton, both managing directors of Plimpton and Company in Tucson, Arizona, and Jay Ewald, founding partner in both Southern Cone Farmland and FAF Development, announced the formation of Sustainable Botanicals International, Inc., a new company designed to deliver select natural ingredients for use in personal care, cosmetic, nutraceutical, and pharmaceutical industries.
Sustainable Botanicals International, Inc. (SBI), based in Tucson, Arizona, will develop a global enterprise, both through acquisition as well as greenfield development. SBI will selectively produce and deliver natural, sustainable, fair trade, and organically grown and certified botanical extracts and natural ingredients.
Conrad Plimpton said: “Our vision grew out of a realisation that the availability and access to numerous specialty botanicals is significantly fragmented and compromised, from how they are both grown and harvested, to how they are processed and delivered to market.” Mr Plimpton is majority stockholder of Inolex Chemical, a major provider of ingredients to the cosmetic industry, as well as investor in IES Labo in France and in Troy Chemical in New Jersey, and is on the board of numerous companies.
Jay Ewald, chief development officer of SBI, observed about the company strategy: “We have seen many specialty botanical enterprises struggle to be effective global players when their products deserve global access. Our efforts will focus on bringing the best of the best, both in product and business practices, from Latin America, North America, and other global markets where we can be game changers.” Based in Santiago, Chile, Mr Ewald has over 30 years of active involvement in major agricultural enterprises in the US, Latin America, and Africa.
Jon Plimpton, chief operating officer for SBI, commented: “Consumer trends and demand for increasing naturalness are converging with growing awareness on issues such as sustainability, fair trade, and organic certification, along with biodiversity protection. This is particularly relevant for natural beauty, personal care, nutraceutical, and certain pharmaceutical products, as many of the active raw ingredients are sourced directly from the wild. Looking at the sourcing and supplier side of the natural product equation raises legitimate questions concerning industry responsibility and practice on sustainability and biodiversity. We intend to be an industry leader in responsible and sustainable delivery.”
