A Match Made for Independents: Mad Gab's Lip Balm

30 years ago when Gabrielle Melchionda was in college, she couldn't find a lip balm she liked—every product she tried was too greasy, waxy, or made with ingredients she didn't want on her body. So she found a recipe and made it herself. Shortly thereafter, she founded Mad Gab's, which is now the only woman- and independently-owned lip balm available nationwide. It's a perfect pairing for IGA stores and shoppers who support independent businesses.

"IGA combines the best of both worlds for us, being independently owned," says Melchionda in an interview with IGA's Vice President of Business Partnerships Heidi Huff. Since IGA retailers can choose what to stock to best cater to their local shoppers, she says the Mad Gab's products are a great fit for shoppers who care about ingredients and supporting small, local businesses.

And thanks to unique and colorful packaging, Melchionda and her team make it easy for IGA retailers to add the products to their gift or personal care aisles and attract shoppers. "They're simple, effective, and we package them in a way where we don't look like anybody else," she says, adding that they have a Moose Smooch lip balm display kit ready for retailers to "set it and forget it."

Watch the video below to see Melchionda and Huff discuss the appeal of Mad Gab's to shoppers across the country, from tourists in Alaska to summer sun worshippers up and down the East Coast, as well as how IGA retailers can merchandise the products.