Greenerways Named Exporter of the Year in Bucks County
U.S. Small Business Administration Eastern Pennsylvania Director Antonio (Tony) Leta, second from right, and Robert Elsas, right, regional manager, SBA Office of International Trade, with Dan Yocum, left, SBA administrator for Univest Bank and Trust Co., introduce SBA Eastern Pennsylvania’s 2017 Exporter of the Year, Greenerways, on April 20. Greenerways President Alan Neiburg is with them.
U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Eastern Pennsylvania Director Antonio (Tony) Leta officially introduced Eastern Pennsylvania’s Exporter of the Year, Greenerways, LLC, on April 20 with Sharon Neiburg, owner, and Alan Neiburg, president.
Greenerways, LLC, is at 506 Trappe Lane, Langhorne.
“It’s such a great privilege to recognize the achievements of leading Pennsylvania exporters like Sharon and Alan Neiburg,” Leta said. “Greenerways, LLC, is an outstanding example of a small business that starts, grows and goes on to success in the global exporting market. SBA and our resource and lending partners, like Univest Bank, are proud to be a part of small business exporting success stories all over the world.”
Founded in 2010, Greenerways LLC, is a U.S.-based company that develops, produces (via consignment manufacturing) and wholesales various household cleaning and insect repellent products designed to provide peace of mind for safe use around the home with young children, adults and pets.
Sharon is a retired literacy coach for the Neshaminy School District and now a facilitator for the University of Pennsylvania’s Penn Literacy Network. Her husband, Alan, spent 33 years selling medical/surgical supplies. Daughter Jayme, the inspiration for the firm, serves as CEO.
“Our grandchildren were also the motivation for stepping out of retirement and into the organic-products business,” Alan said.
A certified organic bottler in Gardena, Calif., helped the Neiburgs and their daughter, Bella, formerly a sales executive in Manhattan specializing in jewelry and accessories, figure out the right amounts of oils for their bug spray, which is made from citronella, lemon grass and cedar oils, and triple-filtered water.
While the business began selling its product line of insect repellents through specialty/natural product retailers, the business has grown significantly since it began preliminary sales through Costco (both international and domestic stores), United Natural Foods West, Inc., and United Natural Foods East. Greenerways sells its products to consumers throughout the United States and the firm’s products have been extremely successful in Asia.
“Through market research, I discovered that consumers in Asian markets like a compelling story with their products. With that in mind, we developed the Mama Bella’s label,” Sharon said. “Mama Bella was actually Jayme’s grandmother, who always said, ‘Read the labels; if there are chemicals or ingredients you can’t pronounce, don’t buy it.’ ”
“This was the birth of Greenerways, which is devoted to bringing safe, chemical-free products to every home,” Jayme said. “This made Mama Bella very happy; she had been using organic solutions passed down from her father, a turn-of-the-century apothecary, for years.”
“Greenerways, LLC, owner and president, Sharon and Alan Neiburg, are very deserving of the prestigious U.S Small Business Administration’s 2017 Exporter of the Year Award,” said Dan Yocum, SBA administrator, Univest Bank and Trust Co. “Greenerways is an excellent company with an amazing track record of growth, innovation and success on the global market. Sharon and Alan are very involved in every step of the manufacturing process. Greenerways has really shown innovation by thinking on a global scale.”