BornFree builds business on BPA-free products
Ron Vigdor didn’t know a thing about the controversial chemical Bisphenol A, or BPA, until several years ago. But when he heard a news report about health concerns over the product common in baby bottles and other plastic products, the serial entrepreneur figured there was a business opportunity.
Some scientists are concerned that the chemical can affect the brains and sexual development of fetuses, infants, and children. The issue is causing waves across the many industries that use the chemical. Yet no one sold BPA-free baby bottles until Vigdor launched BornFree in 2006.
“I had no idea what BPA was back then,” says Vigdor, president and co-founder of BornFree Holdings Ltd. “We found out we could do good by doing good.”
In its first year, his self-funded company sold about 100,000 BPA-free baby bottles. The next year that number swelled to more than 1 million. Vigdor, 41, says he’ll sell more than 3 million bottles this year, in addition to toddler cups, pacifiers, and other products. The Boca Raton, Florida-based company grew to about $20 million in sales and 150 employees, mostly outside the U.S. The products are manufactured in Israel.
Larger baby and toddler supply makers followed BornFree with their own products, and now Vigdor is looking to expand into other areas. The company, which he runs with his brother Dan, 40, and partner Gil Lemel, 47, is looking to expand into water bottles and other products for adults. Vigdor figures his company will be helped by a growing awareness over BPA (a study last week noted a high level of the chemical on cash-register receipts).
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