Burt Shavitz, the Burt behind Burt’s Bees, dies at 80
In this May 23, 2014, file photo, Burt Shavitz poses for a photo on his property in Parkman, Maine. Shavitz, a former beekeeper, is the Burt behind Burt's Bees. A spokeswoman for Burt’s Bees said Shavtiz died Sunday, July 5, 2015, at his home in rural Maine. He was 80. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty, File)
Burt Shavitz, the Burt behind Burt’s Bees who co-founded the natural cosmetics company before it sold to Clorox, has died. He was 80.
A spokeswoman for Burt’s Bees says Shavtiz died Sunday at his home in rural Maine, surrounded by family and friends.
Shavitz was a hippie making a living by selling honey when his life was altered by a chance encounter with a hitchhiking Roxanne Quimby. She was a single mother and a back-to-the-lander who impressed Shavitz with her ingenuity.
In the 1980s she began making products from his beeswax, and they became partners. An image of Burt’s face – and his untamed beard – was featured on labels.
Their business partnership ended after the business moved in 1994 to North Carolina. In 2007, Clorox purchased Burt’s Bees for $925 million.
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