Vanta Coda III, from RealWV
Located not far from Highway 119 on Daniel Boone Parkway in Foster, Appalachian Botanical Co. makes lavender-infused body care products, aromatherapy products, culinary items and household goods and sells similar products from other local West Virginia businesses.
The company is also known for supporting people coming out of rehab or prison, as well as those who have difficulty finding work in the area. Marina Sawyer, Appalachian Botanical’s chief technology officer, is committed to supporting employees, whether they’re on a short-term or long-term basis.
“We strive to provide opportunities for our employees that are not typically available in this region,” Sawyer said. “We provide learning opportunities for our employees to excel and also provide the support they need.”
The learning opportunities available to workers range from basic home appliance maintenance to beekeeping. By imparting these skills, Appalachian Botanical Co. hopes to help people who have faced hardships readjust to a healthy work lifestyle.
“We have some people who use their time here as a stepping stone, which is great because it gives them the opportunity to try other things,” Sawyer said. “We also have some employees who have been with us for a long time and have found their comfort zone here.”
Employees like Amber Marie Bias have been with Appalachian Botanicals for three years, performing a variety of duties from tending to the lavender fields and beehives, now managed and operated by Caulfield Development, to packaging product for shipping.
“The opportunities offered here are better than other places in the surrounding counties,” Bias said. “I don’t know about other outplacement programs, but there are a lot of opportunities offered here.”
The company also has a therapy room for employees who need guidance overcoming personal or legal pressures, where they can speak to peer recovery support specialists.
“If you’re on the verge of relapsing or have already relapsed, you can confide in a counsellor and they’ll steer you in the right direction,” Bias says. “Starting over is hard, especially finding a job, because other places don’t really understand the legal requirements someone like me has to jump through. Here, they’re very understanding and supportive when I need to deal with personal issues.”
These opportunities for surrounding area residents and the company’s continued growth have led other local businesses in West Virginia to partner with Appalachian Botanical Co. and entrust the company to handle their shipping needs.
“We’re halfway to where we want to be,” Sawyer said, “but we’ve come a long way from where we started, and we wouldn’t be anywhere near where we are today without the hardworking people who have worked and still work with us.”
