Eric Young’s search for quality, budget-friendly beard products led to starting his own company in 2013. Young runs Mountaineer Brand Products with sister and business partner Meredith Young.
The company soon outgrew the kitchen where the startup began and by 2014 had set up shop in a new building in Shepherdstown. The Mountaineer Brand line of natural products expanded to include beard oils, shampoos, body care, lip balms and grooming products. The products are sold online through the company website and on Amazon. Revenues have grown to more than a million dollars annually.
In 2016, Mountaineer Brand reached international status with sales to Sweden. The company received the Governor’s International Market Entry Award, which honors West Virginia companies that successfully exported to a new country.
Mountaineer Brand was recently approved to receive $30,000 to provide a loan guaranty for a working capital loan. The investment was funded by Natural Capital Investment Fund through the West Virginia Capital Access Program, known as WVCAP. The Natural Capital Investment Fund finances and advises small to mid-sized enterprises across a nine-state region.
The company currently employs nine people and, with WVCAP funding, anticipates creating up to five new jobs.
The West Virginia Jobs Investment Trust administers the federally funded WVCAP program to help the state’s small business get the credit they need to grow. The West Virginia Jobs Investment Trust is the state’s venture capital fund created to develop the state’s economy by making investment funds available to eligible businesses.
