Frontier began as a two-person operation in 1976 in a river cabin in Eastern Iowa. Since then we‘ve grown steadily to become a major supplier of natural products. Our success throughout the years reflects our close harmony with the product needs and the values of our members and natural products consumers.
1970
- Begin selling herbs and spices to local co-ops as a two-person operation in a small riverside cabin.
- Add first organic products to line and lead in promoting the environmental and social benefits of organics.
- Buy 5,200 sq. ft. grocery store in Fairfax, Iowa, and move operations there.
- Begin bottling Frontier Co-op essential oils in response to store requests.
- Begin selling other manufacturer's products in response to store requests. Incorporate as cooperative owned by customers.
1980
- Return first patronage refund to Frontier member/owners. Elect Frontier's first Board of Directors.
- Purchase 10 acres near Norway, Iowa, and build 22,152 sq. ft. facility.
- Listed 78th on Inc. magazine's list of "America's Fastest Growing Companies."
- Establish subsidized on-site childcare and cafeteria.
- First in the natural products industry to use a natural CO2 fumigation process.
1990
- Launch line of Frontier brand bottled spices.
- Establish tall grass prairie on Norway site.
- Introduce cryogenic grinding to preserve product quality in processing.
- Host the first of 13 HerbFest conferences, the country's largest annual conference on herbs and sustainable living.
- Buy Aura Cacia aromatherapy brand.
- Implement an in-house Gas Chromatography testing program to ensure essential oil quality.
2000
- Introduce the Simply Organic brand, a 100% organic line.
- Begin offering Fair Trade Certified teas.
- Establish the Well Earth program to develop high quality and socially responsible suppliers around the world.
- Publish Frontier’s first Sustainability Report.
- Introduce the first Fair Trade Certified spices in U.S.
- Establish the Simply Organic 1% Scholarship at the University of California Santa Cruz Center for Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems.
2010
- Implement steam sterilization to naturally eliminate pathogens while maintaining product flavor and aroma.
- Purchase and renovate 100,000 sq. ft. facility in North Liberty.
- Aura Cacia Organic 1% Fund builds a preschool in Madagascar for supplier community children.
- With Simply Organic 1% Fund, the Well Earth program builds 49 new wells in the communities supplying our vanilla.
- Chosen as the 2013 Whole Foods Supplier of the Year.
- Provide 300 dormitory-style bunk beds and school subsidize so Vietnamese children can attend school.
- Launch first Non-GMO Project Verified products, including the first Non-GMO Verified vanillas available.