Raw materials manufactured into local skin care products

Not a lot of physicists make skin cream. But at least one does, and he does it in the Flathead Valley. Owners Annegret and Klaus Pfeifer of Kettle Care Botanicals meld tried-and-true natural ingredients with solid manufacturing processes to produce a line of personal care products in their Kalispell facility. 

Klaus comes from a career as a physicist and chemist in corporate manufacturing — landing in Kalispell to work for Applied Materials — and Annegret brings a finance background to the operation. While this might seem an unlikely history for people making skincare, Annegret had been a loyal customer when the opportunity arose for the Pfeifers to purchase Kettle Care in 2012, and they dove in. 

At Kettle Care's Kalispell facility, you can see natural, concentrated ingredients going into each of their products. Raw materials come into the manufacturing process in the back, and finished goods go into the retail store at the front. Klaus and Annegret bring a systems and technical approach, mating natural ingredients and traditional botanical therapies with hard science and technical expertise to produce a consistent, quality product with a strong following. 

In their lab, they use seasonal and locally-sourced ingredients when possible to produce high-quality, small-batch products that are available in the retail store, online, and in other local and regional outlets. If you're lucky enough to have been on a tour of the facility or at one of their customer events, you’ve also gotten to see the hands that test and manufacture these products. They're often the same hands that help customers with questions, provide samples to try, and check you out at the register. 

Annegret and Klaus are always trying to stay up to date on information and training to improve their manufacturing process and business strength. Both of them have attended a number of Montana West Economic Development's Masterclass sessions this year, showing that there is always something more to learn, even for established business owners. 

Full disclosure, I'm a Kettle Care customer myself and love being able to get locally made, simple skin care products in town. I've seen the lab facilities and know where everything I buy comes from and who is behind making it. If you’re interested in locally made skincare products, check them out at their store or atkettlecare.com. 

Christy Cummings Dawson is the president and CEO of Montana West Economic Development.