Aloha Bay: Dedicated to Our Customers, No Matter the Obstacles

CLEARLAKE OAKS, Calif. - March 6, 2017 - PRLog -- Aloha Bay's 24-year history in the natural products industry is built on "almost never back-ordering" and always turning around orders within a few days. Last year's Clayton Fire hurt us in that we lost a million dollars in inventory, one-third of our production space, and an 111,000-square-foot warehouse. Although hindering us temporarily, these challenges have only intensified Aloha Bay's commitment to our core value to "always ship what our customers need."

We deeply appreciate all the people in the natural products industry who reached out to us during this time of rebuilding from the fire. This includes importers extending payment terms; global partners speeding up Himalayan salt and Indonesian candle production; raw material and glass suppliers helping us get restocked; retailers calling us to say they can wait on their orders; and distributors and broker partners extending significant support. We also thank our partner suppliers for arranging air shipments to quickly help meet customer needs. This is the kind of generosity and goodwill that has characterized the natural products industry from the start.

Record Shipments of Himalayan Salt Lamps to Meet Rapidly Rising Demand
As an update, we are pleased to report that in February 2017, Aloha Bay shipped more Himalayan salt lamps and candles than any previous year in the history of our company, and we are becoming much more productive than ever. This past week the Lake County planning department approved our Lower Lake, CA, facility's rebuilding plans. This means that by summer 2017 we will recover all our lost production space, and we will have doubled our warehouse capacity.

Here's a current example of a successful order fulfillment: Last month, Aloha Bay received a very large salt lamp order from Select Nutrition. Combining an air shipment of four pallets of salt lamps plus the delivery of a 40-ft. container, we were able to ship a 14-pallet order in record time. Moreover, to meet increased demand, Aloha Bay will continue to receive 40-ft. containers of Himalayan salt lamps just about every week until we are fully stocked.

Aloha Bay began importing Himalayan salt products from Pakistan in 2004 from Pakistani architect and businessman Tariq Khokhar. In Pakistan, the government owns the salt mines but leases portions to manufacturers. Tariq designed and built a state-of-the-art salt factory in Mirpur, close to the Himalayan foothills, and in Spring 2017 will be opening another facility next to the mines. We will operate both factories until the new facility is able to produce up to 250 40-ft. containers of decorative salt lamps and edible salt per year. Up to this point, the most we've ever shipped was 150 20-ft. containers yearly.

To assure our customers of the safety of our salt lamps, we guarantee that every Himalayan salt lamp base and switch is third-party safety tested to ensure manufacturing is in compliance with Intertek and Underwriters Laboratories quality and safety standards.

Fulfilling All-Natural Candle Orders, Fairly
This year, our Indonesian fair trade certified candle facility is adding more staff. The employees (120 women out of about 150 staff) are guaranteed humane working conditions, good wages, paid holidays, and family health insurance. Also, this year Bart Burger, Aloha Bay's CEO, or Tom Closser, Marketing Director, will travel to Pakistan to begin working with the same team that SA8000 fair trade certified our sister factory in Indonesia. SA8000 is an auditable certification standard that encourages organizations to develop, maintain, and apply socially acceptable practices in the workplace.

Aloha Bay takes pride in its association with our partners in Pakistan and Indonesia. We are product innovators, identifying popular and traditional handcrafted home décor items and making improving their quality by using the most sustainable raw materials available. We source sustainably, and work toward getting all our suppliers fair trade, organic, and Rainforest Alliance certified.

Alleviating Poverty Through Building Equitable Global Partnerships
What we really care about is building global equitable and sustainable trading partnerships and creating opportunities to alleviate poverty by offering stable employment to craft people who are the bedrock of time-honored traditional and cultural practices.

Your purchase of Aloha Bay products supports several nonprofit organizations including Salt Health Trust International, the Sacred Camel Gardens, Rainforest Alliance, and the Organic Consumers Association. This year Aloha Bay is donating Rainbow Taper Candles to the San Francisco Dyke March.

Visit Us at Natural Products Expo West
By the way, if you are attending Natural Products Expo West, March 9-12, 2017, in Anaheim, CA, be sure to visit Joe! Aloha Bay's marketing coordinator, Joe Carlson, will be at the Threshold Enterprises booth displaying our top-selling and new items (including new Himalayan salt lamps and Rainbow candles), and at the Fresh Ideas Organic Marketplace booth showcasing our organic, scented Himalayan bath salts. You can also find Aloha Bay products on display at the Frontier Natural Products booth. Aloha Bay will be offering special discounts and promotions to attendees, only found at Expo West.

About Aloha Bay
Founded in 1993, Aloha Bay opened its first candle factory in Lower Lake, CA, and relied on the craftsmanship of human hands, rather than fully automated factory systems, for its line of environmentally responsible candles and natural living products. In 2013, Aloha Bay became the first candle company to be Rainforest Alliance Certified for its palm wax candles - a designation from an international non-profit conservation organization that certifies farms and plantations that meet rigorous standards for the protection of natural resources and the rights and welfare of workers and local communities. This standard continues today as well as a commitment to helping farmers, crafts people, and international workers earn a decent income. Visit www.alohabay.com.