****Trademark of Watkins, Inc.
Watkins, Inc.
Copyright Jeffrey Babener www.mlmlegal.com
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Welcome to MLMLegal.Com Company Profiles at www.mlmlegal.com. Here you will find brief summaries of pertinent information about hundreds of MLM, Direct Selling, Direct Sales, Network Marketing and Party Plan Companies. As a general matter, the summary information is derived from Company published information, generally posted at Company websites, public information releases or posts at industry trade sites .*
Founding Story
Watkins, Inc. is located in Winona, MN. The company has been in business for over 140 years.
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J.R. Watkins is the founder of the company. He traveled the world searching for the best natural herbs and extracts to make at- home remedies.
Cleaning products were introduced as long ago as 1917.
Watkins, Inc. provides the following extensive company (www.mlmlegal.com) history:
Milestones In Watkins' 139-Year History
1868 J.R. Watkins Medical Company founded in Plainview, Minnesota. Launch of first product, Red Liniment.
1869 Introduction of Trial Mark(TM) bottle--America's (www.mlmlegal.com) first money-back guarantee.
1888 First Watkins factory building erected in Winona, Minnesota.
1895 Introduction of Watkins Vanilla Extract, Black Pepper and Cinnamon.
1901 Publication of first Watkins Almanac, Home Doctor and Cook Book.
1911 Death of J.R. Watkins.
1912 Architecturally significant administration building completed at a cost of $1.2 million.
1913 International expansion begins with branch office in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
1920 Product line reaches 100 selections.
1922 Herb tablets (vitamins) introduced.
1928 Watkins receives Gold Medal honors at Paris International Exposition for vanilla, black pepper, cinnamon and other pure spices.
1942 90 percent of Watkins' production capacity dedicated to the WWII Allied effort.
1955 Bill Porter begins his 50-plus year career with Watkins; his story of working "door-to-door" with cerebral palsy will inspire(www.mlmlegal.com)countless news stories and a television movie.
1960 Watkins ads appear live on NBC's "Today" show, hosted by Dave Garroway.
1978 Watkins Incorporated is acquired by Minneapolis entrepreneur Irwin L. Jacobs.
1990 Watkins quadruples in size under Jacobs' ownership. Customer direct delivery offered.
1996 Watkins expands natural product line.
1997 Mark Jacobs named president; wellness product line is refined and expanded.
1999 Watkins counts over 350 products.
2002 Door to Door, the heartwarming TNT movie inspired by the life story of Watkins salesman, Bill Porter, debuts; wins 6 Emmy Awards, including Best Made-for-TV Movie and Best Actor (William H. Macy).
2003 Watkins celebrates 135th Anniversary.
To increase brand awareness and distribution, Watkins makes select products available through specialty retailers, grocery stores, and drugstores/pharmacies.
Watkins launches Good Tastings(TM) by Watkins sampling/sales program for its direct selling Associates.
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2004 Watkins launches into mass retail with Vanilla and Pepper in Wal Mart. Watkins participates in sponsorship of Grand Excursion - a celebration of the 150th anniversary of the completion of the railroad that connected the East and West sides of the country. Approximately 20 boats participate in the (www.mlmlegal.com) re-enactment of the trip from Rock Island, IL to St. Paul, MN on the Mississippi.
2005 Watkins launches J.R. Watkins Apothecary line into Target stores nation-wide. Watkins forms partnership with Chinese Businessman, Wang Chao Bin, offering more than 100 products to the Chinese market. Watkins facilities in Winona, MN are added to the National Register of Historic Places.
2006 Watkins launches line of USDA Certified 100% Organic Spices in Wal-Mart.Impact on the Industry
Watkins Inc. has been one of the largest employers in Winona since 1888.
Discussion of Products
Watkins Inc. sells products made from all natural ingredients from apothecary to spices. These include herbs, cleaning products, and home remedies. The company also sells personal care products, gifts, and home care. The products are made from 95 percent natural ingredients.
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Discussion of Opportunity
The benefits of joining Watkins, Inc. include:
- A Simple Business System: Watkins system makes it easy to grow your business.
- An Exceptional Compensation Plan: Watkins rewards Associates in relation to their efforts.
- Low Start-Up Cost: Watkins has one of the lowest start-up costs for a home-based business and requires no inventory.
- Incentives and Recognition: Watkins rewards top achievers with powerful recognition and awards, including luxury travel.
- Extraordinary Products: People use our consumable products every day and buy them over and over again.
- Brand Awareness: Watkins strategically places products in stores to increase customer awareness of Watkins, and your Watkins business.
The company provides the following information regarding compensation:
- You will be rewarded in direct relation to your efforts.
- You will typically earn 25 - 39% on your retail sales.
- You will earn on average 5 - 10% bonus on the total sales generated by your downline organization.
Watkins, Inc. provides training, support, incentive trips, and the potential to earn free merchandise.
Discussion of Distributor Base and Sales Volume in U.S.
Watkins Inc. operates in the United States ( www.mlmlegal.com ) and Canada.
Company Website: http://www.watkinsonline.com/
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Jeffrey A. Babener, principal attorney in the Portland, Oregon, law firm Babener & Associates, represents many of the leading direct selling companies in the United States and abroad.
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