Grow Good

Molly Vollmer and Katherine Jarnigo are co-CEOs of Kirk's Family of Natural Brands, the parent company behind The Grandpa Soap Company and SOF and Kirk's. They join Grow Good to discuss what it takes to modernize legacy consumer brands without compromising what made them trusted in the first place.

The conversation explores the operational realities of values-driven growth: resisting fad ingredients, managing commodity shocks, navigating retailer expectations, and building differentiated brands in an increasingly crowded natural products category. Molly and Katherine share how they think about stewardship versus short-term optimization, why they refused to dilute Kirk’s coconut oil formula despite severe margin pressure, and how they use consumer clarity, packaging, sustainability investments, and strategic restraint to keep century-old brands relevant for the next generation.

It’s a candid look at long-term brand building, disciplined leadership, and the systems required to scale without losing trust.

KEY INSIGHTS

  • Why they rejected trend-driven product innovation that didn’t align with brand identity
  • The decision to absorb major coconut oil cost increases instead of reformulating products
  • How they differentiate three soap brands without cannibalizing shelf space or consumers
  • Why “natural” only matters if brands can substantiate claims with third-party verification
  • The operational tradeoffs behind investing early in 100% post-consumer recycled packaging
  • How legacy brands stay relevant without abandoning their core positioning
  • The role transparency played when communicating price increases to retailers and consumers
  • Why they view family ownership as an advantage for making long-term decisions
  • How quarterly brand reviews help maintain strategic clarity across multiple consumer segments
  • The tension between efficiency and maintaining distinct brand identities
  • What they learned from failed innovation launches tied to short-term ingredient trends
  • Why leaders eventually need to “get out of the weeds” to lead strategically
 TIMESTAMPS
 01:55 – Stewarding brands with 100+ year histories
 02:54 – Innovation guardrails for legacy brands
 03:53 – Lessons from chasing trend ingredients
 04:59 – Learning the business from the ground up
 07:12 – Identifying growth opportunities in natural products
 10:38 – Differentiating three brands without cannibalization
 14:49 – Managing innovation across distinct consumer segments
 18:27 – Aligning philanthropy with brand strategy
 23:44 – The coconut oil pricing crisis and margin pressure
 26:30 – Why they refused to dilute the Kirk’s formula
 31:04 – Communicating value in seconds at shelf
 39:18 – Operating as sisters and co-CEOs
 43:21 – Advice for founders balancing growth and values

 RESOURCES & LINKS

What is Grow Good ?

Grow Good tells the story of purpose-driven leaders who grow their businesses while staying true to mission and values. Hosted by growth and brand strategist Anne Oudersluys, each episode features candid conversations with CEOs and founders about real decisions they make and how they operate across strategy, product, marketing, people, and scale. This show provides practical, thoughtful insight for leaders who want to grow with intention.