As more consumers seek authentic, natural products each and every day, the marketplace is becoming increasingly more crowded, even when it comes to basic hygiene staples like oral care products. Looking to capitalize on the trend is New London, CT-based contract manufacturer Sheffield Pharmaceuticals, which has rolled out its own toothpaste. And while this natural toothpaste is a new addition to the shelves at CVS and the natural marketplace, the formulation itself isn’t so green—and by green, we mean new. In fact, it dates back more than 150 years.
 
Dr. Sheffield’s Premium Natural Toothpaste is made from formulations invented in 1850
by Sheffield Pharmaceuticals’ founder Dr. Washington Wentworth Sheffield, the inventor of toothpaste and toothpaste in a tube.
 
While the company dusted off the recipe book for this new launch, the team gave the formulation modern sensibilities—there’s no fluoride, artificial foaming agents, synthetic detergents, colors, flavors, sweeteners, GMOs, or animal by-products—and the R&D team zeroed in on taste and texture too, according to Jeffrey Davis, president and CEO of Sheffield Pharmaceuticals.
 
“Flavor was very important to us,” Davis said, noting that the four variants in the line— peppermint, wintergreen, sensitive care and extra whitening—are all certified by the Natural Products Association. 
 
Davis contends the aesthetic and flavor, coupled with the brand’s history, will give this new paste traction, even as it competes against the biggest names in the business—think Crest and Colgate—and better-known natural brands, such as Tom’s of Maine.
 
Davis pointed to the growing popularity of of heritage and retro brands that have history and a story behind.
 
“Frankly, we thought we could make natural, fluoride-free toothpaste, but make it taste good and provide a good consumer taste experience,” he said.
 
Sheffield created packaging that conveys the back story of the brand, but will enlist modern-day marketing techniques like Facebook and Instagram to help spread the word. In addition, the company has created a TV spot, and will partner with CVS on in-store promotions. It is exclusive to CVS and cvs.com, said Davis.
 
Described by Davis as a “mid-size firm,” Sheffield last year was named to the Marcum Tech Top 40 (TT40) list of the fastest growing technology companies in Connecticut by the Connecticut Technology Council (CTC) and Marcum LLP. The firm is one of the nation’s fastest growing manufacturers of OTC products to retailers and drug store chains, producing more than 100 different formulas, ranging from prescription and OTC health care products to cosmetics, and distributing to more than 70,000 stores globally. ­