Curated News
By: NewsRamp Editorial Staff
November 06, 2026
Mad Gab's Lip Balms Hit Shaw's Shelves Across New England
TLDR
- Mad Gab's secures shelf space in 56 Shaw's stores, giving the woman-owned brand a competitive edge in New England's lip care market.
- Mad Gab's expanded via a September 2026 rollout of six lip balm varieties to Shaw's Lip Care Power Panels across five states.
- Mad Gab's expansion supports local entrepreneurship through its Incubating Innovators program, helping teens learn business skills and build brighter futures.
- Mad Gab's started in 1991 with beeswax from a neighbor and now celebrates 35 years with playful lip balm flavors like Moose Smooch.
Impact - Why it Matters
This expansion matters because it demonstrates how a small, homegrown business can scale while staying true to its roots. Mad Gab's journey from a kitchen startup to a regional supermarket presence highlights the power of perseverance and local support. For consumers, it means easier access to natural, woman-owned lip care products. For aspiring entrepreneurs, Melchionda's story and her Incubating Innovators program serve as an inspiring example that success can start small and grow into something significant. The move also strengthens the local economy by supporting a Maine-based company and brings a beloved New England brand to more families in the region.
Summary
Mad Gab's, a woman-owned lip and body care company based in Yarmouth, Maine, has expanded its retail presence into 56 Shaw's supermarket locations across New England. The September 2026 rollout brings six varieties of the brand's popular lip balms to shoppers in Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, and Rhode Island, just as the company celebrates its 35th anniversary. This marks a significant milestone for the brand, which began in 1991 when founder Gabrielle Melchionda made her first batch of lip balm in her mother's kitchen using beeswax from a neighbor.
The Shaw's assortment features six lip balm varieties across two product lines: USDA Certified Organic Moose Smooch Lip Balms in Blueberry, Vanilla, and Watermelon Ice; and SPF 15 Lip Balms in Minty Mint, Strawberry, and Lemonade. The organic line is made with organic olive oil and beeswax to moisturize dry lips without a greasy or waxy feeling, while the SPF 15 line combines moisturizing ingredients with sun protection. Both lines feature colorful packaging and playful flavors that have become part of the brand's identity. The products are available on Lip Care Power Panels at participating Shaw's locations, with placement varying by store.
Melchionda expressed her excitement about the expansion: “Being on the shelves at Shaw's is an incredible milestone as we celebrate our 35th anniversary. New England is where this whole adventure started, so having our products available to more families here feels pretty special. I never imagined when I started Mad Gab's that we'd come this far.” Beyond its products, Mad Gab's supports the next generation of entrepreneurs through its Incubating Innovators program, working with local schools and a farmers market to help teens develop business ideas, create products, learn marketing, and experience selling to customers. The program reflects Melchionda's own hands-on introduction to entrepreneurship and her commitment to helping young people explore business ownership.
Source Statement
This curated news summary relied on content distributed by Newsworthy.ai. Read the original source here, Mad Gab's Lip Balms Hit Shaw's Shelves Across New England
