Jeff grew up swatting mosquitoes in South Louisiana and Georgia - and got tired of reaching for products he didn't trust. In this conversation, we sit down with the founder of Lemongrass Farms to hear how he set out to create an insect repellent you actually want to use: all-natural, plant-based, and pleasant enough that people thought it was perfume. If you care about what goes on your skin and where it comes from, this one's worth 20 minutes.
From Louisiana Mosquitoes to a Better Bug Spray
Jeff grew up between South Louisiana and Atlanta - two places where mosquitoes come with the territory. As a kid, he used the same legacy repellents everyone else did: sticky, smelly, and full of ingredients you'd rather not think about. In 2022, he started asking a different question: what if bug spray could feel good, smell good, and actually be good for you? Lemongrass Farms launched in 2023 with that answer.
His inspiration was an unlikely one - Sunbum, the SPF brand. Not the product itself, but what it represented: taking a stale, unloved category and making it fun, trustworthy, and worth reaching for. Jeff wanted to do the same thing for insect repellent.
The Formula: Zero Mystery Ingredients
Lemongrass Farms' flagship product, Trek, is built around four essential oils - lemongrass, geranium, peppermint, and cedarwood - plus two plant-based moisturizers and water. Every ingredient is listed in bold on the front of the can. No fine print, no fillers, no mystery.
Jeff points out that most "natural" repellents on the market use essential oils for only 2-3% of the formula - with the remaining 96-97% typically a cheap seed or soybean oil that's greasy, pore-clogging, and stain-prone. Lemongrass Farms took a cosmetic approach instead: lightweight, fast-absorbing, and non-staining. "Your skin is your second mouth," Jeff says - and the formula reflects that philosophy.
The delivery system is equally thoughtful. Trek uses a bag-on-valve can powered by clean compressed air - no butane, no flammables. The formula stays sealed in an internal bag and is dispensed cleanly every time.
Trek, Scram, and What's Next
Alongside Trek, Lemongrass Farms makes Scram - a spatial repellent designed to treat an area rather than your skin. Heavy on lemongrass oil, which common flies actively avoid, Scram is ideal for picnic tables, barbecues, crawfish boils, and equestrian settings. A travel-size 3 oz version of Trek is also available - carry-on friendly and ready for the diaper bag or fanny pack.
Wet wipes for kids are launching soon, joining the existing Trek for Kids formula, which uses the same essential oil blend at a lower concentration suited for younger, more sensitive skin. And Jeff hinted at a top-secret non-topical repellent product on the horizon - details to come.
Lemongrass Farms is also the only non-GMO verified insect repellent on the market - a certification Jeff pursued because, as he puts it, "we can." The brand also gives back to the Bee and Butterfly Habitat Fund, a 501(c)(3) whose proceeds helped plant a billion wildflowers in 2025.
Growing Fast, Built to Last
Lemongrass Farms operates out of a single facility in Cartersville, Georgia - blending, batching, filling, labeling, and shipping all under one roof. In 2025, the brand was in approximately 5,600 retail stores. By the end of 2026, that number is expected to reach 17,000. That kind of growth demands a strong team, and Jeff credits building the right people around the brand as the turning point that made scaling possible.
Why Made in the USA
Jeff spent years in the paint and coatings industry working with manufacturers across Asia before founding Lemongrass Farms. That experience shaped his conviction: manufacturing at home means quality you can stand behind, jobs for your community, and a product your reputation is tied to. "We're a small family business," he says. "We can't afford to put out junk - and people see right through you nowadays."