How Morrisette Packaging Helped Murphy’s Naturals Scale Into Costco with Confidence

When Philip Freeman founded Murphy’s Naturals, his goal was simple: create a safe, natural mosquito repellent for his wife Pam — a self-proclaimed mosquito magnet.

From his garage in North Raleigh, Philip developed effective formulations, named the company after their dog Murphy, and grew a small operation into a brand with a team of 50. Murphy’s Naturals has always been about more than profit; it’s a mission-driven company focused on people, planet, and profit, embodying their “Dog Philosophy” of doing good while creating high-quality natural products.

But growing from a small, local brand to a national presence meant tackling challenges in packaging, distribution, and retail readiness. That’s where Morrisette Packaging came in.


The Challenge: Scaling a Brand for Major Retailers

Murphy’s Naturals was ready to bring their products to Costco, a major retail milestone — but doing so comes with strict requirements: high-quality packaging, consistent presentation, and distribution logistics on a large scale.

“Getting into Costco isn’t easy,” Philip explains. “You need credibility, a professional presentation, and confidence in every aspect of your packaging.”

A small brand can easily get overwhelmed by the logistics, sourcing, and structural requirements needed for a big-box rollout. Philip needed a partner who could provide more than just boxes.


The Solution: Morrisette’s Multi-Dimensional Approach

Unlike traditional packaging companies, Morrisette Packaging offers a full-service, multi-dimensional solution:

  1. In-House Structural Design – Custom designs for trays, pallets, and packaging that ensured Murphy’s products could withstand shipping and retail handling.

  2. In-House Graphic Design – High-quality renderings applied directly to packaging structures to create visually compelling, retail-ready presentations.

  3. Sourcing & Purchasing Power – Access to materials at scale while optimizing cost and logistics.

  4. Kitting, Fulfillment & Distribution – Warehousing, assembly, and order fulfillment that let Murphy’s focus on growth while Morrisette handled the operational heavy lifting.

“They didn’t just give us a packaging solution — they gave us a design solution, handled sourcing, and managed fulfillment,” Philip says. “It was a comprehensive approach that made a huge difference.”

Morrisette helped Murphy’s Naturals present a professional, credible package to Costco, covering everything from individual product graphics to pallet configurations. This level of preparation allowed Murphy’s to enter the retailer with confidence, demonstrating that they were a brand capable of scaling efficiently.


The Results: From Trial to 250 Stores

Morrisette’s multi-dimensional approach delivered tangible results:

  • A successful trial in 30 Costco warehouses

  • Expansion to 250 warehouses within a year

  • Optimized packaging for structural integrity, visual appeal, and retail compliance

  • Full-service support, reducing the operational burden on Murphy’s team

“Morrisette made it easy for us to scale,” Philip says. “Their combination of design, sourcing, kitting, and fulfillment created a winning story for us.”


The Takeaway: Packaging as a Strategic Growth Partner

Murphy’s Naturals’ story shows that packaging isn’t just a box — it’s a strategic enabler of growth.

By providing multi-dimensional services, Morrisette helped a small, mission-driven company scale into a major retailer while maintaining quality, consistency, and brand integrity.

“When you look at packaging companies, most provide solutions — but not multi-dimensional solutions. Morrisette does,” Philip concludes. “That’s what makes working with them so impactful.”

FREE COFFEE!

At Morrisette Packaging, we believe the best conversations happen face-to-face. That’s why we’re happy to bring a free coffee straight to you and spend time getting to know you.