In this Sept. 26, 2012 file photo, a worker at the I.P. Callison & Sons production facility in Chehalis stacks barrels of mint extract.
The Thurston Economic Development Council awarded Callisons Large Business of the Year for their contributions to the local economy in 2017.
I.P. Callison began a business processing cascara bark in Chehalis in 1903, but today the company has its headquarters in Lacey.
According to a press release from Thurston Economic Development Council announcing the win, “Callisons is known for innovating whenever possible. For example, in 1952, they brought spearmint production to the Pacific Northwest — helping to skyrocket the spearmint oil production industry from 32,000 pounds to 1.1 million pounds over the following decade. Callisons has a professional work culture that encourages creative thinking and community involvement.”
Callisons makes 90 percent of the world’s mint flavor. It exports it from Lacey and in the last few years has expanded to China and India. Callisons is also expanding their product line to include other flavors.
“Callisons is actually a really little-known company based in Lacey,” said Karissa Benjamin, marketing and events manager for Thurston Economic Development Council. “This place is not so well-known — they lay really low, and it’s important we know this company is here.”
Benjamin said Thurston Economic Development Council opened nominations to the public, but Callisons’ nomination was submitted anonymously. There were 45 businesses nominated in all four categories this year — New Business of the Year, Small Business of the Year, Non-profit of the Year and Large Business of the Year. The Thurston Economic Development Council executive director, business and investor relations manager, Benjamin and past winners chose the winners.
“They are very family-oriented and mission driven,” Benjamin said. “It’s an unignorable success to the community.”
