Udderly Smooth is Salem Business of the Month
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SALEM - The Salem Business of the Month for September has been awarded to Udderly Smooth, 1176 Salem Parkway.
What began in a small-town pharmacy in the 1970s has become an international household name. Udderly Smooth, the skin cream recognizable by its black-and-white cow-print packaging, was never intended for people at all.
Local pharmacist Bill Kennedy Sr. first developed the formula to soothe and protect dairy cows' udders from cracking in the cold Ohio winters. Farmers swore by its effectiveness - and before long, they started dipping into the jars themselves. Rough, dry hands and cracked elbows were no match for the thick, silky lotion.
By the 1980s, Kennedy's creation had stepped out of the barnyard and into pharmacies across Ohio. With it quirky name and memorable packaging, Udderly Smooth captured attention. Mechanics, nurses, and factory workers became loyal customers, relying on the ream to battle the wear and tear of daily labor.
But the story didn't stop there. Hospitals soon adopted it for patients undergoing chemotherapy and radiation, whose treatments often caused painful dry skin. Meanwhile, athletes, especially cyclists, discovered its uses as a friction-fighting chamois cream.
Today, Udderly Smooth is still produced in Salem by Redex Industries, Kennedy's family owned with generations. From humble farm supply to international brand, the cream is now sold coast to coast and exports to six countries, a testament to its unlikely journey.
What started as a solution for cows has become a skincare staple for millions of people worldwide - proof that sometimes the simplest ideas can go the furthest.