The idea of HayMax was formed on the outskirts of the small Bedfordshire market town of Ampthill by long time hay fever sufferer Max Wiseberg in the early 2000s. Max had tried every remedy around with little or no success to alleviate his hay fever, so after some research decided to develop his own. In 2005 he launched the product that he developed in his own kitchen – and HayMax was born. Twenty years later this innovative product goes from strength to strength, with 5 different varieties including HayMax Kids specifically for children.
Max Wiseberg had suffered with hay fever since a child – “I was the child who took not one but 2 rolls of toilet tissue into exams to cope with my hay fever” – and tried every treatment around, with limited or no success. Eventually, after doing some research, he came up with the idea of a balm to trap pollen before it entered the body. After perfecting it in his kitchen, he offered it to friends, family and acquaintances and it worked for them too – ‘you should market this’ some said. Max thought, decided to take the comments seriously, developed a business plan and in 2005 launched the organic drug-free allergen barrier balm HayMax.
In 2005, HayMax was ahead of its time, a natural prevention for hay fever – and indoor allergies too, such as dust and pet allergies. It is different from most other hay fever treatments and remedies, and seeks to stop allergens getting into the body before they can cause a reaction, rather than attempting to treat the symptoms or the effects of the allergen once they occur.
At first, Max and his partner Christine made, potted, packaged and dispatched HayMax from their kitchen, often after their young children were tucked up in bed. Then, as the brand grew, demand outgrew home production and the manufacturing was outsourced.
HayMax has always listened to its customers. In 2007 it introduced HayMax Pure, after requests for an unscented version, and in 2015 introduced HayMax Kids in funky superhero packaging, just for them. All 5 HayMax varieties are natural, organic and drug free, so are suitable for children and pregnant and breastfeeding women to use.
HayMax was organic from the start. “The best chef will always ensure that the ingredients are the best quality they can find,” says Max. “If the ingredients are substandard the final outcome won’t be as good. We believe it’s just the same with an allergy product.” In 2006, it gained organic certification from the Soil Association, the UK’s largest organic certification body. And it has always been made from vegetarian ingredients and never tested on animals and, also in 2006, it was first licensed to carry the Vegetarian Society Approved vegetarian trademark.
HayMax gained its first trade award in 2006, as a winner in the Natural Trade Show Awards. It has now won over 60 awards over the past 20 years.
In 2011 HayMax attained The Allergy Friendly Product Award from Allergy UK, the leading national charity providing support, advice and information for those living with allergic disease, which is awarded to products that are potentially of benefit to people affected by allergy, asthma, or sensitivity and are unlikely to cause a reaction. This applies to unscented varieties (Pure, Aloe Vera and HayMax Kids).
HayMax has undergone two independent studies at the National Pollen and Aerobiology Research Unit (NPARU) – the UK’s leading authority on airborne allergen [1,2], two surveys by Allergy UK (the leading national charity providing support, advice and information for those living with allergic disease) [3,4].
In 2009, an NPARU study showed that HayMax traps all types of grass and tree pollen [1]. In 2012, a second study by NPARU reported that HayMax traps over a third of pollen before it enters the body, in addition to dust mite allergens and pet dander [2]. In 2014, an independent survey by Allergy UK, 94% of people found HayMax quick to be effective; 44% said that it works immediately and a further 35% said that it works within an hour or two [3]. In 2016, a second survey by Allergy UK, reported that 80% of hay fever sufferers say HayMax works [4].
In 2022, HayMax switched to using oil free, roadside recyclable sugar cane pots, at the same time reducing the amount of material used in the pots by over 50% (using the UK supplier they have been working with since 2012), significantly reducing their carbon footprint. HayMax has switched to paper labels on the pots and triple tin. The tins have always been sourced in the UK made from recyclable aluminium.
HayMax organic drug-free allergen barrier balm has an rrp of £8.49 per pot and is available from independent chemists, pharmacists and health stores, Holland & Barrett, Ocado, selected Boots, on 01525 406600 and www.haymax.biz
References
[1] Prof Jean Emberlin, Independent Research on HayMax Pollen Barrier Balm, The National Pollen and Aerobiology Research Unit (NPARU) University of Worcester WR2 6 AJ, July 20th 2009
[2] Chief Investigator: Professor Roy Kennedy, Principal Investigator: Louise Robertson, Researcher: Dr Mary Lewis, National Pollen & Aerobiology Research Unit, 1st February 2012.
[3] ‘Are you suffering from seasonal allergic rhinitis (hay fever)?’, Allergy UK, July 2014, supported and funded by HayMax™.
[4] ‘The Impact of Hay Fever – a survey by Allergy UK’, Allergy UK, supported and funded by HayMax™, April 2016.