# Shaw's adds Maine-made Mad Gab's lip balm to 56 New England supermarkets - Published: 2026-11-06 - Author: [Retail News](https://retailnews.io/author/retailnews-io.md) - Topics: [News](https://retailnews.io/news.md) - About: Shaw's, [Mad Gab's](https://www.madgabs.com/) - Based on: [Mad Gab's Expands Into 56 Shaw's Stores Across New England](https://www.helpareporter.com/news-releases/mad-gabs-expands-into-56-shaws-stores-across-new-england), HARO Newswire, 2026-11-06 - Based on: [Shaw's and Star Market](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shaw%27s_and_Star_Market), Wikipedia - Based on: [The Mad Gab's Story](https://www.madgabs.com/pages/our-story), Mad Gab's Inc. - Based on: [Mad Gab's](https://www.madgabs.com/), Mad Gab's Inc. - Source: https://retailnews.io/news/shaws-mad-gabs-lip-balm/ - Publication: Retail News - Publisher: Connectively (Terkel, Inc.) - Editorial policy: https://retailnews.io/editorial-policy/ Shaw's has added Mad Gab's lip balm to 56 New England supermarkets, the Maine brand says, with six balms rolled out in September 2026. It is a regional grocer giving shelf space to a small local supplier in a category usually held by national brands. ## Key points - Mad Gab's says 56 Shaw's stores in Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont and Rhode Island now carry six of its lip balms. - The set is three organic Moose Smooch flavors and three SPF 15 flavors, merchandised on lip care display panels. - The company says shelf position varies by store. - Mad Gab's is a woman-owned business founded in 1991 and based in Yarmouth, Maine. - The brand ties the launch to its 35th anniversary. ## Which Shaw's stores carry Mad Gab's lip balm? Fifty-six of them, the company says, though the release names none. The chain operates [129 Shaw's-banner stores](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shaw%27s_and_Star_Market) in the same five states, so the rollout covers fewer than half of its locations, about 43%. | Line | Flavors at Shaw's | How the company describes it | |---|---|---| | Moose Smooch | Blueberry, Vanilla, Watermelon Ice | USDA Certified Organic | | SPF 15 | Minty Mint, Strawberry, Lemonade | Moisturizer with sun protection | ## Why would a supermarket chain stock a local lip balm? Our analysis: local sourcing is one of the few ways a regional grocer can look different from national rivals on the same shelf. Shaw's is owned by Boise-based Albertsons and, [Wikipedia notes](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shaw%27s_and_Star_Market), is the only one of New England's large grocers that trades solely in the region, against competitors such as Hannaford, Market Basket and Stop & Shop. A Maine-made brand with a founder story and a 35-year history fits that pitch. Lip balm is also a small, impulse-priced item that sits on a display panel, which keeps the risk of a trial placement low for the retailer. > Being on the shelves at Shaw's is an incredible milestone as we celebrate our 35th anniversary. > > — Gabrielle Melchionda, Founder, Mad Gab's ## What the release does not say The announcement comes from Mad Gab's alone; Shaw's has not commented in it. It gives no shelf price, no sales so far, no word on whether the placement is a test or permanent, and no indication of whether the products reach stores through a distributor or directly. The company calls itself nationally distributed but names no other retailers. ## How did Mad Gab's get here? The company says Gabrielle Melchionda began making lip balm in Massachusetts in 1991 with beeswax from a neighbor and first sold to natural food stores out of her car, a history its [own company story](https://www.madgabs.com/pages/our-story) also tells. It is now headquartered in Yarmouth, Maine, and also runs a program teaching teenagers to develop and sell their own products. > New England is where this whole adventure started, so having our products available to more families here feels pretty special. > > — Gabrielle Melchionda, Founder, Mad Gab's ## Frequently asked questions ### Does Shaw's carry Mad Gab's lip balm? Yes. Mad Gab's says 56 Shaw's supermarkets in five New England states have stocked six of its lip balms since September 2026. ### Who owns Shaw's? Shaw's is a wholly owned subsidiary of Albertsons, which is based in Boise, Idaho. ### Has Shaw's confirmed the placement? Not in the announcement, which comes from Mad Gab's alone. Shaw's is not quoted, and the release does not list the stores. ### Is Mad Gab's a local brand? Yes. It is a woman-owned company based in Yarmouth, Maine, and was founded in Massachusetts in 1991. ## Sources - [Mad Gab's Expands Into 56 Shaw's Stores Across New England](https://www.helpareporter.com/news-releases/mad-gabs-expands-into-56-shaws-stores-across-new-england): press release from Mad Gab's via HARO Newswire, 6 November 2026. - [Shaw's and Star Market](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shaw%27s_and_Star_Market): Wikipedia's entry on the chain's ownership, store count and competitors. - [The Mad Gab's Story](https://www.madgabs.com/pages/our-story): the company's own history of its founding. - [Mad Gab's](https://www.madgabs.com/): the company's website and store locator.