A health and wellness company focused on meeting the needs of the underserved and aiding people with under-recognized conditions across the world is returning home to Colorado Springs.

Desert Harvest is expanding locally and expects to create 15 new jobs with average annual salaries of $68,505, or 108% of El Paso County’s average annual wage, state officials and the Colorado Springs Chamber of Commerce & Economic Development Corp. jointly announced Tuesday in a written release.

The family-owned and -operated company produces and sells high-quality, scientifically studied, all-natural health supplements and skin care products. Most of its customers, 75%, are women.

More than 30 years after it was founded in 1993 in El Paso County by her parents, Pat and Mike Criscito, Desert Harvest is reopening in downtown Colorado Springs, owner and CEO Heather Florio said. The company operated in Maine for the last 11 years.

Florio took over the company after her parents retired in 2012. She relocated Desert Harvest eastward to New England, where her husband is originally from, after the then-Monument-based company was affected by the deadly Black Forest fire in 2013.

Desert Harvest had also considered expanding its operations in Portland, Maine. But the ease of doing business in Colorado, including being more centrally located in the U.S. to better ship its products all over the world; her husband’s health; and her family’s desire to return to Colorado Springs all contributed to Florio’s decision to move the business back to her hometown, she told The Gazette on Tuesday.

The move allows her to grow the company, create new jobs and support people “through continuous research, education and product development,” she said in the release.

Desert Harvest’s location downtown at 7 E. Cimarron St. is also beneficial because the area is a “great economic center,” Florio said.

“It’s kind of the best of both worlds,” Florio said.

Florio’s parents founded Desert Harvest after they discovered her aunt suffered from interstitial cystitis, also known as bladder pain syndrome, a common medical condition that causes bladder pressure and pain and sometimes pelvic pain, according to the Mayo Clinic. It’s estimated to affect from 4 million to 12 million Americans and is more common in women, states the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.

“It’s like having a constant, debilitating urinary tract infection, but it never goes away,” Florio said.

Research and information on the bladder condition lacks even today, but 32 years ago there was little to no information about it. Her aunt “was trying everything to get some type of relief,” but it wasn’t until she ingested a whole bottle of aloe vera supplements at a natural products conference that she finally got it, Florio said. Her aunt was able to sleep through the night without the urgent need to use the restroom.

“This is almost unheard of for an IC patient,” she said. “… So my mom got with a chemist friend and she developed the formulation we still use to this day.”

The key was creating a product safe for long-term use and in high dosages, Florio said. Aloe vera’s naturally occurring latex chemicals can be harmful to the colon, so the supplements available in most health stores aren’t intended for long-term use. Desert Harvest is now a trusted expert in natural-origin aloe vera supplements and products for pelvic, urinary, oncological and sexual health, she said.

In the joint release Tuesday, state and local officials celebrated Desert Harvest’s return to Colorado.

“Colorado ranks as one of the best states in the nation for women-led startups, and women-owned companies in particular are advancing new technologies and products focused on women’s health. We’re pleased to welcome Desert Harvest to this growing and important ecosystem,” said Eve Lieberman, executive director of Colorado’s Office of Economic Development and International Trade.

In November, the state Economic Development Commission approved up to $74,628 in a performance-based Job Growth Incentive Tax Credit for the company over eight years.

Florio’s decision to move to Colorado Springs “highlights the strength of our local economy and our region’s ability to support growing businesses,” added Tim Vanderhoof, vice president of economic development at the Colorado Springs Chamber & EDC.

The city of Colorado Springs also approved performance-based incentives to court the company. City Council approved a sales and use tax rebate on eligible purchases of construction materials, equipment, machinery, furniture and fixtures. City incentives total $11,500 over four years if Desert Harvest meets minimum investment and job creation requirements.