Fruit Fly Defense Becomes First Disability:IN Certified Business in Greenville

The natural pest deterrent company now qualifies as a certified diverse supplier for Fortune 500 procurement programs nationwide.

Mar. 31, 2026 at 2:19pm

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A high-end, photorealistic studio still-life photograph featuring a collection of Fruit Fly Defense's natural pest deterrent products, including Deterrent Discs and Sink Drops, arranged elegantly on a clean, white seamless background. The products are made from polished natural materials and geometric shapes, using sharp, dramatic studio lighting and deep shadows to represent the company's science-backed, chemical-free approach to pest control.Fruit Fly Defense's natural pest deterrents, now certified as a disability-owned business, offer a chemical-free solution for homes and commercial facilities.Greenville Today

Fruit Fly Defense, a natural pest deterrent company based in Greenville, South Carolina, has become the first business in the city to earn Disability-Owned Business Enterprise (DOBE) certification through Disability:IN. This designation makes the company eligible for supplier diversity programs at Fortune 500 corporations, major universities, and government agencies across the country.

Why it matters

The DOBE certification validates Fruit Fly Defense's science-backed approach to preventing fruit fly and gnat infestations in homes, commercial kitchens, and hospitality properties. It also provides a vetted pathway for procurement teams to meet disability inclusion goals within their supply chains.

The details

Fruit Fly Defense develops natural fruit fly and gnat deterrents using essential oils to repel pests and disrupt their breeding cycle without the use of chemicals, traps, or pesticides. The company's products are used by homeowners, apartment complexes, and commercial facilities like Chick-fil-A, Dave & Buster's, LongHorn Steakhouse, and Marriott hotels.

  • Fruit Fly Defense was co-founded in Greenville in 2026.

The players

Fruit Fly Defense, LLC

A natural pest deterrent company based in Greenville, South Carolina that develops chemical-free products to prevent fruit fly and gnat infestations in homes and commercial facilities.

Disability:IN

A global nonprofit whose corporate partners include more than 400 of the world's largest companies. Disability:IN provides the DOBE certification, which requires a business to be at least 51% owned, managed, and controlled by an individual with a disability.

Donny Hayati

Co-founder and president of Fruit Fly Defense, with a background in biology.

Caroline Asplundh

Co-founder of Fruit Fly Defense.

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What they’re saying

“Most products on the market treat fruit flies as a surface problem. They trap what is already there and call it a solution. My background is in biology, and we built this company around the science of how fruit flies actually breed. They lay eggs deep inside drains and wet environments where cleaning and traps never reach. Our products target that breeding cycle at the source. That is why they work in a home kitchen and a 200-seat restaurant the same way.”

— Donny Hayati, Co-founder and President, Fruit Fly Defense

“We started this company at our kitchen table in Greenville with a product that worked and a problem worth solving. Earning this certification validates what we have been building. It also means that organizations looking for certified disability-owned suppliers now have a partner that is already delivering results in homes and businesses across the country.”

— Caroline Asplundh, Co-founder, Fruit Fly Defense

What’s next

Fruit Fly Defense plans to leverage its new DOBE certification to expand its partnerships with Fortune 500 companies, major universities, and government agencies seeking certified disability-owned suppliers for their procurement programs.

The takeaway

Fruit Fly Defense's DOBE certification demonstrates that mission-driven, science-backed businesses founded by individuals with disabilities can thrive and become valuable partners for large organizations seeking to diversify their supply chains.