Procter & Gamble acquires women’s health brands startup This is L

Procter & Gamble (P&G), the biggest consumer goods company in the world, has acquired This Is L., a period care startup that manufactures organic pads and tampons and one of the fastest growing feminine care brands in the U.S. The total amount of the deal is undisclosed.  The acquisition will enable P&G to meet growing consumer demands for period products in the naturals segment. Its portfolio primarily includes beautifully designed, high quality tampons, pads, liners and wipes made with organic cotton. This is L has sold over 200 million L. products sold since founded in 2017

Founded in 2011 by Talia Frenkel, a former photojournalist who had worked with the United Nations and the Red Cross, L. is a purpose-driven, inspirational brand with many opportunities for future growth. During the time she was documenting humanitarian crises around the world, Frenkel experienced first-hand the neglect of women’s sexual reproductive rights and the effects of HIV/AIDS on women and girls. She initially began a distribution campaign of condoms and then expanded her business to include period products. But the mission has always been the same: for every product sold, another is made accessible to a girl or woman in need.

L. is a leading natural feminine care brand in the United States, responsible for rapid growth and overall category growth. The brand provides thoughtfully designed products made with organic cotton. For every L. product purchased, a donation is made to improve product accessibility to girls and women in need. L. According to its company profile on LinkedIn, L. is dedicated to the rebellious notion that women everywhere deserve better. No ingredients you can’t pronounce. No exhausted cliches, just the quality you expect and the authenticity you deserve. L. strives to bring accountability to the personal care aisle, sourcing certified organic cotton for our period products and wipes, as well as natural rubber latex for our condoms.

L. is committed to increasing access to personal care products globally through it’s solidarity model. That’s why for every L. product sold, one is made accessible to another woman or girl. Today, L. is on track to make over 200 million products accessible to women and girls around the world. “This acquisition is a perfect complement to our Always and Tampax portfolio, with its commitment to a shared mission to advocate for girls’ confidence and serve more women,” said Jennifer Davis, President, P&G Global Feminine Care. “We feel this is a strong union and together we can be a greater force for good.”

L. has experienced rapid growth, breaking barriers and making their products available to consumers in more than 5,000 stores across the U.S. With its donation program, the company is on track to provide access to over 250 million products, bringing the efforts to unprecedented scale. L. has taken a unique approach to this program, increasing local access to products by working with partners that provide tools such as pad manufacturing machines, to not only make these products available to those who need them, but also to fuel women’s entrepreneurship.

“Our strong growth has enabled us to stand in solidarity with women in more than 20 countries,” says Talia Frenkel, CEO of This Is L. “Our support has ranged from partnering with organizations to send period products to Native communities in South Dakota, to supplying pad-making machines to a women-led business in Tamil Nadu. Pairing our purpose with P&G’s expertise, scale and resources provides an extraordinary opportunity to contribute to a more equitable world.”

This acquisition will grow P&G’s Feminine Care business in the naturals segment and accelerate growth for L. products while continuing to support women and girls together.