Dive Brief:
- Female wellness brand Lola has expanded its product mix to include postpartum care items that are now available on its website and at Walmart stores nationwide, per a news press release.
- The first collection from Lola includes a stretch mark prevention cream, organic cotton postpartum pads, and both hot and cold perineal gel pads. While the gel pads are at 250 Walmart stores, the cream and cotton pads are being offered at 1,850 of the mass merchant’s locations.
- Separately, Lola said it would add to its postpartum collection with exclusive new products launching at Target stores in March. The brand also will announce a partnership with a “major New York sports organization” sometime during Q1, according to a company spokesperson.
Dive Insight:
Known for its period care products, the move into postpartum care represents a natural progression for Lola. The brand was acquired by Forum Brands in late 2023 for an undisclosed amount. Forum Brands, whose portfolio also includes Ever Skincare and Bonza, is an aggregator initially focused on acquiring brands primarily sold via Amazon but has since broadened its acquisition strategy.
The brand continues to stress its founding vision of “advocating for transparency in women’s health,” per a brand spokesperson.
"Every woman deserves access to clean, non-toxic, and effective postpartum care," Kelly Murphy, general manager of Lola, said in a statement. "By bringing our expertise in women's wellness to the postpartum experience, we aim to empower new mothers to embrace their changing bodies with the peace of mind that they don't have to sacrifice safety and comfort for convenience."
The period care space has grown significantly over the past several years. Lola faces competition from a crowded field of rivals such as Honey Pot, Daye, Thinx and August. According to a recent Research and Markets report, the feminine hygiene products market will grow from approximately $30 billion in 2024 to $40 billion in 2028, representing a compound annual growth rate of 7%.
A number of such brands have expanded within the category, including menstrual care brand Saalt which introduced an underwear collection at Target in 2023. Known for its absorbent underwear, Thinx expanded into activewear in 2021. And tween period care brand Pinkie expanded into over 3,300 CVS Pharmacy stores nationwide last July.
Lola has advocated for the removal of the so-called Tampon Tax, a menstrual tax on products for women’s personal care. As of May 2024, 20 U.S. states still levied a tax on the products.
Clarification: This story has been updated to provide context around Forum Brands' acquisition strategy.
