Colgate Enters CBD Space With Acquisition Of Natural Oral Care Brand Hello

Multinational personal care giant Colgate Palmolive is to acquire Hello Products, the fastest-growing natural oral care brand in the United States whose product line includes a range of CBD-containing oral health products. The move by the global conglomerate sends a signal that major companies are now eyeing the huge market potential of the natural wellness trend and CBD space, and shows that these emerging sectors will be here to stay. 

Oral hygiene giant Colgate Palmolive is to enter the CBD and natural wellness world by acquiring Hello Products, a brand that has positioned itself within the natural beauty and personal care space. Commenting on the new addition to its massive company portfolio, Colgate’s president and CEO Noel Wallace said: “We have great respect for the Hello team and their impressive product line, and value the strong connection they have made with younger consumers.” 

Founded in 2012 by Craig Dubitsky, Hello’s products, which includes toothpaste, mouth rinse, toothbrushes and lip balm is currently sold in over 44,000 food, pharmacy and mass retail locations in the United States, as well as through e-commerce. The New Jersey-based brand has not only appealed primarily among younger consumers who are turning towards natural synthetics-free brands, but also managed to attract consumers through the growing global hemp and CBD trend. 

In early February this year, it launched a new range of CBD-containing products, including 3 toothpastes, 2 mouthwashes and 2 lip balms, all of which contain broad-spectrum cannabis sativa oil or extract grown by partner farms within the United States and are commercially available at over 1,000 Ulta Beauty stores in the country. They also offer a range of hemp seed oil and hemp extract oil-containing products. 

CBD – short for cannabidiol – refers to the hemp-plant derived chemical compound that is non-psychoactive and has been associated with a range of therapeutic properties. Given the global moment that CBD has had in recent years, it is unsurprising that major brands such as Colgate are looking to enter the massive market opportunity presented to them. According to statistics from Knowledge Navigator, a backend tool providing insight into consumer trends, CBD is taking over the charts for popularity and has outperformed some of the biggest celebrities – including the likes of Kanye West and The Beatles – in terms of searches and social media mentions. 

While it remained little known before becoming a hot topic in the mainstream market, CBD is associated with a range of beneficial qualities, including anti-inflammation, neuroprotection, pain management, insomnia, anxiety and depression. Scientific research has also found a link between CBD use and helping patients suffering from chronic diseases, such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, epilepsy and an adjunct therapy alongside cancer treatments. 

Nowadays, against the backdrop of huge consumer interest in health and wellness, CBD can now be found almost everywhere. While no further details have been released regarding Colgate’s plans to take Hello’s CBD products outside of the United States for the meantime, it does seem likely that Asia and its growing health-conscious middle-class demographic is market-ready. According to an Oliver Wyman report in 2018, the Asia-Pacific region has seen a 30% growth in sales within the health and wellness industry in the past decade, with more fitness-savvy Chinese consumers driving much of the increase. 

With this in mind, from athletic performance foods to beauty and cosmetics – and with Colgate’s recent acquisition, our toothpastes too – it looks like we’re set to see more CBD-infused products on supermarket shelves in the future. 

Still have more questions about CBD? Find out more in Green Queen’s comprehensive guide to CBD, and our exclusive interview with Denise and Terry of Hong Kong-based CBD destination Heavens Please, where they talk all about dosing, where to buy CBD and what brands to choose.

Lead image courtesy of Hello Products.