News Briefs

Carbona is expanding beyond its line of stain removers with the launch of its new laundry detergent sheets.  

The pre-measured sheets are designed to offer a simple cleaning experience. Each sheet can be used in a regular or short wash cycle in cold, warm or hot water and is dissolved completely with no residue left behind, the company said.

The laundry detergent sheets come in free and clear or fresh scent options, and can be used in front and top-load machines. Additionally, the sheets are designed to be gentle on fabrics and safe for use on colors and white.

“With the launch of the Carbona laundry detergent sheets, we’re now able to offer solutions for the complete laundry cycle, from pre-treat to post wash,” said Chris Albers, director of marketing at Carbona. “Carbona strives to be a company that provides sustainable, efficient, time-saving laundry and home care products for our consumers and the addition of laundry detergent sheets fully satisfies the slate of needs in the laundry room.”

Consumers can find Carbona’s laundry detergent sheets available for purchase beginning Oct. 1 at Amazon for a suggested retail price of $11.99.

Exuviance is encouraging consumers to put their best feet forward this summer with the launch of its Exfoliating & Conditioning Foot Balm.

The balm is designed to provide all the benefits of a foot peel without peeling or flacking. It also contains a blend of exfoliators that target dry, cracked and calloused skin, the brand said.

Featuring a 20% blend of alpha hydroxy acid, also known as AHA, and polyhydroxy acid, known as PHA, it also contains vitamin E and other emollients to smooth and hydrate rough skin on the feet.

Retailing for $29, consumers can find Exuviance’s Exfoliating & Conditioning Foot Balm available for purchase exclusively at Ulta Beauty.

Sanofi has inked a deal to acquire ownership of Qunol, a U.S.-based, market-leading brand in health and wellness.

This transaction will strengthen Sanofi’s Consumer Healthcare’s vitamin, mineral and supplements category, one of the largest and fastest-growing consumer health categories in the United States.

With Qunol’s CoQ10 in heart health and Turmeric in joint health, CHC at Sanofi adds a trusted, profitable double-digit growth brand to its U.S. portfolio, focused on chronic conditions with growing consumer demand, the company said. 

“The acquisition of Qunol further strengthens our portfolio in the wellness category. It taps into the growing ‘healthy aging’ segment and fills one of our white spaces in the US, unlocking an opportunity for us to build on our U.S. presence and accelerate our growth,” said Julie Van Ongevalle, executive vice president of Consumer Healthcare at Sanofi. “VMS now functions as long-term support for overall health and wellness where proactive preventive health has become the new norm post-pandemic. We are excited to welcome Qunol and, with this addition to our consumer healthcare portfolio, reinforce our commitment to bring more health into the hands of people.”

Qunol CoQ10 and Turmeric products are both backed by scientific literature and strong market positioning in their segments. Qunol’s high product quality and efficacy have resulted in strong brand equity among consumers and customers, as well as above-category consumer loyalty. The Qunol brand will benefit from Sanofi’s CHC resources to expand into other chronic conditions and develop its footprint outside the United States, the company noted.

“Qunol is looking forward to joining Sanofi’s consumer healthcare team and developing synergies that will further drive brand awareness for our products with our consumers and customers,” said Peter Boutros, CEO of Quten Research Institute. “With Sanofi, we have the opportunity to further grow in the U.S. and beyond, tapping into Sanofi Consumer Healthcare’s commercial breadth and strength.”

The acquisition is expected to close in Q3 2023.

Hero Cosmetics is bringing its Mighty Patch pimple patches to Canada.

The brand announced that its products are now available in the Great White North at several retailers including in stores and online at Shoppers Drug Mart, Walmart and Amazon. 

“It’s always been our goal to ensure accessibility to everyone and anyone who may need our products. Launching in Canada is an exciting step towards that goal. I am so excited to bring the Hero brand story and our solutions to the Canadian customer,” said Ju Rhyu, co-founder and CEO of Hero Cosmetics. “I’m thrilled to embark on a long-standing & deep connection with the Canadian community. I’m confident that we’ll continue to grow the category by reaching a new audience, and most importantly, get our pimple solutions into the hands of people with pimple emergencies.”

Canadians will be able to purchase Hero Cosmetics’ Mighty Patch Original, Mighty Patch Invisible+ patches, Mighty Patch Nose patches and Mighty Patch Surface patches. The brand has plans to expand its current lineup in the country beginning in 2024.

In the world of strange food collaborations, French’s is looking to pair the flavor of its iconic mustard with the classic Skittles candy.

Available for a limited time, the mustard-flavored Skittles can be obtained while supplies last via an online sweepstakes and at in-person pop-up events in Atlanta, Washington D.C. and New York City.

“From Mustard Ice Cream to last year’s viral Mustard Donuts, this year marks the fifth time French’s has gone all out with unique, flavorful innovations to celebrate National Mustard Day. With the yellow holiday landing on August 5, we knew we had to outdo ourselves,” said Valda Coryat, North America vice president of marketing for McCormick “We are thrilled to collaborate with Skittles to deliver our beloved Classic Yellow Mustard tang in a new, fun way to French’s and Skittles fans alike.”

The locations where the candy will be available are the Atlanta Ponce City Market on July 31, Washington D.C. City Center on Aug. 2 and New York City’s Hudson River Park on Aug. 5.

“Skittles is always looking to inspire moments of everyday happiness and deliver unexpected ways for fans to experience the brand,” said Ro Cheng, marketing director at Mars. “That’s why we've teamed up with French’s to create the first-of-its-kind Skittles that combines their tangy mustard flavor with our iconic chewy texture to deliver this unique summer treat for National Mustard Day.”

Honey Comb is joining forces with actor and former American football player Terry Crews on an initiative aimed at giving tweens the motivational boost needed to start their days.

Through an AR experience, users can jump from the new Honey Comb box into the virtual world through a QR code. In the experience, users will be able to access two activities and motivational videos from Crews encouraging viewers to Bee Big, Bee Kind and Bee Amazing, the company said.

In Honey Run, users will be able to access an immersive gaming experience where a hungry bear is guided through a challenging obstacle course. Players can collect honeycomb cereal pieces to earn bonus points and fuel up with drops of honey to keep the plane flying.

On the other hand, the Big Bee Motivations consists of videos that aim to inspire and motivate for the day ahead.