Mielle Organics Founder and CEO Monique Rodriguez. Photo courtesy of Mielle Organics.
Beloved Black-owned haircare brand Mielle Organics has been acquired by the consumer goods conglomerate Procter & Gamble (P&G). It will join P&G’s vast portfolio of trusted beauty and grooming brands such as Gillette, Olay, Bevel and My Black Is Beautiful, as well as Farmacy and Ouai, which were also recently acquired by P&G. Monique and Melvin Rodriguez, Mielle Organics’ CEO and COO of the brand, will continue to operate Mielle as an independent subsidiary of P&G. Under this new relationship, they will have access to expanding their brand’s offerings with an emphasis on providing healthy haircare products for Black women while retaining their autonomy.
“This partnership gives Mielle an opportunity to serve more textured hair consumers with the great products and formulas that our community loves.”
Monique Rodriguez,
Founder & CEO, Mielle Organics
Mielle Organics was founded in 2014 by Monique Rodriguez and has since become a staple for textured hair types, particularly in the Black and Brown community. Currently, the leading textured hair company’s products can be found in over 100,000 stores across the country, such as Target, Ulta Beauty, Walmart, Sally Beauty, CVS, Rite Aid and Walgreens. Its product lines have garnered great acclaim in the haircare industry for their commitment to redefining the perception and treatment of textured hair types. The brand’s Mango and Tulsi Nourishing Conditioner was a winner in the best conditioner category in EBONY’s 2022 Beauty and Grooming Awards.
“From the moment we stepped into P&G, we saw a diverse team of leaders who share our values and vision for innovation, education and community empowerment, including several Black leaders who play a key role in the hair care and beauty businesses,” said Monique Rodriguez, Mielle Organics’ co-founder and CEO, in a press release. “This partnership gives Mielle an opportunity to serve more textured hair consumers with the great products and formulas that our community loves.”
Monique Rodriguez’s ability to secure such a lucrative partnership while holding onto the brand’s independence is a historic feat, especially as a Black-owned business that specifically caters to Black women. From humble beginnings and a $10,000 personal investment, her vision has manifested into a multi-million dollar venture. Over the past several years, she has secured funding to extend the company’s business goals. In fact in 2021, she landed a reported $100 million investment from Berkshire Partners, which is remarkable when you consider that less than 100 Black female founders have secured $1 million or more for their ventures. And with this P&G deal, Rodriguez plans to continue paying it forward.
On Instagram, she further delved into how the brand’s partnership is a win for our community.
“We founded Mielle Cares to give back to our community who has been so instrumental in the success of Mielle,” shared Melvin Rodriguez, co-founder and Chief Operating Officer for Mielle Organics. “Mielle remains committed to leading with purpose and impact and serving as a beacon in historically underserved communities. Expanding our impact in Black and Brown communities will become an even greater focus in the years ahead.”
“Monique, Melvin and their entire team have done an incredible job building Mielle Organics into a leading hair care brand beloved by millions of Black women, and we’re excited to help them continue their success.”
Lela Coffey,
VP, P&G North America Hair Care
As a part of this acquisition deal, Mielle and P&G have committed $10 million each to build out the brand’s non-profit Mielle Cares for greater impact. The charity will work to provide economic and educational opportunities to benefit Black and Brown communities. Once the acquisition is officially finalized, Mielle Organics will begin the work to expand to the U.K., South Africa, Dubai and Nigeria–wherever the diaspora’s needs are.
“Monique, Melvin and their entire team have done an incredible job building Mielle Organics into a leading hair care brand beloved by millions of Black women, and we’re excited to help them continue their success,” said Lela Coffey, vice president of P&G’s multicultural hair care business. “P&G Beauty’s role will be to support the Mielle Organics team with what they need to achieve their vision—including increased access in Black and Brown communities and investing in research and innovation—while enabling the core tenets of their success to continue as they are today.”