The new toiletry line is a complete range of toiletry and personal care items for baby care that includes Liquid Powder, a newly developed formula that is applied to a baby's skin as a liquid and dries as a powder. According to the company, this product eliminates the messy application and airborne particles of dry powder.
Altogether, the line comprises more than 20 new toiletry items including shampoo, baby lotion, nappy rash cream and disposable wash mitts, as well as variations of the brand's existing baby wash and washcloth products.
With the rollout of this new line, the company claims that Huggies is the only brand with a major presence across all four major non-food baby categories - nappies, training pants, wipes and toiletries.
Huggies initial entry into the US toiletries category was in January 2004, with the launch of a washcloth and baby wash, a move which lifted sales in the bath segment of the market by 11 per cent.
"This launch is very significant news both for consumers and customers," said Steve Kalmanson, group president, North Atlantic Personal Care for Kimberly-Clark. He added that mothers would be attracted to the brand because of the brand loyalty and trust that it has built over the years.
"When consumer trust is combined with the innovative solutions that this new line comprises you have a very powerful proposition," he said. "With these new bath and body products we are also leveraging the Huggies brand to grow the entire baby care category. The performance of our washcloth and baby products to date in 2004 has already demonstrated what an impact the Huggies brand, combined with real innovation, can have on this under-penetrated category."
The products will be widely available at major retail locations throughout the US and Canada in early 2005 and the launch will be supported by a comprehensive marketing plan.
Although there are no current plans for an immediate European launch, the company's UK-based spokesperson, Camilla Wrey, said that it would be very interested in a European-wide rollout.
"There is no specific time-frame for this at the moment, but we will be giving the situation a serious review in mid-2005," Wrey said. "The European market is different because it is so diverse and complex, but we would still be considering a European-wide launch in all the markets that Huggies is currently represented in."
Kimberly-Clark said that it conducted extensive consumer research to develop the products in the range. In each market segment, the company said that its research unearthed specific needs for which it developed new solutions. Huggies is one of the leading brands for the company, which is currently present in more than 150 countries.
In addition to Liquid Powder, the products include a K-C-proprietary Shea Butter moisturising formulation used for varieties of baby lotion and Baby Wash; disposable washcloths and toddler mitts using proprietary K-C non-woven fabric; and differentiated, ergonomically designed packaging.
The range of items also addresses the course of a baby's development, including Extra Gentle shampoo and baby wash products for the sensitive skin of newborns.
Kimberly-Clark said it used its own skin health technology for the majority of the new product formulations, electing to partner with a third-party for the manufacture of several items to increase speed to market and reduce capital investment.