Popular Black-owned hair care company Mielle Organics has partnered with beauty manufacturing company Procter & Gamble Beauty (P&G Beauty) to further distribute their hair care products across retailers around the world, and create significant opportunities for Black women entrepreneurs.
P&G Beauty made the announcement in an official letterhead on Wednesday (Jan. 11). Monique and Melvin Rodriguez, who founded the well-established brand in 2014, will still serve as CEO and COO of Mielle Organics, and operate on an independent basis.
The couple spoke about the impact of such a partnership and how it will foster continued diversity in other hair care companies in a joint statement.
“Today is a remarkable moment for our brand and for the climb of Black entrepreneurs everywhere as we collectively continue to break barriers and accelerate the opportunities for growth,” Monique said. “I am thrilled that we will make an even greater impact in how we give back to the community.”
“We founded Mielle Cares to give back to our community who has been so instrumental in the success of Mielle,” Melvin added. “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.”
Vice president of P&G’s multicultural hair care sector Lela Coffey said the couple and their team have done an incredible job of “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.”
In addition to the imminent partnership between both brands, P&G Beauty also announced a $10 million donation toward Mielle Cares, a non-profit organization the couple founded to extend the reach of educational and financial resources to Black and Brown communities.
“This moment was made possible by our hardworking team, the visionaries who came before us, and the trust and partnership with investors like New Voices and Berkshire Partners,” Monique stated. “Now we can pay it forward by continuing the cycle of investment and mentorship through Mielle Cares.”
Over the last few years, Monique and Melvin have been able to secure funding for Mielle Organics from investors such as the New Voices Fund for Women of Color and Berkshire Partners. Berkshire Partners’ 2021 investment into Mielle Organics was groundbreaking due to the limited investments being secured by Black women in the cosmetic industry.
P&G Beauty was created in March 2022 to expand its line of emerging high-end cosmetic products including Ouai, Tula Skincare, Farmacy, and First Aid Beauty, according to Cosmetics Beauty.