Woolworths to stock Hero condoms

Hero condomsHero, an Australian brand of condoms championing the noble cause of stopping the spread of HIV/AIDS in Africa, has secured national distribution with major supermarket chain Woolworths.

The brainchild of 28-year-old Sydney entrepreneur Dustin Leonard and originally born from a postgraduate university assignment, Hero has entered a market dominated by global brands such as Ansell and Durex.

The company’s one for one mission means that for every Hero condom sold in Australia, one condom will be donated to a developing African country, starting with Botswana.

Hero condoms are already ranged in IGA, City Convenience stores, and a select group of pharmacies. But the Woolworths deal marks a major coup for the brand, putting its product on the shelves of more than 900 Woolworths stores nationally. Leonard said this will enable Hero to significantly ramp up its donation drive and organise for 500,000 condoms to be sent to Botswana in the coming months.

“Around 75 per cent of all condoms are sold in supermarkets, so gaining the support of Woolworths was a massive achievement,” Leonard said. “To date, we’ve sent about 75,000 condoms to Botswana. Thanks to the support from Woolworths, we’ll be able to donate another half a million condoms in September, as well as continue working on a program to provide antiretroviral treatment to pregnant women with HIV/AIDS.”

The popularity of the Hero product range signifies an ongoing trend towards ‘conscious consumerism’. Citing recent Mobium Group research, Leonard said Aussie consumers are now spending over $21.5 billion with socially driven businesses.

“Our mission as a company is far greater than just making money,” he said. “We’re focused on driving social awareness around a global problem. “The conscious consumerism movement has only just begun in this country and Australian shoppers are showing overwhelming support for buying products that help drive social change.”

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