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Under the motto 'No leaks, no wetness, no worries', Yoni has been producing tampons and sanitary towels made from organic cotton for almost ten years. In 2016, the company won the SME innovation top 100 for the innovative marketing and communication around a product that so many people use. To help the company grow in Europe and make innovative fem care products more widely available to women, ROM InWest, together with Rabobank, Invest International, invested 2.3 million euros in Yoni.
“About ten years ago, there was little or no thought or discussion about innovative and more comfortable fem care products,” founder Mariah Manvelt Beck reflects on the early years of Yoni. Four major players dominated the fem care market when she founded her company in 2014. “Sanitary pads and tampons made of organic cotton already existed, but were only available in special places such as organic shops. That bothered me, because it meant that this alternative option was completely unknown to many women.”
But Manvelt Beck saw more areas for improvement. “Unlike creams and hand soap, manufacturers do not have to be transparent about the materials used for tampons and sanitary towels. Fem care products fall under the general product regulations in the EU. In that case, that requirement does not apply. I find that remarkable, to say the least. Most tampons and panty liners have a top layer of plastic that does not breathe. That causes stuffiness, with all the consequences that entails: from general mild irritation to medical complaints. Organic cotton breathes much more and therefore prevents these types of complaints.”
Yoni's organic cotton tampons and sanitary towels were the first in Europe to hit the shelves of regular supermarkets and drugstores in 2014 - a milestone that Manvelt Beck is still proud of. "Our philosophy is that women should always have the choice for user-friendly and sustainable fem care products. So not only in the big city or the organic store, but also at the local Etos or supermarket around the corner. We always state on our packaging what our products are made of. In this way, we help women to make more conscious choices within fem care."
Thanks to the investment from ROM InWest, among others, Yoni can continue to grow in the Netherlands and in Europe. Manvelt Beck: “We are originally a North Holland brand, but we also want to bring our success to other countries so that more women can benefit from our products. For the further development and expansion of our product range – for example with sustainable menstrual cups and probiotics that prevent vaginal infections – we are working with Vrije Universiteit on scientific research into vaginal health. Incidentally, we are not only happy with the funding we received. With ROM InWest, we have also found a partner who, like us, strives for social return, a healthy environment and gender equality.
“Yoni is not only in the Netherlands, but also internationally an absolute leader in the field of sustainable and innovative fem care products,” says Janet Nieboer, CEO ROM InWest. “The fact that they participate in scientific research for the development of their products proves how much they focus on innovation and really want to make a social impact. “The brand demonstrably contributes to sustainability, health and awareness. More than enough reasons for us to invest in Yoni.
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