Latest news with #Hopp
Hamilton Spectator
3 days ago
- Business
- Hamilton Spectator
From a kitchen table to the world. How Diva Cup changed menstrual products — and became a pop culture darling
More than two decades ago a small family business in Kitchener changed the global conversation about menstrual products. Now, Diva International is looking to do the same for other aspects of feminine care. Prior to Diva's rise menstrual products were largely limited to disposable pads and tampons, which are bad for the environment and contain potentially harmful materials. Though menstrual cups had existed since the 1930s, none had solved the design challenges that prevented them from competing with disposable alternatives. From a young age Francine Chambers believed that there was a healthier and more sustainable answer. After discovering one of the few cup options on the market, the entrepreneur secured the rights to be the Canadian distributor for a Cincinnati-based menstrual cup maker. Hopp's general manager David Riggs says the app has outpaced expectations and is already Chambers spent more than a decade selling the product across Canada and around the world. But it wasn't until her daughter Carinne Chambers-Saini graduated with a business and economics degree from Laurier in 2001 that the pair began working on their own design. Through trial and error, the mother-daughter team discovered solutions to the traditional cup's design flaws. Introducing a new category of menstrual products while competing with multinational incumbents, however, proved an uphill battle. 'We're in a category with a lot of stigma and taboo and discomfort, and most of the buyers we were talking to were grey-haired men,' company CEO Chambers-Saini says. 'Some could not make eye contact with us — their faces would turn red just saying some of those words.' Despite pushback from traditional retail gatekeepers, the product developed an organic following. After a decade, the company landed its first national retail partner, Shoppers Drug Mart, in 2013, fuelling a period of growth that would land Diva Cup on shelves around the world, in pop-culture and atop global entrepreneur and product innovation competitions. The rapid growth, however, proved too much for the small family-run business, which struggled with operational growing pains that were exacerbated by the pandemic. Now, the recently rebranded Diva International is ready for its next cycle, expanding from a single product to a new intimate care category consistent with its tradition of sustainability, innovation, health and safety. The Star spoke to Chambers-Saini from her home in Kitchener about the company's rise from small family business to household brand, the challenges that came with its rapid ascent, and how Diva International is building a healthier and more sustainable future. My mom grew up in the Sixties with all brothers, and when she started getting her period she was devastated, because she could no longer do things with them. She remembers sitting on the beach watching her brothers play in the water, unable to join them, wearing this massive pad, thinking there had to be a better way. Square Canada's Go To Market Lead Steve Kelly says Trump tariffs and the economic fallout might She had dreamed of this cup back then, and when I was 14, she saw a classified ad for that exact product. She ended up calling the company, getting the product, and dedicated the next 10 years of her life to promoting it. Both of my parents are entrepreneurs, and they worked on the business together. My mom ended up selling the retail stores she owned to become a Canadian distributor, and my dad, who was a tech entrepreneur, helped her develop an online store all the way back in 1992. She dedicated her whole life to promoting menstrual cups around the world from our kitchen table. I started using menstrual cups when I was 13, and by the time I graduated university I had a lot of experience with them. We had a lot of ideas on how to improve it, so we started to work on our own design. We found a company in Bolton called Silcotech, founded by Michael Maloney, an expert in design and tooling. We showed him our ideas and he helped us design a prototype, which completely failed, but we continued to work together on it. It took us years of gathering feedback from my mom's customers to modernize the menstrual cup. The early versions were made of latex rubber and looked like mini toilet plungers. They even used the same hard rubber. With indoor farms for leafy greens near Guelph, Montreal, Calgary and Halifax, GoodLeaf CEO Andy We moved to a medical-grade silicone and made it more comfortable by smoothening out the hard edges around the rim. The biggest issue that nobody knew how to solve for at the time was that you need air holes to release the pressure to allow it to unfold and open properly, so we found a way to make the ventilation work. We added ridges on the outside at the bottom to allow easier, no-slip removal, and the overall shape was slightly longer and narrower, with a shorter stem. We were selling online mostly, and at consumer trade shows, because retail buyers wouldn't even look at us. Tampons and pads bring customers into the store every month, and we were threatening that. And honestly, a lot of people we talked to were completely freaked out and thought it was disgusting. One retail buyer literally told us nobody would ever buy this, and we should give up, but we knew better, because it had already changed our lives. We were working around the clock, dedicated to getting this out there, no matter how much time it took. It was through a series of serendipitous events that sealed the deal with our first national retailer. In early 2012 a Carnival Cruises boat sank , and they decided to give up their billboard in Times Square. The sales rep happened to be a woman in Hamilton who reached out to us to offer an incredible deal on the ad space because she loved our product. 'Sometimes people look at beauty as a little bit superficial,' says L'Oréal Canada CEO An It was a huge investment for us, but it was too good of an opportunity to pass up. That digital ad ran four times every hour, twenty-four hours a day, for a whole year. That was before we had significant distribution in New York, so it was a big risk. We had been trying to reach a buyer at Shoppers for several years, and they kept saying no, but then they got a new buyer. She had seen our banner in Times Square and agreed to give us a meeting. That buyer took a risk because our budgets were nothing compared to the multinational conglomerates that spent hundreds of millions a year advertising pads and tampons, but women were tired of what was out there and interested in trying something new. When we started out nobody really cared about sustainability — nobody was carrying reusable water bottles and grocery bags or talking about health and wellness — but by then the conversation had changed. Pretty soon after Shoppers we got into major American retailers, like CVS, and before you knew it, we were in 60,000 stores across the United States. We were featured on a Larry King show about sustainable innovation, and we started seeing the Diva Cup in pop culture. The first time was in 2014 in the Adam Sandler movie Blended, and since then it's been mentioned in Modern Family, Amy Schumer had a whole bit about Diva Cups; people send us Diva Cup songs, poetry and artwork. In 2016 we won two EY Entrepreneur of the Year Awards — one in the sustainable products category, and another for being an industry disrupter — and we kept winning awards after that. Our growth quickly became exponential, in the hundreds of percentages each year, and we were no longer this scrappy underdog. At one point we were selling in 38 countries, and we were spreading ourselves too thin. Between 2016 and 2020 we were really struggling to manage all the business we had won. In 2020 we faced a lot of different challenges, from the growing pains of a rapidly scaling business to new competitors, and then the pandemic hit. Ironically, we were selling online in the beginning, but when we signed deals with retailers, they required that we shut down our online sales, because they didn't want to compete. So, when COVID happened, many of our competitors were strong on eCommerce, and we weren't. After that we started to lose our retail base and decided to take a step back and work on strengthening our brand. In 2022 we rebranded from Diva Cup to Diva International — makers of Diva Cup — and changed our logo for the first time. That has really helped us solidify our position as our consumers' care partners through all different cycles of life. I'm in my late '40s and into another period where things change in a women's body, and there aren't a lot of resources; a lot of the products that are out there are full of toxic chemicals and perfumes that I don't want to put in my body. We've introduced new innovations in the menstrual care category with the Diva Disc and Diva Underwear, but vulva care is our first expansion into the wellness category. One in four women experience vulva dryness and itching, so we developed a line of products that are safe to use, including a daily moisturizing wash, a cleanser, a refresher — which is an on-the-go cleaning spray — and a lubricator. We've created this legacy around leading conversation on menstrual care, breaking stigmas, and pushing for equity, so this really makes sense as the next evolution for Diva.
Toronto Star
3 days ago
- Business
- Toronto Star
From a kitchen table to the world. How Diva Cup changed menstrual products — and became a pop culture darling
More than two decades ago a small family business in Kitchener changed the global conversation about menstrual products. Now, Diva International is looking to do the same for other aspects of feminine care. Prior to Diva's rise menstrual products were largely limited to disposable pads and tampons, which are bad for the environment and contain potentially harmful materials. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW Though menstrual cups had existed since the 1930s, none had solved the design challenges that prevented them from competing with disposable alternatives. From a young age Francine Chambers believed that there was a healthier and more sustainable answer. After discovering one of the few cup options on the market, the entrepreneur secured the rights to be the Canadian distributor for a Cincinnati-based menstrual cup maker. Business There's a new ride-hailing service in town. Here's how Hopp plans to break Toronto's Uber-Lyft duopoly Hopp's general manager David Riggs says the app has outpaced expectations and is already Chambers spent more than a decade selling the product across Canada and around the world. But it wasn't until her daughter Carinne Chambers-Saini graduated with a business and economics degree from Laurier in 2001 that the pair began working on their own design. Through trial and error, the mother-daughter team discovered solutions to the traditional cup's design flaws. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW Introducing a new category of menstrual products while competing with multinational incumbents, however, proved an uphill battle. 'We're in a category with a lot of stigma and taboo and discomfort, and most of the buyers we were talking to were grey-haired men,' company CEO Chambers-Saini says. 'Some could not make eye contact with us — their faces would turn red just saying some of those words.' Despite pushback from traditional retail gatekeepers, the product developed an organic following. After a decade, the company landed its first national retail partner, Shoppers Drug Mart, in 2013, fuelling a period of growth that would land Diva Cup on shelves around the world, in pop-culture and atop global entrepreneur and product innovation competitions. The rapid growth, however, proved too much for the small family-run business, which struggled with operational growing pains that were exacerbated by the pandemic. Now, the recently rebranded Diva International is ready for its next cycle, expanding from a single product to a new intimate care category consistent with its tradition of sustainability, innovation, health and safety. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW The Star spoke to Chambers-Saini from her home in Kitchener about the company's rise from small family business to household brand, the challenges that came with its rapid ascent, and how Diva International is building a healthier and more sustainable future. Where did the idea for Diva Cup come from? My mom grew up in the Sixties with all brothers, and when she started getting her period she was devastated, because she could no longer do things with them. She remembers sitting on the beach watching her brothers play in the water, unable to join them, wearing this massive pad, thinking there had to be a better way. Business Why Square Canada's head is betting big on small business — and why cash is no longer king Square Canada's Go To Market Lead Steve Kelly says Trump tariffs and the economic fallout might She had dreamed of this cup back then, and when I was 14, she saw a classified ad for that exact product. She ended up calling the company, getting the product, and dedicated the next 10 years of her life to promoting it. Both of my parents are entrepreneurs, and they worked on the business together. My mom ended up selling the retail stores she owned to become a Canadian distributor, and my dad, who was a tech entrepreneur, helped her develop an online store all the way back in 1992. She dedicated her whole life to promoting menstrual cups around the world from our kitchen table. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW When did your family start its own business? I started using menstrual cups when I was 13, and by the time I graduated university I had a lot of experience with them. We had a lot of ideas on how to improve it, so we started to work on our own design. We found a company in Bolton called Silcotech, founded by Michael Maloney, an expert in design and tooling. We showed him our ideas and he helped us design a prototype, which completely failed, but we continued to work together on it. What made Diva Cup unique? It took us years of gathering feedback from my mom's customers to modernize the menstrual cup. The early versions were made of latex rubber and looked like mini toilet plungers. They even used the same hard rubber. Business How a high-tech vertical farm in Ontario could help reduce our need for U.S. produce With indoor farms for leafy greens near Guelph, Montreal, Calgary and Halifax, GoodLeaf CEO Andy We moved to a medical-grade silicone and made it more comfortable by smoothening out the hard edges around the rim. The biggest issue that nobody knew how to solve for at the time was that you need air holes to release the pressure to allow it to unfold and open properly, so we found a way to make the ventilation work. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW We added ridges on the outside at the bottom to allow easier, no-slip removal, and the overall shape was slightly longer and narrower, with a shorter stem. How did you introduce this new product to the market? We were selling online mostly, and at consumer trade shows, because retail buyers wouldn't even look at us. Tampons and pads bring customers into the store every month, and we were threatening that. And honestly, a lot of people we talked to were completely freaked out and thought it was disgusting. One retail buyer literally told us nobody would ever buy this, and we should give up, but we knew better, because it had already changed our lives. We were working around the clock, dedicated to getting this out there, no matter how much time it took. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW When did the tide start turning? It was through a series of serendipitous events that sealed the deal with our first national retailer. In early 2012 a Carnival Cruises boat sank, and they decided to give up their billboard in Times Square. The sales rep happened to be a woman in Hamilton who reached out to us to offer an incredible deal on the ad space because she loved our product. Business L'Oréal Canada CEO on how the 'lipstick effect' drives the 'essential' beauty business 'Sometimes people look at beauty as a little bit superficial,' says L'Oréal Canada CEO An It was a huge investment for us, but it was too good of an opportunity to pass up. That digital ad ran four times every hour, twenty-four hours a day, for a whole year. That was before we had significant distribution in New York, so it was a big risk. We had been trying to reach a buyer at Shoppers for several years, and they kept saying no, but then they got a new buyer. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW She had seen our banner in Times Square and agreed to give us a meeting. That buyer took a risk because our budgets were nothing compared to the multinational conglomerates that spent hundreds of millions a year advertising pads and tampons, but women were tired of what was out there and interested in trying something new. When we started out nobody really cared about sustainability — nobody was carrying reusable water bottles and grocery bags or talking about health and wellness — but by then the conversation had changed. When did you feel like you had made it? Pretty soon after Shoppers we got into major American retailers, like CVS, and before you knew it, we were in 60,000 stores across the United States. We were featured on a Larry King show about sustainable innovation, and we started seeing the Diva Cup in pop culture. The first time was in 2014 in the Adam Sandler movie Blended, and since then it's been mentioned in Modern Family, Amy Schumer had a whole bit about Diva Cups; people send us Diva Cup songs, poetry and artwork. In 2016 we won two EY Entrepreneur of the Year Awards — one in the sustainable products category, and another for being an industry disrupter — and we kept winning awards after that. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW Our growth quickly became exponential, in the hundreds of percentages each year, and we were no longer this scrappy underdog. At one point we were selling in 38 countries, and we were spreading ourselves too thin. Between 2016 and 2020 we were really struggling to manage all the business we had won. What was the breaking point? In 2020 we faced a lot of different challenges, from the growing pains of a rapidly scaling business to new competitors, and then the pandemic hit. Ironically, we were selling online in the beginning, but when we signed deals with retailers, they required that we shut down our online sales, because they didn't want to compete. So, when COVID happened, many of our competitors were strong on eCommerce, and we weren't. After that we started to lose our retail base and decided to take a step back and work on strengthening our brand. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW What changes did you make? In 2022 we rebranded from Diva Cup to Diva International — makers of Diva Cup — and changed our logo for the first time. That has really helped us solidify our position as our consumers' care partners through all different cycles of life. I'm in my late '40s and into another period where things change in a women's body, and there aren't a lot of resources; a lot of the products that are out there are full of toxic chemicals and perfumes that I don't want to put in my body. We've introduced new innovations in the menstrual care category with the Diva Disc and Diva Underwear, but vulva care is our first expansion into the wellness category. One in four women experience vulva dryness and itching, so we developed a line of products that are safe to use, including a daily moisturizing wash, a cleanser, a refresher — which is an on-the-go cleaning spray — and a lubricator. We've created this legacy around leading conversation on menstrual care, breaking stigmas, and pushing for equity, so this really makes sense as the next evolution for Diva.
Chicago Tribune
11-03-2025
- Chicago Tribune
Randy Hopp, one-time Elgin library board member and current candidate, dies from accident injuries
Randy Hopp, a former Gail Borden Public Library District trustee who was trying to return to the board in the April 1 election, has died from injuries he received after being struck by a car in December. Hopp, 73, whose troubled behavior led to him being banned at several libraries and convicted of the theft, died Feb. 25 and was buried Tuesday in the Bluff City Cemetery in Elgin. Hopp served on the library board from 2009-13 but was unsuccessful in his subsequent attempts to be reelected. Board members were to hold a moment of silence in his memory at their Tuesday night meeting. 'Randy had his struggles, but he always had the best interests of his community at heart,' current library board Trustee Joy Symonds said. 'In his own way, he worked to make government better.' Symonds said she witnessed the Dec. 10 accident in which Hopp was injured. He was crossing Kimball Street en route to a library board meeting, which he frequently attended, when he was struck by a car, she said. He was taken to Ascension St. Joseph Hospital in Elgin and later transferred to Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood to be treated for a traumatic brain injury, Symonds said. When she and her husband, Dan, who own the Symonds-Madison Funeral Home in Elgin, learned that Hopp was estranged from his family, they stepped in to serve as his health care surrogates, she said. 'We knew nobody else would do it and worried he'd be all alone,' Symonds said. Two attempts to have Hopp moved to a rehabilitation facility didn't work out and he was eventually transferred to Endeavor Health Northwest Community Hospital in Arlington Heights and later to The Vines Senior Homes in Elgin, where he received hospice care, she said. Hopp was born and raised in Elgin, graduating from Elgin High School and studying metallurgical engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, according to his obituary. He was preceded in death by his parents, LeRoy and Nola Hopp, and had been living in his parents' home prior to the December accident. Symonds and her husband arranged for Hopp's funeral services and burial. Hopp led a sometimes troubled life, and his behavior led him to be banned from the Gail Borden Public library in 2000 and again from 2009-13 as well as at other places, including the libraries at Judson University and Elgin Community College and at a now-closed bank in Carpentersville, according to published reports. In March 2011, Elgin police were called to the Hopp residence for a domestic dispute where it was alleged that Hopp had hit his elderly parents but the case did not go to trial. In April 2017, police found hundreds of stolen campaign signs at Hopp's home, which led to theft charges. He was convicted and sentenced to 14 months of conditional discharge and ordered to work 10 days in the Cook County Sheriff's Work Alternative Program. Symonds, who has been on the library board since 2021, said Hopp always attended meetings, taking notes and often speaking during the public comments. 'Randy was always kind to me and my husband, Dan,' she said. 'Despite his faults, Randy was a human being who deserved love, dignity and respect in his final days. … I am hopeful that he is now free of the struggles that weighed him down on this Earth.' Denise Raleigh, Gail Borden's director of development, said Hopp was dedicated in his concern for the library. 'I have known Randy for many years. I was always impressed with how much he cared about the Gail Borden Public Library,' she said. Hopp is one of five candidates for three seats on the library board in April. Should he win one of them, the library board would have to declare a vacancy and appoint someone to fill the post until the 2027 election, Raleigh said.
Yahoo
26-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Uber Rival Bolt Lines Up Adviser for Potential IPO
(Bloomberg) — Bolt Technology OU is working with an adviser to explore options including a potential initial public offering, according to people familiar with the matter. NYC's Congestion Pricing Pulls In $48.6 Million in First Month The Trump Administration Takes Aim at Transportation Research Shelters Await Billions in Federal Money for Homelessness Providers NYC to Shut Migrant Center in Former Hotel as Crisis Eases New York's Congestion Pricing Plan Faces Another Legal Showdown The Estonian mobility firm has lined up PJT Partners Inc. (PJT) for strategic advice, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the matter is private. The company could pursue a listing as soon as next year, the people said. Bolt is still discussing the merits of listing in Europe or the US and it could pursue other avenues to raise capital, they said. Deliberations are at an early stage and the plans could still change, the people said. 'As with any company considering a public listing, we consult with specialist advisers on a number of areas to assist,' a Bolt spokesperson said by email. 'We continue to evaluate a number of potential listing venues.' An IPO date would depend on market conditions, the spokesperson said. A spokesperson for PJT declined to comment. Bolt — which offers ride-hailing, food delivery and scooter rentals — last year secured a €220 million ($231 million) credit facility that Chief Executive Officer Markus Villig said would help it to 'work towards being IPO-ready.' The company earned a €7.4 billion valuation in a 2022 funding round after raising €628 million from Sequoia Capital, Fidelity Management and other investors. Already competing against Uber Technologies Inc. (UBER) in Europe, Africa, Asia and Latin America, Bolt has extended a push into North America under the app name 'Hopp' in recent months. The IPO preparations coincide with the plans of other European technology startups considering to go public. Swedish buy-now, pay-later fintech Klarna Group Plc is working toward a New York IPO as soon as the first half of 2025, Bloomberg News has reported. —With assistance from Vinicy Chan, Lizette Chapman and Natalie Lung. Trump's SALT Tax Promise Hinges on an Obscure Loophole Walmart Wants to Be Something for Everyone in a Divided America Meet Seven of America's Top Personal Finance Influencers China Learned to Embrace What the US Forgot: The Virtues of Creative Destruction Why Private Equity Is Eyeing Your Nest Egg ©2025 Bloomberg L.P.
Bloomberg
14-02-2025
- Automotive
- Bloomberg
Uber's European Rival Bolt to Launch Rideshare Service in Canada
Bolt Technology OU, the Estonia-based rival to Uber Technologies Inc., is recruiting drivers ahead of launching ridehailing services in major Canadian cities, extending a recent push into the North American market. Bolt, which offers ridehailing, food delivery and scooter rentals in more than 45 countries in Europe, Africa, Asia and Latin America, is doing business under the app name 'Hopp' in the US and Canada, according to terms and conditions on its website. The FAQ section of its driver recruitment site says it's preparing to launch the service in five of the most populous cities in Ontario: Toronto, Mississauga, Markham, Vaughan and Richmond Hill, which hasn't been previously reported.
