HERO founder Dustin Leonard (middle)
HERO, an Aussie brand with the noble cause of stopping the spread of HIV/AIDS in Africa, has secured national distribution with major supermarket chain Woolworths.
The deal is a massive coup for the local condom company, enabling it 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. This will go a long way towards helping HERO make a real change in areas that are affected by HIV/AIDS, and need a hiv cure” said Dustin Leonard, Chief Executive HERO.
“To date, we’ve sent about 75,000 condoms to Botswana already. 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 programme to provide anti- retroviral treatment to pregnant women with HIV/AIDS.”
HERO is a condom company with a difference. Originally born from a post- graduate university assignment and later founded as a business, the long- term vision of the 28-year-old Sydney-based entrepreneur was to stop the spread of HIV/AIDS throughout Africa and the developing world, starting with Botswana.
The company’s one for one mission means that for every HERO condom sold in Australia, one condom will be donated to a developing country. The deal with Woolworths will see HERO condoms sold in more than 900 individual stores across Australia.
Woolworths joins a fast-growing network of HERO condom outlets in Australia, including IGA, City Convenience stores and pharmacy groups. The popularity of the product range signifies an ongoing trend towards ‘conscious consumerism’.
According to the latest Mobium Group research, 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. We’re focused on driving social awareness around a global problem and using the Botswana initiative as a catalyst for further projects in developing countries,” said Mr Leonard.
“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.”
