Best, Periodt, a mission-driven menstrual care company, announced the launch of its innovative menstrual cups in 3,078 CVS locations across the United States, including Hawaii. Best, Periodt. is changing how women manage their periods with its unique menstrual cups, available in Size 1 and Size 2. Starting the week of July 22nd, 2024, you can find their innovative menstrual cups in CVS, offering higher capacity, fewer changes, and a hygienic carrying case for a comfortable, hassle-free period. With a handy hygienic carrying case, they’re perfect for your on-the-go lifestyle.
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The menstrual product industry in the U.S. is booming, valued at USD 24.80 billion and expected to reach USD 40.71 billion by 2032. Last year, CVS launched new initiatives to fight period poverty and the pink tax by reducing prices of CVS-brand period products by 25% in 12 states. Plus, recent inflation has driven up the prices of traditional pads and tampons (pads by 41% to $6.50, and tampons by 36% to $8.29), making it ideal for more options in menstrual care. Now, with Best, Periodt.'s menstrual cups on their shelves, CVS is taking another big step towards providing sustainable and affordable menstrual care options for everyone.
Founder & CEO Gayneté Jones shares her vision: "Periods happen far too often to far too many people for them to be such a dread each month. Our aim is to make them forgettable, with comfortable period care that doesn't need frequent changes. Our cups have higher capacity than other brands on shelves and come with fun, relatable packaging. We've also replaced lint producing bags with a hygienic, breathable case."
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They've partnered with many charities to distribute cups throughout the USA, Bermuda, Kenya, Sierra Leone, and Latin America for those who cannot afford period care. Best, Periodt. is committed to representation, featuring brown-skinned bodies in their instruction manuals and ensuring diversity in decision-making.
Reflecting on her journey, Jones adds, "I'm from Bermuda, a small island with 60,000 inhabitants. To have our product in over 3,000 stores is incredible. I'm grateful to God for these blessings." Using Best, Periodt. products has both environmental and economic benefits. “Menstrual cups are a sustainable option, reusable for years, saving money and reducing landfill waste. If you're looking to recession-proof your period, look no further than Best, Periodt.,” said Jones.
We sat down with Best, Periodt, Founder and CEO Gayneté Jones for an exclusive interview about their foray into mass retailers and what's next for the menstrual care brand.
1. What inspired you to launch Best, Periodt. and how does it differentiate itself from other menstrual care products currently available at CVS?
The idea for Best Periodt was birthed at the start of the pandemic. I was interviewing Ranay Orton of Glow By Daye on my podcast all about her amazing hair care brand, and was inspired to create a physical product of my own that made a real difference. Two weeks later she introduced me to her sister Gina (Co-Founder of Donna's Recipe) who inspired me further. At first I didn't know what I wanted to create, but a couple weeks after speaking with Gina, my period came on and it hit me. I wanted to change everything I hated about menstrual cups I had tried in the past. My prior experiences with menstrual cups were with ones that leaked and didn't have enough capacity for heavy flow days. I wanted to change that, along with countless other problems I experienced with them. The reality is Black women on average have heavier flows and are 2-3x more likely to suffer from fibroids. I wanted a cup that could handle the really heavy flow days well, while still being comfortable enough for those with lighter flows. In addition to higher capacity, it comes with a convenient (and cute) breathable case, is super comfortable and has a unique stem and base for easy insertion and removal.
2. How do you see the launch in over 3,000 CVS locations impacting the accessibility and adoption of menstrual cups across the United States?
CVS is the largest pharmacy chain in the US and have great initiatives to support women throughout all life stages of their cycle, making them such a great retail partner. Being on their shelves allows us to more easily access menstruators across the country, and speak to them directly through the messaging on our packaging. It is my hope that with more visibility and access, along with the ability to pick up and read all of the juicy information on our packaging, cup-curious shoppers will go from skeptical to lovers of menstrual cups.
3. Best, Periodt.'s menstrual cups come with a unique hygienic carrying case. Can you elaborate on the benefits of this feature and how it enhances user experience compared to traditional menstrual cup storage options?
Other menstrual cup brands come with a small drawstring bag. I hated these as they produce lint, get wet and are a pain to clean, so I knew this is something I had to change with our brand. Our menstrual cup case is compact, protective (allowing for a longer life), breathable (which helps prevent buildup), easy-to-clean and like our cups, is USA made. We have customers writing to us all of the time to share their love for our case. So much so, we sell it separately on our website at BestPeriodt.com, as it is a universal fit for those who may have other brands but hate their bags too.
4. What makes Best, Periodt.'s menstrual cups unique compared to other menstrual care products currently available at CVS and other retailers?
Our USA made, gyno-approved cup has higher capacity than other major brands on retail shelves. Our size 2 holds the equivalent of 8 regular pads / tampons. In addition to this, our cup is the only one on shelves that comes with a breathable carrying case. We also have fun relatable packaging, as our aim is to make period care not just stainable, but fun, comfortable and cool as well (words typically not synonymous with periods or period care) .
5. Given the environmental and economic benefits of using reusable menstrual cups, how do you envision Best, Periodt. contributing to broader sustainability efforts?
Sustainability is something we think about holistically at Best, Periodt. We know there are billions of one-time-use menstrual products that end up in North American landfills annually, so with a reusable product that lasts years, it can assist. But we go beyond that as even our boxes carry this theme. We try to utilize recycled & recyclable materials & responsible processes wherever possible. Our boxes are 100% recyclable & 50% made from recycled materials (30% of which is post consumer waste material). The paper comes from 100% traceable wood from sustainably managed forests and every part of the tree is used for the highest value & nothing is wasted.
6. Can you discuss some of Best, Periodt charitable initiatives and partnerships, particularly in regions like the USA, Bermuda, and Kenya?
Period poverty is a real issue everywhere. Guidance counsellors can tell you that they frequently have students request access to pads/tampons. Many others miss school during the week of their period because their family cannot afford menstrual care. And it isn't just students. Many adults also miss days of work. And many who are homeless are also without this basic necessity. Because of this, we felt it necessary to provide menstrual cups to shelters with women in need. We've worked with PATESI (a US based charity helping women in the US and Kenya), We bLEAD Bermuda (a Bermuda-based charity) and others to donate cups to help those who seek period care. We've also sent cups to Hope Academy, an all girls high school in Sierra Leone, to assist as they had little access in their area to water and use so much of it washing period rags monthly and wanted a better solution.
