KMI launches King of Smiles dental brand

Personal care company KMI, which owns the King of Shaves brand, is launching an oral care range under the name of King of Smiles. The move is part of wider plans to move into a range of personal care sectors.

The King of Smiles range is expected to focus on cosmetic, teeth-whitening products, including teeth-bleaching toothpastes. The company sees an unfilled niche in the UK for such products: in the US, this is a growing market dominated by Procter & Gamble and Colgate-Palmolive.

KMI is preparing a number of other brand launches in the UK and US next year, including extensions to its existing skincare and shaving lines. KMI has already developed a range of aluminium-free deodorants under the King of Deodorants brand (MW October 14), while the King of Blades range is also expected to arrive in 2005 (MW September 4, 2003).

KMI chief executive Will King says the existing King of Shaves brand is maturing. He says the new launches are part of a ten-year plan to continue business growth,