On Friday, Kleenex maker Kimberly-Clark Corp. KMB-N confirmed in an e-mailed statement that it will cease selling the brand’s consumer-focused facial tissues in Canada.
“The decision was incredibly difficult for us to make, and we appreciate consumers allowing us into their homes over the decades, and to our retail partners for their support,” said Todd Fisher, Kimberly-Clark Canadian vice-president and general manager, in a statement.
“We have been operating in a highly constrained supply environment, and despite our best efforts we have been faced with some unique complexities on the Kleenex business.”
Prof. Soberman said that Kruger Products, which is based in Mississauga, has been more active when it comes to corporate sponsorship initiatives in Canada, such as partnering with the Canadian National Women’s Curling Championship, the Scotties Tournament of Hearts.
In a note to clients, analyst Zachary Evershed of National Bank of Canada said industry players have been aware of Kleenex’s imminent exit from the market for a few months and Kimberly-Clark’s customers have already been making inquiries to secure replacements.
The brand’s exit, he said, “will leave a large vacuum” into which Kruger Products and Irving “will eagerly step,” while also creating opportunities for Cascades Inc., the Quebec packaging and tissue company and provider of private labels.
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The article specifically mentions that Irving will profit from this change.
The second, he explained, is that although the company’s market share is nothing to sneeze at, Kleenex is currently not the No. 1 facial tissue in Canada. Kimberly-Clark currently holds 16.2 per cent of market share in branded facial tissue in the country, behind Kruger Products Inc., which owns the Scotties brand, with 35.5 per cent. And it has just a paper-thin lead over Canadian company Irving, owner of the Royale brand, with 15.9 per cent.
The brand’s exit, he said, “will leave a large vacuum” into which Kruger Products and Irving “will eagerly step,”