The Condom Guys’ M&A Strategy

Andrea Lisbona
Trend or not, Touchland’s magic is in its positioning: Founder and C.E.O. Andrea Lisbona merged the concept of hand sanitizer (an unsexy commodity) and fragrance. Photo: Courtesy of Touchland
Rachel Strugatz
May 14, 2025

On the same day that the Trump administration agreed to temporarily cut China tariffs from 145 percent to 30 percent, C.P.G. giant Church & Dwight agreed to pay up to $880 million for Touchland, the first-ever brand to make hand sanitizer cool. The deal stipulates $700 million at closing with a $180 million earn-out based on this year’s performance—heavy cake, indeed, and a monument to the brand’s Power Mist hydrating hand sanitizer, which has become a status item for young people. Almost everything about Touchland speaks to Gens Z and Alpha: It’s cheap, it’s fragrant, it’s collectible, and there are collabs (Hello Kitty, Disney, etcetera). There are even accessories for toting around your mists, including $6 silicone cases and $20 neoprene Touchette pouches, like Rhode’s now internet-famous lip gloss phone cases. It’s the anti-Purell.