Hawaiian Tropic
| Product type | Sunscreen |
|---|---|
| Owner | Edgewell Personal Care |
| Country | America |
| Introduced | 1969 |
| Registered as a trademark in | U.S., Canada |
| Website | hawaiiantropic.com |
Hawaiian Tropic is an American brand of suntan lotion sold around the world, but more widely available in the United States.
The company was founded by Ron Rice in 1969. With a $500 loan from his father, he mixed the first batch in a metal trash can and bottled it from his home garage in Murray, Kentucky. After rapid success, he became the largest private manufacturer of sun care products in the United States until being acquired in May 2007 by Playtex Products, Inc. When combined with Playtex's other brand of sun care, Banana Boat, Playtex is the largest manufacturer of sun care products in the Western Hemisphere. Shortly after purchasing Hawaiian Tropic, Playtex Products was purchased by Energizer Holdings Inc. in a deal valued at $1.9 billion.
The company sponsored bikini competitions to seek women to serve as spokesmodels for their products. Many winners appeared later in advertising campaigns, swimwear, erotic magazines, and lingerie catalogs.
In late 2006, a company opened a theme restaurant called Hawaiian Tropic Zone in New York City near Times Square, advertised as the "Hottest Place on Earth" and using the Hawaiian Tropic Zone name under license. The restaurant featured waitresses in bikinis designed by Nicole Miller and a menu by chef David Burke. Later that year, four former employees sued the restaurant, alleging chronic groping by managers and a rape. Restaurateur Dennis Riese and nightclub owner Adam Hock have ownership interests in the restaurant. The restaurant closed in mid-2010.
In May 2008, the Hawaiian Tropic Brand celebrated the 25th annual Miss Hawaiian Tropic International model search finals at the Golden Nugget Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.
Since late 2008, the Miss Hawaiian Tropic International model search has ceased to exist in the United States where the former state directors have transitioned to Swimsuit USA, which is now the official successor. Although Ron Rice sold Hawaiian Tropic, a non-compete clause which was part of the sale expired in 2015 where he got back into the suntan lotion business, establishing Havana Sun which launched in March 2016.
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