Just two years ago, Under 30 lister Jamie Norwood and her cofounder Cynthia Plotch had no idea what was in store for their women’s health startup, Winx.
After founding the startup that sells reproductive products like pregnancy tests direct-to-consumer in 2019, Norwood made the Under 30 Social Impact list in 2023. Then in May 2024, they landed their first retail spot on the shelves of 200 Giant grocery store locations. That was followed by a rebrand to Winx (formerly Stix) in June of last year, and actress Kerry Washington came on as an investor and advisor that same month.
Fast forward to September of this year, the startup announced their first ever national retail partnership with Walgreens. The expansion includes more than 6,000 stores across the country, with all seven of their product SKUs hitting the shelves.
“In a time where access to women’s health and reproductive health is being limited and very stigmatized, we’re really excited to be bringing these products to the shelf,” Norwood said, adding that just under 50% of counties across the U.S. don’t have OBGYNs, but there is a Walgreens store within five miles of more than 75% of Americans. “Bridging those gaps in care deserts is something we're super passionate about.”
Along with greater public awareness thanks to their celebrity partnership and newfound shelf space, Winx has also expanded their product offerings. They grew from DTC pregnancy tests to now offering ovulation tests, emergency contraception, probiotics, and most recently a “UTI Test + Treat” product—where customers can purchase a take-home test for UTIs and yeast infections. They can then scan their results with a QR code, and get connected with a provider for same day RX treatment.
Winx first met with Walgreens buyers more than 10 months ago, and the team of primarily female buyers and leadership immediately understood the problem Winx is trying to solve, said Plotch. Plus, “drug stores are in this really interesting moment where they’re modernizing to fit the new age consumer,” she added. With Winx’s average customers in their twenties, Norwood and Plotch look for partners that will pair innovation with traditional forms of shopping. For instance, some of their first partners were delivery apps like Gopuff and DoorDash.
“We saw just this crazy amount of traction and product market fit on these delivery apps. The consumers are younger, they’re more likely to [be open to downloading] an app and get the morning after pill or a UTI test delivered,” Plotch said. “You can get Walgreens products delivered on DoorDash, on Uber Eats, on Instacart. So a big part of our marketing strategy is to win at the digital shelf and to bring that younger consumer into Walgreens, even if she’s not physically walking into Walgreens.”
Winx has raised $9 million in funding to help with these new methods of innovation. And while they’ve invested in inventory financing and supply chain, they say a huge chunk of their finances today are invested in marketing. They’re marketing to consumers both in store—including branded side panels and endcaps so Winx products, imagery and education on how to use them are all more visible to Walgreens shoppers—as well as out-of-home, including creative advertisements within a five-minute walk of many of their Walgreens locations.
“It’s crazy what you can do once you have some resources,” Norwood said. “Our Walgreens launch happening almost seven years into our business just goes to show good things do take time.”
See you next week, Alex and Zoya |
