Hawaiian Tropic

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.[1]

Bikini contests

New York restaurant after closing

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.[2] 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.

Miss Hawaiian Tropic International

Sashes is Miss Hawaiian Tropic
Maryeve Dufault before she raced in a stock car race
Year Winner Origin Country
1984 Cecilia Hörberg Sweden Gothenburg Sweden
1985 Karen Frances McGrillen Republic of Ireland Belfast Ireland
1986 Yvonne Balliache Venezuela Caracas Venezuela
1987 Monica Lange Canada Alberta Canada
1988 Varinia Govea Uruguay Montevideo Uruguay
1989 Jennifer Lynn Campbell United States Michigan USA
1990 Sandi Da Silva United States Florida USA
1991 Scarlett Chorvat United States Michigan USA
1992 Monica Buck United States Texas USA
1993 Jennifer Blair United States Arizona USA
1994 Tracy Wood Canada Ontario Canada
1995 Krista Frazier United States Texas USA
1996 Cheryl Depew United States Florida USA
1997 Renee Slaughter United States Florida USA
1998 Jennifer England United States Michigan USA
1999 Charlotte Arlt United States Texas USA
2000 Maryeve Dufault Canada Quebec Canada
2001 Erika Johnson Sweden Stockholm Sweden
2002 Shawn Cox United States California USA
2003 Erica Reams Turks and Caicos Islands Cockburn Town Turks & Caicos
2004 Ashley Smith United States Florida USA
2005 Charmain Espinosa Panama Panamá City Panama
2006 Kristen Achee United States Texas USA
2007 Anna Naroznaja Estonia Tallinn Estonia
2008 Debbie O'Toole United Kingdom Liverpool UK
2010 Amanda Hinchcliffe Australia Gold Coast Australia

Notable former Miss Hawaiian Tropic winners

Miss Hawaiian Tropic USA

Miss Hawaiian Tropic Canada

Miss Hawaiian Tropic International

Hawaiian Tropic Teen Miss

Other contestants and winners

References

  1. ↑ Forbes Energizer buys Platex
  2. ↑ Fox News Women sue for sexual harassment
  3. ↑ "2005 Miss Hawaiian Tropic press release". Archived from the original on February 22, 2007. Retrieved March 22, 2007.
  4. ↑ "Bikini Models of Hawaiian Tropic > Barbie Blank". Retrieved April 7, 2007.
  5. ↑ "Jennifer Thomas' official website".
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