PANTENE COMPANY HISTORY
Pantene was created in 1947 by the Swiss drug manufacturer Hoffman-LaRoche. It was primarily a European shampoo company until it was acquired in 1983 by Richardson-Vicks, who expanded the product line to 100 products, sold mainly in salons and department stores. They also expanded Pantene’s coverage to include the United States and Canada.
When Richardson-Vicks was acquired in 1985 by Proctor and Gamble, the conglomerate acquired the hair product line along with the sale. P&G expanded the product line and its sales outlets to include drug and variety stores as well as salons. P&G also developed, in 2003, the first product line by a major manufacturer designed exclusively for women of color. They followed, in 2005, with a line designed exclusively for Hispanic women.