SmileDirectClub and Walmart announced a distribution partnership today, sending shares of the startup up almost 20 percent Monday.
The oral-care company, which calls itself the first direct-to-consumer medtech platform for teeth straightening, announced a series of products available only at the big box retailer Monday morning. However, its signature teeth aligner won't be found in Walmart's aisles.
Some products Walmart ($WMT) shoppers can pick up instead are SmileDirectClub's electric toothbrush and teeth whitening system, plus planned new products like toothpaste and a UV cleaner to sanitize products like toothbrush heads.
SmileDirectClub ($SDC) hopes Walmart's size brings more customer awareness to the startup. The product line at Walmart, the biggest retailer in the U.S., is a "billboard about smiles," company Chief Global Brand Officer Josh Chapman told Cheddar.
Chapman said the company made a "simple-to-use, affordable, premium" toothbrush for Walmart and hopes to turn those new Walmart customers into users of its popular teeth aligners.
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