Mates condoms


Mates condoms are a brand of condom sold in the UK.

History

The brand was launched in the UK in 1987 by Richard Branson, with its condoms intended as a low cost alternative to more expensive brands. In November 1987 the company aired the first condom advert on British television.
In 1988, a year after launch, Richard Branson sold the company and brand to Ansell for 1 million pounds. The condom division in Ansell, of which Mates was a part, was sold in 2017 to Humanwell Healthcare Group and CITIC Capital China Partners for 600 million dollars.

Structure

For many years the company in the UK was operated from Staffordshire, between the A51 and the West Coast Main Line.