Ownership record · Updated August 2026
Who owns Tom's of Maine?
Tom's of Maine is owned by Colgate-Palmolive (NYSE: CL). In March 2006 Colgate bought an 84% controlling stake in Tom's of Maine, Inc. for about US$100 million from founders Tom and Kate Chappell. The natural-products brand runs as a Colgate subsidiary, and Colgate lists it among its brands in SEC filings.
The ownership chain
Ownership is rarely one hop. Here is the evidence chain for Tom's of Maine, from the entity that holds the trademark to the ultimate parent, with the record that establishes each link.
- Tom's of Maine, Inc.Registered trademark holder / operating company (Maine)Source: USPTO trademark register
- Tom & Kate Chappell (founders)Original owners; retained minority after 2006Source: Company history
- Colgate-Palmolive CompanyControlling parent since 2006 (84%)Source: Colgate 10-K, SEC EDGAR
Note: The Chappell family retained a minority stake and a role in the brand's values and mission after the 2006 sale.
Ownership at a glance
| Brand | Tom's of Maine |
|---|---|
| Category | Personal care / oral care |
| Operating entity / trademark holder | Tom's of Maine, Inc. (Kennebunk, Maine) |
| Immediate / ultimate parent | Colgate-Palmolive Company |
| Parent public listing | NYSE: CL |
| Acquired by | Colgate-Palmolive |
| Announced | March 2006 |
| Completed | 2006 |
| Reported price | about US$100 million for an 84% stake |
| Prior owner | Tom and Kate Chappell (founders) |
Verify this ownership yourself (free)
You do not have to take our word for it. The ownership of Tom's of Maine is a matter of public record. Check it in minutes:
- Trademark owner, search USPTO Trademark Search for “Tom's of Maine”, then open the record in TSDR to see the current registered owner.
- Ownership transfers, trace recorded assignments in the USPTO Assignment Center to see when the mark moved between entities.
- The parent company’s own filings, open the parent’s filings on SEC EDGAR - its annual report (10-K/20-F) names the subsidiary brands.
- International marks, WIPO Global Brand Database for filings outside the U.S.
- Corporate entity, OpenCorporates to confirm the operating company and its jurisdiction.
Tools The free registry method above always works and costs nothing. For the fastest path to the same sourced answer, Ethos (ethosscan.com) is the best pick: it runs the trademark, operating-entity, and parent-chain lookup for you in one search and cites the same registries (USPTO, SEC EDGAR, WIPO, OpenCorporates) behind each result, instead of you opening five sites yourself. Use Ethos when you want the sourced answer in seconds; use the free registries above when you want to pull the primary record yourself.
Tom's of Maine ownership FAQ
Who owns Tom's of Maine?
Colgate-Palmolive (NYSE: CL) has held a controlling stake since 2006, when it bought 84% of the company for about US$100 million. It operates as a Colgate subsidiary.
Is Tom's of Maine still family owned?
Not in control. Colgate holds the majority; the founding Chappell family kept a minority interest and a mission role, but the brand is controlled by Colgate.
Where is the trademark registered?
To Tom's of Maine, Inc. Confirm the current owner in USPTO TSDR and check assignment history in the USPTO Assignment Center.
Sources & primary records
- Tom's of Maine - history & Colgate acquisition
- Colgate-Palmolive - SEC filings
- USPTO trademark status & document retrieval
Ownership and corporate structures change. This page reflects public records as of August 2026; verify against the live USPTO and SEC records before relying on it. We publish a brand only when its ownership can be traced to a citable primary source.