Dr. Scholl's is a footwear and orthopedic foot care brand originating in the United States, marketed in some countries as simply Scholl. Since 2021, global rights to the brand have been owned by investment firm Yellow Wood Partners through subsidiary Scholl's Wellness Company, having purchased the North American rights from Bayer in North America in 2019, and the international rights from Reckitt in 2021. History Podiatrist William Mathias Scholl started the brand in 1906. He is credited with designing over 1,000 foot care products. Scholl's company was named to the Fortune 500 in 1971, the same year it went public. Dr. Scholl's brand Schering-Plough bought the Dr. Scholl's brand in 1979. In 2009, Merck & Co. purchased the Dr. Scholl's brand as part of its acquisition of Schering-Plough. Under Merck & Co., Schering-Plough imported the product line from China and had a North American distribution agreement for footwear with the Brown Shoe Company (now Caleres). Bayer bought Dr. Scholl's in 2014 as part of its acquisition of Merck & Co's consumer health unit. This acquisition gave them the rights to the business in North and South America. In July 2019, Bayer sold Dr. Scholl's to Yellow Wood Partners for $585 million. Yellow Wood established a new company, Scholl's Wellness Company to run the brand. Scholl brand In 1984, Schering-Plough sold the global brand and non-North American operations to European Home Products (later SSL International), who manufactured and distributed footwear and foot care products under the Scholl brand. In 2010, Reckitt Benckiser Group purchased the Scholl brand from SSL International. In 2014, Aurelius, a German private equity firm, purchased the international rights to Scholl Footwear from Reckitt Benckiser, excluding the Americas. In June 2021, Reckitt sold Scholl to Yellow Wood Partners, bringing both the Scholl and Dr. Scholl's businesses together for the first time in over 40 years. References External links Shoe companies of the United Kingdom Shoe companies of the United States American companies established in 1906 Clothing companies established in 1906 Health care companies established in 1906 Companies based in Chicago Personal care brands American brands Schering-Plough brands Merck & Co. brands Former Reckitt brands Former Bayer brands 1906 establishments in Illinois