The company was initially dedicated to manufacturing pharmaceutical products in the form of standard and generic medicines such as salicylic acid. Though we still make these products, our company made the decision to move into consumer goods based on market trends and created the brand ‘FreshCare’. Medicated oils are widely used in Indonesia and have been used for a long time by generation after generation. These products are also popular in other markets such as Thailand, whose consumers have taken to using our roll on application products. To continue to improve upon the quality of our goods offered to domestic and regional markets, we have explored the idea of introducing aromatic ingredients that add a warming effect to our existing line of products.

We are now also focused on expanding the company through new products that meet market needs. Building upon the success of our FreshCare brand, we purchased a company that specialises in baby care products as we saw that it had a lot of brand equity in the market.

The medicated oil market is presently worth over 1 trillion RP, and in the absence of precise data many have speculated that its true valuation is closer to 1.5-2 trillion RP. The main driver of the industry is the widespread popularity of minyak kayu putih, a medicated oil used by consumers from infancy to adulthood. Variations of this product are also very well known in Indonesia, including an oil made from a combination of minyak kayu putih and coconut oil that is typically used on infants. In addition to the continued success of these traditional products, growth in the medicated oil industry can also be attributed to the rise of minyak angin, an aromatic oil yet to achieve market penetration to the extent that minyak kayu putih has. It is our expectation that this type of oil will eventually begin to compete with the traditional products for market share in Indonesia and because of this, our company has sought to create FreshCare aromatic oils with new fragrances that people are more comfortable to wear in public.

In regards to the non-prescription sector in this country; while it is the case that purchasing power is rising, consumers increasingly demand that products have proven results.

Moreover, people want immediate results that are difficult to achieve with an over the counter product. This can make it a challenge to advertise and sell products that have long term effects. Therefore we choose to focus on products that can be easily understood and have an instant effect. In the future, as the market becomes more educated and the results of long term products can be proven then this trend may change.

Other ASEAN countries have similar traditions when it comes to using medicated oils. Having already sold our products in Singapore, Thailand and Brunei, we hope to further our presence in this region. More specifically, Vietnam and Myanmar both have the potential to become active consumer bases for medicated oils and we are now in the process of registering to enter these markets. We are also seeking out partnership opportunities with companies based in these countries to smooth our transition process.

We are interested in working with companies looking to distribute their products in Indonesia as we have the market knowledge. Pure financial investments are not of real interest to us as the banks in Indonesia can see the potential of the country’s pharmaceutical sector. Therefore, we would like to distribute new products that have demonstrated success abroad and can offer support to foreign companies in carrying out the necessary procedures such as licensing and obtaining proper documentation.

Indonesia has a lot of potential in consumer products and in medicated oils. As a company we try to do our best to create unique products and make them successful in the Indonesian market, and hope to play a key role in the continued expansion of this industry in the future.