Malaysian organic brand on expansion

The five-year-old firm is well-entrenched in its home market. In Malaysia, where there are five local organic pet care brands serving the segment, Medic-Pets effectively competes with one, since it makes the products for three of the other firms under OEM arrangements. The company supplies to Malaysia's Department of Veterinary Services and distributes to private veterinary clinics, pet shops and other retailers. It also retails via two pet shops that serve as its showrooms. It currently carries a range of seven organic products consisting of anti-fungal and fur sprays, anti-flea shampoo, wound balms, and ear drops for all small pets except reptiles and birds. The products are manufactured in a facility in the state of Selangor, home of Malaysian capital city Kuala Lumpur.

"For B2G (business to government), our market share is 100 per cent in Malaysia. For B2B (business to business), we are covering 60 per cent. For retail, we are covering more than 50 per cent of the organic pet market," Medic-Pets director Siti Sofia Ramli told PET worldwide.
Much of its success on home turf is due to being chosen in February 2018 as one of the brands authorised to be seal bearers for the Crown Prince of Selangor, Siti Sofia Ramli acknowledged. Although winning the pitch that allowed Medic-Pets to carry the state's royal seal did not come with grants, the technical support that Medic-Pets has received, along with the boost in its reputation, has propelled the business, she said.

"We conducted research in December 2018. It came out that the brand itself is worth two mio ringgit (490 000 dollars) - more than we expected," she said. Having already started in the three biggest pet markets in Southeast Asia - Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand - as well as Brunei, Medic-Pets is now setting its sights on Myanmar, Cambodia and Australia. "We are targeting Asian countries, and we have already arranged our schedule until December," Siti Sofia Ramli said. The countries were chosen after the company conducted market research and studied demand. As with its earlier ventures abroad, Medic-Pets is looking to partner with sole distributors in these new countries.

To reassure first-time buyers of the brand, Medic-Pets secures certification not only from Malaysian…