Malaysia's Herbal Products Firm SDM Expands To Middle East, China

By Noor Soraya Mohd Jamal KUALA LUMPUR, March 19 (Bernama) -- Bumiputera herbal products company Seri Dewi Malam Sdn Bhd (SDM) is set to expand operations to the Middle East and China by the middle of this year, said Managing Director Rosman Bimin. He said SDM is awaiting approval from the Health Ministry of Egypt, where it will tie up with local partners. "We wanted at first to enter Dubai, but the opportunity from Egypt came earlier," he told Bernama recently. Rosman said with both the Middle East and China markets, which have high purchasing power, being very keen on herbal products especially halal ones made by Muslims, the company expects 20 per cent higher sales this year compared to the US$296,220 (RM1.2 million) last year. Rosman said there has also been interest in its products in South Thailand and Europe, although its ventures there are still at a discussion stage. "The Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (Matrade) has been very helpful with advice and invitations to join its trade missions overseas," he said. SDM began operations in 2011 as a home-based online business, and the company, with 5,00 stockists nationwide and whose products are also distributed in Singapore and Brunei, has since bought a three-storey sales and distribution centre in Shah Alam of Selangor state. Rosman's wife Idayu Basri, who is also SDM Managing Director, said the company has never had any complaints about its range of 40 herbal products, including jamu (traditional Indonesian herbal medicines); post-natal care, sinusitis, slimming, cosmetics and skin care products; as well as herbal products based on the Sunnah (practices, customs and traditions of the Prophet Muhammad). "Our strength is personal consultations, and in fact most of our products were developed for our own use," she said. SDM's products are made 100 per cent from herbs and spices that Idayu inherited from her grandparents, and are approved by the Malaysian Health Ministry as well as having Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) and halal certification. SDM also supplies genuine Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) components to local manufacturers. Meanwhile, Rosman said the company is making plans to penetrate the over-40s market, besides enhancing its offline sales -- currently, nearly 70 per cent of SDM's sales are via online platforms, with most customers being urban residents under 40. The ultimate target, he said, is a 50:50 split between online and offline sales, achieved through radio, television and newspaper advertising. Bumiputera is a Malaysian term to describe the Malay race and other indigenous peoples of Southeast Asia. --BERNAMA