KINO BIOTECH: Forays into Myanmar with leading local distributor

In Yangon last Saturday: (L-R) Chong Ka Wee (CEO, Kino Biotech) and Ting Yen Hock (Executive Chairman, Kino Biotech) presenting a gift to Dr Win Si Thu (MD, Medi Myanmar Group) and Dr Su Hla Han (Executive Director, Medi Myanmar Group).

Photos courtesy of Kino Biotech

STEP INTO the stores of Watsons, Guardian Pharmacy, Cold Storage and Giant, and one can't help but notice the ubiquitous Kinohimitsu brand.

Women, in particular, are familiar with Kinohimitsu beauty and collagen drink, the No. 1 selling brand in Malaysia and Singapore for three consecutive years
from 2008 to 2010.

The drinks, as well as health pads, healthcare tea, facial masks, cleanser, body cream and other skin care products, are manufactured by Kino Biotech, a healthcare and beauty company based in Singapore and listed in Taiwan.

Aside from Kinohimitsu, Kino Biotech’s Activa and Xpertise are brandnames which are gaining popularity in Singapore.

L-R: Chong Ka Wee (CEO, Kino Biotech), Dr. Win Si Thu (MD, Medi Myanmar Group), Ng Cheong Yew (Centre Director from International Enterprise Singapore in Myanmar), Ting Yen Hock (Executive Chairman, Kino Biotech), Goh Kim Hong (Assistant GM of International Sales and Sourcing, Kino Biotech)

Kino Biotech hopes to replicate its success in Mynamar. Last Saturday, the company celebrated its appointment of Medi Myanmar Group to sell and distribute its Kinohimitsu, Activa and Xpertise brands.

About 400 guests attended the event at Traders Hotel in Yangon, including government officials from Myanmar and Singapore, and representatives from trade bodies, business organizations and non-governmental agencies.

Medi Myanmar Group is a leading a distributor of pharmaceutical and healthcare products, medical and fitness equipment, as well as consumer and lifestyle products.

It has a distribution network of more than 1,500 points of sales in Myanmar hypermarkets, supermarkets, pharmacies and grocery stores.

Hip and loud: Launch party in Yangon.

Among the products that will be available on the retail front are Kino Biotech’s award-winning detox juices, collagen drinks and health pads for men and women.

“We expect Myanmar’s healthcare and beauty market to take off with its political and economic liberalization,” said Kino Biotech’s executive chairman, Mr Ting Yen Hock.

The company estimates retail sales of over S$2 million in its first 18 months in Myanmar and projects annual growth of 30%. The first shipment of products went to Myanmar in December 2012.

Myanmar has a healthcare market estimated at around S$400 million and is expected to grow by 6.25 times in the next 10 years to reach S$2.5 billion.

For its established markets, Kino-Biotech is already exporting to China, Malaysia, Vietnam, Thailand and Indonesia.  More than 80% of its revenue come from outside Singapore.

It is also in talks with distributors in the Middle East to penetrate markets such as Dubai, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait.

Celebrities at the launch party.

Prizes for a lucky draw winner (left), and a gift from the Myanmar distributor to Kino Biotech (right).

Toasting with Kinohimitsu drinks are representatives from Kino Biotech, Medi Myanmar and celebrities.