Health drink importer readies for integration

CEBU, Philippines - Cebu-based health drink importer is now moving towards strengthening its presence in the ASEAN market, in preparation to a greater challenge next year as the region opens to integration.

Organique Inc., the importer of the Acai Berry health drink is now clinching partnership deals with interested distributors in ASEAN member countries, as well as other countries in Asian region, like Japan and China said the company’s vice president Catherine Salimbangon in an interview.

Salimbangon said the company is encouraged to penetrate not only the ASEAN, but the entire Asian region due to increasing demand of Acai Berry products, not only for its concentrated Acai berry juice, but also the Acai Berry-based beauty products.

While its move to close deals for distributorship in the ASEAN countries is still starting, she said the company has already closed a deal with a Japanese partner, the Rakutin.com online shop, one of Japan’s biggest online stores.

  In the Philippines, however, the company has increased its presence in retail outlets through its partnership with PhilUSA—the largest provider of high quality but affordable pharmaceutical and consumer products in the Philippines.

Through its partnership with PhilUSA, Salimbangon said the imported Acai Berry health drink product is now available in major retail outlets in the country, like Watsons, PureGold, Mercury Drug, Landmark, Savemore supermarkets and selected Rustan’s Supermarket outlets in the country.

She said while the product has proven to be well accepted by the Filipinos, the company has to prepare itself for the further influx of more health and wellness products to the Philippines, and the ASEAN region starting next year, and making a presence ahead within the ASEAN countries, as well as Asia in general will give the brand an advantage.

Salimbangon said the company has noted an increased demand for its products not only in the Philippines, but also in other countries in Asia.

In Korea, she said the company will make the brand’s cosmetic products like Acai berry soap as its entry product, although there are also growing market for the Acai Berry juice drink.

Manufactured in California, USA the Acai Premium Blend is from the small grape-sized berry that grows in the Amazon Rain-forest of Brazil. Historically, natives of the region have harvested this berry  as part of their diet for hundred years.  (FREEMAN)