This M’sian law grad’s second take at entrepreneurship is making creepy ceramics
It wasn’t really in Hannah Bhatt’s plans to start The Uncanny Valley Studios, a business crafting quirkily designed handmade ceramics.
She actually comes from a background in law, but chose not to pursue a career in law because she realised she lacked passion for it. And that led her to eventually co-founding The Covert Collective (an apparel company) some years ago with her husband, Samuel Chew.
But the couple later stopped the venture to focus on the new stage of their lives—parenthood.
“It was hard to juggle being new parents, being present, and having to come up with new designs and merch to stay relevant,” Hannah told us. “A lot goes into it (running the brand) and we did not want to come up with half-hearted designs we ourselves would not wear.”
But it’s been about four years since they shut down the apparel business, and five years since Hannah became a mother.
Not wanting to miss the opportunity to do something for herself, especially after struggling with the highs and lows of becoming a new mum, Hannah decided to dive into a new passion project.
“I wanted to still do art but I wanted to learn something new, have a new medium [to] express myself in a different way,” she stated. And then she came across Clay Expression, a pottery studio which offered classes in the morning and wasn’t too far for her to travel.
So while her children went to playschool for four hours a day, Hannah attended her own classes for pottery. The mother of two shared that she took all of Clay Expression’s handbuilding courses and some kiln lessons, where she made a lot of ceramics.
And as The Covert Collective’s Instagram and Facebook pages have always been spaces where she shared her art, Hannah decided to post some of her ceramics online too.
Then the opportunity to turn it into an actual business came in the form of Adeline Chong, co-founder and Chief Curator of Snackfood, who slid into her DMs and asked if Hannah would sell her crafts on the gift emporium platform.
Taking inspiration from Greek mythology
Speaking to Vulcan Post, Hannah shared that The Uncanny Valley Studios had just opened in January this year.
The brand offers a range of products including trinket dishes, jugs, vases, mugs, and decorative sculptures. All of which feature The Uncanny Valley Studios’ signature unconventional designs of rather peculiar-looking faces.
“I have always loved things with faces on them. I incorporated that in my designs from way back with The Covert Collective and I still do [that] today,” Hannah shared.
The inspiration behind these faces are chimaeras, mythological creatures with various body parts taken from different animals. She integrates the creatures in her mind into the pieces, and hopes to transport viewers to a dance between the realism of wonder and fascination.
“The faces represent a symbol of the beauty that emerges when we dare to step beyond our comfort zones, going against conformity and embracing what makes us unique.”
The founder subtly acknowledged that the pricing of the items (starting from RM120) may be on the higher side considering that the material isn’t expensive, per se.
But she explained that the price tag also reflects the time that she put into the items. “Each detail is sculpted and pinched with care.”
It took her eight months of classes and practice to reach her current level of expertise in the craft. And she’s been loving the opportunity to create art with her hands, so much so that she tries to do it whenever possible.
“Whenever my kids are at school, when they take a nap, and when they sleep at night,” she shared. “But when they are awake, I am present with them.”
All of The Uncanny Valley Studios’ products are currently only available on Snackfood’s webstore and at Snackfood’s physical retail outlet at Centrio Pantai Hillpark, KL. The items are ready-made, with Hannah planning to release small product drops every month.
If you’re someone who prefers custom-made pieces, Hannah shared that she only accepts requests for ceramics in big amounts or large sizes to fill up the kiln. The reason is that she’s looking to make the orders worth the cost of firing.
Dictionary time: Kilns are basically ovens for firing, drying, baking, hardening, or burning a substance, particularly clay products.
Source: Britannica
Each piece has its own story
Considering that Hannah’s previous venture, The Covert Collective, was run with her husband, I was curious to know why he wasn’t involved in this business.
“A really good question,” she chuckled. “Sam is not interested in ceramics.” While he’s advancing in his nine-to-five job, he’s also running another passion project called FPL Banger (a sports podcast) with a good friend of theirs.
Hence, The Uncanny Valley Studios remains a one-woman show and her own passionate side hustle.
Sharing with us, the mumpreneur explained that she still considers herself as first and foremostly a full-time mum of her toddlers, who very much still need her around as the family doesn’t have any helpers.
But she would love it if running the business turned into her full-time career, sometime in the near future.
For now, though, Hannah is looking to expand the brand’s range of products. She even teased the release of some new items coming up, including lamps, mirrors, and a whole lot of “exciting new items” she can’t wait to share.
As for stores, the brand’s catalogue will be exclusively available at Snackfood until next year, after which she hopes to consign to stores internationally.
Presently, the sculptor is enjoying the process of making things and discovering new ways to mould clay. “It really brings me so much joy to be able to do this, and I hope that my customers know how much thought, effort, and love I put into each piece.”
“Each piece has a story and I hope people resonate with the pieces.”
For example, Sumozilla is a unique creature that’s half a sumo wrestler and half Godzilla who has an unusual passion for pasta. And in the right photo is a tiger and snake chimera called Party Animals, who has an unending desire to celebrate.
As part of The Uncanny Valley Studios’ showcase at Snackfood, Hannah shared that customers will be able to read up on the significance and backstories of each piece.
“The stories help my audience find beauty in the uncanny. A lot my characters are considered creepy or grotesque, but they are all misunderstood and actually resemble a lot like us,” she stated.
While Hannah’s designs might not be up to everyone’s tastes, it’s inspiring to see the effort she puts into each of her crafts. And who knows, you might find one whose story appeals to you as well.
- Learn more about The Uncanny Valley Studios here.
- Read other articles we’ve written about Malaysian startups here.
Also Read: Samadhi Retreats’ carnival on Sept 30 will feature 80+ canape options & free-flow beer
Featured Image Credit: The Uncanny Valley Studios
Jaya Grocer opens pop-up stores in Sunway Pyramid ahead of its flagship launch in Q4 2024
Popular supermarket chain, Jaya Grocer, opened its new pop-up store at Sunway Pyramid on October 1, 2023 to give customers and mall-goers a taste of what to expect when its new flagship store opens next year.
In a press release, Jaya Grocer’s CEO, Adelene Foo, stated that the pop-up store is to “mark their space” in the mall while renovations and fit-out works are underway.
“This is very much part of the Jaya Grocer service promise where we seek new and innovative ways to delight our customers,” she said.
“We know our massive fit-out work is going to take months, so we’d rather give our loyal customers an immediate option to continue shopping with us in the meantime. This is the least we can do to serve our customers while, at the same time, excite the Sunway community and regular shoppers at Pyramid.”
Jason Chin, the Senior General Manager of Sunway Pyramid, expressed that the brand was thrilled at Jaya Grocer joining the Sunway Pyramid retail scene as the brand is one of the top choices for imported goods and high-quality fresh ingredients.
“We’re so excited to welcome Jaya Grocer on board and especially when they have taken the initiative to set up a ‘pop-up’ store to serve customers in the interim,” he said.
New flagship store in the works
Established in 2007, Jaya Grocer is a local retail chain that focuses on providing a wide range of imported goods and high-quality fresh ingredients to Malaysian households.
The brand currently has over 45 outlets across Malaysia, including specialty stores such as Korean Grocer, the press release stated. According to its website, the brand’s one and only flagship store is located in Empire Shopping Gallery in Subang.
As for its upcoming flagship store at Sunway Pyramid, it is expected to be fully open by the fourth quarter of 2024.
This flagship store will be located in the space that AEON previously occupied for 16 years before closing its doors in Sunway Pyramid a few months ago in July 2023.
In AEON’s Facebook post announcing its closure, the company didn’t disclose the reason behind its departure from the Subang Jaya-based mall.
However, the mall’s official website link included in the post does explain that this is part of the Sunway Pyramid Enhancement Progress. In other words, the mall is undergoing improvements to introduce a fresh and trendy atmosphere to its spaces.
This is corroborated by a Free Malaysia Today report from May 2023, where it was shared that the Sunway Real Estate Investment Trust (Sunway REIT) had no intentions of extending its lease with Sunway Pyramid’s AEON, as the corporation planned to convert the space into smaller specialty stores that carry higher rental rates.
More new stores to look out for
To reward Sunway Pyramid customers, Jaya Grocer is currently offering special opening promotions from October 1 to October 15 for products from every category.
There will be two parts to its Sunway Pyramid pop-up stores, with the main one offering groceries located at the mall’s Blue Concourse area. It’s already open to the public since October 1, 2023.
The second pop-up store will feature products from Jaya Grocer’s own bakery called The Baker’s Son, and also imported goods like those from Coles originating from Australia. This pop-up can be found at the Orange Concourse and is set to be open next week.
From what was shared on Jaya Grocer’s Instagram post, customers can purchase fresh produce, cooking condiments, and also daily necessities like instant coffee and tissues at its pop-up store.
Foo also added that there will be more special opening promotions coming soon.
Aside from Jaya Grocer, Chin previously stated in July that the mall will also be bringing in other flagship stores and specialty brands to add even more style and flair to the enhanced portion of the mall.
Also Read: Here’s how M’sian SMEs can get 1,000GB of high-speed data at RM50/month to boost their biz
Featured Image Credit: Jaya Grocer
Bursa’s top 20 earners donated RM129mil in cash last year, who was the most charitable?
Have you ever wondered just how charitable the most profitable companies in Malaysia are?
Even if you haven’t, Wiki Impact, a Malaysia-based online platform, has published a report to answer that question.
The site, which reports on the impact industry, released its “Bursa Top 20: Who’s The Most Charitable?” report on September 26, 2023.
Did you know: The impact industry (or sector) can refer to any business or initiative that improves the life of a human being in a significant way.
In this report, they look at the charitable actions of the top 20 earners in Malaysia that are listed on the Bursa stock exchange.
Having released the same report last year, Wiki Impact reported that the Bursa Top 20 companies’ total donations in 2022 has decreased compared to in 2021.
In 2022, the companies donated a total of RM129.25 million in cash based on publicly available data, compared to the previous year’s RM159.59 million.
Wiki Impact reported that this may be reflective of evolving corporate giving patterns.
Other than cash donations, the site takes into consideration in-kind giving (non-cash gifts) and employee volunteer hours.
To compile this report, Wiki Impact first identifies the top 20 companies via Bloomberg.com, researches their annual and/or sustainability reports, corroborates the data, reaches out to the companies for clarifications (however, only two of the 20 contacted companies replied this time), works with industry professionals to fact-check the data, then publishes the report.
Based on the findings from Wiki Impact, we’ve compiled a ranked list of the most charitable companies in Bursa’s Top 20 based on their total cash giving.
However, do keep in mind that although some of these companies made fewer cash donations, they may have made up for it through in-kind giving and employee volunteer hours.
1. Malayan Banking Berhad
Maybank, Malaysia’s largest financial services group, is the most charitable when it comes to its total cash giving, having channelled over RM37.8 million into its community programmes in 2022, Wiki Impact reported.
Beyond that, Wiki Impact found that its various other programmes such as R.I.S.E Programme, Maybank Women EcoWeavers programme, eMpowering Youths Across ASEAN, and more, have also impacted many lives.
FY2022 net profit: RM8.23 billion
Total cash giving: RM37.8 million
In-kind giving: Impacted 360,000 households
Employee volunteer hours: 14,709
Percentage of cash giving to profit: 0.46%
Percentage of in-kind giving to profit: N/A
2. CIMB Group Holdings Berhad
The fifth largest ASEAN bank by assets, CIMB Group reportedly disbursed RM34.4 million in 2022, which impacted around 300,000 lives across 80 or so projects.
FY2022 net profit: RM5.44 billion
Total cash giving: RM34.4 million
In-kind giving: Impacted 300,000 lives
Employee volunteer hours: 142,914
Percentage of cash giving to profit: 0.63%
Percentage of in-kind giving to profit: N/A
3. Sime Darby Berhad
Global trading and logistics player Sime Darby ranks first when it comes to the percentage of cash giving to profit at 1.81%.
The cash was donated to Yayasan Sime Darby (YSD), distributed across various pillars such as education, environment, community and health, sports, as well as arts and culture.
FY2022 net profit: RM1.1 billion
Total cash giving: RM20 million
In-kind giving: Impacted 40,000 students
Employee volunteer hours: 800
Percentage of cash giving to profit: 1.81%
Percentage of in-kind giving to profit: N/A
4. Tenaga Nasional Berhad
The Malaysian utilities company’s total cash contributions amounting to RM12.2 million in 2022 were directed towards community development programmes, Wiki Impact reported.
Tenaga Nasional Berhad was the top in-kind giver, having contributed to numerous initiatives such as Rural Electrification (BELB) Programme, Village Street Lighting (LJK) Programme, Better Brighter Shelter, and more.
FY2022 net profit: RM3.46 billion
Total cash giving: RM12.2 million
In-kind giving: Contributions worth RM153.71 million
Employee volunteer hours: N/A
Percentage of cash giving to profit: 0.35%
Percentage of in-kind giving to profit: 4.44%
5. Telekom Malaysia Berhad
Telecommunications company Telekom’s cash contributions were mainly made through community investments.
Its in-kind giving included activities such as tree-planting, grants, scholarships, and more.
FY2022 net profit: RM1.14 billion
Total cash giving: RM8.1 million
In-kind giving: Contributions worth RM15.6 million
Employee volunteer hours: N/A
Percentage of cash giving to profit: 0.8%
Percentage of in-kind giving to profit: 1.54%
[Editor’s Note: Wiki Impact has highlighted that the provided net profit figure above was factually incorrect, and have provided the correct figure. We have since amended that figure in our article too.]
6. Press Metal Aluminium Holdings Bhd
One of three new companies on the list (the other two being IHH Healthcare Bhd and AMMB Holdings Bhd), Press Metal Aluminium is an integrated aluminium producer. It supported a diverse range of 136 activities across domains such as education, social initiatives, health-related efforts, and more.
FY2022 net profit: RM1.4 billion
Total cash giving: RM6.2 million
In-kind giving: Impacted 166,391 people
Employee volunteer hours: 3,407
Percentage of cash giving to profit: 0.44%
Percentage of in-kind giving to profit: N/A
7. Maxis Berhad
Telecommunications company Maxis’s majority focus area for its giving this year is education, including multiple training and educational programmes to help SMEs on their digitilisation journey.
FY2022 net profit: RM1.18 billion
Total cash giving: RM3.96 million
In-kind giving: Impacted 73,000 students
Employee volunteer hours: 1,355
Percentage of cash giving to profit: 0.34%
Percentage of in-kind giving to profit: N/A
8. RHB Bank Berhad
40% of RHB Bank’s initiatives were in the education category, which included financial literacy programmes and sponsorships.
FY2022 net profit: RM2.7 billion
Total cash giving: RM3.92 million
In-kind giving: Impacted 13,000 lives
Employee volunteer hours: N/A
Percentage of cash giving to profit: 0.14%
Percentage of in-kind giving to profit: N/A
9. AMMB Holdings Berhad
The Ambank Group contributed RM1.35 million in community investment in FY2022, with its giving initiatives contributed towards education.
FY2022 net profit: RM1.5 billion
Total cash giving: RM1.35 million
In-kind giving: Impacted 550,286 lives
Employee volunteer hours: N/A
Percentage of cash giving to profit: 0.09%
Percentage of in-kind giving to profit: N/A
10. Kuala Lumpur Kepong Berhad
As a plantations company that works to cultivate oil palm and rubber, Kuala Lumpur Kepong Berhad has contributed to organisations such as Konservasi Hutan Desa and save our earth initiatives.
FY2022 net profit: RM2.16 billion
Total cash giving: RM640,000
In-kind giving: Contributions worth RM6.2 million
Employee volunteer hours: N/A
Percentage of cash giving to profit: 0.03%
Percentage of in-kind giving to profit: 0.29%
11. Public Bank Berhad
Wiki Impact reported that in FY2022, Public Bank Berhad observed a decrease in both cash giving to profit ratio and in-kind giving to profit ratio.
The group did sponsor several noteworthy events, such as the Bankers’ Cycling 2022, Malaysian Journalism Award 2022, and the 5th International Sustainable Energy Summit 2022.
FY2022 net profit: RM6.11 billion
Total cash giving: RM320,000
In-kind giving: Contributions worth RM210,000
Employee volunteer hours: 732
Percentage of cash giving to profit: 0.01%
Percentage of in-kind giving to profit: 0.00%
12. PPB Group Berhad
PPB Group is an investment and property investment firm that owns GSC. It donated things such as meal vouchers, school items, oven and baking utensils, sponsorships, and more.
FY2022 net profit: RM2.19 billion
Total cash giving: RM220,000
In-kind giving: Contributions worth RM2.96 million
Employee volunteer hours: 421
Percentage of cash giving to profit: 0.01%
Percentage of in-kind giving to profit: 0.13%
13. Hong Leong Bank Berhad
50% of Hong Leong Bank’s giving was directed towards education, namely educational and training initiatives aimed at providing job skills and employment opportunities.
FY2022 net profit: RM3.29 billion
Total cash giving: RM120,000
In-kind giving: Contributions worth RM300,000
Employee volunteer hours: N/A
Percentage of cash giving to profit: 0.00%
Percentage of in-kind giving to profit: 0.01%
14. Petronas Gas Berhad
Petronas Gas observed a decrease in both cash giving to profit ratio and in-kind giving to profit ratio, Wiki Impact reported.
The top focus area was education. The natural gas company had hosted multiple training programmes such as oil spill response training and sustainability awareness education.
FY2022 net profit: RM1.64 billion
Total cash giving: RM20,000
In-kind giving: Contributions worth RM100,000
Employee volunteer hours: N/A
Percentage of cash giving to profit: 0.00%
Percentage of in-kind giving to profit: 0.01%
15. MISC Berhad
MISC is a provider of international energy-related maritime solutions and services.
A bulk of its giving initiatives were contributed towards the environment, to things such as the Heart of the Ocean programme, UMT-MMS Sea Turtle Conservation initiative, and MMS conservation programmes.
FY2022 net profit: RM1.82 billion
Total cash giving: RM3.1K
In-kind giving: Contributions worth RM24.43 million
Employee volunteer hours: 474
Percentage of cash giving to profit: N/A
Percentage of in-kind giving to profit: 1.34%
16. Petronas Chemical Group Berhad
The chemical division of Petronas implemented various educational programmes, such as SL1M-GEES-PETRONAS, soft skills training, and sustainability awareness education.
FY2022 net profit: RM6.32 billion
Total cash giving: N/A
In-kind giving: Impacted more than 213,000 beneficiaries
Employee volunteer hours: 1,683
Percentage of cash giving to profit: N/A
Percentage of in-kind giving to profit: N/A
17. IHH Healthcare Bhd
An integrated healthcare provider, IHH held multiple health awareness campaigns to educate the public such as the Antimicrobial Stewardship (AMS) programme, AMR Awareness activities, and more.
FY2022 net profit: RM1.54 billion
Total cash giving: N/A
In-kind giving: Contributions worth RM2.69 million
Employee volunteer hours: N/A
Percentage of cash giving to profit: N/A
Percentage of in-kind giving to profit: 0.17%
18. IOI Corp Berhad
An integrated palm oil player, IOI Corp focused on giving in the welfare sector. It ranks second when it comes to the percentage of in-kind giving to net profit.
FY2022 net profit: RM1.73 billion
Total cash giving: N/A
In-kind giving: Contributions worth RM60.92 million
Employee volunteer hours: N/A
Percentage of cash giving to profit: N/A
Percentage of in-kind giving to profit: 3.48%
19. Hong Leong Financial Group Berhad
No information was provided on Hong Leong Financial Group Berhad except for its net profit.
FY2022 net profit: RM2.62 billion
Total cash giving: N/A
In-kind giving: N/A
Employee volunteer hours: N/A
Percentage of cash giving to profit: N/A
Percentage of in-kind giving to profit: N/A
20. Sime Darby Plantation Berhad
No information was provided on Sime Darby Plantation Berhad except for its net profit.
FY2022 net profit: RM2.86 billion
Total cash giving: N/A
In-kind giving: N/A
Employee volunteer hours: N /A
Percentage of cash giving to profit: N/A
Percentage of in-kind giving to profit: N/A
-//-
While all this information may just be intriguing to some, it’s important to remember that these figures and actions actually have very real impact to the beneficiaries.
Hopefully, with reports like these, it will not only encourage corporates to be more charitable but also more transparent and consistent with how they report their giving.
Also Read: Here’s how M’sian SMEs can get 1,000GB of high-speed data at RM50/month to boost their biz
Featured Image Credit: Petronas / Maybank / Telekom / Sime Darby / Tenaga Nasional / CIMB Bank
After winning a UK gourmet award, this M’sian tea brand has set its eyes on global expansion
“If I could turn back the clock, I don’t think there is anything I would have done differently. As back then, that was how the industry or scene was, and the market was not too ready for healthy and caffeine-free tea,” Ciinndey Wong, the founder and CEO of Rhymba Hills confided in Vulcan Post.
“I still persisted as I knew that it was just a matter of time that the market would be ready. I wanted to be ahead of the curve, rather than following the curve of healthy beverages.”
Her perseverance finally paid off as three of the brand’s tea-like beverages (called herbal infusions) each received one star at the Great Taste Awards 2023 in the UK. You can earn up to three stars for a product.
Fun fact: The Great Taste Awards is described as the UK’s largest and most trusted food and drink accreditation scheme. Another Malaysian brand we’ve covered that has won stars at the award is Raman Spice from Johor.
Having featured Rhymba Hills a few years ago, we caught up with the entrepreneur to learn more about the brand’s current ventures and this new achievement.
But first, what are herbal infusions?
Contrary to what you might think, herbal infusions are not exactly tea. This is because tea technically comes from the Camellia sinensis plant, and herbal infusions aren’t sourced from that.
While infusion generally refers to the process of steeping plants or fruits in hot water, herbal infusions simply mean there aren’t any Camellia sinensis leaves involved. As such, herbal infusions are typically caffeine-free.
You might already know of some herbal infusions, such as chamomile, lavender, and peppermint. But what Rhymba Hills focuses more on is Eastern infusions like ginger, lemongrass, and pandan.
Its catalogue includes beverages like its Ceylon Cinnamon Blend, Java Tea Blend, AntyOxy Blend, and Lemongrass Blend. Each of them is a mixture of various Eastern infusions and is packed in sachets of 10 (RM13.90) and 20 (RM26.90) per box.
Based on its website, the brand’s products can be found in certain outlets of stores like Village Grocer, Jaya Grocer, Ben’s Independent Grocer, Whole Foods Express, and AEON, amongst others.
A small recap of the past
The idea to start Rhymba Hills came about after Ciinndey’s own health struggles in the past. She used to be a part of one of the Big Four companies as an auditor and the workplace stress badly affected her.
“I became an emotional eater, my weight ballooned, and I had health issues. I was constantly sick, and my face was full of pimples. My self-esteem hit rock bottom due to my physical appearance. This went on for a few years until I realised that this is not how I want to lead my life.”
In search of healthier ways to lose weight, she discovered caffeine-free drinks like lemongrass tea and began changing her lifestyle. This ranged from cutting out fast food and suppers, to exercising and consuming caffeine-free drinks.
“In nine months, I lost 18kg,” she shared. But at the same time, she also realised that there weren’t many options for infusion drinks in Malaysia. “It is always chamomile or peppermint for hot drinks.”
So she decided to launch Rhymba Hills as a way of filling the market gap for local sugar-free and caffeine-free tea.
“There is still a lot of work to be done”
“We technically started in 2014 as 2014 was the time that Ladang Sari International Sdn Bhd was established, having converted it from [being a] sole proprietor. So we deem that the brand started in 2014,” Ciinndey stated.
But in terms of experience, the Rhymba Hills brand (which is under Ladang Sari International Sdn Bhd) has been around since 2011.
And in the decade or so of them being in business, the brand’s consumers have changed from just those in the high-income bracket, to now mid-to-high income earners.
This shift was noticed by the brand after the pandemic. Ciinndey’s theory is that COVID-19 has raised consumer awareness of the importance of health and wellness. “Consumers are more willing to shift part of their spending to invest in health and wellness products and ingredients.”
That said, she shared that the brand is still working very hard to create brand awareness. “We know that there is still a lot of work to be done. There are still a lot of consumers who are looking for caffeine-free and sugar-free beverages, but do not know that we exist,” she said.
“Imported caffeine-free ingredients like chamomile, lavender, and peppermint have been around for a long time, and are well-marketed in terms of health benefits. But unfortunately, the health benefits of local ingredients are hardly marketed and [remain generally] unknown.”
A difference between the domestic and international market
On that note, Ciinndey explained that the local market is very niche, “As most of the consumers in Malaysia prefer beverages with sugar and laden with flavouring.”
The international market, on the other hand, seems to better appreciate Rhymba Hill’s tea that’s “100% natural and wholesome ingredients”.
This is one of the reasons why the brand started participating in international gourmet awards. By doing so, Ciinndey and her team aim to validate Rhymba Hill’s products and prove that they are on par with the other fine foods brands across the globe.
In fact, she proudly shared that the brand also received the AVPA Paris Gourmet Award in 2019 for its REELAX, REEVITALISE, and Lemongrass Blend.
“We are working towards more global sales, penetrating the UK and the US, as this award (the Great Taste Awards) is very well recognised in the UK,” she said. “With the award, we made our debut appearance in the UK at the Specialty & Fine Food Fair on September 11 and 12, at Olympia, London.”
“We are looking forward to connecting with distributors, wholesalers, and partners who are in the specialty and fine food space, and want to add in exotic or Asian ingredients into their current product range.”
Moving forward, she envisions growth for the brand through the formation of partnerships with other parties that share their values. “Local, 100% natural and wholesome, and much aligned to sustainability,” Ciinndey said.
Also Read: 2 innovative startups that won RM580K+ from this Hong Kong incubator that’s now in M’sia too
Featured Image Credit: Rhymba Hills
