INS, A Direct Selling Company or An OEM company?

While those who have heard of INS Bioscience Bhd know it more as a direct-selling company, its accounts show that OEM sales to third parties are far more profitable for the group, reported The Star yesterday.

Its listing prospectus showed that INS Enterprise, a direct selling company produced earnings of only RM480,000 on a net profit margin of 2.7% in 2004.

The Origin Foods Sdn Bhd, a wholly-owned original equipment manufacturing (OEM) subsidiary, earned RM4.9mil and had an exceptionally high net margin of 63% in the same year.

The reason for the contrasting profit margins between the two subsidiaries is that direct-selling can generate high levels of sales but costs, in the form of commissions and incentives to agents, are also high.

INS chief executive officer Datuk David Yeat defines INS as a research and development company, which produces herbal products, with nutrients extracted from plants and given a pleasant taste. In such efforts, INS has teamed up with a number of local and foreign universities. INS is not mainly a direct-selling company, he emphasised.

Compare with other listed direct selling company like Amway, Cosway, CNI , DXN etc. The result of INS direct selling division really mediocre.

The company is seeking OEM business aggressively. Rumours said that one renowned beauty and cosmetic company in Malaysia also approach by INS to become it OEM customer.

INS share price of 30.5 sen yesterday is, however, still below its initial public offering price of 35 sen.

This is mainly due to its listing in July last year, not long after several stocks fell limit-down, which weakened market sentiment. Following that, a substantial investor sold down his INS shares. A legal battle with it ex-employee and ex-actress Lim Chew Yin doesn't help either.

Technorati Tag: Biotechnology pharmaceutical Malaysia Health & wellnessMultilevel Marketing Direct Selling Stock Market

L'ORÉAL BRANDSTORM 2006

L’Oréal, the world’s largest cosmetics group, has launched the 14th edition of L’Oréal Brandstorm, its international marketing award. This year’s edition is the most international with more than 30 countries from 5 continents.

L’Oréal Brandstorm is an innovative marketing competition that gives students the opportunity to take on the role of a marketing brand manager and to make-over an existing L’Oréal brand. National winners have the opportunity to travel to Paris and compete internationally for the world title. At the international finals, an executive L’Oréal jury rewards three teams for their marketing strategy. A special mention prize for the “Best Communications Campaign” is given by Publicis, international partner this year.

Malaysia team won third prize in 2005

Last year,2005, Malaysia team Loh Kok Hin, Tan Hui Woon and Jessica Lim “Osirians” from University Teknologi Malaysia won third prize in WORLD at L’Oréal Brandstorm, an annual marketing competition for business students around the world with “Trust Your Instincts” mobile Studio Line FX range.






2006- Lancome

This year’s challenging case study is Lancôme Body Care. Founded in 1935, Lancôme is a worldwide leader in luxury skincare, make-up and fragrances with innovative products for both women and men. From New York to Shanghai Lancôme dazzles consumers with its French touch, knowledge of women, and skin expertise. The success of this global brand is strongly linked to the creativity of its international marketing teams. This year L’Oréal will give undergraduate and MA students the opportunity to show off their marketing vision and creativity for Lancôme Body Care.

2006-The final five

Facing the task of creating a new range of body care products and developing an international marketing strategy for Lancome Bodycare are teams Ingenious, Invincible, Vanguard, Lallssabour and B.ALL.ers.

These five finalists, consisting of three students each, were chosen from a shortlist of 12 teams, who had the opportunity to present their pre-case study to a panel of judges from L’Oreal.

The pre-case study, which teams had to submit for the first stage of the competition, consisted of analysing the body care segment in the luxury cosmetics market, as well as comparing the status of Lancome with that of two other luxury cosmetic brands.

One of the five finalists will win an all-expenses paid trip to Paris and the opportunity to represent Malaysia in the international finals there in June. The top team will also receive a trip worth RM2,500 and RM500 worth of Lancome products.

The second-placed team will win a trip worth RM2,000 and RM400 worth of Lancome products while third winner will get a trip worth RM1,500 and RM300 worth of Lancome products.

Briefing day

To help the five finalists prepare for the national finals in May, L’Oreal organised a briefing to acquaint the teams with both L’Oreal and Lancome brands and values.

L’Oreal Malaysia corporate communications manager Muhammad Zain Ibrahim started the day by briefing the teams on the company and brand.

He was followed by Luxury Products Division general manager Tengku Adam Hamzah, who gave the students an overview of the luxury products division.

Tengku Adam also spoke on the luxury products business in Malaysia and Lancome’s position in the local industry.

He pointed out the difference between luxury and consumer products.

“Be careful to keep the exclusivity and prestige of your products,” Tengku Adam told the students.

After getting a broad view of the industry, the students received detailed insight into the Lancome brand and the Bodycare range by Lancome brand manager Irene Goh.

Goh emphasised the importance of staying true to the brand’s values, saying that the products the students will be creating should be clearly identifiable with Lancome.

“You must know what women want and create something based on what the market needs and not just something to be different or fancy,” she said.

She explained the second value of Lancome – the love of France – as simply meaning “the love of elegance and luxury”.

Another core value of the brand is the love of skin, which stresses on the scientific and sensorial aspects of Lancome products.

“Seeing, feeling, touching are all important elements of the brand’s products. It is also important that all Lancome products are based on science and research,” she said.

Goh advised participants to look at salons, spas and skin care centres that are experienced in body care.

Goh and Lancome product manager (skincare and bodycare) Nicole Low also gave each team one-on-one advice on their pre-case studies.

The participants also received a briefing from Helen Chim of Publicis Malaysia, the communications agency that will help each team develop their communication campaign.

Two members of last year’s national winning team and second runners-up in the international finals Loh Kok Hin and Low Yee Min shared their experiences with the students.

Counter visit

The next day the students visited the Lancome counter at 1-Utama Shopping Centre.

Institute Advertising Communication Training (IACT) student Yap Lee Mei from team Vanguard said: “We learned the history and function of each product. The visit gave the team some ideas on the type of products to be proposed and the suitable way to market them.”

Lee Yew Jin of team Invincible from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) said: “We observed how the staff attracted customers and promoted the brand.

“It was an eye-opener for me, regarding how the beauty industry really works in the market.”

The teams had the opportunity to examine the set-up of the counter and the placement of products as well as listen to advice from beauty consultants who are the front-liners of the industry.

MALAYSIA IS ON WORLD SCIENTIFIC MAP!

Earlier, A Malaysian scientist from the Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), Miss Nyon Mun Peak, 25, was awarded the L’OREAL-UNESCO Fellowship for ‘Women in Science’ program with fifteen other young women scientists from around the world.

Miss Nyon Mun Peak, a doctoral student in UKM was awarded for her work in Structural biology: Determining the three-dimensional structure of cutinase, a fungal enzyme of great interest to the detergent industry. She will continue her work in the host institution of Krebs Institute for Biomolecular Research, University of Sheffield, UK.

Lancome Colour Designs Awards

Earlier, Lancome, a brand under Loreal also organised Lancome Colour Designs Awards together with Limkokwing University College of Creative Technology. Three winners of the Lancome Colour Designs Awards (LCDA) Malaysia, who will now go on to represent the country at the grand finals to be held in France in May.

Tag: Cosmetic : Beauty :Malaysia: Biotechnology

Chocolate trial on heart patients

LONDON (BBC Health News) -- Heart patients could soon be given doses of dark chocolate if a medical trial is given the go-head.

Professor Roger Corder at London's William Harvey Research Institute has applied for permission to test it on 40 patients with cardiovascular disease.

There is mounting evidence that chemicals called flavonoids found in some forms of chocolate can fight heart disease, blood pressure and strokes.

But experts say the benefits are offset by the high fat and sugar content.

However, Professor Corder said: "It is probably wrong to say that all dark chocolate is good for you.

"I think it is going to take at least six to 12 months before it is clear which are the best dark chocolate brands to recommend.

"Many of the popular brands of dark chocolate available in the UK will be seen to contain little to make them worth consuming. "The current research in this area should not be seen as an excuse to over indulge in chocolate at Easter."

He said the fact that chocolate was very high in calories and sugar was a drawback. -------------------Beneficial effects

Professor Corder's study will be designed to see whether flavonoids, the key ingredient, can be beneficial to patients with coronary heart disease.

Any possible health benefits will be rigorously recorded.

"I am intrigued about how these ingredients change vascular function. and I think we need to study it more.

"Most of the studies to date have been looking at volunteers or people with milder diseases. We have to look at patients with severe disease," he said.

Flavonoids are not just found in chocolate, but also found in fruit and vegetables and and tea.
A study using good quality grape seed extracts could be equally as informative, said Professor Corder.

Studies have suggested the flavonoids they contain can reduce the body's so-called bad cholesterol that causes the hardening of the arteries, strokes and heart attacks.

Dr Charmaine Griffiths, spokeswoman for the British Heart Foundation, said there was some evidence small quantities of dark chocolate might have short-term beneficial effects on circulation. -------------------Better ways

"But it is important to remember that chocolate is far more often part of the problem for heart health than the solution.

"We are certainly not suggesting people never eat chocolate - everyone can enjoy a treat from time to time - but there are much better ways of looking after your heart. "Eating five portions of fruit and vegetables a day is a better way to get the heart-protective antioxidants without having to worry so much about the fats and sugars packed into chocolate."

Technorati Tag: Biotechnology pharmaceutical Malaysia Health & wellness Heart cardiovascular chocolate

A Malaysian brand that famous in China

Yin Fong cosmetic's advertising billboard can be seen in major town in China. However, few tourist from Malaysia know that the brand actually origin from Malaysia!

Yin Fong, a cosmetics brand which first entered the mainland in 1983, was the bestseller on the domestic market in the early 1990s. The company's sales hit 500 million yuan in 1992. Yin Fong F-Pearl Cream, its most popular product, is still etched in the memory of many Shanghai consumers.

In 1999, however, with the sudden death of Yew Mui Leong, then chairman of Yin Fong, the company's domestic business took a dive.

Yew's death was partly responsible for Yin Fong's decline as the firm suffered a great loss due to wrong investments. The company had eight Chinese factories at that time but none of them turned profitable in the late 1990s.

"Poor management should be blamed," said To Wai Tai, Yew's wife and the group's current chairwoman, who was once a housewife. "In the past we did not pay enough attention to develop new products. The running costs of the plants had been too heavy for us to bear."

Compounding the problem, Yew had also devoted himself to charity events and had sponsored various social organizations. He won praises for his generosity but the company's financial woes worsened.

Yin Fong was almost wiped out of the market when competition in the domestic cosmetics market heated up with the entry of foreign giants such as L'Oreal and P&G.

In January 2004, the company, Nan Yuan Yin Fong Group Co Ltd, has invested 120 million yuan (US$14.5 million) on the mainland to try and regain the popularity of its brand in the early 1990s.

Nan Yuan Yin Fong Group was founded by a Malaysian based in Kluang, Johor, Malaysia, Yew Yin Fong. Yew Yin Fong has 7 sons and 6 daughter. Yew Mui Leong, who in charge of cosmetic business in China, is no 5 in the family of 13 brothers and sisters. Yew Yin Fong, the father, send no 3rd and 5th sons together with two sister back to China in 1966.

After, cultural revolution in China, they requested their father to apply to the authority to relocate them to Hong Kong but was being refused by the father. Eventually, the eldest son make application of migrate to the authority without the knowledge of the father in 1975.

After Yew Yin Fong pass away in 1977, 2nd of the family set up a base in Kuala Lumpur from Kluang. Whereas Yew Mui Leong in Hong Kong expand the business to China. Kuala Lumpur office,Nan Yuan Sdn Bhd and Nan Yuan Textile Import & Export Sdn Bhd located in Jalan Petaling in Kuala Lumpur, is behind S&M shopping centre. Kuala Lumpur office, other than textile operation , also responsible for procurement of raw material for cosmetic factory in China. A sister also expand business in New York. Kluang business was headed by another 3 brothers.

When Yin Fong cosmetic was first launch in Guangzhou, China. The response was especially good. One thousand dozen was sold on the first day. It is the first overseas brand in China. US cosmetic giant P&G and Johnson & Johnson has an uphill task to penetrate the market dominated by Yin Fong cosmetic.

The family also operate a hotel : Hakkas Hotel in Guang Zhou, China.

It is not sure why the group never market such cosmetic brand in it home country, Malaysia.

Tag: Cosmetic : Beauty :Malaysia: Health & wellness Skincare

Dark chocolate lightens the heart

The Sunday Mail, January 15, 2006

Lovers of dark chocolate have been given the perfect excuse to indulge their passion – it’s good for the heart. A study has found that eating a few squares a day could help prevent problems with blood flow. This is because it contains high quantities of antioxidants called flavanoids, which prevent arteries hardening. These benefits, however, are not shared by milk chocolate, possibly because the milk interferes with the effect of the flavanoid

In the study, published recently in the journal Heart, tests were carried out on 20 smokers, chosen because they have an increased risk of hardened arteries and heart disease. Before the tests, the subjects were told not to eat foods rich in antioxidants such as onions, apples and cabbage. They were then fed 60g portions of different types of chocolates. After two hours, those who had eaten dark chocolate made up of at least 74-per cent cocoa solids were found to have "significantly improved" blood flow. The effects lasted for eight hours.

Technorati Tag: Biotechnology pharmaceutical Malaysia Health & wellness Heart cardiovascular chocolate

France honours Dr Lam who discover Nipah virus

In 1997, an encephalitis outbreak occurred in Malaysia and many had thought it was Japanese Encephalitis but Dr Lam and Dr Chua Kaw Bing later isolated a new virus – Nipah.

Ipoh-born Prof Emeritus Datuk Dr Lam Sai Kit, 68, is one of the most influential figures in medical virology and despite having retired three years ago, is actively involved in his field as president of the Asia Pacific Society for Medical Virology.

Dr Lam has also contributed much to the discovery of EV 71 and echovirus 7 for the control of hand, foot and mouth disease and the Chikungunya virus as a cause of dengue-like illness with arthritis in 1998.

He is also a member of the Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (Utar) International Advisory Council and is working on forging links between Utar and France in the field of higher education.

Last week, Prof Emeritus Datuk Dr Lam Sai Kit, who discovered the Nipah virus, was conferred the Officier de l’Ordre National du Merite (National Order of Merit) by the French Embassy.

The award Dr Lam received is one of the most prestigious honours conferred by the French Government.

French Ambassador to Malaysia Alain du Boispean said: “Your prominent role in medical research and scientific cooperation, recognised worldwide, explains why the President of France decides to distinguish your valuable cooperation between the two countries.”

Dr Lam described as “very stressed” the long hours he spent at the high bio-safety laboratory when he worked to find solutions to fatal infectious viral diseases, especially when there was an outbreak. “This is because it was a life and death situation.”

On why he had stayed in the field, he said: “I enjoy my work. It’s worth risking (my) life because it’s for humanity.”

Surprisingly, while Malaysia promote biotechnology industry aggressively. Such talent was not sought after by biotechnology start-up company in Malaysia as it director. Don't you think it is a waste of talent by Malaysia?

Technorati Tag: Biotechnology pharmaceutical Malaysia Health & wellness

Another Song Hae Gyo drama in Malaysia

After movie My Girl & I show on cinema in Malaysia.

Another TV drama series staring by South Korea cosmetic brand, Etude's spoke person Song Hae-Gyo (宋惠喬), "SUNSHINE OF LOVE " will be start showing on NTV7 9.30pm tonight.

Don;t miss it if you are her fan!




Tag: Cosmetic : Beauty :Malaysia: