Edward Ling, the Malaysian president and chief executive of a company that distributes wheatgrass in the Philippines, switched from direct selling to retail in 2013 and the results, he says, is nothing short of miraculous.
“It is moving from one business model to another model that is perhaps our biggest success story. Very few companies could survive that. From a direct selling, multi-level concept to retail where we are today, it is a near miracle. It is by God’s grace. I think the right way to say it is by God’s grace and mercy. I believe that 100 percent,” says Ling, the president and chief executive of Global Business Integrated Holdings Inc. and Wheatgrass CAN International Inc.
Wheatgrass CAN International, formerly Easy Pha-Max Philippines when it was established in July 2007, is the leading distributor of Easy Pha-Max wheatgrass food supplements in the Philippines. Wheatgrass, dubbed as the “king of alkaline foods” is derived from the young wheat plant, Triticum aestivum.
The company started direct selling in 2007, but switched to retail in 2013. “Now we are available in Mercury, S&R, Landmark, Robinsons, Rustans, basically everywhere. We were into direct selling first, but then, five or six years later, we went into retail, because that’s where the market was taking us. Right now, our main thrust for marketing is our people. We have wellness consultants whom you can find in every retail outlets. Basically, they are our frontliners,” says Wheatgrass CAN International director for sales and marketing Jeryl Bandelaria.
The product caters to the middle-income to upper-income groups, with a price range of P33 to P41.50 per sachet.
On why he decided to expand the business in the Philippines, Ling says: “I just love the country, number one. Somehow, subconsciously, I know there is this potential market. I am more of a feeling person, more of instinct, but sometimes my instinct is not very good. But it works somehow right now,” he says.
Ling says the switch from direct selling was a calculated risk. “For the beginner, it was not easy because sending the message out was a big investment and a big risk. You need to take a real entrepreneurial approach to that level. We took a great risk actually, but it was a calculated risk, because the confidence is on the product,” he says.
Bandelaria says the company has faced several challenges along the way. “One of our biggest challenges was shifting the business model from direct selling to retail, maybe three to four years ago. There were birth pains. We went through the birth pains again because of the change in business model. Retail and direct selling are two opposite business models. But the market was pulling us toward retail, so that’s where we went,” says Bandelaria.
“In direct selling, the company gets cash immediately. In retail, there are terms for different outlets and they won’t pay you immediately. You have to have a certain amount of cash reserves in order to venture out to this one. It was a calculated risk. But we’ve got the best sales persons in the market. We got them from the biggest retailing industries. We offered good packages and incentives,” says Bandelaria.
Ling says the switch has eventually paid off. Wheatgrass CAN International posted a 20-percent growth in sales in the Philippines last year. “When we got all the acts together, there was a sudden jump. Even this year, we can easily reach 40 percent to 50 percent [growth],” he says. “We have developed the market. We have built a good foundation, a lot of infrastructure and awareness. When we put the last act together, immediately we saw more revenue coming in.”
Ling says the switch became successful because of the good product. He believes in his product so much that when his younger sister was diagnosed with cancer several years ago, he immediately flew back to Malaysia and advised her to take a regular dose of pure wheatgrass.
“She already started with chemo, and got two or three injections. I stopped her [from getting more injections]. It is good she had faith in me. She is right now in her mid-40s. It is good she followed my advice,” says Ling.
He says a regular dosage of wheatgrass cleanses, alkalizes and nourishes the body at the same time, increasing its ability to flush out toxins and carcinogens. “I said there is no way you are going to get chemotherapy treatment. Today, she is healthy, kicking and she is enjoying her business,” says Ling.
Ling says wheatgrass, which is loaded with alkaline minerals, offers multiple health benefits and can control acidity, diabetes, high blood pressure and cancer, because it cleanses, alkalizes and nourishes the blood and body, thus the acronym CAN. It reportedly contains 13 vitamins, 10 minerals, 17 amino acids and more than a hundred enzymes.
Ling says wheatgrass is natural and serves a lot of what the body needs. “It is natural. Our product quality is consistent. We have one of the very advanced laboratories beside the technology of aeroponics. What sets us different from other supplements is that it is natural. It is addressing the blood. If our blood is okay, then 80 percent of our health is okay. Not many products in the market can address the blood. Blood is so important—transporting nutrients, oxygen, detox,” she says.
Easy Pha-Max wheatgrass products have passed the audit by Food and Drug Administration Philippines, with no approved therapeutic claims.
Manufactured by The Origin Foods Sdn. Bhd. in Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia, Easy Pha-Max wheatgrass products are exported to more than 50 countries, including the US and the Philippines. Wheatgrass CAN International which is based in Makati City employs around 200 Filipinos, a number that is expected to reach 300 as the company expands, according to Ling, who is also the president of the newly formed Malaysia Chamber of Commerce and Industries Philippines Inc.
Ling expects Wheatgrass CAN International to maintain its market leadership, because Easy Pha-Max is the only brand that uses both leaves and roots of wheatgrass to produce balanced nutrition.
Bandelaria, director for sales and marketing of Wheatgrass CAN International, says this is made possible by aeroponics, which refers to the process of growing plants in an air or mist environment without the use of soil. Leaves and roots of wheatgrass have the maximum amount of proteins, vitamins, minerals, enzymes and chlorophyll.
“What differentiates us from competitors is our indoor organic aeroponic cultivation, meaning we don’t use soil. It is hanging in the air and it is all organic. This way, we can use the roots also, because the roots give more nutrients, vitamins and amino acid,” says Bandelaria
Ling says he has found a second home—the Philippines which warmly welcomed the product. “I feel very strong for the Philippine market. I feel I belong here,” he says.
The Malaysian executive says a part of the plan is to establish a wheatgrass farm and factory in the Philippines in the short term to create employment for Filipinos. “Currently, it is in Malaysia, but our short-term goal is to establish a factory here. That is our corporate goal. I envisage that in the future, we might be able to make the Philippines as an exporting country worldwide,” says Ling.
“It is always my desire. It is something that will upgrade us. It is also to diversify and to give value to my adopted country—to this country that I am very blessed with. I want to give something back. This factory is one way to express my gratitude,” says Ling.
