KUALA LUMPUR: While most of us will reach for a plaster to nurse a cut, there are those who opt for natural remedies such as garlic, honey and aloe vera to aid healing. The reasoning behind this could be the fact that it costs less or it is a tried and trusted method used for generations.
A staple herbal remedy in the medicine cabinet of many Malaysian households has to be the multipurpose herbal medicated oil which helps relieve ailments from headache to tummy ache.
TYT, a range of herbal remedies that hails from Penang, has its own legion of supporters who have been using its products since 1957. Under the hands of Hong Yang Hoo Pharma Sdn Bhd deputy managing director June Choo, the traditional remedy continues to remain relevant in modern society.
“Our oils have been a household brand for many years and it all started with a formula that was passed down to my great-grandmother from our forefathers,” she says.
TYT was founded by June’s grandfather Choo Boon Hock who started peddling this herbal remedy whose formula he obtained from his mother, Ooi Kim Seow. Ooi was a Chinese physician who originated from the Anhui Fong Yang district in China.
Their herbal medicated oil which contains herbs such as lemongrass, betel leaves, wormwood leaf and ginger, is used to treat minor wounds and to relieve wind (flatulence).
Boon Hock sold the remedy alongside his eldest son Boo Teong in Penang. The herbal oil was produced in small batches in their home and it is said that the oil was heated for eight hours over wood fire in order to achieve maximum efficacy.
In 1960, the business grew and they opened their own Chinese medical hall on Beach Street (now known as Lebuh Pantai). The shop, still in existence today, was named Hong Yang Hoo Teow Yang Tong.
“Back then, my father (Boo Teong) would drive his van from one village to another to sell our remedies. His work would bring him all over the peninsula from Kelantan to Johor,” recalls June.
Although she grew up with the business, June only took on an official role in the company during the late 90s after her grandfather decided to set up a modern, good manufacturing practice (GMP) compliant production facility. She left her job as an IT lecturer to return to the family business.
Their current production facility at the Batu Maung industrial zone in Penang features a fully automated production system which ensures strictest conformance to quality and hygiene for all its products.
However, the 1990s proved to be a challenging time for the company as herbal remedies were shunned by young users in favour of modern medicine. “Many people back then wanted remedies which provided fast results and as often was the case, they opted for Western medicine.”
The tables have now turned as June noticed users of her oil now extend to younger families who prefer natural remedies over chemical concoctions. Some of her customers who she meets at the fairs or expos where her company sets up promotional booths, would often tell her that their parents had used the oil on them when they were babies and now they are using it on their children.
“We realised that in order to go to the mass market, increasing our distribution channels was important and we could no longer rely on our vans alone to grow.” Today, TYT products are found in major pharmacies and baby goods stores across Malaysia.
Packaging-wise, the oils come in various sizes; each produced to cater to a different segment of the market. “Our 100ml bottles are favoured by users in the peninsula as the oil is often used by the whole family. The 50ml roll-on bottle is targeted at children as the flow of the oil is controlled, thus reducing spillage,” says June.
TYT’s oil can also be found in Sabah and Sarawak with the 30ml bottle produced specifically for that market. “Our distributors from that region used to tell us that our users wanted a cheaper product as the pricing for the 50ml was high. Since we could not lower the quality of the oil, we came up with a smaller packaging which was sold at an affordable price point for that market.”
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