RooLife and AFT Pharmaceuticals to sell over-the-counter products in Chinese online marketplace
AFT 已聘请 RooLife 通过中国的天猫平台帮助营销和销售其药品。
E-commerce and digital marketing company RooLife Group (ASX: RLG) has teamed up with New Zealand-based AFT Pharmaceuticals (ASX: AFP) to launch a range of over-the-counter (OTC) pharmaceuticals through online marketplace Tmall Global.
The products will be sold through a NZ-branded online health and pharmacy store referred to as ‘Kiwi Health Store’, which has gained considerable support since its launch in 2020 with a trial range of AFT’s health supplements.
Under the terms of the new partnership, RooLife will use its digital marketing and store operations expertise to sell AFT’s portfolio of products including Ferro-Sachet dietary tablets, Crystawash Extend hand sanitiser, Loraclear hay fever relief and Histaclear non-drowsy allergy relief.
The portfolio will be expanded during the two-phase online launch to include AFT’s patented Maxigesic pain relief medication and five additional medicines.
RooLife will also be responsible for ensuring AFT gains approval to sell its OTC pharmaceuticals in China, making it the first NZ direct-to-consumer company to offer cross-border sales on Tmall.
Strong Chinese demand
RooLife managing director Bryan Carr said the partnership will allow it to directly service strong demand from Chinese consumers for international OTC pharmaceuticals.
“This collaboration combines AFT’s extensive pharmaceutical experience and highly-regarded product range with our China market and e-commerce expertise, including our role of managing and achieving the necessary approvals for the sale of OTC pharmaceutical products in China,” he said.
“It represents a fantastic achievement for both companies.”
Second largest market
China is the world’s second largest market for OTC medicines (behind the United States) and is growing rapidly.
In 2020, it was worth $24 billion and is expected to reach a whopping $33.47 billion by 2023 as the Chinese population ages and becomes more focused on healthcare.
Statistics show that more than 58% of all current sales of OTC products to Chinese consumers occur online.
The Kiwi Health Store aims to capitalise on a strong brand awareness of AFT’s product range, a high demand for NZ products in China, and the low numbers of OTC products currently approved for sale on Tmall Global.
As China’s largest cross-border marketplace, Tmall Global is the premier channel that overseas brands and retailers use to reach Chinese consumers, build brand awareness, and gain valuable consumer insights in forming their overall China strategy, without the need to have a bricks-and-mortar presence in the country.