These Singapore supplement start-ups are providing new solutions in beauty, healthcare and wellness

For the longest time, health and beauty supplements were familiar fixtures only in pharmacies and health shops, and they were seen to be functional: To decrease the risk of disease or boost our intake of nutrients. 

Now, attractive packaging with sleek design and contemporary typography, along with punchy descriptions, is taking the business of supplements to the next level. 

No longer jostling for space on the shelves in pharmacies, new supplement companies are taking over the virtual arena. 
In Singapore, three companies are making their presence known and fighting for their share of the Southeast Asian market, which is expected to reach USD$10.6 billion (S$14 billion) by 2026, a surge from USD$6.92 billion in 2018, according to Fortune Business Insights.

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Moom Health’s e-shop for the Asian woman looks like a chic, contemporary beauty hall, with glass jars in pretty packaging of gentle colour tones and capsules (sealed in equally attractive sachets when ordered). 

At Evo Commerce, black is the order of the day: bback, the post-alcohol relief pill and liver guard are encased in the enigmatic colour. And at Ordinary Folk, part of its digital health clinic offerings come with cute names such as Bump and Vigour, and are presented in functional, minimalist packaging.  

Make no mistake, though, Evo Commerce, Moom, and Ordinary Folk are not just built on aesthetics. They launched during the pandemic, upending the local supplement scene with their brand of trendy and sultry wellness appeal and the promise of 100 per cent natural ingredients.

And to consumers today, whose worldview of self-care may have shifted because of the pandemic, such insurgent companies offer a means to achieve peace of mind and a way to check all the boxes without taking the sterile pharmaceutical route.

Increasing supplement consumption

“Younger Singaporeans are prioritising health and wellness, and that is moving into all aspects of their lives. None of us eat healthily enough or move enough to not rely on a little support — and supplements are that support,” says Mili Kale, the elder sister of the two Moom Health co-founders and co-CEOs.

Essentially, people are seeing themselves as the bosses of their own health, intent on determining what feels right for their bodies. They may include personally crafted health protocols infused with Ayurveda or adaptogens.

In bback pills, milk thistle or silymarin is the star player, on top of 20 other ingredients. Roy Ang, CEO and co-founder of Evo Commerce, assures, “None of our ingredients are synthetically manufactured.”

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On the other hand, the ashwagandha plant is the main ingredient in Ordinary Folk’s first supplement, Vigour. The testosterone booster incorporates KSM-66, the most clinically-trialled form of ashwagandha, and Peruvian-sourced maca, arguably the most potent form of the cruciferous vegetable. 

When consumers bought up thousands of bottles of Vigour after it hit the market, founder Sean Low believed “the significant demand indicated that there was a strong need for such products”.

Do they or don't they work?

While all three companies confirm that sales figures are heartening, the elephant in the room cannot be ignored: The empowerment promised by supplement manufacturers does not exist, according to many in the medical industry over the years.

Dr Paul Clayton, a foremost pharmaco-nutrition authority, has spoken out forcefully against supplements in his blog. He wrote: “Among the top 10 selling supplements (in the US), you find vitamins D, C, B12, and K, the trace elements magnesium, calcium, and zinc, and the vain hope, collagen. All of these have one thing in common. They do not work. They fail to build bone, enhance immunity, make you beautiful, or provide any health benefit.”

Low admits, “The field of supplements is indeed complex, and there are varying opinions and studies regarding their effectiveness. Not all supplements on the market are backed by robust scientific evidence.” But what he offers to consumers with Ordinary Folk is an alternative option for those less inclined to prescription treatments.

Kale acknowledges that “there is always going to be doubt”, adding that Moom Health bases all its formulations on science and conducts clinical trials on products in tandem with a medical expert board. 

Research, test, and repeat

All three companies place an emphasis on research, development, and testing. “We look at dosage levels for optimal efficacy and how the different ingredients work with each other,” says Ang. 

He shares: “We take testing seriously. Every batch of our capsules is made in a Good Manufacturing Practice-certified facility and then sent for rigorous anti-metal and anti-toxic stability tests with an independent third-party lab. Supplements are consumables, so we take the utmost care in ensuring they are safe and compliant.” 

Like bback, Moom Health and Ordinary Folks never compromise on stringent testing for safety and quality. 

Kale explains that “everything is triple tested at the manufacturing and packaging stages, and then third-party tested by one of the leading labs in the world”. Meanwhile, Low has implemented a few measures: Adherence to regulatory compliance, raw ingredient analysis certification, and microbiological and heavy metal limit evaluations.

Both Moom Health and Ordinary Folk are clear about roping in healthcare experts during product formulation. Kale counts nutritionists, naturopaths, gynaecologists, dermatologists, and trichologists as Moom’s medical bulwark, while Low relies on Ordinary Folk’s medical teams in the countries where they currently operate — namely Singapore, Hong Kong, and Japan. 

The due diligence shown by the three start-ups is undoubtedly impressive. Catchy names and beautiful packaging aside, the companies’ transparency in the ingredients they’re made of can be seen as a possible means to raise the standard industry-wide.

For a start, Moom offers make it easy for consumers to know what they’re putting into their bodies right off the bat. Besides descriptions, benefits, and usage instructions, tidbits of useful information are ‘scribbled’ on all of its supplement labels, lending its packaging design a touch of quirky charm.

Related: Singapore’s top healthcare professionals share health tips

Here to stay

Although encouraged by the remarkable response, all three supplement companies refuse to be sidetracked by complacency.

Revealing that bback sold 175,000 boxes over 18 months in Singapore alone, Ang highlights hydration as his next area of focus, calling it “an interesting space” dominated by 100Plus and H-Two-O — one that’s ripe for disruption. 

In July, Moom released cramp/less, a pain relief pill for menstrual cramps and premenstrual syndrome pain that took one-and-a-half years to formulate. Claiming to be made of 100 per cent natural ingredients, they have plans to increase the current number of products in their repertoire. Kale is keeping mum on the specifics, as is Low, who will only confirm that there are “three more supplements in the pipeline”.

Their enthusiasm is palpable as they continue to ride the wave of alternative medicine and holistic wellness especially when consumers are unabashed in their support — and, most importantly, feel good about it.