Promoting healthy eating

DON'T just eat healthy; eat organically-grown products. ‘Organic’ not only means the food is chemical-free, but also that farming is done in a more sustainable manner that is not only good for the ­environment but also good for you.
One of the most popular brands of organic foods in the market is Country Farm Organics, which can be found in all major ­supermarket and retail outlets.
The company, which first started its operations back in 1998, provides everything from organic grains, seeds and flour, to organic beverages like coffee and tea.
“Back then, the market was small because not many ­people understood what organic was,” says Albert Chew, the ­general ­manager of Country Farm ­Organics, during an interview at his office in Shah Alam.
“At that time, organic food was considered food for the sick. If you had cancer, the doctor would advise you to eat organic food,” Chew recalls.
In the early days, Country Farm ­Organics products mostly appealed to a small, health-conscious minority.
The general public, on the whole, were turned off by the cost of the products.
At the time, many were not aware of the benefits of organic foods and were unwilling to spend the extra cash when there were other cheaper alternatives.
“It was [more pricey] because the ­volume was small and there was no proper ­distribution [channel] then,” explains Chew, who adds that at the time, the company thought the best way to deliver its products to customers was by opening retail outlets.
“The first one was opened in 1 Utama. It was an organic mini market. [Gradually], people became [more] aware of organic products.”
Chew adds that one of the early proponents of organic products was Tan Sri Vincent Tan, the founder of Berjaya Corporation.
Tan was not only a consumer of organic products but he also foresaw their potential. So he went ahead and bought up Country Farm ­Organics in 2004.
More stores were opened in the Klang Valley, and the brand also expanded to Singapore. Some of the outlets also ­functioned as cafes which served organic food and beverages.
“The vision then was to [make it] available in all [major ­locations], to reach out to the mass market,” Chew says.
Supermarkets started to ­approach the company wanting to carry its products.
“When we put our products in the supermarkets, [the business really] started to grow,” Chew recalls.
So the company made the decision to close the retail outlets and stuck to supermarket sale.
The increasing consumer demand soon saw the company growing by leaps and bounds, with exports to other Asean countries and Hong Kong.
Chew says their initial consumer profile was older, but as the products got more ­popular and accessible, more young ­people started embracing organic ­products.
Today, the organic food market is thriving, with plenty of choices available to consumers.
However, Chew notes that not all ‘organic’ products in the ­market have the certification to back their claim.
“The ­difference between us and other ­companies is that [our products] are certified [organic],” says Chew. “Malaysia did not have this certification, so we had to go overseas.”
Because C­ountry Farm ­Organics i­mports a large p­ercentage of its p­roducts which are then packed l­ocally, the company also applied for a special ­certification for its packing ­facilities.
In 2013, its packing facilities were upgraded from a HACCP certification to ISO 22000:2005. It is now fully certified by Intertek International in the repacking of organic and natural food products.
Country Farm Organics is now the only leading player in the Malaysian organic industry with an ISO 22000 certification.
In line with the ISO 22000 certification, its packaging plant and warehouse organic certification has been upgraded to NASAA (the National Association for Sustainable Agriculture, ­Australia), considered one of the most stringent certifying bodies in the organic industry.
Right now, Country Farm Organics has over 250 types of products and are constantly ­adding more.
Its most popular at the moment are the virgin coconut oil, chia seeds, raisin, oats and honey.
Prices for Country Farm ­Organics products have remained consistent over the years, which has been much appreciated by its regular consumers.
“To maintain a price, we have to buy at a certain volume,” Chew says, adding that some 80% of its p­roducts are imported.
“[As] organic products are considered [a] niche [market] because of the price, that is why we only buy from the best.
“We go all over the world to find the top suppliers, we buy in bulk and then get a better price.
“We also make sure suppliers ­themselves are certified organic.”
There are certain products that are procured locally, such as its organic brown rice and honey, which come from Sarawak.
Chew believes there is a lot of room to grow in this sector in Malaysia.
“In our business, it is all about awareness,” he says, adding that the company organises a lot of roadshows and product ­sampling to reach out to consumers.
It also features recipes on how to cook some of these o­rganic products on its website.
For more, visit the Country Farm ­Organics website (www.countryfarmorganics.com).