Organic cough syrup to fill void in over-the-counter cough syrup market

Country Manager, Kalbe International PTE Ltd.Sudarshana Jayatillaka, Addressing media at the launch

Hayleys Consumer Products Ltd Business Unit Head Clifford Nugara Addressing media at the Product launch

Woods cough solution

By Shehana Dain

Kalbe International partnering with Hayleys Health for the first time in Sri Lanka launched Woods Herbal Cough Medicine to cater to the over-the-counter (OTC) cough syrup market which faced a 29% decline in the market over the recent years.

In 2013 the Health Ministry banned cough syrups with chemical substances such as Dextomethorphan which resulted in the OTC cough syrup market shrinking significantly. One-third of the players in the market withdrew from the market subsequently.

The product is clinically tested and includes documented ingredient ivy leaf with honey along with known herbs and has been introduced to the local market as a cough reliever. This is an over-the-counter product marketed by Kalbe International, a top 10 healthcare company in Sri Lanka.

Manufactured by Kalbe, Indonesia, Woods is a trusted cough solution specialist and leading provider of cough and throat related remedies for more than 100 years. Its herbal cough medicine contains several restorative ingredients apart from its key component ivy leaf. 

Kalbe International Country Manager Sudarshana Jayatillaka said: “We made the decision to introduce this herbal formula to Sri Lanka due to the need we saw for this segment of cough medicine in the market and observing the global trend of moving towards herbal medicine especially in the cough and cold category.”

“Formulations for common cough should be available freely in pharmacies as an over-the-counter medication as it makes the consumers’ life easier. Woods Herbal Cough Medicine contains a clinically-tested herbal ingredient that may be a better and a safer alternative to Sri Lankans to relive symptoms of cough,” Jayathillaka noted.

Available in most parts of the world and now in Sri Lanka, Woods Herbal Cough Medicine is marketed by Kalbe International, the global arm of the Kalbe Group, headquartered in Singapore.

Kalbe, which has become the seventh largest pharmaceutical company in Sri Lanka and the largest listed company in the ASEAN region, has been in operation in Sri Lanka for over 24 years. Kalbe will be joining hands with Hayley’s Consumer Health, subsidiary of Hayleys Group, for the first time for the importation and distribution of the product across the island.  

Commenting on the initiative, Hayleys Consumer Products Ltd. Business Unit Head Clifford Nugara said: “We at Hayleys Healthcare consider it a unique opportunity to partner with Kalbe International limited to launch this herbal alternative to cough medication in the form of Woods Herbal Cough Syrup, which encompasses a traditional approach with Ivy leaf and honey.”

Nugara told the Daily FT that consumer feedback had shown a trend moving to an alternate segment of medicine more informatively as consumers are tapping a more herbal-oriented market and the partnership with a reputed PLC like Kalbe International was a timely move. 

The Kalbe cough syrup is the first of many in the Woods range to enter the local market. Kalbe expects it to be soon followed by several other OTC products that can help combat common illnesses with a healthy remedy.

Pic by Upul Abayasekara