The flourishing Three Legs Brand

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Creator of the brand name eyes the launching of a flavoured version of its renowed ‘Cooling Water’ products

Shou Jeen and Siang Jeen (right) with Three Legs products manufactured by Wen Ken Group.

THE Three Legs Brand, created by Wen Ken Group, is still going strong.

The brand name of the group which manufactures the reknowned Cooling Water products, continues to remain relevant today.

Celebrating its 80th anniversary this year, Wen Ken Group, helmed by a third-generation managing director Fu Siang Jeen and his brother and director Shou Jeen, is looking into launching a flavoured version of its Cooling Water products to suit changing consumer preferences.

“The new product will most probably be launched in Q2 or later next year in Malaysia. It’s already available in Singapore in three flavours – Guava, Lychee and Lime,” Siang Jeen said.

The anniversary celebration was held at the Three Legs factory in Johor on Aug 17.

Media reps and guests were taken on a guided factory tour of the factory. They were divided into separate groups and briefed, and had to wear protective headgear, before entering any of the sections in the factory. This was followed by a talk and a buffet lunch.

Siang Jeen explained that the difference between the flavoured Cooling Water and other beverages in the market is that the former is registered as medicine while the others come under food.

While the flavoured product is sweetened with natural sugar, Wen Ken is also looking into making less sweet versions for those who are sugar sensitive, he added.

“We’re still doing a survey on the flavoured version in Singapore and have so far received feedback showing less incidence of consumers getting fever and heatiness after drinking it.

“The flavours make the drink palatable and attractive to the younger generation. We use flavours so that people can take the drink to go with their food, especially heaty food, when they eat out.”

As the Cooling Water is a medicine, the company has high standards to meet and stringent Health Ministry requirements to comply with.

According to Siang Jeen, all new products have to be registered and the approval period from the ministry is between 12 and 18 months. New product development is, thus, limited due to regulatory controls.

“Malaysia is slower than Singapore because of such controls. We have to do many studies on product stability and safety, among others, and on top of that, ensure our product benefits consumers. We also have to carry out product testing for microbial as well as pre-clinical trials.”

He said in Singapore, the product is mostly consumed by older people, adding that although the younger generation know about the product, they normally do not try it because to them, it’s a traditional product.

“At Wen Ken, we want to create a sustainable business that’s truly beneficial to society. The safety and health of our customers is always foremost in our minds. So all our products are made to high standards, using only ingredients of good quality.

“Our success is dependent on the society we serve and it’s to society that we should rightly give back with sincerity, love and gratitude.”

Wen Ken Group, creator of the well-known ‘Three Legs Brand’ was founded way back in 1937. It has continued to develop, expand and reinvent itself over three generations.

“We have over 80 years experience in research and development as well as the production and marketing of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), pharmaceuticals, over-the-counter (OTC) products, Traditional Medicine (TM) and health supplements,” Siang Jeen said.

Three Legs Brand made its first appearance in Singapore in 1937 when four migrant families from mainland China teamed up to produce and sell a range of TM products from secret family recipes which have been passed down through the generations. Among the products are cooling water, headache powders, cough syrups and tinea skin solutions.

Today, Wen Ken has vastly expanded the product range to include other health products such as Pe Pa Kao, Cough Relief, Medicinal Powder, Ai Kan Shan Powder, Tolnaftate Cream, Tinea Skin Solution, Balsem, Yellow Lotion, Anti-fungal Cream-Spray and health supplements. These are sold in many countries around the world.

“We place strong emphasis on being at the forefront of medicinal advancement, and invest heavily on research and development to produce TCM, OTC and health supplement products that can better serve the community.

“Our R&D (research and development) team comprises well-qualified people, helmed by the respected Professor Zhu Wen Jun and Young Siew Wah, who each have more than 30 years experience in the research and development of TCM.

“With their expertise and our modern facilities and lab equipment, we strive to ensure product safety, quality and efficacy for our consumers. Today, we are one of the TCM market leaders in Singapore, Malaysia and other international markets.”

Wen Ken beginnings

Wen Ken was set up in 1937 as a humble business venture in what was then colonial Malaya. In those days, many of the early Chinese immigrants to the region often had to labour long hours under the hot sun as coolies or workers at plantations and tin mines.

Besides the poor sanitation, the weather was humid, making them susceptible to certain ailments such as heatiness, headaches, coughs and skin rashes. Surviving on meager salaries, they could ill-afford the luxury of a trip to the medical clinic.

Wen Ken’s four founding members – Foo Yew Ming, Chan Seng Koon, Foo Yin and Chong Tang Seong – were from Northern China. They were part of the mass Chinese emigration movement to the Nanyang region in the early 20th Century.

Having worked in medical halls back in China, they were well-equipped with knowledge of the medical business. Combining sympathy with entrepreneurial spirit, the four friends came together to launch the Three Legs Brand products, comprising four main items – headache powder, cough syrup, tinea skin solution and cooling water.

Based on their own traditional recipes, these medical remedies were introduced in the hope of catering to the basic healthcare needs of the masses at affordable prices.

“Our grandfather, Foo Yew Ming, founded the company with three friends who are all not related. Now I’m the third generation and the other three are shareholders,” Siang Jeen said.

Cooling water – one of the core products.

Establishing Three Legs Brand

Operating with limited funds and resources in a small shophouse along Singapore’s Choon Guan Street, the four pioneers started out by going around mainly on foot with their briefcases to push the sales of their Three Legs Brand products.

As business gradually picked up, they were able to sell and deliver their products, using bicycles. With increasing profits, they invested in delivery vans.

With the onset of World War II, production of the Three Legs Brand had to be scaled down due to the scarcity of raw materials.

The Japanese occupation from late 1941 to 1945 marked a bleak and tumultuous period for the region. While the group’s fortunes suffered a toll, their entrepreneurial spirit remained intact.

At that time, the Three Legs Brand was partially kept alive through a small-scale production and distribution of the goods to certain areas in Johor Bahru. Due to the general shortage of fuel, deliveries of the goods could only be made using a wood gas vehicle in which the burning charcoals had to be frequently manned.

Exhibiting tenacity and quick-wittedness, the four men would always made the best out of those painstaking journeys by returning from the trips with stocks of vegetables.

This enabled them to dabble in some wholesale vegetable trade along the back of Choon Guan Street, providing their fellow men with a source of sustenance at a time when food supply was precarious.

Post-war success

After 1945, following the end of the Japanese occupation, the economy in the region began to pick up. To meet the bourgeoning demand for the Three Legs Brand products, the group shifted their production from the small shophouse in Singapore to a new factory in Johor Bahru.

Capitalising on economies of scale, the company was able to pass the savings back to consumers. This increased scale of production would mark the first sign of some major expansion about to take shape.

In the 1950s, the second generation directors successfully took the sales network to beyond Singapore and Peninsular Malaysia, establishing the Three Legs Brand in Brunei, East Malaysia and Indonesia.

Advertising efforts were intensified and the Three Legs Brand products became regular features on billboards, press ads as well as signage at medical halls.

Outside a few temples sat the ‘Three Legs’ stone benches, sponsored by the group. The popularity of the products continued to soar and by 1968, a second manufacturing plant was set up in Petaling Jaya, solely for the production of the Cooling Water. With this new plant, Wen Ken was effectively transformed into a 250-man enterprise.

Product innovation

With the arrival of the marketing era in the 1980s, Wen Ken began to refine its product design and packaging to cater to different markets. The group also started running more above-the-line advertisements, commissioning more press ads as well as first commercials on TV and radio.

At the production level, an automated manufacturing process, using the latest technology was introduced, enhancing the efficiency and quality of production. Around this time, Wen Ken started marketing its Three Legs Cooling Water in plastic bottles – glass bottles had become a thing of the past.

This proved to be a pivotal move. The new lightweight and convenient packaging instantly drew more consumers and Wen Ken saw a surge in the sales of its Cooling Water.

In the 1980s, the Three Legs Brand also started its licensing and joint venture operation in Indonesia.

International entrepreneur

Since the mid-90s, under the leadership of the third generation directors (who are also the direct descendants of the founders), Wen Ken has stepped up from being a regional to an international player. The group has since expanded its lines of services and product offerings.

Besides Southeast Asia, the overall reach of Wen Ken’s health products extends to parts of the Middle East, Eastern Europe and South Asia. Wen Ken’s products are distributed to about 20 countries around the world.

Most of Wen Ken’s products are developed by its own Research and Development Department.

Wen Ken owns an ISO/IEC 17025 certified laboratory, MasterChem Laboratory Services S/B, and has one of the largest Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) manufacturing plants with licences to produce Chinese and Herbal Medicine, and Pharmaceuticals products in Southeast Asia.

On top of its distinguished R&D and manufacturing capabilities, Wen Ken has established key marketing and distribution networks across the Asian continent. Also under the group’s wings are companies facilitating marketing, distribution and wholesale services.

Each of Wen Ken’s subsidiary companies functions as an independently-run business unit, specialising in one of the following areas:

(i)Brands and products

(ii)Manufacturing

(iii)Marketing, Distribution, Wholesale and Market Maker

(iv)Investments and Properties

(v)Intellectual Property

(vi)Services

Together, all these respective units provide an efficient network for the overall running of the group’s businesses.

Wen Ken’s legacy

From its humble beginnings since the time of colonial Malaya, Wen Ken has seen many changes and transitions over the decades as well as grown and developed along with many generations.

“Yet even, with the onslaught of time, we have never wavered in the endeavour set forth by our forefathers and we continue to serve with pride and fervor in our mission to supply quality and affordable healthcare products to the masses,” Siang Jeen noted.

Even as the group continues to explore new lines of products and open up more markets spanning different geographical regions, answering the basic healthcare needs of the masses will never cease to be an essential priority.

“Wen Ken’s health products will always be readily available in most provisional outlets and pharmaceutical stores,” he assured.

The ‘Three Legs’ Factory in Johor.

Social responsibility

More than just a corporate venture, Wen Ken seeks to serve with a heart and create positive impact in the communities where it operates. Apart from being a regular sponsor of medical seminars and educational activities in schools, Wen Ken has also been actively contributing to charity organisations.

Over the years, the company has initiated many notable corporate social responsibility projects aimed at raising funds and public awareness for the needy and underprivileged groups.

Love and gratitude

Wen Ken Group has been an active sponsor of various charities, including the Home Nursing Foundation, Johor Cheshire Home, Children’s Cancer Foundation and Johor Spastics Children’s Association.

The company has also organised diverse fundraising activities on a regular basis such as cleaning and re-painting the premises of charitable homes. By encouraging the staff to participate in these activities, it hopes to inculcate its corporate culture of loving and giving back in gratitude into the lives of the staff.

Why Three Legs Brand?

According to Siang Jeen, Singaporeans and Malaysians from all walks of life and ages are familiar with the logo consisting of the Three Legs surrounded by two circles. It’s the Three Legs Brand, a symbol of tradition, trust and assurance of quality.

On what makes people place their trust in the Three Legs Brand, he said, “We steadfastly uphold the core values of ‘Manufacture with Care, Care with Love and Gratitude’ and are constantly focused on our customers, providing them with high quality products and services. Building and maintaining our customers’ trust and confidence in our brand and products are paramount to us. This creates the brand image of honesty and sincerity.”

He said the Three Legs Brand Cooling Water has been Wen Ken’s flagship product since 1937.

“Being a Traditional Chinese Medicine, its efficacy in relieving fever and body heatiness has stood the test of time and become the trusted cooling water over the last 80 years.

“Since our humble beginnings, we have been developing premier products that are safe, effective and of consistently high quality at affordable prices.”

Siang Jeen said Wen Ken’s products are produced in GMP Manufacturing Plant, licensed manufacturing facilities adhering strictly to GMP adding that products in liquid, tablet, capsule, powder, cream and balm forms are made in a manufacturing facility licensed by the Health Ministry.

“Our employees are dedicated to producing high quality, safe and effective health products that meet or exceed our customers’ expectations,” he assured.

Stringent specifications

Active ingredients used in Wen Ken’s products are selected based on their purity, bioavailability, documented actions and safety characteristics.

Raw materials are purchased exclusively from reputable vendors. Certificates of Analysis (COA) are attached for every lot of material. Qualitative and quantitative analyses are carried out on raw materials to test the purity and potency.

Microbial testing is applied to ensure its safety and stability. Advanced analysis tests such as HPLC, UV, GC, Spectro-Photometer are also applied. Use of herbal extracts with efficacy that is at least five times more potent than herbal powder.

Unique formulation

Established medical references such as Chinese Pharmacopoeia, Chinese Materia Medica, Encyclopedia of Herbs, British Pharmacopoeia, US Pharmacopoeia are used to develop new product formulations.

With proven efficacy since ancient times, product formulation is based on the safety dosage in Chinese Pharmacopoeia. All products comply with local MOH regulations and registration requirements. Individual tests are run on product efficacy, stability and safety.

“To ensure all raw materials and finished goods are tested on time, we have set up our own lab – Masterchem Laboratory Sdn Bhd – comprising a chemistry laboratory, microbiology laboratory and R&D laboratory with accreditation of ISO/IEC 17025 under the Laboratory Accreditation Scheme of Malaysia (SAMM),” Siang Jeen explained.

Professional team

Wen Ken has a team of professionals who have vast experience in the research, development and formulation of TCM, OTC, traditional medicine, pharmaceuticals and health supplements. Its R&D team includes a professor of pharmacologist, pharmacists, chemists, microbiologists and food technologists.

Zhu has decades of experience working with traditional herbs to treat common ailments and serious diseases. Now the principal at the Singapore TCM College, he has been actively engaged in developing health products with a few well-known TCM manufacturing companies in Singapore.

Young Siew Wah, being the chief pharmacist of Wen Ken Group, is actively involved in all the company’s products research, development and formulation to ensure safety, consistency and efficacy.

Young, a registered pharmacist since 1990, has been involved in numerous projects with researchers from universities in China on marine extracts biotechnology ingredients and herbal extracts.