Tohtonku has the last laugh as Follow Me builds strong following

WHEN Follow Me shampoo made its debut in the local market in the 1980s, many snickered at the choice of name.

Today, its manufacturer Tohtonku Sdn Bhd is having the last laugh as the brand has built up a strong following, not just in Malaysia but also in most areas of South-East Asia as well as Hong Kong and Japan.

Back then, the big bottle packaging and reasonable pricing made Follow Me a popular brand of personal care products for many housewives.

“Even now, consumers, especially housewives, probably still remember the big bottle of shampoo that the whole family could use for a long time,” says Jasper Lim, a director of Tohtonku and a third-generation Lim at the company.

Jasper says Follow Me was actually the name of an English language programme that his mum attended in the 1980s.

“My mum’s enthusiasm and loyalty to this programme struck my father that Follow Me could be a brand as he was looking for a unique name for his shampoo product.

“And that was how the brand was born,” he tells StarBizWeek at the company’s office in Subang Jaya.

When Tohtonku started its new business of personal care products in the early 1980s, it only had Follow Me shampoo, followed by the shower foam.

Later the company widened its product range to toiletries, skincare, oral care and other household products like dishwashing liquid and detergent under several brands such as Secret, Nano White, Nutox, Uber Men, Alaisyah and Oil Control.

Tohtonku’s factory in Penang manufactures shampoo and shower foam products while other products are outsourced.

“We have come a long way. It was tough when we introduced our products to neighbouring countries many years ago.

“We were stacked up against the more entrenched MNC (multinational corporation) brands which had a headstart in those countries.

“They had better resources and easily outspent any local company,” Jasper says, adding that the company also had to compete with cheaper products from China.

Established in 1964, the Penang-based company started as Tohtonku Trading, distributing Japanese medicinal products like plasters and the King Kong brand insecticide via door-to-door sales.

The King Kong brand of insecticide was so popular in the 1960s that company founder Lim Joi Him was nicknamed King Kong Lim.

The company subsequently attracted some Japanese investors in the 1970s and secured the distribution rights for other Japanese brand medicinal products such as Yoko Yoko and KoolFever (the white medicinal patch) as well as Sawaday car and bathroom air freshener products.

In 1978, the family business was passed on to the second generation, with brothers Hooi Teik, Hooi Beng, Hooi Chang and Hooi Hai taking over.

The eldest brother, Hooi Teik, took the company to a new level when he decided to diversify into manufacturing personal care items, having discovered the huge potential for it, as most such products were expensive international brands.

“He faced a lot of objections but eventually his perseverance brought us to where we are now. I have to pay tribute to him as he is a great man with a big dream,” says Jasper who is the son of Hooi Teik, now managing director.

The proof of the pudding is in the eating, they say, and today, the popularity of Tohtonku’s personal care products in the local market, such as Follow Me shampoo, confirms that Hooi Teik was a far-sighted man.

Jasper points out that his dad believes in advertising, so the company advertised a lot those days in newspapers and magazines and even put out commercials in the popular Hong Kong drama series of the day.

Three years ago, Jasper took the initiative to repackage some of its Follow Me products and launched new personal care brands such as Nano White, Uber Men and Alaisyah.

These brands have found a growing market in South-East Asia and are also popular in Japan and Hong Kong, as well as in countries like Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

“People’s requirements have changed according to market trends and different lifestyles in today’s world. Big bottle packaging no longer suits people’s needs.

“They want something that is unique and attractive that comes in an average-sized bottle,” Jasper says.

Tohtonku currently employs over 1,500 workers, with offices in Penang and Subang Jaya.

“Now, we are re-assessing our expansion plan and strategies to stay competitive,” Jasper says.

He adds that the company plans to explore new markets in the Middle East and employ new talents to ensure that it continues to grow.