Kids born in the 90s may remember the Zaitun TV commercial with the tagline, “Gunakan tanpa was-was.” The green packaging with the brand name written in Arabic style brings back fond childhood memories. However, as we grew up, we no longer heard of this brand anymore. What happened to the brand that once monopolized the halal toothpaste market and even made international toothpaste competitors feel threatened by the presence of this local player?
This is the story of Zaitun, once glorious but now on the path to a comeback
Zaitun, the halal personal care brand that once dominated the market in Malaysia during the 90s, has an interesting story that deserves attention. The brand was founded in 1978 by Dato Seri Mutiara Dr Haji Mohd Eusuff Teh, a pharmacist and chemist who aimed to contribute to the growth and progress of the Muslim community in Malaysia.
He made all of Zaitun’s products Halal-certified, which was a breakthrough at that time since most Muslims only focused on halal food products. Zaitun’s flagship product was talcum powder, and it quickly became a household name.
Zaitun, the first halal personal care brand in Malaysia
Dato Seri Mohd Kamal Teh, the son of the late founder, continued his father’s legacy and led Zaitun to become the first halal personal care brand in Malaysia. Zaitun’s products were of high quality and were valued by the Muslim community.
During that time, Zaitun succeeded in positioning itself as the first Halal personal care product brand in Malaysia. Most Muslims only focused on halal food products, and there was a lack of awareness about the importance of halal in daily products such as cosmetics and toiletries.
In 2022, Nizam Teh, of the third generation, relaunched the brand with new packaging and a fresh approach
Their products were exported to Brunei, Singapore, Indonesia, and so on. Zaitun’s prospects were considered bright and had high hopes for advancement. However, weak corporate governance during the 1997 era caused Zaitun to face some management and distributor issues, which eventually led to its downfall. As a result, the brand disappeared from the market, and people forgot about it.
On the flip side, the third generation of the Teh family, Nizam Teh, took over the business and relaunched the brand in 2022. He introduced a new marketing strategy that targets young adults and actively promotes the brand via TikTok. With new packaging and a fresh approach, Zaitun is on the path to making a comeback. The relaunch of the brand has sparked renewed interest in this once glorious halal personal care brand.
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