The eimele 2.0 initiative is not just an upgrade of products, but rather building a closed-loop brand management ecosystem, encompassing R&D, production, sales, and service, says Frank He, founder and CEO of Access Corporate Group.

Headquartered in Hangzhou, China, Access Corporate Group is the parent and brand management company of eimele.

“The core of eimele 2.0 is to integrate overseas creators and influencers who share plant-based nutrition, health, and lifestyle information into our brand’s co-creation ecosystem. Therefore, it is a crucial step in popularizing eimele’s plant-based nutrition,” He told NutraIngredients.

eimele has been operating in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region for eight years now, with over 2 million users in China. Its cumulative number of users in Singapore and Malaysia, where it has been present for a year, has exceeded 200,000.

In Australia, the brand has primarily focused on brick-and-mortar channels, including pharmacies and duty-free shops, catering to the market’s traditional offline purchasing habit.

“eimele was founded by Simon Hill, a nutritionist, health writer, and highly influential figure on the internet. He has also participated in many TV programs and hosts his own podcast. The brand’s current model, which relies on social media, is its DNA, and I believe this DNA can transform traditional consumption habits in Australia.”

At the same time, He reckons that content-driven e-commerce is a global trend that is “unstoppable”, and that being a first mover in Australia will be an advantage for eimele’s development.

Stepping stone into other English-speaking markets

Leveraging Access Corporate Group’s capabilities, eimele 2.0 also includes the launch of a new app, which will allow the brand to better connect with global nutrition experts, KOLs (Key Opinion Leaders), and KOCs (Key Opinion Consumers).

Through working with these creators, the brand hopes to achieve full market coverage in APAC, including Cambodia, Indonesia, India, Japan, Vietnam, South Korea, and Taiwan.

Middle Eastern cities like Dubai and Saudi Arabia are also markets that eimele has been trying to set foot in.

“The app can provide creators with enhanced collaborative mechanisms for co-creation and help us build a closer partnership, which is also a crucial investment in our plan to enter other English-speaking markets,” He said.

“We believe that a good health concept requires professional experts and leading KOLs to change consumer habits. The launch of the eimele 2.0 app in a challenging market like Australia lays the foundation for entering the European and American markets.”

According to He, the brand has been working to expand in the US market for a long time, having obtained approvals in 2020 and with its products now available on Amazon.

KOL selection criteria

Since its inception, eimele has focused on research and development and creating products with cutting-edge technology and patented raw materials. Despite having “good products”, the team lacked marketing literacy, said He.

“Good products are not afraid of being studied by others. So, we wanted to collaborate with KOLs who are truly knowledgeable about the field, who are discerning, and who have benefited from using our product themselves.

“Many influencers are also entrepreneurs. They share their knowledge and hope to gain returns through sharing. Therefore, it is important for us to build a healthy co-creation mechanism with them in this process.”

He emphasized that the review process for KOLs whom eimele works with is “very strict”.

“First of all, our priority is to select creators who have the right values and a correct understanding of health so that they will not mislead their audience,” he said. “Secondly, our products are made with complex formulas and advanced patented ingredients that have extensive clinical evidence to prove their effectiveness. We hope that the creators we collaborate with have the professionalism to translate this information to consumers.”