Bitter (gourd) endorsement

Since October 2001, Herbcare Corp. has been getting help from the 1,500-member Association of Municipal Health Officers of the Philippines in pushing its Charantia-branded bitter gourd or ampalaya tea and capsules.

"The usual practice among medical specialists is to use only pharmaceutical or herbal products that have clinical evidence to back up their claims on potency and efficacy. We are very fortunate in having the doctors themselves prescribe our product for type 2 or non-insulin dependent diabetes patients, either by itself or in combination with other medicines," said Herbcare president Lito Abelarde.

Herbcare provides AMHOP members with free information and education materials needed to improve their treatment and monitoring of diabetic patients. On their own, AMHOP members have encouraged the setting up of diabetic clubs, where patients can interact with each other and compare notes or engage in team activities such as calisthenics.

World Health Organization figures show that diabetic patients worldwide has risen abruptly from 8 million in 2000 to 12 million in 2002.

For type 2 diabetes, doctors normally prescribe a diet that is high on fiber and low on fat and sugar/salt, regular exercise, and bitter gourd to normalize blood sugar levels.

"What makes diabetes the number 2 disease killer in the world is the complication it brings among patients suffering from other ailments. No one dies of diabetes but of complications," said Abelarde.

Largely because of the endorsement of municipal health officers, Herbcare’s sales shot up by 160% from P11 million in 2000 to P110 million in 2002. This year, the company is targeting P200 million in sales.

"Our best-seller are the loose bits (roots and fruits), which cost P215 per box and is good for one month, followed by tea bags at P132 per box of 20 bags good for 10 days. The capsules cost P6 per capsule, with worst case patients consuming six capsules a day," said Abelarde.

Expansion

Herbcare started out as a trading company called Abenter Resources Marketing Corp., which used its P1 million capital to bring in loose bits of tea leaves from Vietnam. The company changed its name when Abelarde partnered with other investors and increased the paid-up capital to P18 million.

The company currently sources the bulk of its bitter gourd from Vietnam, where it maintains contract growers in 100 hectares of farmland at a yield of 50 to 60 tons per hectare and harvests of three times a year.

"We are seriously studying the possibility of contract-growing the Vietnam specie in Sta. Cruz, Laguna. We will, however, have to improve on Philippine farm yields of 20 tons per hectare," said Abelarde.

Export market

Aside from the Philippines, Charantia is now available in Austria, Saudi Arabia, Canada, Saipan, Guam and the United States.

Exports are expected to hit P20 million this year, up from last year’s P5 million, as the company makes its first big shipment to Germany this quarter and successfully completes distribution rights in Mexico, Egypt, and Puerto Rico.

"In four years, I expect export sales to overtake local sales because of the expected approval of Charantia for diabetic patients by the different food and drug boards of the European Union. Indonesia is another potentially big market. We also intend to increase awareness of our product by participating in this year’s National Food Expo in the United States.