DKSH to provide Market Expansion Services for Nestle's Materna in China

SHANGHAI, Jan. 9, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- DKSH Business Unit Healthcare, the leading Market Expansion Services provider for healthcare companies seeking to grow their business in Asia, will provide full service distribution and commercial services for Nestle's Materna products including marketing and sales in the pharmacy channel as well as distribution and logistics services for the hospital channel nationwide.

Materna, a multivitamin nutrition brand with over-the-counter registration, is used by women prior to conception, during pregnancy and when breastfeeding. The brand is well established in China with a successful track record for more than 20 years.

Under the new agreement, DKSH will exclusively provide full services solutions for Nestle's Materna to over 20,000 pharmacies, both on- and offline, in Mainland China.

"With Materna, we have enjoyed tremendous success in the prenatal and postpartum supplement market. In order to build an even stronger brand in this booming market, we have chosen to work with a capable partner like DKSH, which has a strong team and rich experience in the pharmacy channel in particular," said Frank Qu, President, Wyeth Nutrition, Greater China.

"This is a long-term strategic co-operation between Wyeth and DKSH. We leverage our existing product portfolio, thereby creating synergies for Materna. Our excellent relationships with existing key accounts and new pharmacy chains will enable us to offer the best in-store execution," said John Woo, Head of Country Management, DKSH China.

The nationwide agreement will further strengthen DKSH's market position in China while contributing incrementally to the Group's overall profitability over time.

About DKSH

DKSH is the leading Market Expansion Services provider with a focus on Asia. As the term "Market Expansion Services" suggests, DKSH helps other companies and brands to grow their business in new or existing markets.

Publicly listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange since March 2012, DKSH is a global company headquartered in Zurich. With 735 business locations in 35 countries – 710 of them in Asia – and 27,200 specialized staff, DKSH generated net sales of CHF 9.6 billion in 2013.

DKSH Business Unit Healthcare is the leading Market Expansion Services provider for healthcare companies seeking to grow their business in Asia. Custom-made offerings comprise registration and market entry studies as well as importation, customs clearance, marketing and sales to physical distribution, invoicing and cash collection. Products available through DKSH Healthcare include ethical pharmaceuticals, consumer health, over-the-counter (OTC), as well as medical devices. With 150 business locations in 14 countries and around 9,180 specialized staff, Business Unit Healthcare serves over 160,000 customers and generated net sales of around CHF 4.3 billion in 2013.

About Wyeth Nutrition

Wyeth Nutrition is part of the Nestle Group, which is at the forefront of global nutrition and health. As the inventor of modern infant formula milk power, Wyeth Nutrition has been following the brand philosophy of "100 Years Excellence and Benefits to the New-Born", placing innovation, standards of excellence and the very best quality as its top priorities.

Over the last century, Wyeth Nutrition has been committed to the wellbeing of newborn babies and offering top quality nutrients to infants and mothers in accordance with the latest scientific knowledge around the world. It's widely trusted by not only nutrition experts but also consumers themselves.