Janine Chacko | Founder of RE:HEALTH
Now that COVID-19 has been around for more than a year, wearing face masks, contact tracing, and physical distancing have all become the new normal. In the beginning, countless industries were put to the test and many businesses had to close. In this article, we find out how a new small business passed the test and what COVID-19 meant for the wellness industry.
RE:HEALTH is a multi-brand retailer of health and wellness products in Kuala Lumpur. Walk in to the brightly-lit, minimalist shop and you’ll see racks and shelves lined up with thoughtfully-selected self-care products.
Kybun Comfort Shoes
From scented candles and shaving kits, to comfy air-cushioned shoes, RE:HEALTH is a one-stop shop for all things health. Merchandising makes up a pivotal part of the brand, and Janine Chacko, founder of RE:HEALTH, selects only products which she genuinely believes in.
RE:HEALTH is on a mission to promote a more holistic lifestyle for Malaysians amidst the growing popularity of busy culture here. While we can’t completely quit our jobs, we can help ourselves take the edge off the work stress.
Despite herself being a boxing coach and fitness enthusiast, Janine believes that, “Wellness is not just carving out hours to go to the gym or keeping a really strict diet. Rather, a healthy lifestyle begins as a mindset and a commitment to take care of our minds and bodies.”
When the RE:HEALTH store was officially launched in the fourth quarter of 2019, COVID-19 hit. The onset of the pandemic spared no one and threatened many retail businesses with the possibility of closure.
Going completely digital in 2 days
There isn’t a right time for anything, as she would soon learn.
On 16 March 2020, all non-essential businesses in Malaysia were ordered to close in adherence to the Movement Control Order (MCO) put in place to curb the spread of the virus. Within 48 stressful hours, Janine and her programmer niece rushed to set up the RE:HEALTH online store, uploading photos and organizing all their inventory on the website.
So, while the doors were shut at the store, Janine and her team worked round the clock to run the online store and communicate with their customers.
The right place, the right time
RE:HEALTH Multipurpose Sanitiser
The newly-founded RE:HEALTH was at the right place at the right time. Certain products which added a layer of protection against any viruses were highly sought after by customers, such as their AirTamer air purifiers, Xeralife masks and RE:HEALTH sanitisers.
Lessons learnt from a pandemic
The delay in setting up an online store turned out to be a massive setback once they realized how much work was required to set it up. She also advised new business owners to “take action immediately, and not to wait for the right time”.