Indonesia’s tropical climate fosters a diverse range of insects, many of which are found in urban areas. In an effort to control insect populations, city dwellers often use harmful chemical repellents and bug killers, according to Fifin Nashirotun Nisya, CEO of SanGreat Natural Indonesia, a start-up company that provides innovative natural and eco-friendly alternatives for products ranging from pest control to personal and skin care.
Fifin, a researcher and the founder of SanGreat, studied plant breeding and biotechnology at IPB University, earning a master’s degree, which gave her “a strong foundation for applied science, particularly for natural formulations,” she said.
As a child, Fifin was a bookworm and curious about the natural world. Around her parents’ rice paddy, she roamed the surrounding nature and experimented.
After graduating, she worked for a private company, the Surfactant and Bioenergy Research Center. Bio surfactants, she explained, are chemicals from natural products, such as coconut, palm, and soybean oils. They are used as emulsifiers and solubilizers, and can be applied in cosmetics, natural products, biopesticides, and biofertilizers, as well as converted into biodiesel. Simply put, she added, surfactants are widely applicable ingredients in daily products.
SanGreat Natural Home Care Products for Safe Use
Working as a researcher for the company’s research center, Fifin became aware of the gap between scientific research and public access to safe and sustainable products. “I wanted to breach that gap with natural-based products,” she said.
She began researching solutions for daily use that would be effective, eco-friendly, and accessible to people in urban areas. Urban dwellers, she explained, are often more exposed to harmful synthetic chemicals, whether through pest control, cleaning agents, or personal care products, and she wanted to offer a range of scientifically formulated products for daily use.
In 2019, she co-founded SanGreat Natural in Bogor, West Java, near the capital city of Jakarta with her husband, Sanny Kadarisman, and a friend.
Bye Bye Cat, a Natural Cat Repellent
SanGreat’s first product was a natural cat repellent. “My friend had a food factory, and he asked me if I could make a cat repellent” to deter cats from coming into the factory.
Fifin immediately set to work and researched natural products that would be unpleasant to cats. After a prototype was formulated, it was tested on cats and proved efficient. When Fifin shared her findings on social media, she received several requests from friends. Samples were sent, and the feedback was unequivocal. That was a proof of concept for Fifin, and SanGreat started commercializing its first product: Bye Bye Cat.
Bye Bye Dog Supplements
SanGreat also has a range of dog supplements with Bye Bye Dog Bad Behavior, and Bye Bye Dog Anti Chew to calm dogs, reduce their anxiety and correct bad behavior.
Bye Bye Biopesticides Series
Pests became the next target of SanGreat’s research. Several products, most of which are based on non-toxic essential oils, seaweed, and bioethanol, soon complemented the Bye Bye series, against mice, flies, lizards, snakes, civets, cockroaches, mosquito, termites, ants, spiders, snails, bedbugs.
Some pest repellents have a dual formulation. One is a liquid that comes in sprays, while the other is a gel formulation in the form of colorful tablets. Products are non-lethal and only have a repelling action, Fifin specified.
Expanding to Eco-Friendly Cleaning Products and Personal Care
After controlling pests and taming dogs’ behaviors, SanGreat moved to eco-friendly cleaning products, including a mold remover, a bed spray, a disinfectant, a pet odor remover, and a hand sanitizer.
The company also developed a line of detergents, a softener and a liquid soap, followed by shoes, sofas, and bag cleaners and polish, as well as deodorizers for shoes, cars, helmets, bags, pillows, and jackets, and car and motorbike cleaners.
Next, SanGreat developed several essential oil blends for aromatherapy and a line of skincare and cosmetic products.
Efficient R&D, Customer Feedback, and Influencers
Only launched in 2019, SanGreat now commercializes close to 50 different products. “We are agile,” Fifin said, “and we have a strong R&D team and background.” As the lead researcher, she explained that the company continually researches new products and is very attentive to customer feedback.
“The permanent contact with our customers accelerates our products' R&D, giving us precise launching targets,” she said.
SanGreat Affiliate Program and Distribution
SanGreat can also count on some 1,000 influencers who joined the company’s affiliate program. “It is very helpful to spread our reach and message,” Fifin said.
The company primarily sells its products to individual clients, but also to businesses, including offices and hotels, throughout the country. Sales are conducted through online marketplaces such as Shopee, on TikTok, and the Webchat store. Customers can also find SanGreat products in one store on Java Island, the AEON Mall, while international customers can find SanGreat’s products at commercial fairs.
Natural Pest Repellents for Eco City Life
SanGreat’s products are affordable, although slightly more expensive than their chemical counterparts, Fifin explained, this reflects the premium quality of natural, non-toxic formulations. SanGreat’s products are made from more than 90% natural ingredients, including organic essential oils and seaweed extract, making them safe for families, babies, pets, and the environment. Their core market consists of health-conscious urban consumers who prioritize safety and sustainability over cheap chemical alternatives.
As a pioneering company, SanGreat wants to uphold the integrity that has won the trust of its customers, she said, and continue providing safe, scientifically formulated, and eco-friendly products.
With 21 staff members, including three researchers, SanGreat has a production capacity of 50,000 products per month.
Maklon Concept: Formulating Products for Other Companies
SanGreat also provides a formulation and production service for tailor-made products. Companies can submit their needs, allowing SanGreat to source the raw materials, develop product formulations, handle regulatory approvals, and manage the production process. Companies can then sell the products under their brands.
Fifin is no stranger to intellectual property. SanGreat and its logo is a registered trademark in Indonesia since 2018. She has three granted patents and stated that the company is keeping its formulations as trade secrets.
The Maklon concept is not open for the Bye Bye products in gel form, whose formulations are covered by trade secrets, she said.
Becoming a Leader in Sustainable Products Innovation
In the next five years, “we want to be a leader in sustainable products innovation in Indonesia,” Fifin stated, adding, “we want to become experts and that people remember SanGreat as a solution provider for toxic-free products.”
The company also plans to expand in Southeast Asia, with a particular focus on Singapore, Malaysia, Japan and China. SanGreat is also considering applying for organic certificates for its products.
SanGreat is a beneficiary of WIPO’s project “Empowering Asian Brands to Enter the Chinese Market through IP Protection, and Effective Branding Strategies, Market Development and Commercialization.” The company benefitted from online training programs, one-on-one mentoring sessions, and a customized branding and marketing strategy to commercialize some of its personal care and pest repellent products in China’s online market.
