Founded in 2016, Cheryl W rebranded to CW, which stands for Company of Wellness, this year, alongside a revamp and expansion of its functional product ranges.
The reformulations and new innovations are aimed at helping women overcome common challenges, including weight gain, insomnia, ageing skin, low immunity, and more.
“Most women at any life stage are concerned about their weight — be it losing weight before major festivities, postpartum weight loss, or weight gain during menopause. Especially in the modern era, where women are going out to work and socialising more, they want to look and feel good about themselves.
“Another trend that is more worrying involves the younger generation. A recent report indicated that one in three people aged between 15 and 35 experience anxiety, depression or severe depression, with one of the reasons being body shaming. The proliferation of social media has made young people even more aware and conscious of how they look, perhaps to an unhealthy degree,” Cheryl Wee, founder of CW, told NutraIngredients-Asia.
While Wee believes that it is an innate human need to want to progress and be better, it is critical to educate consumers about not taking things to the extreme and be affected to the point where all one thinks about is weight loss.
“We always want to look better, which is actually a good thing and how greater technology and innovations come about. But weight loss is always a byproduct of something — such as reducing body fat and eating clean. Therefore, weight management should ultimately be a part of a lifestyle and way of life.
“The essence of our brand was never just about supplements. I really wanted to create an ecosystem for wellness, so it took us quite a while [to do it]. It’s about encouraging people to practise healthy habits, whether consuming a beverage or exercising, as a holistic approach; and not telling people that they’d lose weight just by taking supplements.”
Although CW’s products were originally launched to complement the services provided at its weight management centres, its portfolio has since diversified to include functional consumables, tailored meal plans, and even online workouts.
“The more I serve in the centres, the more I realised that I need something to transcend the constraints of space and time. I’ve observed that as people get busier, they are increasingly prioritising the time spent with their family and travelling over coming to the centre, which honestly limits their results.”
By expanding its product line-up and retailing them via its official website, Wee hopes to reach out to a wider audience, including male consumers.
“In the centres, we are specific about being women-only so as to offer a very personal experience. But after we started selling online in 2020, we do see some male customers, particularly for our star product, KCal Cut.”
Comprehensive solutions
Today, CW’s weight management range remains the largest and most popular among its customers.
Taking into consideration consumer feedback, such as the demand for caffeine-free options, this range addresses various aspects of metabolic health and body functions, and are categorised into Metaboost, Block, and Detox.
Metaboost features a selection of products, including Triple B, a caffeine-free powder supplement that claims to boost metabolism, improve fat oxidation, increase energy level, and enhance gut health.
Anchored by KCal Cut, products under Block are said to reduce the absorption of fats and carbohydrates, and help prevent the body from storing excess fat.
KCal Cut contains CW’s patented ProGloW formulation, which uses a unique encapsulation technique that safeguards probiotics and prebiotics from stomach acids until they reach the intestine, maximising the effects of these active ingredients.
Under the Detox category are Clean D Drink and Puffy No More. The former is enriched with plum powder, which is claimed to aid digestion and stimulate bowel movements, while the latter is a new product inspired by traditional herbal remedies.
Target at water retention, it uses traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) herbs known to combat dampness and reduce inflammation.
Following the rebranding, CW has launched a new product called Sweet Dreams, designed to improve sleep onset and quality while reducing symptoms of stress.
“We spoke with our customers and decided to add in sleep support to our line-up because sleep affects hunger hormones and sleep deprivation can lead to weight gain. Moreover, sleep is an important factor not just for weight management but also mood. People who don’t have proper sleep tend to get angry easily,” Wee explained.
Beyond supplements, the firm emphasises an all-round approach to overall well-being, which has driven the development and introduction of its functional beverages series.
“Taking supplements such as vitamins and probiotics can feel like a ‘must-do’ chore. A key part of wellness is that therapeutic and calming feeling. I wanted a balance, and teas are a product that provides it. Importantly, all my products must taste good and have a function.”
The brand’s functional teas aim to support myriad areas, from detoxification and enhancing immunity to increasing collagen production and mitigating anxiety.
