Four Johnsons and a Richards
By Margie Quimpo-Espino
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 22:41:00 10/04/2008
MANILA, Philippines—That the founders of two major multinational companies were siblings is not a known fact. But their parents must have been mighty proud to have raised such achievers whose name appears in products used around the world.
Paul A. Richards, president and general manager of Mead Johnson Nutritionals Philippines, is referring to the brothers Johnson.
One set up Mead Johnson, the nutraceutical firm and maker of Lactum, Enfa milk brands and Sustagen; and two others grew Johnson & Johnson, a global manufacturer of healthcare products and pharmaceuticals largely known for its baby care products.
Richards is new with Mead Johnson, having come from another company which, coincidentally, was also put up by a Johnson-SC Johnson-albeit no relation to the Johnson brothers.
The Inquirer hosted a lunch for Richards and his team recently where he candidly shared the plans of the company, which is thriving despite the melamine scare in milk from China and the limited advertising it can do, as provided by the Milk Code.
Richards, who joined Mead Johnson in January this year after working in Korea with SC Johnson for five years, says it is ironic that an infant formula-producing firm like Mead Johnson is actually pushing breastfeeding.
Breast milk is best
"One of our guiding principles is breastfeeding. Breast milk is best. It's a dichotomy for me. But clearly, we communicate it at every point," Richards says.
He adds that in the same way that Mead Johnson's founder formulated the milk for a son who needed it, he says it is the company's role to provide an alternative to breastfeeding, if it is really needed.
History shows there have been instances when mothers were unable to feed their baby because their milk was not compatible with the baby's needs. Thus, the infant formula was concocted by companies like Mead Johnson and Nestlé.
But over the years, giving infant formula even to newborns has become the norm, which is why there are not as many mothers breastfeeding their babies, preferring instead to give cow's milk.
This trend robs many babies of the benefits of mother's milk, particularly colostrum, or the first milk that has been proven to help babies grow up to be smarter and healthier.
Richards emphasizes, however, that there are circumstances that warrant the use of alternatives to mother's milk and Mead Johnson wants to be there to meet that need.
On the melamine scare, he assures the public that Mead Johnson's milk comes only from Australia and that the formulation of its products complies with Mead Johnson's strict standards.
Unique market
The 47-year-old Richards has only been in the country for a few months and he finds the Philippines quite a unique market for Mead Johnson.
It is the second largest in Asia next to China; the fourth largest in the world and is the second-fastest growing market for Mead Johnson.
Further, while there are usually only two major brands of Mead Johnson products sold in other countries, in the Philippines, there are four dominant brands.
But he cites that this is because in other countries, the products that were pushed were the premium lines. Here in the Philippines, it is the affordable brand-Lactum-that is doing well.
"Economical brands are essential," he says, adding that the Lactum model will soon be followed in Malaysia.
Mead Johnson has a manufacturing complex in the Philippines that is operating at full capacity. It mainly services the local market, but it also exports milk to Indonesia.
Richards adds though the plant is currently operating on a 24-hour basis, six days a week from seven, largely because of "material sourcing issues" brought on by the drought in Australia.
With regard its plans, Richards says Mead Johnson is reviving Sustagen for Kids, and will create a more serious marketing line for it to help push sales.
Richards' current job is like going around full circle. Although he spent most of his career with SC Johnson, a household chemicals manufacturer, his first job was with Brooke Bonds Food Ltd., a subsidiary of Unilever.
He is after all a Food Process Engineer graduate from the Loughborough University of Technology.
He spent five years with Brooke before moving to Gerber-EMIG Grp. Ltd., Europe's number one producer of fruit juice and juice drinks, before going to SC Johnson Wax and SC Johnson where he stayed 17 years.
He is into diving and wants to try out the dive spots in the country with his wife. He has two kids.
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