Launch of Malaysian Wellness and Beauty Book, Product Line and Ramuan Lifestyle Reaches Over 122,000,000 Americans

-- United States Welcomed Biotropics Malaysia with Press and Book Signings across the Country --

New York, NY - July 31, 2009 - This July marked the United States launch of a ramuan product line by Malaysian-based Biotropics that features spa and ingestible wellness products and an accompanying book, Health and Beauty from the Rainforest: Malaysian Traditions of Ramuan. As part of an overarching media outreach and consumer education campaign, the U.S. launch kicked off with a week-long tour featuring the book’s editor-in-chief and co-authors: Professor Gerard Bodeker, senior faculty member in public health at Oxford University and adjunct professor of Epidemiology at Columbia University; co-author Dr. Joerg Gruenwald, leading medical scientist and clinical researcher; and Zurinawati Zainal Abidin, co-editor and contributor to the book on Malaysian traditions; and Professor Hood Salleh, an Oxford-trained cultural anthropologist and authority on the traditions of Malaysia’s indigenous peoples, the orang asli. Within a few short weeks, ramuan has caught the attention of a wide range of media and consumers, building strong momentum for a nationwide curiosity of Malaysian traditions and interest in the ramuan lifestyle.

With the authors traveling in from abroad, the U.S. launch tour commenced with a private spa-inspired media event at the trendy Library Hotel in New York City, giving prominent editors, journalists, producers and freelance writers the chance to taste, feel and experience ramuan, and learn about Malaysian health and beauty first-hand from the book’s co-authors. As part of the nation-wide campaign, the Biotropics team traveled to key U.S. markets, including Philadelphia, Washington, D.C. and Los Angeles, setting a solid foundation for the book and products with well-attended book signings and a second media event in Los Angeles at the popular AKASHA Restaurant. Throughout the week the authors engaged in radio, print and television interviews at leading outlets including WNBC-TV, PBS, The New York Times Magazine, Shape magazine, Teen Vogue, Natural Health magazine, NPR, Martha Stewart Living Radio, HealthRadioNetwork.com, and more. Overall, the program reached an audience of over 122,000,000 through a combination of press releases, print, television and radio programming.

“Until now, Americans have had little understanding of Malaysian culture beyond the country’s natural beauty and I am grateful for having had the opportunity to introduce the concept of ramuan to them,” says Editor-in-Chief of the book, Professor Gerard Bodeker. “The success of this launch demonstrates that Americans are eager for a lifestyle change and I look forward to the continued spread of Malaysian beauty and wellness traditions in the United States.”

“By researching and documenting this ancient lifestyle tradition, we were able to develop a unique line of products that will facilitate incorporating ramuan principles into the American lifestyle,” said Dr. Joerg Gruenwald, Chief Scientific Officer of Biotropics and co-editor of the book. Drawing on years of research, the new book landed on U.S. shelves this month revealing the best of Malaysia’s rich knowledge in promoting health, enhancing beauty and creating vigor throughout a person’s life. Members of the Biotropics team will return to the United States this fall to attend Expo East Natural Product Trade Show in Boston to further cultivate the concept of ramuan and exhibit the spa and supplement products.

###

About Biotropics Malaysia Berhad
Biotropics US Inc. (Ramuan.com) is the exclusive distributor of Biotropics Malaysia Berhad products. Biotropics Malaysia was founded with the mission of popularizing Malaysian herbal traditions and respecting time-honored ingredients. International sourcing of manufacturing and packaging facilities in Malaysia, Germany and the US enables Biotropics to utilize specialized resources to assure consistency and quality.

Biotropics is dedicated to the responsible manufacture and distribution of Malaysia’s treasured herbal health & beauty aids. Biotropics staff is united by a common desire to see Malaysia’s rich herbal traditions made available to the world, using natural ingredients responsibly harvested.