DTC’s Daily Digest brings you the latest news on the world’s fastest growing direct-to-consumer brands. In today’s edition: J&J and Lazada strike SEA partnership; Bodily launches product ranges; and Takeaway.com reassures investors over Just Eat merger.

J&J and Lazada strike SEA partnership 

Lazada Group and Johnson & Johnson Consumer Health (J&J) have partnered up to support emerging Southeast Asian brands in reaching and engaging more Chinese consumers. The partnership will leverage Lazada’s ecosystem in Southeast Asia (SEA) as well as J&J’s market insights and offline distribution channels. 

Lazada has over 50 million annual active consumers and achieved over 100% year-over-year order growth across four consecutive quarters as of September 2019. 

Qian Yi, GM of Lazada cross-border business, said the move is part of Lazada’s commitment to accelerate the growth of the digital economy in SEA, and empower brands and sellers. Through the partnership, the company will be utilising J&J’s consumer insights, digital marketing expertise and channel expansion model to further strengthen the connectivity between Southeast Asian market and Chinese consumers. This will bring more quality products and services from SEA to China, and eventually to the world, she said.

Bodily launches products ranges

Bodily has launched to help empower women who have recently given birth, take control of their health through educational content and modern products backed by clinical research. Beginning with post-birth, Bodily offers new parents and their support teams a modernised roadmap for what to expect - from birth recovery to breastfeeding - and modern products to help them through it.

Bodily will launch with five curated kits, four bundles and bras developed to give real support for postpartum women to aid with vaginal and c-section recovery (from bleeding to hemorrhoids), to breastfeeding and nipple care, ranging from balms to beautiful bras - all with a coinciding content platform to guide new parents and their support systems through this new journey. Products are thoughtfully designed in partnership with medical professionals and lactation consultants.

Bodily is the product of Tovah Haim, a professional and new parent who was rocked by the birth of her first born. After having her son via C-section, she felt the products that she had to purchase to help her through that period felt archaic and poorly designed.

Takeaway.com reassures investors over Just Eat merger

Takeaway.com is looking to reassure investors with regards to its merger with Just Eat. The chief executive of Takeaway.com is confident that merging with Just Eat will allow the food delivery pioneers to see off new competition from Uber and Deliveroo, as he tries to rally support from investors in the face of a rival bid from Naspers. 

Jitse Groen, who founded Amsterdam-based Takeaway 20 years ago, said there is “no proof” that companies that rely on their own delivery network for the majority of their orders can ever turn a profit. “The problem will go away,” he said. “Anybody can ramp up revenue by adding McDonald's [delivery]. But I would like to build a sustainable business that is still around in five years.

He added “we’ve been able to fend off these new parties quite easily,” pointing to its profitable operations in Holland and Germany. “We know what it takes to compete with these businesses.”  Mr Groen admitted that some of Takeaway’s own shareholders have expressed concerns about it becoming embroiled in a costly battle for market share in the UK, where Takeaway does not currently operate, by merging with Just Eat.

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