“Divine timing” sees postpartum wellness brand Samoedra roll into Myer

Entrepreneur Sofia Lane has revealed plans to cement her postpartum wellness business Samoedra as a leading brand in the women’s nutraceuticals and health space, after getting her products into Myer’s flagship stores just five months after the brand’s official launch.

Having launched in April 2023, Samoedra’s four varieties of botanical-based elixirs are now available online in Myer as well as in the Australian department store chain’s flagship stores in Sydney and Melbourne.

Building brand awareness is key for Samoedra, with its co-founder confirming the brand is already expanding its product range further and developing a podcast, as it works towards global expansion.

Lane told SmartCompany she has been very happy with the response to the brand following its launch earlier this year, especially since all the efforts to grow it have been organic. 

“Our launch in April saw our sales double the amount that was originally projected in the first month and with a steady increase and growing our sales by 78% to date. Interest has continued to grow as more mothers are understanding the concept of postpartum health and care,” she says.

Landing a deal with one of Australia’s most recognisable retailers “really came down to divine timing”, says Lane.

“We were one of the seven brands selected as part of a brand incubator through a highly curated process,” she explains. 

“Myer was looking for highly innovative products to launch in their nursery division and we fit the mold perfectly. They loved our brand and the products.”

While Samoedra’s first products focus on postpartum support, Lane says there are plans underway to develop products to cover other hormonal stages that women go through, including perimenopause and menopause. 

“Our goal is to cement Samoedra as a leading brand in the women’s nutraceuticals and health space and simultaneously build the company valuation for a five-year exit plan,” she says. 

“We are currently working towards global expansion over the next couple of years and building a strong Samoedra community.” 

“A modern approach to postpartum healing”

Lane was motivated to start the Samoedra journey with co-founder Ivanna Salehudin because she saw a gap in the market when it came to postpartum health.

“Having previously lived in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and where I gave birth to my firstborn, I followed my Javanese ancestral tradition of following 44 days of postpartum confinement,” she explains. 

“This is a sacred time when a mother honours an extended period of rest recovery and nourishment of medicinal herbal tonics after birth because they believe the future health of a mother is dependent on her postpartum recovery. 

“It wasn’t until I moved back to Australia and gave birth to my daughter six years later that I realised mothers in the western world did not place emphasis on a mother’s health or recovery post-birth. 

“We needed to take a modern approach to postpartum healing that is both innovative and scientifically backed for optimal efficacy and proven results, that’s how Samoedra was born.”

Samoedra is in talks with several stockists across Australia, with its products already stocked in Daily Greens in Sydney. The brand is also about to launch in Heartwood in Perth.

Lane says with postpartum and postnatal depletion being a relatively new concept in the Western World, emphasis needs to be placed on education. 

“Most mothers are unaware that they are suffering from postnatal depletion or struggle to understand what their body is going through post-birth,” she says. 

“It is our mission to help empower women to become their own healers and start making their health and recovery a priority post birth.”

Reaching the target audience

With the business still in its early stages, Lane says Samoedra has taken a “very organic approach to growing brand awareness”.

This has included creating valuable and relevant content for social media, collaborating with influencers, experimenting with paid advertising campaigns, optimising the Samoedra website, and growing the brand’s email subscriber list.

Lane says the postpartum and nutraceuticals industry in Australia has witnessed a notable shift in recent years.

“With an increasing awareness of holistic wellbeing and the importance of postpartum care, there is a growing demand for specialised products and solutions that cater to the unique needs of new mothers,” she says. 

“Australia’s emphasis on health-conscious lifestyles and natural remedies has paved the way for the integration of traditional practices and evidence-based nutraceuticals into the postpartum care sector.”

Lane said Samoedra fills the significant gap in the Australian market by combining traditional wisdom with modern science.

“We incorporate traditional practices from our Javanese heritage and by doing so we provide a connection to heritage while catering to modern needs,” she says. 

“The use of plant-based clinically backed ingredients formulated through scientific research ensures that our products are of a high level of efficacy and safe. This resonates with the health-conscious Australian customer base.”

“By addressing the comprehensive needs of new mothers during the postpartum period, our brand has the potential to contribute significantly to the wellbeing and overall health of Australian women, aligning with the evolving landscape of health and wellness in the country,” she adds.