Few would trade lucrative, high-paying careers for entrepreneurship, but Cloversoft founders Angela Sim and Lynn Yeo took the leap—and it seems like their gamble has paid off.
Their range of eco-friendly home care products has become a household name in Singapore—they’re a staple in mine too.
It has been a decade since the duo launched Cloversoft, and the brand is now present in three markets, including Taiwan and Indonesia.
But the journey getting there was far from easy. Speaking at their 10th-anniversary event in an interview with Vulcan Post, the founders reflected on their journey and shared their plans for the brand’s growth.
They used to go from one supermarket to another
Having previously worked in HSBC’s offshore banking division, neither Angela nor Lynn had prior experience in running a business.
However, their individual interests—Lynn has always been very passionate about recycling and green initiatives, and Angela is a huge animal lover—motivated them to launch Cloversoft in September 2014.
It didn’t take long before the duo were confronted with the harsh realities of entrepreneurship.
They found themselves juggling multiple roles, from managing day-to-day operations to overseeing administrative tasks—a stark contrast to their time at HSBC, where a team of assistants handled all aspects of their work.
On top of this, the brand also faced a lack of interest among retailers in stocking their products.
In Singapore and all the other countries we’ve established a presence in, we faced repeated problems of brand knowledge and market penetration. Since we first started out 10 years ago, these have always been our largest challenges.
Angela Sim, co-founder of Cloversoft
Back then, the duo used to go from one supermarket to another, “explaining to aunties” the reason Cloversoft chose not to bleach their tissues white.
“We would visit up to 15 stores a day, stocking [our products] and engaging with the stores in-charge, sharing with them the features of unbleached bamboo tissues and toilet rolls,” Lynn said in a previous interview with Her World.
The tables have since turned. Many of their products often sell out, with some customers even taking the time to write in and share that they were unable to find Cloversoft’s products on retail shelves.
“We’re trying to be a premium, but more affordable version of Aesop”
Now, with research labs in both Europe and Singapore, the brand has expanded their product range beyond tissues and wet wipes to include toilet cleaners, laundry detergent pods, dishwashers, and body washes, among others, providing both eco- and skin-friendly solutions to consumers.
These products are all plant-based, and do not contain parabens, sulphates, dyes, phthalates or artificial fragrances. Each of them undergoes meticulous formulation, with close attention to texture and scent.
Here at Cloversoft, we are very mindful during any new product innovation so as to curate quality and unique experiences for our users.
Angela Sim, co-founder of Cloversoft
As the founders strongly believe in the “mood-enhancing effects” of fragrances, the brand is now doubling down on its focus to create “unique scent blends” that can “enrich everyday experiences.”
“Cloversoft is transforming into an experiential product company,” Angela shared in a recent interview with Tatler. “We’re trying to be a premium, but more affordable version of Aesop.”
For example, their 3-in-1 dishwashing liquid features a scent designed to “make users feel happy,” evoking “childhood” or happy memories. It also comes with a QR code on the packaging that links to a curated Spotify playlist.
“Our team has put together a list of happy music on Spotify. So while you’re washing up, you can enjoy the music and boost your mood.”
Moving forward, the brand intends to engage its customers through new in-store activations, while expanding their online reach on platforms like RedMart, Shopee, and Lazada.
Apart from relying on customer loyalty to raise brand awareness, Cloversoft also intends to further leverage KOLs (key opinion leaders) who champion sustainability to share the brand’s products’ values to their followers.
Additionally, the brand is set to expand its personal care and cleaning range, with its latest addition being a mosquito spray made of natural botanical ingredients.
“Soon, we will also [refresh] our Pets Range products, so that even your furkids at home can enjoy a safe, gentle, clean, and multi-sensorial experience,” shared Lynn.
- Find out more about Cloversoft here.
- Read other articles we’ve written about Singaporean startups here.
Featured Image Credit: Cloversoft
