Founder of holistic supplement brand Miriqa, Geraldine Lim reflects on the love story with her husband which ultimately birthed the brand.
For Geraldine Lim, the founding of Miriqa began as a love story when she met her husband, Winthrop Wong. Both working in pharmaceuticals and both church-goers, they met at their church’s group activities and bonded over their shared careers. “He was such a good church boy,” Geraldine laughs while reminiscing, “For our first few meetings he would insist we go out as a group and not just the two of us, it was very traditional”.
They were married within a year of meeting, with a romantic proposal in Perth sealing the deal. After that, Geraldine joined Winthrop’s family business, WellChem Pharmaceuticals, an early pioneer in the Singapore industry, which turns 50 this year. Originally started by Winthrop’s family, it is now run by the couple themselves. “I feel like in your 20s and 30s, you’re not very confident yet, so it was a challenging time,” says Geraldine looking back. “But now I’ve learned, after lots of experience, that it’s best to hire slow, fire fast. So after 15 years, I think we have really great staff. We’ve grown the team from 10 to close to 50 now.” In addition to Miriqa, the couple have also spearheaded Glovida Pharmacy, a consumer-focused e-pharmacy that offers online pharmacist consultations and convenient doorstep delivery of medications and health essentials.
Miriqa came about after the birth of her children when Geraldine experienced postpartum hair loss at the end of 2019. “We had always seen the opportunity in wellness and supplements, but when I experienced postpartum hair loss, I looked around and could not find a supplement that was specific to hair,” she recalls. “Every aesthetic clinic we spoke to said they only had supplements for skin. Then when Covid hit – and more people were losing their hair from stress – it seemed like the right time to launch.” Miriqa also produces supplements for UV protection, better sleep, collagen banking and has recently launched a new product focused on eczema, though that is currently only available at doctors offices. “The new buzzword [in health], is actually the gut skin axis,” says Geraldine. “90% of our immune system is from the gut, and by taking care of your gut you can improve your skin.”
Ultimately, when it comes to new products, she is largely inspired by her own experiences. “We tend to look at what we need at different life stages. For example, I had insomnia after having children, I had hair loss, and pigmentation issues, so these are supplements we have created,” she explains – challenges that are not only personal, but also commonly experienced by many others navigating similar phases of life.
Ageing well is a trend she feels is meaningful and important today. This preventative approach rather than a treatment approach means that people are looking into their diets, into their nutrition, and looking into taking care of themselves, both from inside out. “I think the key word is, people want to be independent,” she says. “I don’t want to grow old and have my children take care of me. I want to be able to be able to take care of myself so that I will not be a burden to them. That’s the best gift I can give to my children – to be independent.”
Geraldine and Winthrop have two children, a son and a daughter both approaching their teenage years. “Luckily they still want to travel with us,” laughs Geraldine. As someone who once joked that if she was not in pharmaceuticals she would be selling diamonds, she enjoys making her purchases overseas as a memento of the trip. “It’s a core memory, because every time you look at this, there’s a story to it.”
Case in point, the Bvlgari Octo Finissimo she purchased for Winthrop in Paris. “I know he doesn’t like ostentatious things, and that he prefers pieces that are quietly sophisticated with some science and technicality to it.” On a trip to Paris, she decided to buy it for him, but the store at Galleries Lafayette had to bring it in from another location. While the couple was waiting, there was a riot inside the mall. “That’s quite a core memory for the both of us” laughs Geraldine.
While most couples would shudder at the thought of both working and living together, Geraldine and Winthrop seemed to have developed a truly symbiotic relationship, anchored by shared interests and a deep respect for each other. “She’s what I like to call our CVO – Chief Visionary Officer,” says Winthrop, who accompanied his wife to this interview and gamely added his observations. “She’s got ideas and drive. Sometimes I pull her back, sometimes she pushes me along.”
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Text by: Karen Fong
