Southern Lion

Name

Southern Lion

Legal name

Southern Lion Sdn Bhd

Website

https://southernlion.com.my

Company type

Private

Founded year

1987

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Household and Personal Care Products (FMCG)

NAICS

Soap and Cleaning Compound Manufacturing (32561), Health and Personal Care Retailers (4561)

SIC

Perfumes, Cosmetics & Other Toilet Preparations (2844)

akta.pro primary industry

Hand & Foot Care (CRABAAAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Hand & Body Care (Lotions, Creams, Body Oils) (CRADANAC), Hand Sanitizers & Antibacterial Personal Care (CRADANAI)

Keywords

• Household cleaning products
• Laundry detergent manufacturing
• Oral care products
• Personal care products
• Beauty care products

Headquarters

HQ city

Johor Bahru

HQ country

Malaysia

HQ region

Asia

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Fabric Care Products: Revenue from manufacturing and selling laundry detergents and fabric care products including TOP, TOPNANO, Bio Zip, and Dobi brands through retail distribution.
2. Beauty Care Products: Revenue from body wash, shower oil, shampoo, and beauty care products including Shokubutsu, Kirei Kirei, and Emeron brands.
3. Oral Care Products: Revenue from toothpaste, toothbrushes, and oral care products including Systema, Fresh & White, Kodomo, and Zact brands.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Southern Lion manufactures and sells household and personal care FMCG products across three categories: Fabric Care (laundry detergents and cleaning products under TOP, TOPNANO, Bio Zip, and Dobi brands), Beauty Care (body wash, shampoo, and hand soap under Shokubutsu, Emeron, and Kirei Kirei brands), and Oral Care (toothpastes and toothbrushes under Systema, Fresh & White, Kodomo, and Zact brands). Products are formulated using proprietary Japanese technology from parent company Lion Corporation and distributed through retail outlets across Malaysia.

Product overview

Southern Lion is a Malaysian consumer goods company manufacturing household and personal care products. The portfolio spans three main categories: Fabric Care (laundry detergents including TOP, TOPNANO, Bio Zip, and Dobi brands), Beauty Care (body washes including Shokubutsu and its Mochi Hada sub-line, hair care with Emeron, and hand soap with Kirei Kirei), and Oral Care (gum care with Systema, family toothpaste with Fresh & White, children's oral care with Kodomo, and stain removal with Zact). The products are distributed across Malaysia with export presence throughout Asia.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• TOP: Malaysia's No. 1 detergent brand featuring Ultra Nano Fresh Tech that removes Invisible Body Grime. Includes powder and liquid detergent variants.
• TOPNANO
• Bio Zip
• Dobi
• Shokubutsu
• Emeron
• Kirei Kirei
• Systema
• Kodomo
• Fresh & White
• Zact

Products and services

• TOP Detergent Malaysia's No. 1 laundry detergent brand offering powder and liquid formulations with Ultra Nano Fresh Tech technology that removes Invisible Body Grime for hygienically clean laundry. Marketed to Malaysian household consumers.
• TOPNANO Laundry Capsule Advanced laundry capsule from Lion Japan providing 8-in-1 benefits with 10x cleaning power using Advanced Bubble System technology. For Malaysian household consumers seeking premium capsule-format laundry care.
• Bio Zip Detergent Powder detergent with enzymes and polymer co-enzymes that break down stains into smaller particles for easier removal. Marketed to Malaysian households for everyday stain removal.
• Dobi Detergent and Bleach Laundry bar and bleach product for tough stain removal from fabrics, bathroom tiles, and basins, containing extra power to kill 99.9% germs. Marketed to Malaysian households as a heavy-duty cleaning brand.
• Shokubutsu Body Wash Body wash range with 100% plant cleansing ingredients including Shokubutsu Fresh, Natural Protection, Complete Moisture, and Mochi Hada variants. For Malaysian household consumers seeking plant-based personal cleansing.
• Shokubutsu Mochi Hada Face & Body Shower Oil Face and body shower oil with Japanese Advanced Moisture-Lock Technology, 7 types of Hyaluronic Acid, and PENTAVITIN for mochi-soft skin. For Malaysian consumers seeking premium moisturizing body care.
• Emeron Shampoo Hair care products with Japanese formulation, Active Provit Amino + Argan Oil for nutritive and hijab-friendly shampoo varieties. For Malaysian consumers, including those seeking hijab-friendly haircare.
• Emeron Lovely White UV Lotion Hand and body lotion with Vitacinamide Advance+ (Niacinamide + Vitamin C) and 3X Triple UV Protection for brightening and even skin tone. For Malaysian consumers seeking UV-protection skincare.
• Kirei Kirei Anti-bacteria Foaming Hand Soap Japan's No. 1 hand soap providing 99.9% anti-bacterial protection with dermatologically tested, gentle formula using 100% plant-derived cleansing ingredients. For Malaysian household and personal hand hygiene.
• Systema Oral Care Gum care oral care brand powered by advanced dental technology from LION Japan, featuring clinically proven 4X Better Gum Protection with IPMP, TDS and GK2. Includes toothpastes and Slim-Tech 0.02mm bristle toothbrushes. For Malaysian consumers and recommended by dental professionals.
• Fresh & White Toothpaste Family toothpaste offering freshness, coolness and affordability with Anti-Sugar Shield technology for cavity protection. For Malaysian families seeking everyday oral care.
• Kodomo Probiotic Toothpaste Children's oral care toothpaste with 5% Xylitol + Fluoride formulation that helps restore minerals in enamel and repairs early caries in 14 days. For Malaysian parents seeking children's oral health.
• Zact Toothpaste Advanced stain removing toothpaste specifically formulated to remove tobacco, coffee and tea stains with 60% more stain removal power than ordinary toothpaste. For Malaysian adult consumers seeking whitening/stain-removal oral care.
• TOP Magical Infusion Detergent TOP detergent variant with Magical Infusion technology for laundry care. For Malaysian household consumers.
• TOP Advanced Micro-Clean Tech Detergent TOP detergent variant with Advanced Micro-Clean Tech for superior cleaning. For Malaysian household consumers.

Quantifiable outcome

• TOP is Malaysia's No. 1 detergent brand since 2014
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Majlis Bandaraya Johor Bahru (MBJB)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 May 2026Southern Lion participated in JB Car Free Morning organized by MBJB and OCBC Bank. The company promoted oral health awareness with Systema, Fresh & White, and Kodomo brands in conjunction with Gum Awareness Month.
• Persatuan Bulan Sabit Merah MalaysiacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 December 2025Southern Lion contributed to the Malaysian Red Crescent Society Disaster Response Team as part of its commitment to flood preparedness and community wellbeing. The donation supports preparedness initiatives and response capabilities for communities affected by seasonal flooding.
• Johor Bahru Selatan Police DepartmentminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 October 2025Southern Lion hosted a Road Safety Exhibition in collaboration with the Johor Bahru Selatan Police Department to raise awareness about safe driving habits, accident prevention, and traffic summons types.
• MediLabz Sdn. Bhd.minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 October 2025MediLabz Sdn. Bhd. partnered with Southern Lion to conduct an In-House Health Screening Program offering essential health assessments to employees.
• Majlis Bandaraya Johor Bahru (MBJB)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 October 2025Southern Lion participated in JB Car Free Morning organized by MBJB in collaboration with OCBC Bank. The monthly event held on second Sundays encourages healthier lifestyles and reduced carbon emissions. Southern Lion engaged with 300+ visitors through fun activities and recruitment booth.
• OCBC BankminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 12 October 2025OCBC Bank partners with MBJB to organize the monthly JB Car Free Morning event. Southern Lion participated alongside OCBC Bank in community engagement activities.
• Ministry of Health MalaysiacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 August 2025Deputy Director General of Health (Oral Health) Ministry of Health Malaysia officiated at MIDEC 2025 where Southern Lion was Silver Sponsor. The company launched Kodomo Probiotic Toothpaste with government officials and provided product detailing to VIPs on dental technology.
• Malaysia-International Dental Exhibition and Conference (MIDEC)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 8 August 2025Southern Lion participated as Silver Sponsor at MIDEC 2025, reaching nearly 2000 dental professionals with over 100 trade exhibition booths to enhance brand visibility and drive growth in the professional dental market.
• Majlis Bandaraya Johor Bahru (MBJB)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 February 2025Southern Lion participated in JB Car Free Morning event at MBJB office to celebrate launch of Shokubutsu Mochi Hada and Shokubutsu Fresh Burst products. Interactive booth offered free samples to participants.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Unilever Malaysia: Unilever Malaysia is a leading FMCG manufacturer and a direct competitor of Southern Lion across laundry detergents (Surf, Breeze), oral care (Close-Up, Signal), and personal care (Dove, Lifebuoy, Clear). Same categories, same channels, and same Malaysian household consumer base.
• Procter & Gamble Malaysia: P&G Malaysia directly competes in the same fabric care, oral care, and beauty care categories with brands like Ariel, Tide, Downy, Oral-B, Crest, Pantene, and Head & Shoulders. Similar retail distribution model and target consumer.
• Colgate-Palmolive (Malaysia): Colgate-Palmolive is a major direct competitor in the Malaysian oral care category where Southern Lion competes with Systema, Kodomo, Fresh & White, and Zact. Overlapping product categories and retail distribution.
• Reckitt Benckiser (Malaysia): Reckitt competes with Southern Lion in fabric care (Vanish), hygiene (Dettol), and personal care with overlapping retail positioning and consumer targeting. Same Malaysian market with similar channel strategy.
• Henkel Malaysia: Henkel is a direct competitor in laundry and home care with brands like Persil and Purex. Comparable FMCG manufacturer business model targeting Malaysian household consumers.

Broad incumbents

• Lion Corporation (Japan): Lion Corporation is the Japanese parent company of Southern Lion and a direct operator of similar product categories in Japan (Kirei Kirei, CLINICA, Etiquette). Serves as both parent and benchmark — same brand DNA and formulation technology.
• Kao Corporation: Kao is a major Japanese FMCG incumbent operating in the same fabric care (Attack), beauty care (Biore, Curel), and oral care categories. Direct comparability in product technology and brand-positioning approach.

Emerging players

• Godrej Consumer Products: Godrej CP is an emerging multinational personal and home care player expanding across Southeast Asia, competing in hair care, hygiene, and household categories with similar mass-market positioning.
• Wipro Consumer Care (Malaysia): Wipro Consumer Care operates in Malaysian personal care and home hygiene categories (Unza, Safi) with comparable mass-market positioning and Asian market focus.

Regional players

• Marico (Malaysia): Marico is an Indian FMCG multinational with selective Southeast Asia presence in hair care (Parachute, Livon) and personal care. Comparable in regional FMCG positioning and similar consumer demographic focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Southern Lion