| Danial Norjidi |
BRUNEI’s first online pet store, Nimanja Enterprise, was officially launched yesterday.
The launch took place at the Radisson Hotel, and saw the attendance of US Ambassador to Brunei Darussalam Craig B Allen as the guest of honour.
Nimanja aims to bring convenience to pet lovers in the Sultanate by offering them a wide selection of quality pet supplies through an online platform.
Established in July 2016, Nimanja Enterprise began as a marketing solution for the Petlink Group of pet stores.
A month later, it expanded to become a distributor and the first online retailer for pet supplies in the country.
US Ambassador to Brunei Darussalam Craig B Allen and Nimanja Managing Director Anderson Lim launching Nimanja Enterprise. – PHOTOS: DANIAL NORJIDI
The Managing Director of Nimanja Enterprise is Anderson Lim, who represented Brunei as a swimmer at the 2012 London Summer Olympics.
“I started Nimanja last year as a summer project before going into my final year at the University of Rochester,” he said.
“Prior to starting Nimanja, I was working on a financial technology platform that would help local small and medium enterprises (SMEs) with access to capital, but at the time, Brunei was not ready for such a platform so we halted the project.
“That experience, however, did not stop me from venturing into another technology sector – e-commerce.”
He said that his parents started Petlink in 1985 as pioneers in the Brunei pet market.
“I have never met anyone with such strong work ethics as the both of them. They are my motivation and inspiration and the reason I started Nimanja.
“It is my goal to extend their legacy and continue creating and delivering value to pet lovers in the country.”
He shared that since retiring from his swimming career, he has put his full focus and energy on Nimanja and his studies.
Having been in the United States for the last five-and-a-half years, he has had the privilege of meeting diverse, talented people, spanning from professional athletes to serial entrepreneurs, including the founder of Priceline.com and the co-founder of MySpace.
“Through meeting those individuals, I am eager to apply the knowledge and skills gained to Nimanja, and I want to share my experience with the people in Brunei in the hope that I will inspire other young entrepreneurs in the country,”
In addition to the official launch of Nimanja itself, yesterday’s proceedings also saw the launch of Nimanja’s latest range of pet food from the United States, and a showcase of the first-ever Bruneian brand of cat litter.
Nimanja’s products on display
Wafi Diah, supply chain associate of Nimanja Enterprise gave a presentation at the event, in which he shared that Nimanja has over 3,000 products on offer, with 47 local and international brands, including from the US, Germany, Belgium, Italy, Malaysia and Thailand.
The product range includes pet food, supplements and medication, accessories and cat litter.
Currently, Nimanja has two methods of payment – cash on delivery and online payment. Soon there will be the option to make payment by card upon delivery.
They offer free same-day delivery for areas in the Brunei-Muara District. There is also free delivery to Tutong and Belait with a minimum purchase.
The US Ambassador to Brunei Darussalam officiated the launch, alongside the Nimanja Managing Director.
Speaking at the event, the ambassador congratulated Nimanja on its official launch.
“As technology increasingly becomes a part of our daily lives, e-commerce has introduced many exciting opportunities for businesses. Today’s launch is an example of how one young man saw an online business opportunity and seized it,” he said.
“As Anderson considered the needs of the market, in this case, the needs of pet lovers, he was able to grow and develop Nimanja into one of Brunei’s biggest online retailers.
“I believe today is also a celebration of entrepreneurship and enabling youth to pursue their goals around the world. Supporting our young leaders as they work with determination toward realising their goals as entrepreneurs will only serve to build a stronger economy: an economy that everyone benefits from, and an economy that encourages other young visionaries to pursue their own passions,” he said.
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