The cough and cold syrup sold under the Dr. Manzanilla label is designed to appeal to the Hispanic customer. The female, cartoon doctor is named for the popular herb manzanilla or chamomile, and the over-the counter medicine is physician-developed and -recommended. Telenovela star Laura Flores is pictured on the bi-lingual label of the brand headquartered in Raymondville.
While Dr. Roberto Rey was completing his pediatric residency and pediatric oncology fellowship at Beth Israel Medical Center in New York City, he developed more than 20 over-the-counter medical products. The Argentina-born physician moved to Weslaco in 2000 and in 2005 opened Raymondville Pediatrics.
Only in 2011 did Rey take steps to commercialize the products when he established Mid Valley Pharmaceuticals, building on his experiences treating Hispanic patients. “All those years, I didn’t know how to form a pharmaceutical company. But my knowledge of pharmaceuticals and the Hispanic population was good. I know the FDA-approved ingredients I have to use to benefit the patient.”
In addition to the active ingredients, the product contains 100% natural manzanilla. Coughs and colds rarely require an antibiotic and are best remedied with the cough suppressant, antihistamine and nasal decongestant found in the brand’s syrup, which is suitable for the entire family, six years old and up.
The Dr. Manzanilla brand was born of community needs, said Rey. His medical practice demonstrated the need for a cough and cold product, but he realized no pharmaceutical company was dedicated 100% to the Latino community. So he sent his formulation to a lab to have it perfected. “It’s important in the Hispanic community to have representation of our culture. Manzanilla has a firm tradition in the Hispanic medicine cabinet. It’s a product we relate to very quickly,” Rey said. The bottled medication eliminates the step of brewing the chamomile tea, too.
“Developing a relationship with the patient is as important as delivering the medical aspect,” Rey said. Tapping into the culture with Dr. Manzanilla gets the patient comfortable and opens the door to compliance, following the instructions. Dr. Manzanilla is projected to develop the same reputation for excellence in care that Raymondville Pediatrics has won in the clinical setting.
“Right now we are marketing the product, which has been a challenge since we have no experience in this area. But the active ingredients combined with the name will make this product,” Rey said. His target market is huge: the nation’s 50.5 million Hispanics have $1 trillion in buying power.
Infomercials on Univision and Telemundo began airing in July 2014. Dr. Manzanilla products are available at Ruben’s Market in McAllen, Small Fry’s Pharmacy in Harlingen and Watson’s Pharmacy in Raymondville, as well as online. A local fulfillment firm is contracted to deliver online orders within hours, merging tradition and new technology.
To read more on this story by Eileen Mattei, click the “Current & Past Issues” tab and select July 2014, or pick up a copy of the July 2014 print edition of Valley Business Report.