Photo of Prachi Saini Garg (Right), Founder of Scentopia and Sneha Menon (Right), Senior Business Advisor at SME Centre @ SMCCI.
In the competitive world of perfumery, creating a scent that lingers is an art. For Prachi Saini Garg, founder of Scentopia, the goal was not just to create a fragrance but to enable every customer to create personalised memories for themselves in Singapore.
Prachi’s journey into the world of perfumery began in 2014 from her home, where she slowly built her network through perfume-making workshops. In 2015, she registered the company as a private limited entity and soon embarked on collaborative work with local institutions such as the National Museum of Singapore and Science Centre Singapore. Through the PR efforts of a museum to market its “new experiences”, Prachi’s work was published in articles, leading to valuable corporate presence and partnerships.
In 2018, she was invited to conduct a session for a Sentosa team-building event. The team was impressed by her work and introduced her to the Sentosa X Enterprise scheme. Her concept proposal was selected, and she was provided with a retail outlet rent-free for six months. Her team ran the business as a tourist attraction for just over four months but unfortunately had to cease operations due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
“Sentosa was kind. Through the retail division, we learned that there was another unit available. We went through the standard bidding process, and our proposal (was) chosen. That’s when Scentopia opened in March 2022,” Prachi shared.
Scentopia was re-launched as a fully immersive sensory experience in Sentosa, where visitors do not just buy perfume; they curate a personalised scent based on their personality, choosing from over 100 woody, floral, and fruity notes.
However, Prachi’s ambition extended beyond Singapore’s shores. She envisioned taking this unique “Singapore experience” to international markets, specifically targeting the high-growth potential of India.
A Strategic Partnership for Growth
The turning point for Scentopia and Singapore Memories came when Prachi met Sneha Menon, a Senior Business Advisor from the SME Centre @ SMCCI, at a networking event. At the time, Prachi was already exploring expansion but needed a structured roadmap to navigate the complexities of international franchising.
Through high-impact discussions, Sneha worked with Prachi to formulate a robust three-pronged franchise strategy for the Indian market:
- Full Experience: Emulating the Scentopia model found in Sentosa.
- Kiosk Model: A streamlined presence within shopping malls.
- Retail Concept: A dedicated retail footprint within malls.
Sneha also supported the company in their application for the Market Readiness Assistance (MRA) grant, which Prachi found essential to cover some of the costs of developing the business, such as legal fees, business registration and setup costs, and public relations.
“Sneha proactively reach(es) out to me to share information about the available support and would break(s) it down for me in simple terms,” said Prachi.
From Planning to Execution
The collaboration went beyond strategy. The SME Centre @ SMCCI assisted Singapore Memories by introducing it to process of business matching, where Singapore Memories met with several high-potential partners. The results were promising, and the company is currently in active negotiations with several key stakeholders.
To pave the way for this entry, Prachi also executed a targeted PR campaign across urban cities in India. The impact was dual fold; not only did it lay the groundwork for franchising, but the increased brand awareness also resulted in a surge of tourists visiting the Scentopia experience outlet in Singapore.
Future Horizons
With the India expansion underway, Singapore Memories is already looking toward its next growth frontier: China and Southeast Asia. Besides India, the company is exploring further expansion and capitalising potential collaboration opportunities across Southeast Asia with specific focus on Hong Kong and China.
In addition to this, Prachi is working on enhancing her e-commerce presence from both a branding and technological perspective. Sneha shared that Singapore Memories has been examining the technology infrastructure required to provide visibility on cross-border data between Singapore and operations across the world.
“Strategically, we have been thinking about brand alignment for the various unique products (the brand) has and is developing,” added Sneha.
From a small home business to multiple brands – Scentopia, Jetaime Perfumery, and Singapore Girl – ready to franchise and grow globally, Singapore Memories demonstrates the power of combining passion with strategic guidance.
About Scentopia
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