He started S’pore’s first room of rage. Now, he sells grass for dogs to pee on.

Poopee’s indoor grass plots are also attracting franchise inquiries from across Southeast Asia

What do you do when your dog refuses to use the pee pad, your routine won’t allow for frequent trips to the floor, and your carpet is slowly turning into a disaster day by day?

For 32-year-old Royce Tan, the answer was simple: start a company called Poopee-and bring a patch of real grass right into the living room as an indoor solution for the pot.

It all started with his struggle at home.

Royce’s dogs were trained on grass, but as they got older, the daily walk to the ground became difficult. The plastic pads made no sense to them, leaving Royce with the usual frustration of accidents on the carpet.

That’s when an idea clicked: if dogs naturally understand grass, why not bring it indoors? “The moral problem will resolve itself,” he said.

After researching the available options, Royce realized that there was no truly well-designed lawn solution available in the area. And that gap in the market was the beginning of Eco-Turf, Poopee’s signature product.

Business is a new thing for him

Royce is no stranger to business.

Before Poopee, he invented The Fragment Room in 2017, Singapore’s first anger room, where people could smash things to relieve stress. “It was exciting, chaotic, and honestly a lot of fun,” he recalled.

However, after a few years, the youth began to fade, and Royce realized that he was “no longer excited” about the business. It could no longer be felt as something that “showed who he was or what he wanted to build.”

Finally, Royce quit his job in 2019 and started a full-time career, which he held for almost three years.

Although it provided financial stability and a new perspective on work, he quickly realized that the daily grind was not the life he wanted. He needed to build something again—and that drive eventually led to Poopee.

In 2023, Royce self-funded the launch of Poopee, bringing his indoor lawn solution to market.

He did not disclose specific investments; however, he described it as modest, adding that it required “careful spending and a lot of testing.”

Keeping the grass alive

According to Royce, most of the initial capital went into “acquiring grass, developing packaging, testing materials and building a website.”

The early stages also involved a lot of trial and error.

Working with real grass meant dealing with a living product. He had to consider water flow, air flow, and how to keep it alive and healthy throughout the packaging, shipping, and delivery.

Unlike most products, hay cannot be stored for long periods of time. “It has to be tested, packaged and delivered in a short amount of time,” Royce said, adding that it takes a lot of effort to balance freshness, reliability and cost.

Even after delivery, external factors in clients’ homes—such as sunlight and air flow—can affect lawns. To address this, Royce stays in touch with customers via WhatsApp, solving problems and finding solutions directly with them.

“With product businesses, the real learning starts only when customers start using the product,” he said. It’s a hands-on process, and even today, the team is still refining the product.

Poopee’s Eco-Turf has become a necessity for several dog owners

It seems Poopee’s Eco-Turf has been well received by dog ​​owners, Royce shared, though he didn’t disclose take-up prices.

While most sales are online, Poopee also hosts booths at events and parties to reach new customers and give people a chance to experience the product in person.

Some owners even told him, “You can’t close because we’d be lost without you,” highlighting how much Eco-Turf has become a part of their daily routine.

Part of the product’s appeal is how easy it is to use: the grass absorbs urine naturally, so customers don’t have to worry about accidents. Solid waste still needs to be cleaned up, however, and watering the turf every two to two days keeps it healthy.

Owners will know it’s time to change the patch when dogs start peeing around the edges—a sign that they’re full of their scent, and they’re looking for a new place.

Typically, each episode lasts between one and four weeks, depending on how often it is used.

That’s why Poopee offers a subscription model, with weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly deliveries. Subscriptions make it easy for owners to keep track of a new clip and allow Royce to schedule production.

Because grass cannot be planted immediately, our nursery needs to be informed in advance of how much it will grow. Registering demand helps us predict how much hay will be needed ahead of time.

Royce Tan, founder of Poopee

Besides the positive reviews from customers, what surprised Royce even more is that Poopee’s Eco-Turf has been recommended by several veterinarians—especially for older dogs or pets recovering from surgery with mobility issues. They can greatly benefit from Eco-Turf’s easy access, indoor setup.

That said, Royce meets owners who say their dogs “hate grass.” In most cases, it simply means that the dog was not exposed to it early enough. “Dogs adapt to the conditions we create for them, so part of what we do is to gently restore that natural behavior,” he explained.

He recommends a few simple techniques in these cases: place the Eco-Turf in a place where the dog often relieves itself and slowly take it to the desired place, or use a small amount of pee residues under the turf to attract them with a familiar smell. Positive reinforcement—a treat or praise when the dog uses Eco-Turf—also helps encourage behavior.

Except for the grass spots

Running The Piece Room taught Royce the importance of creating a brand that people really connect with.

Even though Poopee solves a practical problem, I never want it to sound like a boring work product. I wanted it to feel like a lifestyle for dog owners.

Royce Tan, founder of Poopee

That’s why the team put thought into shaping Poopee’s brand personality, and expanding into merchandise is part of that.

Beyond Eco-Turf and its related products—like deodorizing sprays—Poopee now offers things like dog carriers, photo tees, stickers, and even dog-cooling neck wraps.

All merchandise is designed in-house, some pieces are custom-made. For example, the brand has worked with local streetwear label Koterie on a few of its designs.

Making everyday life with dogs “natural, comfortable and well-designed”

For now, Royce still handles many aspects of the business himself, supported by a small team of freelancers and freelancers who help with packaging, planning, and marketing when needed.

The team recently moved from a small warehouse to a proper office space—a change that has improved both working conditions and performance, allowing for more organized packaging and better quality control.

Although performance is still low, Royce sees a clear demand for products like Eco-Turf.

“Singapore has a lot of high-rises, and a lot of pet owners have busy schedules,” he shared. “Solutions that make caring for pets easier while still respecting the dog’s natural behavior are becoming increasingly important.”

As the brand grows, Royce plans to expand beyond Eco-turf and build an entire ecosystem of products for pet owners. “The idea is to create a united world around the world for people who love animals.”

Interest in Poopee has spread beyond Singapore. According to Royce, the brand has received franchise inquiries in markets such as Malaysia, Thailand, and the Philippines, with discussions ongoing as the group explores possible regional expansion.

Ultimately, Royce hopes to make everyday life with dogs more natural, comfortable, and well-designed.

If Poopee can be something dog owners trust and rely on, something that truly improves the quality of life for both their pets and their owners, then we’ve done what we set out to do.

Royce Tan, founder of Poopee

• Read more about Poopee here.
• Read other articles we’ve written about Singapore businesses here.

Featured Image Credit: @supersalami_, @poopee via Instagram