Malaysia Retailer I Vol 10 No 1 I Micheal Mok, Sangkaya (M) Sdn Bhd

MALAYSIA

Vol 10 No 1 2022

RETAIL I FRANCHISE Sangkaya

Hits A Sweet Spot With It’s Latest Venture Micheal Mok, Founder & Executive Chairman, Sangkaya (M) Sdn Bhd

MIRF Retail & Franchise Reboot Malaysia Retail Industry Report June 2022

WM RM9 / EM RM11

Products Signage Shops Displays Shelving Fully knock down fixtures & furniture

Services Design Construction Renovation Project management

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MRCA Corporate Patrons

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Tel: +603-5882 4333 Fax: 1 700 810 950 Website: www.mrca.org.my PRESIDENT Sharan Jethanand Valiram VALIRAM HOLDINGS SDN BHD IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT Shirley Tay Bee Koo SUNRIDER INTERNATIONAL (M) SDN BHD DEPUTY PRESIDENT Ken Phua Cheng Chuen BENTLEY MUSIC SDN BHD VICE PRESIDENTS Dato’ Vincent Choo Kok Leong URBAN IDEA SDN BHD Valerie Choo Yoke Shiem SIMPLY AWESOME SDN BHD Michael Liew Fong Tzer MARRYBROWN SDN BHD Dato’ Winnie Lim Yoke Chin SOLUTION RISK CONSULTANTS SDN BHD SECRETARY GENERAL Jit Singh A/L Santok Singh IRONHORSE ASIA SDN BHD DEPUTY SECRETARY GENERAL Dr. Afendi Dahlan DR GROUP HOLDINGS SDN BHD TREASURER GENERAL Alex Chong Weng Wah MBA CREW SDN BHD DEPUTY TREASURER GENERAL Aiveen Wong Choy Ching CHIN SWEE FOOD SDN BHD COUNCIL MEMBERS Lee Ben Keong METRO EYEWEAR HOLDINGS SDN BHD Liang Foo Kuan BIG ONION FOOD CATERER SDN BHD Lim Ben Jie TUNE GROUP SDN BHD Jordan Ng Kim Leong BANNERKING SDN BHD Seak Thean Pow BAGUS CURTAIN SDN BHD Christine Tan Gaik Lin CT F&B HOLDINGS SDN BHD Wesley Tan Seah Ging AQINA TRADING SDN BHD Brian Tham Jee Ping WATATIME (M) SDN BHD Datuk Henry Yip Choong Hung SMITH SUCCESS SDN BHD Dato’ Liew Bin BRILLIANT MERCHANDISING SDN BHD Terry Tay Eng Yeou GOLDENHOME INTERIOR SDN BHD Dato’ Alex Wong Che Sing HAP SENG STAR SDN BHD

TRUSTEES OF MRCA FOUNDATION Dato’ Tay Sim Kim Foundation Founder Chairman Datuk Lee Hwa Cheng Foundation Chairman 2020-2022 Dato’ Eddie Choon Trustee Datuk Albert Chiang Trustee Datuk Seri Nelson Kwok T. T., JP Trustee Dato’ Liaw Choon Liang, JP Trustee Datuk Seri Garry Chua Trustee BOARD OF ADVISORS Tan Sri Dato’ Sri Leong Hoy Kum GROUP MD, MAH SING GROUP BHD Tan Sri Dato’ Sri Barry Goh Ming Choon CHAIRMAN, MCT BHD Tan Sri Dr Lim Wee Chai CHAIRMAN, TOP GLOVE CORPORATION BHD Tan Sri Datuk Ter Leong Yap EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAN, SUNSURIA BHD Tan Sri Dato’ Sri Tang Yeam Soon MANAGING DIRECTOR, THE STORE CORPORATION BHD Dato’ Dr. Jennifer Low, JP GROUP MANAGING DIRECTOR, QUILL GROUP OF COMPANIES LEGAL ADVISORS Dato’ Dr Manjit Singh MANJIT SINGH SACHDEV, MOHAMMAD RADZI & PARTNERS Datuk Ringo Low RINGO LOW & ASSOCIATES HONORARY AUDITORS Dato’ Sri Raymond Liew Lee Leong MCMILLAN WOODS Datin Yap Shin Siang YYC GST CONSULTANTS SDN BHD

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CONTENTS / VOL. 10 NO. 1

12

Sharan J. Valiram Elected as MRCA’s 9th President at Its 25th AGM

32

22

MIRF Presents Retail & Franchise: Reboot

COVER STORY 8

FIABCI Malaysia Honours Mah Sing Founder Tan Sri Dato’ Sri Leong Hoy Kum As Property Man 2021

26 Third Generation Food Distributor Expands to Help Malaysians Cope With Rising Grocery Cost

Sangkaya Hits A Sweet Spot with It’s Latest Venture Micheal Mok, Founder & Executive Chairman, Sangkaya (M) Sdn Bhd shares how the brand found instant fame when it hit the streets in 2014 but it took the company some additional churning to get it on the path it is today.

ON THE COVER

28 Level Up with Fusinex Virtual Trade Fair

30 Growthwell Foods Partners with Berjaya Corp’s Country Farms Group to Launch HAPPIEE! The TM Plant-Based Food in Malaysia

32 FIABCI Malaysia Honours Mah Sing Founder Tan Sri Dato’ Sri Leong Hoy Kum As Property Man 2021

MRCA EVENTS/MARKET INFO 12 Sharan Valiram Elected as MRCA’s 9th President at Its 25th AGM

16 Malaysia Retail Industry Report June 2022

BOOK REVIEW 34 You Too Can Excel

22 MIRF Presents Retail & Franchise: Reboot Micheal Mok, Founder & Executive Chairman, Sangkaya (M) Sdn Bhd

24 JennORTHO – Your Way To Healthy Foot

DEPARTMENTS 1

Glory Page

6

President’s Message

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President’s Message Dear Esteemed Members of MRCA, Welcome to the next phase of 2022, where most businesses are beginning to pick up in pace. As the economy begins to rev its engine, I am confident that all our members are ready for the V shaped recovery. Having been impacted Sharan Valiram by the COVID-19 President 2022-2024 pandemic over the Malaysia Retail Chain last 2 years, many Association businesses have suffered tremendous setbacks. As the dark clouds pass and as we begin to see the silver linings, we are grateful to be given the opportunity to restart, re-energise and restore our business operations once again.

I am humbled for the opportunity to lead MRCA as your 9th President during these hopeful times. I would like to thank Ms. Shirley Tay for her leadership and all her executive committee members for their unwavering support and commitment to serve over the last 2 years.

I am pleased to share with you our theme “Together We Thrive”. Together we aim to strive for success, growth, and greatness. We aim to galvanise our members Together to take the retail industry and MRCA to achieve yet greater heights. With 30 years of experience and expertise in the retail industry, MRCA continues to be the ultimate voice of the retail industry in Malaysia. We are positioned to deliver new ideas and concepts to rejuvenate the retail industry to scale yet greater heights.

We will continue to organise networking and learning activities as this is the raison d’etre of our association and prioritise how we can Together help our members to restore and revive their businesses. Together we will ensure the retail industry continues to Thrive.

According to Retail Group Malaysia, our retail industry recorded a promising growth rate of 18.3 percent in retail sales, as compared to the same period in 2021.

This indicates strong growth and shows excellent signs of revival of our industry. The festive periods, namely

Chinese New Year & Hari Raya, saw stronger sales for retailers with consumers from all races taking the opportunity to enjoy shopping and travelling. Additionally, domestic tourism has contributed to higher retail sales.

In March this year, Retail Group Malaysia (RGM) estimated a 6.3 percent growth rate in retail sales for 2022. The Group has revised upwards the Malaysia annual retail industry growth rate for 2022 from 6.3 percent to 13.1 percent due to the expected strong retail results during the second half of this year.

As we know, inflation is setting in, and we retailers must put on our thinking caps and generate new ideas and strategies to attract consumers. We must also help our customers gain greater value for every ringgit they spend. To attain this, we need to come Together and stand united to design, plan and implement strategies to drive a Thriving and robust retail industry. Let us all Together ride the wave of recovery despite the challenges we may encounter.

We have approximately 6 months of 2022 left to capitalise on market opportunities and to drive our business revenues upwards. Let us all do our utmost to take advantage of the prosperity that is awaiting to be unleashed. In the spirit of our theme, “Together We Thrive”, I urge all of our members to actively participate in MRCA’s activities and events to gain greater learning in the advancement of the retail industry to enable us to rise above any challenges that may come before us.

I am also pleased to share with you that MRCA was recently awarded the Malaysia Influential Intellectual Property Brand Award 2022 by the Consumer Action Council (MPTN). MRCA Council Member, Wesley Tan, our Assistant General Manager, Simon Wong and MRCA Southern Chapter Members attended the award ceremony in May at the Loon Sing Convention Hall Taman Daya in Johor Bahru.

In line with our corporate social responsibility efforts, the MRCA Branding Education Charity Foundation reached out to several charitable organisations such as Pusat Jagaan Haneen Firdous, a community project initiated by Little Steps Organisation in Klang. Read all about it in this issue of our magazine.

Learn about MRCA’s exciting journey and about all our activities over the last few months in this issue of the Retailer Magazine.

Wishing you only the very best and I look forward to meeting all of you in person.

“Together We Thrive”

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Cover Story

8

SANGKAYA

HITS A SWEET SPOT WITH ITS LATEST VENTURE Pure, refreshing and wholesome, the Sangkaya story is as wonderful as its ice-cream tastes. Founder Micheal Mok tells RACHAEL PHILIP that the brand found instant fame when it hit the streets in 2014 (for who can resist coconut ice-cream?) but it took the company some additional churning to get it on the path it is today.

alaysian brand Sangkaya (M) Sdn Bhd could very likely be the world’s biggest coconut icecream producer. It produces 6000 litres of the delightful dessert every month. That’s 800,000 scoops per month! And this figure is only set to grow.

“The coconut ice-cream may be popular in Thailand but it is mainly a cottage industry business,” explained founder Micheal Mok. The brand is set to grow to 43 outlets in Malaysia by the end of the year. This includes Sabah and Sarawak. On June 20, 2022, the company sold its first scoop of icecream in Japan. By year end, it would see a kiosk opening in Brunei.

On why Japan was chosen as its first foreign foray, Micheal said that one of the company’s directors is Japanese and he helped take the brand there.

“Japan is a challenging market.

They say if you can make it there, it is a major breakthrough.”

The team was taken by surprise

M

Malaysia Retailer Vol 10 No 1

when its products sold out within days. They didn’t have enough raw material in Japan – a happy problem – and had to rush out ingredients from Malaysia.

QUALITY GUARANTEED Sangkaya’s star raw material – pure, natural and premium coconut milk – is exported to Japan where it is manufactured by an OEM company.

This helps preserve the superior quality the brand is known for.

The Sangkaya ice-cream is also a low overrun ice-cream, an industry term for rich and dense ice-cream achieved when a low amount of air is incorporated into the product during the churning process. Together with the highest quality ingredients, this qualifies the preservative-free dessert as a super-premium product.

Are Sangkaya’s ice-creams actually ice-creams?

“Our product is more gelato than ice-cream because of the low fat and sugar content but gelato is a lesser-known term in Malaysia so we opted to go with ice-cream. But in

Japan, we are marketed as a gelato product,” said Micheal.

“We are proudly a Malaysian company with our Malaysian formulation, Malaysian R&D team and Malaysian raw materials including young coconuts and coconut milk. We are selective about the coconuts we use, right down to its variety and from which region in the country it comes from.

NUTS ABOUT COCONUTS Our tagline also reflects our vision to revolutionise the F&B industry with our innovative coconut products, and so every single one of our products revolves around coconuts, making us truly ‘Nuts about Coconuts’.

The coconut milk used is fresh and pasteurised. The challenges of handling fresh coconut milk are real as stocks have to be maintained at the correct amount and kept at the right temperature. It helps that our central kitchen is HACCP-, ISO-, GMPand Halal-certified.

The name Sangkaya is also very Malaysian. Sang-, a prefix of

9

Malaysia Retailer Vol 10 No 1

Cover Story

10

Sitting (L-R): Aaron Tay, Keon Tan (GM); Micheal Mok and Asyraf Mat Arif.

Standing (L-R): Nur Hidayah, Ratha Muniandy, Syazril Haikal, Fatimah Huda and Emilia Fazika.

“Before the pandemic we were blessed for having the foresight to embark on digitalisation and e-Commerce. We spoke to our licensees and encouraged them to develop an online presence and to look into food delivery in addition to the physical stores.”

– Micheal Mok, Founder & Executive Chairman, Sangkaya (M) Sdn Bhd endearment for clever animals in Malaysian fables, is paired with kaya, ‘rich’ in the English language. We are not only talking about monetary wealth but richness in terms of nutrients, values and wholesome life, said Micheal.

“Coconut is a super health food.

Not too long ago it was vilified for all sorts of reasons but in recent years Malaysia Retailer Vol 10 No 1

it has enjoyed a healthy reputation.

Our second tagline ‘Making Healthy Eating Pleasurable’ explains this.”

STARTING WITH A BANG Sangkaya, formed over eight years ago, started selling its wares in 2014 out of a pushcart in Jalan Alor.

“When we first started, we didn’t need much marketing. The

product itself was attracting so much attention. Customers were chasing after us, and we grew by leaps and bounds. We witnessed two-hour long queues back then.”

This was phenomenal considering that the brand was rolling on a single product: its original-flavoured coconut ice-cream. But business acumen dictates that a business cannot be built on a single product.

The business was not equipped to handle its rapid growth.

“Our growth outstripped our ability to keep up. By 2016 our business was seeing a downturn and the company was recording losses. Within two years of our establishment, we grew to more than 30 outlets but by 2018 we had shrunk to eight outlets.”

AN INTERVENTION An intervention was quickly put in place at the end of 2017 starting with a restructuring of the business.

“We created a new management team, one that is lean and efficient.

This team learned on the job and is good at multitasking. They stand in for each other. Today we have 15 staff from production to marketing, finance, HR, operations and logistics.

I am proud of the work culture formed by Keon Tan, my General Manager.

“In 2019, Sangkaya received back up from Japanese investors. In 2021 we turned the corner and started becoming profitable again.”

Wait, those are the pandemic years. One would expect the already shaky business to melt down after the series of lockdowns.

“That didn’t happen. I am grateful to God for guiding me as I led this business, for protecting and providing for this business.”

“Before the pandemic we were blessed for having been given the foresight to embark on digitalisation and e-Commerce. We spoke to our licensees and encouraged them to develop an online presence and to

11

look into food delivery in addition to the physical stores,” he explained.

“And I told them that an increasing number of customers are already using their phones to order food. This business would be in addition to our walk-in customers.”

This gathered strong interest amongst the Licensees and most of them adopted the digital platform.

When the pandemic happened, they were ready to meet the new challenges of the lockdown where the way ice-cream is sold can no longer the same since ice-cream is a highly delicate and perishable products. We introduced cooler bags, DIY packages and ice-cream in pints.

Company revenue increased as the result of this move during

the pandemic lockdown period.

“Although it was a continuous struggle over the years, I could not think of giving up. I was committed to our license holders who had committed to us,” he said.

“I am grateful to my two supportive Directors Shinji Takeuchi and Capt Chia Ah Kow for their continued encouragement and guidance.”

FAVOURITE FLAVOURS Today the brand offers eight permanent flavours and 10 seasonal flavours. It has grown from just ice-creams to beverages and other interesting innovations such as brownies, waffle and waffle cones.

Its Signature Series – four scoops of ice-cream served in half a coconut shell – is nothing less than a show stopper.

The brand comes up with interesting flavours for their icecreams looking at market trends and what people are eating. At home, its best-selling flavours are Original, Gula Melaka and Chocolate. At their store in the Kichijoji district in Tokyo, the Cassis flavour or black currant is popular.

Sangkaya sells in kiosks, food trucks and shops, as FMCG at some major supermarkets, in the HORECA set up and online. Japan will likely follow suit.

Micheal was happy to announce that by October 2022 the company will roll out its franchising marketing model which will be parked in the category of “Affordable Franchising” which requires an investment of less than RM100,000. And looking ahead, he thinks the brand will do well overseas.

“I think Sangkaya has great potential to be a global player. We hope to find the right partner for this soon.”

Malaysia Retailer Vol 10 No 1

MRCA Event

12

Sharan Valiram Elected as MRCA’s 9th President at Its 25th AGM he Malaysia Retail Chain Association (MRCA) recently held its 25th Annual General Meeting (AGM) on April 21, 2022 at the Avante Hotel, Petaling Jaya.

Sharan Valiram of Valiram Group was elected as MRCA’s 9th President succeeding Shirley Tay, who was MRCA President from 2020-2022.

In fact, prior to his promotion as President, Sharan was the MRCA Vice President.

Shirley, who led the organisation

T

Malaysia Retailer Vol 10 No 1

during the hardest hit COVID-19 pandemic period over the past two years, will continue to contribute to the industry and association as Immediate Past President.

“Regardless of whether you are attending online or physically, I really want to thank all the members for your support. Thanks to the President Council and everyone of you for giving me an enriching journey which has been beneficial for me,” she said recalling how they charted the course to help

MRCA members pull through the difficult times, giving an account of the six objectives set out as part of the objectives during her term.

Making a stand for unity, new MRCA president Sharan Valiram, in his inaugural speech, unveiled a new theme for the association – Together We Thrive.

The theme, he said, will galvanise all members and leaders to thrive and to take the retail industry and MRCA to greater heights.

“As an organisation, MRCA has

Market Info

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Malaysia Retailer Vol 10 No 1

MRCA Event

14

been very good with ideas. We have plenty of ideas, great visionaries, starting from our founder president and all past presidents, who have taken this organisation from strength to strength. But today we believe that it is time to execute – we can come up with many ideas but what is the point of all these ideas if we are not executing them?” he asks.

“This council will finish all of the work it has started and we will not start new stuff until we get these things done.”

He called to mind the four areas that envelop the retail industry,

Malaysia Retailer Vol 10 No 1

namely the retail chain stores in brick and mortar, the food and beverage stores and chain food and beverage stores, the franchising of the brick-and-mortar businesses and chain food and beverage stores, and finally, the e-commerce and digital space – which have brought the future nearer.

“We want to be a world-class organisation, and that is why we are climbing. We want to bring in new ideas and concepts without forgetting that we have to finish everything that has started.”

He also spoke on the need to evolve, being a 30-year-old

association, and one of the industries badly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“As an organisation we will continue to provide networking but we have also the potential to become a learning organisation.

This will allow our members to take their businesses to the next level as we prepare and plan for the next 30 years of MRCA. “How do we do this? We do this together – Together We Thrive!”

On behalf of the newly elected council, he pledged to do the best in the years ahead. He took the opportunity to thank outgoing president Shirley Tay, referring to her as a “fearless leader” helming the association during its toughest times during the pandemic.

“We thank you for the invaluable work and enormous task you’ve done these past two years. Thank you for your service,” he said.

Sharan also thanked the council members of FY 2020-22 for their hard work and the hours they have put in.

Meanwhile, together with the current council for FY 2022-24 Sharan pledged to serve all our members wholeheartedly and to deliver the best they can.

Market Info

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The New Office Bearers For The Term 2022-2024 Include: 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

12.

13.

14.

15.

16.

17.

18.

19.

20.

21.

22.

23.

Sharan Valiram, President of Valiram Holdings Sdn Bhd Shirley Tay Bee Koo, Immediate Past President of Sunrider International (M) Sdn Bhd Ken Phua Cheng Chuen, Deputy President of Bentley Music Sdn Bhd Dato’ Vincent Choo Kok Leong, Vice President of Urban Idea Sdn Bhd Valerie Choo Yoke Shiem, Vice President of Simply Awesome Sdn Bhd Michael Liew Fong Tzer, Vice President of Marrybrown Sdn Bhd Dato’ Winnie Lim Yoke Chin, Vice President of Solution Risk Consultants Sdn Bhd Jit Singh A/L Santok Singh (Stan Singh), Secretary-General of Ironhorse Asia Sdn Bhd Dr. Afendi Dahlan, Deputy Secretary-General of DR Group Holdings Sdn Bhd Alex Chong Weng Wah, Treasurer-General of MBA Crew Sdn Bhd Aiveen Wong Choy Ching, Deputy Treasurer of General Chin Swee Food Sdn Bhd Lee Ben Keong, Council Member of Metro Eyewear Holdings Sdn Bhd Liang Foo Kuan, Council Member of Big Onion Food Caterer Sdn Bhd Lim Ben Jie, Council Member of Tune Group Sdn Bhd (Air Asia) Jordan Ng Kim Leong, Council Member of Bannerking Sdn Bhd Seak Thean Pow, Council Member of Bagus Curtain Sdn Bhd Christine Tan Gaik Lin, Council Member of CT F&B Holdings Sdn Bhd Wesley Tan Seah Ging, Council Member of Aqina Trading Sdn Bhd Brian Tham Jee Ping, Council Member of Watatime (M) Sdn Bhd Datuk Henry Yip Choong Hung, Council Member of Smith Success Sdn Bhd Dato’ Liew Bin, Council Member of Brilliant Merchandising Sdn Bhd Terry Tay Eng Yeou, Council Member of Goldenhome Interior Sdn Bhd Dato’ Alex Wong Che Sing, Council Member of Hap Seng Star Sdn Bhd

Due to the limitation of the number of attendees, the AGM was conducted utilising two methods – physical and virtual. Ordinary members were invited to join the physical meeting whilst Associate and Affiliate members joined via Zoom. The meeting was attended by 95 members.

Malaysia Retailer Vol 10 No 1

Market Info

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Malaysia Retail Industry Report (June 2022) Compiled by Retail Group Malaysia

PREAMBLE Members of Malaysia Retailers Association (MRA) and Malaysia Retail Chain Association (MRCA) were interviewed on their retail sales performances for the first half-year of 2022.

This is the 25th anniversary of Malaysia Retail Industry Report.

The first report was published in 1998 during the Asian financial and economic crisis.

LATEST RETAIL PERFORMANCE For the first quarter of 2022, Malaysia retail industry recorded a promising growth rate of 18.3% in retail sales, as compared to the same period in 2021 (Table 1).

This latest quarterly result was higher than the 16.5% estimate made by members of MRA and MRCA in March 2022. So far, the retail recovery has been sustainable since end of last year.

Shopping traffic had returned in all major shopping malls and commercial centres located across the country. Shoppers have returned to physical stores to enjoy what they missed during the long period of lockdowns last year.

In addition, the Chinese New Year festival (started in early January and ended in middle of February) contributed to stronger sales for Malaysian retailers. Non-Chinese communities in Malaysia took advantage of this festival to enjoy

TABLE 1: YEAR ON YEAR PERCENTAGE CHANGE IN RETAIL SALES (WEIGHTED), 2021/22 Type

Period

% growth

Retail sales

Jan-Mar 2021

-9.9

Oct-Dec 2021

26.5

Jan-Mar 2022

18.3

Source: MRA/ MRCA/ Retail Group Malaysia

Malaysia Retailer Vol Vol10 10No No11

shopping and travelling as well.

Domestic tourism had contributed to higher retail sales.

Despite daily positive cases reaching 10,000 on February 6 this year, major shopping centres were still crowded on both weekdays and weekends. When daily positive cases climbed to 20,000 from February 11, shoppers could still be seen everywhere.

On February 23 this year, daily positive cases spiked above 30,000.

Surprisingly, major shopping malls were still crowded. Although passenger car drivers did not need to struggle to find parking lots, the decline in shopping traffic was not significant.

COMPARISON OF RETAIL SALES WITH OTHER ECONOMIC INDICATORS For the first quarter of 2022, Malaysia’s national economy recorded a better-than-expected growth rate of 5.0% (Table 2, at constant prices), as compared to 18.3% for retail sales (at current prices).

17 TABLE 2: COMPARISON OF RETAIL SALES WITH OTHER ECONOMIC INDICATORS, 2021/22 Economic Indicator

4th qtr 2021

1st qtr 2022

GDP (%)

3.6

5.0

Inflation rate (%)

3.2

2.2

Private consumption (%)

3.7

5.5

Retail sales (%)

26.5

18.3

Consumer Sentiment Index

97.2

108.9

Unemployment rate (%)

4.3

4.1

Source: Bank Negara/ Department of Statistics/ MIER/ Retail Group Malaysia

The services and manufacturing sectors were the main drivers of growth. Further easing of movement restrictions led to higher domestic demand. Global recovery contributed to higher demand for E&E products.

The average inflation rate during the first quarter of 2022 moderated at 2.2%.

Malaysian consumers were faced with increasing prices of basic necessities including vegetables, meat and fish. Food prices have been rising during the first 3 months of the year due to supply shortages, climate changes as well as higher animal feed prices.

The prices of Food & NonAlcoholic Beverages group rose an average of 3.8% during the quarter.

This group contributed 29.5% of Consumer Price Index (CPI) weight.

Private consumption expanded by 5.5% during the first quarter of 2022 due to increased retail spending, re-opening of recreational facilities and higher domestic tourism.

During the first quarter, the Consumer Sentiment Index (by MIER) rose above the 100-point threshold level of optimism at 108.9 points. Better employment and higher take-home pays contributed to improved sentiment.

Unemployment rate during the first quarter of 2022 improved with a slower growth rate of 4.1%.

RETAIL SUB-SECTORS’ SALES COMPARISON Not all retail sub-sectors achieved robust sales during the first quarter of 2022 (Table 3). Selected retail sub-sectors that enjoyed good performances during lockdowns were now returning to pre-pandemic sales levels.

Department Store cum Supermarket sub-sector recorded a positive growth rate of 18.3% during the first quarter of 2022, as compared to the same period a year ago.

Department Store sub-sector maintained its recovery momentum with a growth rate of 39.1% during first 3-month period of this year.

The Supermarket and Hypermarket sub-sector witnessed its business returning to pre covid-19 level. Its business slowed down with a growth rate of -7.6% during the first quarter of 2022. It was the worst performing retail sub-sector during the quarter.

On the other hand, the MiniMarket, Convenience Store & Cooperative sub-sector able to maintain its retail sale growth with 7.6% during the quarter.

During the first quarter of 2022, the Fashion and Fashion Accessories sub-sector recorded a high 52.1% in growth rate. This is the highest growth rate achieved among the retail subsectors during this quarter.

The Children and Baby Products sub-sector recorded a slower increment in retail sales with 2.5% in growth rate during the first 3 months of this year.

During the first quarter of this year, the Pharmacy sub-sector managed to maintain its recovery momentum with a growth rate of 15.5%, as compared to the same quarter a year ago.

After a year of declining sales, the Personal Care sub-sector resumed its growth with 5.6% during the first 3-month period of this year.

The Furniture & Furnishing, Home Improvement as well as Electrical & Electronics sub-sector enjoyed a moderate growth rate of 4.7% during the first quarter of 2022.

The Other Specialty Stores sub-sector (including photo shop, fitness equipment store, store retailing musical instrument, optical store, second-hand goods’ store, arts & crafts store as well as direct selling firms) suffered a decline in business with a growth rate of -3.9% during the first quarter of 2022, as compared to the same period last year.

NEXT 3 MONTHS’ FORECAST Most members of the two retailers’ associations are upbeat on retail sales for the next 3 months period.

It projects an average growth rate of 25.7% during the second quarter of 2022 (Table 4).

The department store cum supermarket operators are expecting to maintain its pace of recovery with a growth rate of 41.8% for the second quarter of this years, whereas the department store operators are expecting their businesses to moderate at 14.1% for the second 3-month period of this year.

The supermarket and hypermarket operators expect to remain in the red zone with a -3.5%

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18 TABLE 3: YEAR ON YEAR PERCENTAGE CHANGE IN RETAIL SALES BY RETAIL SUB-SECTOR, 2021/22 Retail Sub-Sector

1st Qtr

4th Qtr 2021

1st Qtr 2021

% Department store cum supermarket

-14.5

31.1

18.3

Department store

-24.3

42.9

39.1

Supermarket and hypermarket

-11.9

3.0

-7.6

Mini-market, convenience store & cooperative

-3.7

13.6

7.6

Fashion and fashion accessories

-23.4

67.2

52.1

Children and baby products*

-12.2

17.5

2.5

-6.2

18.0

15.5

Personal care

-17.7

-8.5

5.6

Furniture & furnishing, home improvement as well as electrical & electronics

35.3

14.3

4.7

-0.1

-14.6

-3.9

Pharmacy

Other specialty retail stores Notes: *- children and baby products include apparel, accessories, equipment, school uniform and toys Source: MRA/ MRCA/ Retail Group Malaysia

growth rate for the second quarter of 2022. This is the lowest estimate among the retail subsectors during this quarter.

On the other hand, operators of mini-markets, convenience stores and cooperatives are anticipating a sustainable growth rate of 6.8%.

Retailers in the fashion and fashion accessories sector expect their businesses to continue to thrive with 58.9% in growth rate during the second quarter of 2022, as compared to the same period a year ago. This is the highest estimated growth rate among the retail sub-sectors during this quarter.

Retailers selling children and baby products are optimistic of a strong recovery at 41.2% in terms of growth rate during the second 3-month period of this year.

Pharmacy operators are hopeful of their retail sales during the second quarter of this year with a better performance at 21.3% in growth rate.

Retailers in the personal care sub-sector are expecting their businesses to leap by 52.3% in growth rate during the second quarter of 2022.

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Operators of furniture & furnishing, home improvement as well as electrical & electronics are expecting their sales to jump by 41.7% during the second 3 months of this year.

After a dismal performance in 2021, retailers in other specialty stores sub-sector (including photo shops, fitness equipment stores, stores retailing musical instruments, optical stores, second-hand goods’ stores, arts & crafts stores as well as direct selling firms) are expecting their businesses to climb back to the positive zone. During the next 3-month period of 2022, they are projecting a growth rate of 13.3%.

THE YEAR 2022 In March this year, Retail Group Malaysia (RGM) estimated a 6.3% growth rate in retail sale for 2022.

RGM has revised upwards Malaysia’s annual retail industry growth rate for 2022 from 6.3% to 13.1% (Table 5) due to the expected strong retail result during the second quarter of this year.

April 1, 2022 was the beginning of the transition to the endemic phase for Malaysia. A new set

of SOPs was introduced by the Malaysian government. There is no more restriction of operation hours of retail shops. Interstate travel is allowed regardless of vaccination status. Full capacity allows for events and activities involving large groups. Workplaces are allowed to operate in full capacity. Fully vaccinated overseas visitors are allowed to enter Malaysia without quarantine. Unboosted Sinovac recipients and senior citizens are allowed to enter shopping centres as well as dine in eateries.

More than 5 million Employees Provident Fund (KWSP) members withdrew up to RM10,000 per person from April 20, 2022. This represented 44% of the total KWSP members. This had led to more money to spend during the celebrations of upcoming festivals in May. From May 1, 2022, new sets of COVID-19 SOP relaxations were implemented. MySejahtera check-ins are no longer required. Entry into retail premises is allowed regardless of vaccination status except those with ‘High Risk’ status or under Home Surveillance Order (HSO).

19 TABLE 4: 3-MONTH RETAIL SALES FORECAST

BY RETAIL SUB-SECTOR, APRIL-JUNE 2022

TABLE 5: MALAYSIA RETAIL INDUSTRY QUARTERLY GROWTH RATE, 2022

Retail Sub-Sector

Quarter

% growth rate

Growth rate (%)

Overall (weighted)

25.7

First

Department store cum supermarket

41.8

Second

Department store

14.1

Third

(e) 3.4

Supermarket and hypermarket

-3.5

Fourth

(e) 3.6

Mini-mart, convenience store & coop.

6.8

Whole year

Fashion and fashion accessories

58.9

Children and baby products*

41.2

Pharmacy

21.3

Personal care

52.3

F&F, home improvement and E&E#

41.7

Other specialty retail stores

13.3

18.3 (e) 25.7

(e) 13.1

(e)- estimate Source: Retail Group Malaysia

Notes: *- include apparel, accessories, equipment, school uniform and toys #- furniture & furnishing, home improvement and electrical & electronics Source: MRA/ MRCA/ Retail Group Malaysia

Physical distancing within retail premises is no longer required. In addition, all economic sectors are allowed to operate from May 15, 2022.

There were two long weekend holidays during the month of May. During Hari Raya Aidilfitri, Labour Day and Wesak Day. Malaysians were able to celebrate fully after 2 years of lockdowns. Retail sales during this period were very encouraging.

Shopping centres and main commercial centres throughout Malaysia began to attract large crowds starting from 3 weeks before Hari Raya. The peak was one week before Hari Raya. Shopping traffic in major shopping malls stayed at high level even 2 weeks after the holidays.

During these festivals, major tourist destinations and attractions in Kedah, Penang, Perak, Kuala Lumpur, Selangor, Melaka, Johor and Pahang were filled with domestic tourists.

The re-opening of international borders from April 1 has brought

cheer to retail businesses that have been dependent on foreign tourists.

Border towns located in Perlis, Kelantan and Johor witnessed more foreign visitors.

With the encouraging initial response, the Ministry of Tourism is targeting for at least 2 million foreign visitors by the end of this year.

Shopping traffic has returned to pre-COVID level. Shoppers are visiting physical outlets and dining in their favourite cafes and restaurants.

However, the Malaysian retail industry is still facing several major challenges for the rest of the year.

Prices of basic necessities continue to rise since the beginning of this year. This supply-driven inflation has affected the purchasing power and lifestyles of Malaysians.

This trend is expected to continue in the next few months.

Rise in food prices affects both costs of cooking at home and dining outside. Fresh produces, meats, fishes, dairy products, soy products, canned foods, cooking oils, etc. sold in grocery stores (hawker stalls, wet markets, provision shops,

supermarkets and hypermarkets) are more expensive now. Thus, cooking at home is now more costly.

At the same time, a majority of eateries have also increased their prices.

In addition to food prices, prices of household items have also risen. Prices of electrical goods and household appliances have increased by 10-20% this year.

Higher material costs, transportation costs and staff costs have led to this round of price adjustment.

Bank Negara Malaysia raised the overnight policy rate (OPR) by 25 basis point to 2.0% on May 11, 2022.

This was the first rate hikes since July 2020. Interest rate hike will take place again in the near future. This will further erode the purchasing power of Malaysians.

Starting from May 1, 2022, minimum wage increased from RM1,200 to RM1,500 across the country for companies that employ five or more staff. This has increased the cost of operation of Malaysian retailers.

Malaysia’s retail industry is

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anticipated to grow at 25.7% during the second quarter contributed mainly by strong sales during the Hari Raya festival.

The third quarter growth rate is estimated at 3.4% due to a low base in the same period a year ago.

Spending patterns should begin to normalise during this period.

For the last quarter of 2022, Malaysia’s retail industry is hopeful of a 3.6% growth rate after a rosy performance a year ago.

encouraging growth rate of 21.1% during the first quarter of 2022, as compared to the same quarter a year ago (Table 6).

For Food & Beverage Outlets (TakeAways, Kiosks and Stalls) that focused on take-away and delivery, sales slowed down to 5.6% during the first quarter of 2022, as compared to the same period one year ago.

Night entertainment outlets have been allowed to re-open from 15 May after more than 2 years of closure. Visitors to these outlets are required to conduct mandatory self-tests under doctors’ presence 24 hours before entry. Only visitors with ‘low risk’ status are allowed to enter the premises. And visitors are required to turn on MySJ Trace feature in MySajahtera during their visits.

Higher food prices led to

increasing costs for F&B operators in Malaysia. Since the beginning of this year, many F&B outlets (including hawker stalls, coffee shops, cafes, restaurants and national chain outlets) have raised their prices.

Despite the return of dine-in customers, many F&B outlets in Malaysia are not able to fully capitalise on this. Their outlets remain open, but they are not able to cope with the crowd due to shortage of kitchen staff and servers. Diners need to wait longer to get their foods. This has worsened during the recent long holidays in the month of May. Cafe and restaurant operators are hopeful that their food business will climb by 37.2% during the second 3 months of this year, as compared to the same period a year ago.

Similarly, food and beverage kiosk and stall operators are optimistic of their business performance during the second quarter of 2022. They expect sales to rise by 13.0%.

FOOD & BEVERAGE SECTOR During the first quarter of 2022, food & beverage establishments continued to enjoy strong sales similar to the preceding quarter.

The Chinese New Year festival encouraged social gathering among families and friends in large restaurants.

Interstate travel during the long Chinese New Year holidays also boosted food outlets’ sales in tourist-dependent towns and resorts.

Food & Beverage Outlets (Cafes and restaurants) recorded an

TABLE 6: MALAYSIA FOOD & BEVERAGE INDUSTRY QUARTERLY GROWTH RATE, 2021/22 Growth Rate (%)

2021

2022

4th Qtr

1st Qtr

2nd Qtr (e)

Cafe and restaurant

30.8

21.1

37.2

Take-away, kiosk and stall

28.6

5.6

13.0

Notes: -Cafe and restaurant include fast food restaurant, cafe, coffee cafe, bakery cafe, restaurant, full-service restaurant and caterer.

-Take-away, kiosk and stall include food outlet caters for take-away only, bakery without seating, kiosk and food stall. (e)- estimate Source: MRA/ MRCA/ Retail Group Malaysia

Footnote: • This report is provided as a service to members of MRA, MRCA and the retail industry. It provides industry data that give retailers better analytical tools for running their retail businesses.

• This report is not allowed to be reproduced or duplicated, in whole or part, for any person or organisation without written permission from Malaysia Retailers Association, Malaysia Retail Chain Association or Retail Group Malaysia.

• Retail Group Malaysia is an independent retail research firm in Malaysia. The comments, opinions and views expressed in this report are of writer’s own, and they are not necessary the comments, opinions and views of MRA, MRCA and their members.

• For more information, please write to tanhaihsin@yahoo.com.

Malaysia Retailer Vol Vol10 10No No11

RETAIL & FRANCHISE

MRCA Event

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MIRF Presents Retail & Franchise: Reboot MRCA presents business owners with an opportunity to reboot their retail businesses and capitalise on market opportunities.

RCA presents the 5th Malaysia International Retail & Franchise Fair 2022 (MIRF), scheduled to be held from 14 to 16 July 2022 at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre. Themed “Retail & Franchise: REBOOT”, the fair is set to be a springboard for retail and franchise businesses in Malaysia to grow and gain greater traction amidst challenging times. The event which is expected to host both international and domestic visitors from across the globe, presents excellent business and networking for business owners.

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Quoting from the Keluarga Malaysia, our Prime Minister announced, “Malaysia has always adapted into pro-franchise policy and welcomes franchisors globally to do businesses in Malaysia. This is in line with our aim to establish Malaysia as the franchise hub for ASEAN.” Rising from the impact of the pandemic, MIRF is a ray of hope for various businesses, while garnering support from retail associates from other countries such as Singapore, Indonesia, Taiwan, Sri Lanka, India, Korea and Japan.

Christine Tan, Organising Chairlady of MIRF 2022 says, “We, as the team behind MIRF are all so excited and confident that the event will bring lots of value to everyone who is involved and takes part in it.

It has happened before and after 2 years of a pandemic halt, everyone is ready to bounce back positively.”

The event has enjoyed consistent support from its valued sponsors namely Maxis, Fusionex and RHB Banking Group. This year, MIRF proudly welcomes the new sponsors onboard namely PERNAS as Gold Sponsor, Pudu Robotics and Z City as Silver Sponsors, as well as Shopline and Time.com as Bronze Sponsors.

MIRF is also supported by Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE).

Newly elected President of MRCA, Sharan Valiram commented, “It is such an honour to be partnering so many established brands and organisations for the Retail Industry.

So happy that they see our common vision. What is more exciting is to see the potential parties that we are going to benefit from all these efforts.”

MRCA Deputy President Ken Phua elaborated in support of the

new president, ”One of the pillars in this new tenure under the leadership of the new MRCA President, Mr. Sharan Valiram is to promote more Franchising in our Economic sector. I am glad that Christine could put so many things together in a short span of time.

Kudos to her and the team.”

In 2019, MIRF successfully transacted over RM80 million in business revenue through 350 booths, with a record of more than 12,000 visitors. MRCA is positive that this year’s MIRF Exhibition will be able to record a 10 to 12 percent increase in business revenue and participation. With such steady numbers, MIRF 2022 will continue to drive greater push for transactions by creating better business matching as well as the use of technology as a hybrid option to interact with people from across the world.

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JennORTHO – Your Way To Healthy Feet Putting your body in balance with Orthotics Insole. urprisingly, the root of some health problems can stem from the feet. The health of your feet has dramatic impact on the overall health of your body. Many people fail to realise that instability in the foot can lead to painful skeletal alignment issues.

JennORTHO Premium Custom Medical Orthotics has just the solution for those facing such problems. To help relieve pain and discomfort caused by an unsupported foot during everyday activities, sports and work, JennORTHO Premium Custom Medical Orthotics is a go-to solution.

Did you also know that the average person takes 8,000 to 10,000 steps a day? That adds up to an average of 185,000km over a lifetime – 4 times the distance around the world!

Foot problems result in various health issues that include bunions and hammer toes, outside knee and hip pain, children’s growing pain, corns and callouses, pain in the ball of the foot, shin pain, back of heel pain as well as children’s heel and knee pain to name a few.

The solution is actually quite simple – the right footwear and orthotics is the answer, but before a suitable orthotic (or insoles) can be prescribed, we must understand more about our feet such as the type of feet and its conditions.

Health care specialists believe that over 70% of the population suffer from mild to severe excess pronation. The shape of the arch of the foot is of great importance in distributing the pressure in such a manner that there will be no pain

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experienced by an individual walking or running.

Generally, there are three types of feet – arched, high arched and flatfooted.

A large percentage of the Malaysian population is flat-footed, i.e. no arch is present whatsoever under the foot. People with flat feet

are exposed to greater level of risks since there are higher chances of strained muscles, weakened muscles, pain spots and other pains as a result of their feet’s fallen arch. Children with flat foot can easily be noted during the early years of their life – they compensate by walking on their toes or the outsides of the feet. There is a good chance to treat children with flat foot aged from 5 to 15 years old as the arch can still be moulded with the use of insoles. As they grow older, functional orthotics insoles and healthy footwear with arch support can support and provide relief for flat foot adults; without which, they could experience pain in their feet, leg, knee and even to their lower back.

Where people with flat feet have fallen arches; people with high arched feet or excessive pronation are more likely, a result of bone or nerve (neurological) condition. Excess pronators, on the other hand, have an arch present, but the arch will lower significantly during walking and running, and the ankles will twist inwards. Unlike flat feet, more stress is placed on the metatarsals (section between the ankle and the toes) which can cause the feet to feel pain. High arches have the potential to cause disability, so it is advised that they fit themselves with proper foot support.

ORTHOTICS INSOLES & SHOES – HOW DO THEY WORK? They are designed to correct faulty foot function, reducing the amount of ankle role and arch flattening during the gait cycle. In turn, this will reduce the amount of internal

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rotation of the ankles, legs and knees.

By correcting over-pronation, orthotics re-align the feet and anklebones to their neutral position, restoring our natural foot function.

Therefore, orthotics and orthotic shoes not only help alleviate problems in the feet but also in other parts of the body such as the knees and lower back.

WHAT DIFFERENT TYPES OF ORTHOTICS ARE AVAILABLE? Generally, there are 2 types of orthotics: custom-made orthotics insole and pre-made off-the-shelf orthotics. While the latter two are readily available, custommade orthotics insole can only be prescribed and dispensed by an Orthotist or related health practitioner. Custom made orthotics insole are prescribed for patients with serious biomechanical disorders and/or foot deformities.

Custom-made or prescribed

orthotics is not to be compared with regular cushioning insoles.

These off-the-shelf insoles are only designed to provide shock absorption and a cushioning effect.

They may feel comfortable at first but they do not address the biomechanical of over-pronation, as an orthotic does.

The right pair of shoes can often prevent problems, while ill-fitting shoes can cause damage to your feet. When buying a pair of shoes; have your feet measured and always use the shoe side for your bigger foot as a guide. It is best to go shoe shopping in the afternoon as that is the time when your feet swells to the largest!

The soles of the shoes should be strong with flexibility and preferably with non-slippery surface grip. A pair of shoes fitted with comfortably cushioned insoles or prescribed orthotic insoles will help reduce the impact of walking on hard surfaces.

We are experts in foot wellness.

Our board-certified specialists (Pedorthists) provide caring service that addresses the foundation of our customers’ health. After careful analysis and evaluation, our experts design truly custom orthotics and recommend advanced orthotics and footwear just for you.

Our concept stores are locally owned and operated by members of the community and — unlike big box shoe stores and medical offices — our experienced professionals provide warm service focused on individual attention and personalised recommendations.

JennORTHO has outlets at MidValley Megamall & Sunway Velocity in Kuala Lumpur.

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Third Generation Food Distributor Expands To Help Malaysians Cope With Rising Grocery Cost Lee’s Fandbee rebrands as Fandbee, investing RM100 million to expand across Southeast Asia including Malaysia.

hird-generation food distributor Fandbee today announced its aggressive expansion plans to help Malaysian businesses and customers cope with escalating food costs.

The brand, previously known as Lee’s Fandbee, will be investing RM100 million to expand across Malaysia and Southeast Asia by the end of 2022. Locally, Fandbee has outlets in Bukit Mertajam, Alor Setar and Kuala Terengganu, among others.

“The brand, previously synonymous with supplying affordably priced chef-quality ingredients to food operators now has a new mission – to strive toward food equality by offering high-quality products at the most affordable prices,” said Gareth Tan, Managing Director of Fandbee.

“We are currently among the fastest growing and most innovative distributors in Southeast Asia with our operation centres in Malaysia, Cambodia and Vietnam. We are also looking to expand to two other countries very soon,” he added.

To achieve food equality, the company’s mandate is to pursue better cost advantage.

“This means that our order quantity will have to be massive enough to be able to negotiate for the most competitive cost price with exporters globally,” he maintained.

He is confident that Fandbee will be able to achieve this by rapidly expanding its operations within Malaysia and across Southeast

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Asia while incorporating advanced technology to grow various streams – be it omnichannel – business-toconsumers, business-to-business, online or/and offline-to-online.

“With the escalating cost of groceries due to ongoing supply shortage from extreme weather, export controls and war, what better way to begin our mission if not from home?” he said.

According to Gareth, the business has grown by leaps and bounds since its humble establishment as Lee’s Frozen in Kampung Attap by his maternal grandmother Mrs. Lee Wing Kang in 1962. Since the commissioning of its growth plan in 2002, the business has now achieved a 5,000 percent growth in terms of sales.

“The loyal support of Malaysians has put us in business for three generations. As such, we will always be putting the interest of Malaysians first when it comes to expanding our operations,” he said.

Adding that while Malaysians were experiencing a lockdown back

in 2020 when they were confined to a 10km radius of travel, Fandbee managed to expand its operations to 14 additional neighbourhoods across Klang Valley in order to be close to its customers and provide job opportunities for 300 employees.

And, even when the lockdowns were extended, the business went online with the promise to deliver groceries right to customers’ doorsteps within 24 hours. To date, Fandbee is present in 17 neighbourhoods across Klang Valley as well as one neighbourhood in Bukit Mertajam Penang and two others in Terengganu and Kedah.

“Not only do we offer competitive prices for frozen meat and seafood such as beef, chicken and fish – we have now also expanded our range to cover fast-moving grocery items such as cooking oils, eggs, seasonings and baking ingredients among others,” he said adding that with the expansion, Malaysians have the option to shop online and also buy online and collect the items in-store or visit any of its stores.

Gareth said that the businessto-business model is still key to Fandbee’s operations, and that he sees double-digit growth potential in the business-to-customer segment by 2025 backed by aggresive expansion plans.

He added that Fandbee intends to set up a national distributions centre and outlets across every state in Malaysia. Similar business model is also adopted for its overseas operations, making Fandbee the only Malaysian-owned grocery chain outside Malaysia.

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Level Up With Fusionex Virtual Trade Fairs usionex Virtual Exhibition Platform is an open portal for businesses to build links with other businesses not just in the country but all over the world. Despite being only a virtual platform, its success rate of translating B2Bs into business deals is high.

So how does it work? The exhibition captures engagement across a larger, more connected audience through business matching, livestreaming and marketplace activities. It also facilitates traditional in-person events. All this translates to better opportunities with greater entry into new markets.

The virtual platform is also better able to support and boost the interaction between exhibitors and attendees from a wide audience. Its virtual booths offer opportunities for brand awareness and lead generation through product showcases, video conferencing, downloadable content, speaking sessions and more. These are effective ways to improve sales and solidify business certainty.

Being an e-Platform, it also makes it simple to schedule business matching events and engage in live pitching sessions anywhere in the world, thus promoting new ventures and partnerships globally.

It is designed to not only facilitate

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the exchange of business ideas and insights but to also allow companies and customers to explore business opportunities across the region. The platform creates a connected crossborder channel for its community to engage and to make transactions.

AI-powered analytics capabilities, meanwhile, allow exhibitors to seamlessly grow their businesses by providing them with meaningful data-driven insights to overcome business and operational roadblocks and inefficiencies.

SUCCESS STORY The Fusionex Virtual Exhibition Platform delivered good results for Matrade in 2020. Matrade is the external trade platform arm of the Ministry of International Trade and Industry of Malaysia. It supports local companies as they look for export markets.

The COVID-19-related restriction in 2020 saw the organisation facing challenges in hosting its annual trade fair. It turned to Fusionex and launched a fully digital exhibition.

Fusionex platform’s entire ecosystem was tailor-made to cater to the needs of the exhibitors, buyers, visitors and business leaders, all the while delivering a seamless and conducive experience for everyone to connect to and gain value.

The virtual platform also provided a host of interactive and engaging tools for Matrade, allowing users to break down geographical barriers and exhibitors, especially, to reach out and gain potential partnerships, sales lead and business connections.

FAR-REACHING GOALS Two years on, the Fusionex platform no longer plays a supporting role.

It has been rebranded as Matrade’s primary trade fair platform – effectively pivoting the physical exhibition into a global-scale digital event.

The new and improved robust platform with its comprehensive host of trade engagement systems and tools also prioritises the user experience to ensure attendees can easily navigate the virtual fair.

Visitors who register could do so by simply logging in and setting their own agenda, deciding their own individual experience via the platform’s Digital Directory and Calendar features, which contain exhibitors’ booths, offerings, scheduled events and itineraries.

This allows viewers to plan and maximise their time spent at the virtual event.

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Growthwell Foods partners with Berjaya Corp’s Country Farms Group to Launch HAPPIEE! The TM Plant-Based Food in Malaysia

ingapore’s leading plant-based nutrition pioneer and Asian food tech start-up Growthwell Foods and the Country Farms Group, a wholly-owned entity of Berjaya Corporation Berhad, recently announced its exclusive distribution partnership. The partnership will grant Country Farms Group’s CountryFarm Organics Sdn Bhd exclusive rights to Growthwell

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Foods’ HAPPIEE! TM plant-based product portfolio, driving the launch of the brand across retailers and foodservice channels across Malaysia.

HAPPIEE! plant-based food products will be available at selected AEON supermarket outlets in West Malaysia by the end of June 2022.

The brand will also partner with iconic restaurants and eateries within the region to roll out special

dishes made from HAPPIEE! plant-based food products later this year. Through the strategic partnership with Country Farms Group, Growthwell Foods aims to introduce the HAPPIEE! plantbased food to more restaurants and eateries across Malaysia by the end of 2022.

“Country Farms Group is thrilled to partner with Growthwell Foods in launching its HAPPIEE! plantbased food products in Malaysia.

With more Malaysians choosing to adopt veganism, vegetarianism or flexitarian diets due to a growing desire to improve their health and wellbeing, demand for plant-based alternatives in food and beverage continues to rise. HAPPIEE! plantbased food is well-positioned to meet the needs of consumers, demonstrating that highly nutritious plant-based food can be readily available and enjoyed from the

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comfort of their own homes,” said Louis Kho, Group Managing Director and CEO of the Country Farms Group.

“Malaysians are becoming more interested in exploring plantbased alternatives due to health and/or environmental reasons.

This is a tremendous opportunity for Growthwell Foods to make plant-based nutrition more accessible to support the pursuit of a more sustainable lifestyle.” said Manuel Bossi, Group CEO of Growthwell Foods.

“Country Farms Group’s impressive distribution network and experience in plant-based and organic products, made them the ideal partner for Growthwell Foods to enter the Malaysian market.

We are excited to start seeing our products on Malaysian shelves and

accelerating the transition to a plantbased future,” he added.

Delivering accessible plantbased options in Malaysia with HAPPIEE! plant-based food created

by Growthwell Foods Innovation and R&D Manufacturing Centre, HAPPIEE! plant-based food, is dedicated to enabling consumers to easily adopt plant-based options by providing sustainable and highly nutritious plant-based alternatives to seafood and chicken, without compromising on taste.

The brand features a seafood line made from Konjac; an ingredient naturally free from cholesterol, high in fiber, and low in calories that will also lower blood sugar levels and reduce cholesterol levels, and a range of soy-based chicken that emulates the taste and texture typical of chicken meat.

The following HAPPIE! plantbased food products will be made available in selected AEON supermarkets by the end of June 2022: • HAPPIEE! Fishiee Sticks • HAPPIEE! Fishiee Patties • HAPPIEE! Chickiee Popcorn • HAPPIEE! Chickiee Nuggets With the versatility to be incorporated into any cuisine and developed to be enjoyed anywhere, HAPPIEE! plant-based food is catered for both consumers and chefs, complementing any restaurant or home dining experience for all Malaysians.

Beyond its availability in retail supermarkets, HAPPIEE! plant-based food will also be made available for food services distribution in Malaysia from 2022 Q3 onwards. Restaurant groups and chefs who are interested to include HAPPIEE! plant-based goodness on your menu can reach out directly to Country Farm Organics or Growthwell Foods.

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FIABCI Malaysia Honours Mah Sing Founder Tan Sri Dato’ Sri Leong Hoy Kum as Property Man 2021 Mah Sing Group Berhad Founder and Group Managing Director Tan Sri Dato’ Sri Leong Hoy Kum was honoured as Property Man of the Year (2021) by FIABCI Malaysia at One World Hotel, Petaling Jaya. he award was presented by the guest of honour T. Y. T. Tun Dato’ Seri Utama Ahmad Fuzi bin Haji Abdul Razak, Yang di-Pertua Negeri Pulau Pinang.

“I want to thank FIABCI Malaysia for honouring me as Property Man 2021. When I first ventured into the property business in 1994, I had a vision of becoming a nation builder, creating developments with communities in mind,” said Mah Sing’s Founder and Group Managing Director Tan Sri Dato’ Sri Leong Hoy Kum. “In leading Mah Sing, I believe in cultivating the concept of market orientation in our business approach which prioritises identifying consumer needs and creating products that meet those demands.

My business principles have always emphasised constant learning, versatility and swift adaptation to an ever-changing environment. This recognition gives a strong impetus

T

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for Mah Sing to boost efforts in fostering a legacy of betterment for the community and to be a home developer for all Malaysians,” he added.

FOSTERING THE LEGACY OF COMMUNITY-FOCUSED DEVELOPMENT Tan Sri Dato’ Sri Leong has long advocated for the creation of community-focused Development projects across the country. He is a firm believer in developing products that are both appropriate and relevant for the community possessing long-term value.

In response to the pandemic’s challenges, Mah Sing is constantly developing affordable properties to enable home ownership at a reasonable price. Mah Sing reaffirmed its commitment in building more affordable development projects in the M Series comprising various categories of mixed-use development township

offerings besides landed properties, high-rise residential, offices and retail shops.

The Group’s efforts also aim to ensure Malaysians have the opportunity to own affordable homes under RM500,000, be it landed or high-rise residential for selected projects. For instance, the landed property project M Senyum in Salak Tinggi, Selangor’s indicative price from RM450,000 for Mah Sing is continually evolving under Tan Sri Dato’ Sri Leong’s guidance and direction of market demands by prioritising buyers’ needs.

Book Review

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You Too Can Excel

By Dr Victor SL Tan

For a book title, it may sound too common. However, this is one book that is everything except common.

I have written this book for a top civil servant who has over 35 years of experience where he shares his experiences through stories, insights, and hindsight for those aspiring young leaders who too want to reach the top positions in organisations.

As the book appears to have two names, allow me to differentiate between an author and a writer. A writer is the one who helps write the book, but the author is the one with the stories and the sharing of his views. The writer plays the role of interviewing to unleash what is inside the author and help write the book. Of course, there are authors who write their own books too. However, many people have books trapped inside them but do not translate their gems to be shared with the world.

One such individual, Datuk Ir. Amrullah has unleashed his trapped book into reality with his first book, You Too Can Excel. The book is written more in a style of self-improvement rather than a biography.

This book is divided into 10 Chapters.

Chapter 1 gives a good background of Datuk Amrullah Kamal describing the events that had shaped him. His years of martial arts training through Taekwondo, Judo, and Silat classes have developed a sense of confidence and discipline that serves him well. His scouting activities developed his leadership, and survival skills as well as inculcated in him a sense of independence. His parents’ spiritual teachings have inculcated good moral principles and humility in him. His resilience and courage in his younger days certainly helped him in his later years.

Before introducing Chapter 2, there is a brief introduction on what are the 7 Majestic Step-Ups. The term Step-Up means to do something faster and better with greater intensity to achieve the desired results.

Chapter 2 to Chapter 8 covers the 7 Majestic StepUps providing specific examples of how Datuk Amrullah had used them to excel. He rose from the rank of an executive engineer to the Director of JKR Sabah and then the Director-General Dewan Bandaraya Kota Kinabalu, and finally the President of Majlis Perbandaran Tawau, Malaysia Retailer Vol 10 No 1

At the recent book launch at the Ark Event Space, Plaza Damas, Kuala Lumpur.

through using this approach to help achieve extraordinary results often with seemingly impossible tasks.

In many of his works, he had tapped into his foresight to develop an inspiring vision to win over people’s commitment. He had the guts to do what was right rather than what was popular. He had used his superb persuasive skill to influence his superiors to approve something that had never been approved before. For example, he managed to get a huge budget for the development of rural roads in Sabah approved as well as for 45 fresh engineers despite the staff intake freeze policy.

In everything, one can sense that this man has a hunger for success and is performance-driven. He not only executed well with massive action, but his followthrough was relentless. To him, there is no such thing as failure unless one gives up trying. He did whatever it took, often outside his decision-making powers, using his influential skills to get a difficult idea approved and implemented. He was quick to admit that he did not chalk up all the great achievements by himself. He had leveraged the motivated team that he had developed.

Perhaps his courage, tenacity, and perseverance could be best attested by his attending Tony Robbins fire-walking seminar 3 times and having climbed Mount Kinabalu to reach the summit when he was 51 years old.

Chapter 9 is an emotional chapter where he shares his greatest loss. It is heart-rendering to read about the loss

a difference in their lives. In the process of helping others, I will improve myself, Chapter 2: Majestic Step-Up 1: Engage foresight to develop a vision become a better and happier person as Chapter 3: Majestic Step-Up 2: Have the guts to do what is right well as achieve a sense of fulfillment in Chapter 4: Majestic Step-Up 3: Develop superb communication skills my life”.

Chapter 5: Majestic Step-Up 4: Be hungry for success and His active role in securing a wakaf land performance-driven and the building, Rumah Anak Ar-Raudhoh Chapter 6: Majestic Step-Up 5: Execute well with massive action speaks volumes of a man whose kindness Chapter 7: Majestic Step-Up 6: Follow through till successful has made a difference in the lives of the Chapter 8: Majestic Step-Up 7: Build a powerful and motivated team orphans.

In this book, Datuk Amrullah generously shares his insight, experiences, and strategies to help those working in the public as well of his father and yet inspiring to know of the great love of as the private sector to excel in whatever they do through his family that motivated him to overcome the adversities the 7 Majestic Step-Ups. he faced. The lessons of adversities are indeed useful You too can excel if you apply this approach in your gems, especially for the younger ones who have yet to work and in whichever field you are in including the retail face a great crisis in their lives. sector.

In the final chapter, Datuk Amrullah shows us that behind the tough and disciplined leader is a man who has a soft spot for orphans. His involvement in community Dr Victor SL Tan is the Managing Director of KL and charity work while working full-time in organisations Strategic Change Consulting Group and the author shows his love and care for helping others. of 12 books. His passion is in consulting, training His definition of his purpose in life is indeed most and writing. For more information contact him at magnanimous and selfless: 012-390 3168.

“The purpose of my life is to serve others and make

The 7 Majestic Step-Ups approach are as follows:

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