PETALING JAYA, 25 Jan 2018:
Emerging from what used to be their sole store in Bangsar – the iconic TMC, which was later expanded with the Giant hypermarket chain and then sold off en bloc – the Teng family has not looked back since they returned to their fresh food retailing roots under the Jaya Grocer branding 10 years ago.
Having grown to 22 stores strong now – the latest opened in Johor Bharu last week – and with an online portal serving up deliveries as fast of two hours from the nearest outlet, Jaya Grocer is definitely hitting its stride within its key markets, said operations director Daniel Teng.
The grandson of TMC’s founder said he was roped in immediately upon graduation when the first Jaya Grocer outlet was opened and remembers how he was made to work his way up the ranks by his dad.
“Cleaning floors and stacking shelves, been there and done all that,” he quipped as he closed a freezer sliding door left open by an absent-minded customer during a quick tour of the store at The Starling mall here.
With strong support for its mainstay of fresh produce plus a wide variety of essentials and premium foods, Teng said another five Jaya Grocer outlets are set to open this year:
- Eco Ardence at Setia Alam in February
- Kuala Lumpur Eco City at Bangsar in June
- Empire City Damansara in July
- Kiara 163 at Mont Kiara in September
- Kuala Lumpur East at Taman Melati in December
“We’ve been invited to open up at other locations too and we’re constantly reviewing such opportunities. But we have to make sure our logistics can support what we offer to customers.”
Teng explained Jaya Grocer now operates only one distribution centre for all its stores, including three outside the Klang Valley – in Ipoh, Kuantan and Johor Bharu.
“We need to to look at more such centres, especially for our imported products, if we are to expand further. But for now, we’re glad to receive support from our wholesale partners.”