Mydin Goes High-End With Sam's Groceria

GEORGE TOWN, July 23 (Bernama) -- Homegrown wholesale and retail giant Mydin Mohamed Holdings Bhd hopes to open every year, three to four of its premium supermarket, SAM's Groceria, to capture the high-end segment.

Source from (Bernama): http://www.btimes.com.my/Current_News/BTIMES/articles/PARAGON/Article/
Published: July 24, 2013

Source from (Business Times): http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v7/bu/newsbusiness.php?id=965501
Published: July 24, 2013

MYDIN Mohamed Holdings Bhd plans to open three to four "SAM's Groceria" outlets, its premium supermarket, every year.

Its managing director Datuk Ameer Ali Mydin said a second SAM's Groceria is set to open on Penang island by year-end to tap the growing high-end market there.

Mydin has earmarked RM11 million for the opening of the second store.

"A third outlet is expected to open in the Klang Valley next year at the Nu Sentral Retail Mall. We are looking to invest RM15 million there," said Ameer Ali after the soft opening of the Gurney Paragon Mall, here, yesterday.

The Gurney Paragon Mall, developed by Hunza Properties Bhd, is being positioned as a premier lifestyle shopping mall and SAM's Groceria is one of its tenants.

Other tenants include H&M, Victoria Secret's, Sephora, Debenhams, Michael Kors, Canali, Tumi, La Martina and Rabeanco.

Mydin has invested RM15 million in the first SAM's Groceria, taking up 30,000 sq ft of the mall's retail space, which includes a delicatessen.

It stocks 19,000 pork- and alcohol-free items, of which 60 per cent are imported, including premium items like cheese, butter and organic foods.

"We have also invested RM500,000 in self-scanning equipment, like those in European supermarkets, to enable customers to keep track of their expenses as they shop and also scan items for their ingredients," said Ameer Ali.

The scanners, which are manufactured by technology giant Motorola, enable shoppers to use dedicated check-out counters where their purchases have already been totalled up and can be packed faster.

Ameer Ali also said SAM's Groceria will introduce online shopping in a month or two. After selecting and paying online, shoppers can either pick up their purchases at SAM's Groceria's customer service counter in Pulau Tikus here, or pay a flat rate of RM10 for delivery within a 3km radius of the outlet.

"We want to cater to the premium segment of shoppers and it is now a matter of convincing some property developers to allow us to set up our high-end outlets within their developments," he added.