SAM’S GROCERIA OFFICIALLY LAUNCHES ITS FIRST PREMIUM URBAN GROCER AT GURNEY PARAGON, PENANG

First retailer in the Asia-Pacific region to introduce the use of the Personal Shopping System by Motorola Solutions that is set to provide an even more convenient and hassle-free shopping experience

PENANG: SAM’s Groceria, the latest premium urban grocer to hit the Malaysian market was officially launched today by Dato’ Hasan bin Malek, the Minister of Domestic Trade, Cooperatives, and Consumerism at the Gurney Paragon Mall. Also present at the launch was Datuk Wira (Dr) Haji Ameer Ali bin Mydin, Executive Director of SAM’s Groceria and Dato’ Khor Teng Tong, Executive Chairman of Hunza Properties Bhd.

With a  total investment of RM34 million, SAM’s Groceria marks homegrown wholesale and retail titans, MYDIN’s first venture to capture the high-end grocer segment. The store at Gurney Paragon is the first of three premium grocers set to open within the next year with a second grocer – to be launched also in Penang - opening its doors by mid 2014. The third will be launched within the second quarter of 2014 at an undisclosed location in Kuala Lumpur.

Anand Mehta, the Retail Director of Motorola Solutions, Asia Pacific with the SAM’s Self Scan device at SAM’s Groceria.

“The introduction of SAM’s Groceria is a natural progression for us as we recognize the potential in the high-end market segment. The decision to kick start our first two premium grocers in Penang was a conscious one as we recognize that Penang-ites have got high disposable income yet, there lacks an outlet to cater for this highly affluent group”, Datuk Wira (Dr)  Haji Ameer Ali bin Mydin, Executive Director of SAM’s Groceria said.

Positioning itself as a family-oriented neighbourhood grocer, the 30,000 sq. ft. SAM’s Groceria boasts a wide range of over 19,000 pork and alcohol-free products of which, 60% of the brands carried in store are fully imported from countries such as the United States, Australia, Japan, Taiwan, India, Pakistan, and Thailand, to name a few.

SAM’s also houses a delicatessen called SAM’s Deli, which offers freshly made premium Western and local cuisine ranging from a variety of pastas to nasi lemak and also a selection of beverages at reasonable prices.

Minister of Domestic Trade, Co-operatives and Consumerism, Dato’ Hasan bin Malek ‘checks-out’ with his purchases at SAM’s Groceria Gurney Paragon Mall. Looking on are Anand Mehta, the Retail Director of Motorola Solutions, Asia Pacific (second from left), Touch ‘n Go Chief Executive Officer, Abdul Karim Md Lassim (third from left) and SAM’s Groceria Executive Director, Datuk Wira (Dr.) Haji Ameer Ali bin Mydin.

Equipped with a total staff size of 90, SAM’s also ensures that the individuals working at its store are well trained and familiarized with every product sold on its shelves to ensure that they in turn can provide as much assistance and information as possible to the customers.

“When you walk into our store and see the phrase ‘Life Made Fresher’, that isn’t just a tagline to us. It’s a promise that at SAM’s you will only obtain the freshest and best quality produce as it is our goal to cultivate a healthier and fitter lifestyle among our shoppers”, Datuk Wira (Dr) Haji Ameer Ali bin Mydin added.

SAM’s Groceria is also taking an innovative approach to store design, layout and merchandising, while incorporating the use of leading-edge technologies to connect with customers and help them check out with greater ease. With the objective of accelerating the checkout process at the store, increasing efficiency at point of sale and improving customer service, SAM’s Groceria has partnered with Motorola Solutions to implement the Personal Shopping System called Sam’s Self Scan at its very first store in Malaysia. The Personal Shopping System consists of Motorola Solutions portable handheld MC17 series mobile computers powered by Re-Vision B.V., their global partner and the world-leading provider of self-scanning solutions.

“In understanding global trends and wanting to introduce the same into the Malaysia market, we are very pleased to be the turnkey solution provider to implement the personal shopping system for Sam’s Groceria. In this case, the unprecedented personal shopping system delivers the vision of personalizing every individual consumer’s experience in the store with a dynamic interaction between the customer and the products”, Anand Mehta, Retail Director of Motorola Solutions, Asia Pacific said.

“Self-scanning is set to revolutionise the shopping experience for shoppers here in Asia. So far, we have seen our European retailers embracing the technology as their customers have shown a keen interest and acceptance in using it while recognising the immense benefits from the solution. We are honored that SAM’s Groceria have chosen for the solution from Re-Vision and Motorola to bring this new shopping concept to their customers in Malaysia”, added Michel Haagmans, CEO of Re-Vision B.V.

Equipped with this portable mobile computer device that comes with an integrated bar code scanner, customers will be able to perform self-scanning by scanning the barcode of the items they want to purchase, placing the items direct into a shopping bag as they walk through the store aisles. Sam’s Self Scan allows shoppers to then head to the nearest dedicated self-checkout counter. With all the necessary information already scanned into the device, they can swiftly pay for their purchases without having to wait in long queues and burdened with unloading the shopping cart and re-bagging their purchases, helping to save time.

SAM’s shoppers will also be able to be a part of its loyalty program, the SAM’s Family Card, which will be integrated with the latest technology to further enhance their shopping experience. By doing so, SAM’s shoppers can look forward to the store’s exclusive offers and seasonal products.

In addition, as part of a service offered in collaboration with E-Pay, SAM’s shoppers will also be able to top-up their mobile credits and pay their utility bills at the store’s cashier counters. Another unique feature is that SAM’s offers capabilities for shoppers to also pay for their purchases via the use of TouchnGo cards.

In the near future, SAM’s Groceria has plans to introduce an online shopping service to offer a more convenient shopping experience. After customers are done selecting and paying for their purchases, customers have the option of picking up their groceries from SAM’s customer care counter or for them to be delivered to their doorstep.

The first SAM’s Groceria at Gurney Paragon Mall, Penang, opened its doors on 22 July 2013. The grocer opens daily from 9AM – 10PM. For more information about Sam’s and its exclusive offers, visit www.samsgroceria.com or “Like” our Facebook page (www.facebook.com/samsgroceria) and follow us on Twitter: @samsgroceria.