Malaysia’s The Food Purveyor bags awards for sustainability and overall supermarket quality

In 2020, TFP successfully banned single-use plastics and launched a successful e-commerce platform.

Thirty (30) million. That’s the amount of single-use plastic bags that The Food Purveyor (TFP) is expected to reduce in 2021, after successfully reducing 6 million in 2020. 

As one of the leading premium supermarket groups in Malaysia, TFP has committed to steering its business towards sustainability and social responsibility. In January 2020, TFP launched Plastic-Free by 2023 programme to eliminate all single-use plastic it added in its store operations by the end of 2023. Almost 50 % of the supermarket’s fresh produce is now in plastic-free packaging and display, a huge leap from only 5% in early 2020. 

In addition, TFP is committed to reducing food waste and supporting underserved and vulnerable communities in Malaysia.  

Through the supermarket partnership with The Lost Food Project (a food bank NGO) established in 2017, TFP aimed to reduce food waste by donating food stocks from 19 of its stores to support and feed 56 charity homes and low-income earners.  To date, over 40 tonnes of excess food stocks or over 116,000 meals have been served. 

Customers can also contribute to The Lost Food Project through TFP’s Bites Loyalty Programme. For every 500 loyalty points, customers can donate 25 meals to feed communities. Through consistent customer engagement, TFP has collected RM97,000 in donations (~USD 24,250), equivalent to 485,350 meals served.

These initiatives are aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs), particularly SDG 2 (Zero Hunger), SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production), SDG 14 (Life Below Water), and SDG 17 (Partnership for The Goals).

Not only has the supermarket been awarded Sustainability Initiative of the Year - Malaysia at the Retail Asia Awards 2021. TFP is also Supermarket of the Year - Malaysia through its widely popular Village Grocer chain, which provides distinct grocery offerings and food products ranging from fresh produce and popular brands to rare-to-find local and international delicacies. 

Established in 2004, Village Grocer now has 21 stores in Penang, Greater Kuala Lumpur, and Johor Bahru catering to high-end discerning shoppers with a modern lifestyle. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, Village Grocer has continued to offer unparalleled service, exclusively bringing in Woolworth products straight from Australia and rebranding its organics section to cater to a wider range of healthy diets.

Today, Village Grocer stamped its brand on a variety of products, from microwave ready-meals to fresh meat and pastries. On top of this, Village Grocer opened Baker’s Village, a bakery café format that allows customers to sample cakes and pastries over a cup of coffee. 

COVID-19 pushed the pedal for the launch of Bites Shop, TFP’s e-commerce platform. Originally slated for a November 2020 launch, Bites Shop was opened proactively in March to fulfill the growing demand for fresh groceries by customers staying at home. 

Bites Shop now has nine delivery stores covering Greater Kuala Lumpur areas. Since the launch of Bites Shop as an e-commerce player, Village Grocer has seen a month-to-month growth of 20-30%, which has doubled during the MCO or Movement Control order period.

As a result of its passion for top-notch service and commitment to social responsibility, Village Grocer grew the membership of its loyalty programme to more than 300,000 members, accounting for over 50% of sales. 

Watch the interview below to know more about their winning project: