KUCHING: Giant, the largest retail hypermarket group in Malaysia, will open its seventh store in the state at Jalan Semariang, Petra Jaya soon.
East Malaysia general manager (merchandise and marketing) Andrew Smith said the hypermarket’s retail owner GCH Retail (M) Sdn Bhd will hold an earth breaking ceremony at the site of the former Choice Supermall today.
“The hypermarket, a new landmark in the area, may take some 18 months to complete its 64,000 square feet. It is very strategic and will serve the people who come from the hinterland of Petra Jaya and Semariang,” he told reporters during a media chief’s appreciation night on Tuesday.
Once completed it will be Giant’s third hypermarket in Kuching after Kota Padawan and Tabuan Jaya.
Giant also has one hypermarket and one supermarket in both Sibu and Miri.
GCH also runs the Cold Storage supermarket here.
Smith said the new hypermarket would be ultra modern, clean, more customer friendly for merchandising, have a good range of product choices and most importantly fair pricing.
“In Sarawak, the customers here are very conscious of the price of goods and therefore we had to have fair pricing.
“The purchasing power and pattern here is very different here in Sarawak as compared to West Malaysia and Sabah. The people in Kuching, especially the ‘aunties’, are very good in knowing the price of items on the shelves,” he explained.
He said they chose Petra Jaya as it has a huge potential customer base and strategic location.
“We studied the demographic pattern of the consumers in the area and we know their particular needs. The marketing strategy will be different from the rest of Kuching but pricing is still our main concern,” he said.
The new hypermarket will have some 150 staff including its management team.
“Locally we are not worried of our competitors as we believe that competition is good for us and our competitors,” added Smith.
As of last November, Giant had 126 hypermarkets and supermarkets nationwide.