During a time of economic hardship due to COVID-19, Tesco Stores Malaysia seeks to inspire hope by shining a spotlight on its local SME suppliers that are bringing in many seasonal delicacies for customers to enjoy this holiday season.
“Tesco had long been a big supporter of local SMEs and brands. This has been demonstrated time and time again through our ongoing promotion for locally made products in our stores well as the fact that about 80 percent of our Tesco Own Brand products are sourced and manufactured by local SMEs,” said Tesco Product Director, Kenneth Chuah.
“We feel even strongly to help our local SMEs in giving them that extra support now, as many have been impacted by the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. As a retailer with 60 stores nationwide and millions of customers, these SMEs will now have the exposure that they need to take their brand to the next level during our Raya Jimat, Raya Selamat campaign.”
SMEs are the backbone of the Malaysian economy, representing up to 98 percent of all business within the country. Up to 40 percent of the nation’s GDP is contributed by SMEs, with almost two-thirds of the workforce also being employed by them. The Movement Control Order which was implemented in March 2020 has had a devastating impact on SME business and viability.
Two of the SMEs that are joining Tesco for the first time are cottage industry distributor, Yosh Ventures Sdn Bhd, and Malaysian snacks wholesaler, DNS Kacang Puteh Sdn Bhd.
With this collaboration, SMEs such as these help support small-scale suppliers by putting their products on Tesco shelves, granting them an opportunity to elevate their brand and exposure.
Since the beginning of the year, Tesco has added 12 new SMEs onto its shelves as part of its support towards the local business industry. Meanwhile, The Raya Jimat, Raya Selamat campaign is currently ongoing in all Tesco stores and multichannel platforms inclusive of Tesco Online, Lazada, and Shopee to 30th July 2020.
