KUALA LUMPUR, 10 November 2020: In delivering greater convenience to customers, Tesco Stores (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd is now the country’s first major retailer to partner with the on-demand international delivery service provider, foodpanda Malaysia. Through this partnership, customers will be able to order up to 3,000 items ranging from fresh produce to groceries and have it delivered within 40 minutes.

This partnership will further strengthen Tesco’s online presence namely through its own grocery home shopping platform, Tesco Online.

“No one tries harder for customers than we do, here in Tesco. Over the years we have work in bringing accessibility to customers through our network of 62 stores nationwide, as well as value and variety through our range of Tesco Own Brand items that are generally cheaper than national brands,” said Product Director, Kenneth Chuah.

“With the Covid-19 pandemic, customers have begun to change the way they shop. Many are looking for options where they can feel safe to purchase their necessities. This partnership with foodpanda will not only be convenient for Tesco’s loyal customers, but it will also help to address those who are concerned with having to leave the safety and comfort of their homes for a grocery run,” continued Chuah.

“Quick commerce (or q-commerce) is the next-generation of e-commerce – it provides ultra-fast deliveries, with delivery times as fast as 40 minutes of ordering from an affiliated store. We have now entered the era of quick commerce, alongside a parallel shift in consumer lifestyles and preferences all across the globe. Speed and convenience is becoming more important than ever before,” said Sayantan Das, Managing Director, foodpanda Malaysia.

He added, “Our partnership with Tesco enables us to grow our services together for our customers and offer them convenience for their changing needs. Especially since people are encouraged to stay home, we are very happy to be working with a partner like Tesco to be able to offer customers the convenience of speed and effortless ordering across Malaysia.”

Klang Valley customers can now use foodpanda’s platform to order from Tesco Paradigm Mall, Kepong, Extra Cheras, Extra Puchong, Bandar Puteri Bangi, Kajang, Bukit Puchong, Shah Alam, Wangsa Walk, Setia Alam and Selayang Tesco is also aiming to expand with foodpanda into other parts of Malaysia later in the year. Customers from Melaka would then be able to order through foodpanda from Tesco Peringgit Melaka and Melaka Cheng; Negri Sembilan (Tesco Extra Seremban Jaya), Perak (Tesco Ipoh and Station 18); Penang (Tesco Penang and Bukit Mertajam) and Johor (Tesco Extra Tebrau City).

A collaborative study by Facebook and Bain & Company titled ‘Digital Consumers of Tomorrow, Here Today’ published in August 2020 noted that Malaysia’s percentage of digital consumers is at 83 percent, with 48 percent swapping to purchasing online in the past year.

Malaysia’s online grocery shopping also recorded the highest growth in online retail penetration in 2020 since 2018, propelled by the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic with consumers now going online for packaged groceries, fresh groceries and non-alcoholic drinks.