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No supermarket at VivoCity for several months


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No supermarket at VivoCity for several months; FairPrice Xtra to open by Q3 2019

 


When the Giant hypermarket in VivoCity mall shuts on Feb 17, patrons will find the shopping complex devoid of a supermarket for several months until rival chain NTUC FairPrice opens its biggest store there later this year.

 

VivoCity houses another supermarket, Cold Storage, but it too will shut on the same day, TODAY has learnt. Giant and Cold Storage are managed by retail group Dairy Farm.

 

TODAY reported in September last year on the closure of Giant at VivoCity. The outlet, which was spread over two levels, opened in 2006 and is among the mall’s anchor tenants.

 

FairPrice, the largest supermarket chain here, is set to take over the space by the third quarter of this year. The FairPrice Xtra outlet, spanning 90,000 sq ft, will be its largest in Singapore.

 

A FairPrice spokesperson said the store will boast “unique features” but did not elaborate.

 

In October last year, Ms Sharon Lim, the chief executive officer of Mapletree Commercial Trust Management — which oversees VivoCity — said FairPrice will bring a “new integrated concept” to cater to the varied needs of shoppers, and this is expected to improve the mall’s offerings.

 

With only a fortnight before the Giant outlet shuts, regular patrons told TODAY on Friday (Feb 1) that they would be inconvenienced and would have to visit other supermarkets.

 

Housewife Maria Peter, 57, visits the hypermarket several times a week and was sad to see it go. “The store has a good variety of produce and the prices are reasonable. It’s very upsetting,” said Mrs Peter, a Tiong Bahru resident.

 

After the store shuts, she will have to shop at the FairPrice Finest supermarket at Tiong Bahru Plaza or visit the Giant Express store at Jalan Membina in Bukit Merah.

 

Mr James Fernandez, 59, frequents Giant’s VivoCity outlet because of its range of offerings.

 

“I prefer this store because of the choices and quality, and they refresh it pretty often. It’s very difficult to replace,” said the part-time lecturer.

 

He will go to a FairPrice outlet at Bukit Merah after the hypermarket shuts. Mr Fernandez said he may have fewer reasons to visit VivoCity in future, as “there is no reason to come here except to eat”.

 

A resident of Sentosa who wanted to be known only as Mrs Tan, 55, said she may turn to online grocer RedMart or visit supermarkets in Telok Blangah and Pasir Panjang. She was surprised that FairPrice would open its outlet only several months later.

 

Giant’s closure of its VivoCity hypermarket comes after it shut two stores in Bukit Panjang and Jalan Tenteram in Whampoa estate last year, TODAY reported previously.

 

The chain is also reviewing if business will remain viable in at least three other stores. The outlets — at The Grandstand mall on Turf Club Road, Block 512 on Bishan Street 13, and Block 118 on Aljunied Avenue 2 — are being reviewed for lease renewals and store performance, among other considerations.

 

When approached on Friday, a spokesperson for Dairy Farm said the business has progressively redeployed its employees from its VivoCity outlets to other stores. A “core team” remains at VivoCity to serve patrons.

 

The spokesperson did not say if other stores will be shutting this year, but noted that the company reviews its strategy continually and adjusts its “portfolio mix to meet the evolving tastes and demands” of its customers. “For us, this is business as usual.”  

 

OFFER AN EXPERIENCE

 

In the first half of last year, operating profit for Dairy Farm’s hypermarket and supermarket businesses dropped to US$33.2 million (S$44.8 million) from US$71.3 million in the same period the year before.

 

Dr Michael Chiam, a senior tourism lecturer at Ngee Ann Polytechnic, suggested it could make shopping more experiential by setting up a cafe or conducting cooking lessons in its stores, for instance.

 

Mr Samuel Tan, course manager of the retail management diploma at Temasek Polytechnic’s School of Business, said Giant could be competing with players targeting similar customers and with similar product sources, such as Sheng Siong, another supermarket chain.

 

Hence, it needs to reinvent itself by introducing more house brands or exclusive products.

 

As for the future FairPrice Xtra outlet in VivoCity, Dr Chiam said it could consider a lifestyle theme and feature an in-store cafe.

 

“Customers could select the ingredients found in the supermarket and the cafe offers to cook (a dish) for them at a fee,” he said.

 

Mr Tan noted that FairPrice has been testing ideas at its Paya Lebar store, where shoppers can collect their purchases at a pick-up point, for instance.

 

It could build on the concept at VivoCity, enabling consumers to scan a product or quick-response code to better understand the product, its possible uses or cooking methods, he said.

 

“Fresh food from farms, ready food with seasoning and dine-in options could be considered as part of the shopper’s experience,” Mr Tan added.


 

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Not really surprising with the increasing popularity of online shopping, although I am sad to see it go.

 

I think that Dairy Farm can still improve Giant business model in terms of better pricing and variety. And also integrate online shopping as well.

Cold Storage has the exclusivity for that and serving consumers of the upper mid tier markets with its wide range of products, including some house brands. 

Life style theme seems rather useless since it is mostly ends up like a short term fad.

 

Meanwhile there is still a Cold Storage in Harbourfront. 

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Vivo default always so many people, even there is no supermarket there i think the place still very crowded. Anyway, good to open NTUC Xtra, i prefer NTUC than other supermarket. Seems like Giant closed many of their outlets?

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Look at the surrounding residential population... Almost 90% private housing and across the causeway multimillion sentosa cove properties.

 

Giant at Vivo at that floor size (read rental) is a stretch.

 

If you ask me, they should have closed giant and expand the cold storage to about half the size of giant.

The cold storage can offer even wider unique selection of international products that expats and higher income shoppers will travel there specifically to buy. Online shopping and delivery is a given must have. 

 

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Look at the surrounding residential population... Almost 90% private housing and across the causeway multimillion sentosa cove properties.

 

Giant at Vivo at that floor size (read rental) is a stretch.

 

If you ask me, they should have closed giant and expand the cold storage to about half the size of giant.

The cold storage can offer even wider unique selection of international products that expats and higher income shoppers will travel there specifically to buy. Online shopping and delivery is a given must have. 

NTUC will occupied the same floor size as the Giant?

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Vivo default always so many people, even there is no supermarket there i think the place still very crowded. Anyway, good to open NTUC Xtra, i prefer NTUC than other supermarket. Seems like Giant closed many of their outlets?

 

Just don't close the Tampines one. 

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Always felt Giant regular price are not cheap, unless it has special promotion.

At least SS and Fairprice regular price are cheaper.

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I only like the Giant bakery stuff. Their fruits and vege not fresh and so ugly looking. And why would I be so hard up for passion card points? The previous Shop N Save outlets which has now become Giant usually very messy because of the small space. 

Rather pay more at NTUC, at least the QC is better even at the non-Finest branches and earn the more useful linkpoints.

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Always felt Giant regular price are not cheap, unless it has special promotion.

At least SS and Fairprice regular price are cheaper.

Agree giant feel more ex

 

I rather go ntuc or sheng siong

NTUC will occupied the same floor size as the Giant?

Ntuc will occupy giant + cold storage
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Ntuc prices are the same across the board. Regardless normal, xtra or finest. Its a ntuc thing. Dairy farm prices are not the same. Even 7-11 prices vary depending on location.

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I only like the Giant bakery stuff. Their fruits and vege not fresh and so ugly looking. And why would I be so hard up for passion card points? The previous Shop N Save outlets which has now become Giant usually very messy because of the small space. 

Rather pay more at NTUC, at least the QC is better even at the non-Finest branches and earn the more useful linkpoints.

 

Fully agreed.

Those former shop & save the vege and fruits nows are messy and a lot of time not fresh.

 

For Bakery, no local supermarket come close to the former Carrefour.

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Fully agreed.

Those former shop & save the vege and fruits nows are messy and a lot of time not fresh.

 

For Bakery, no local supermarket come close to the former Carrefour.

Speaking of Carrefour, it should come back to Suntec City again.

The Giant at Suntec City is not giant at all.

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"VivoCity houses another supermarket, Cold Storage, but it too will shut on the same day."

 

There's a cold storage at Vivo? 

 

Cold storage is at the entrance to the giant.

 

I always thought it was weird because CS and Giant are owned by the same fellows.

 

Anyway, I seldom visit Vivo (too crowded) but will miss Giant there. Don't think I will even walk around NTUC or SS. 

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Twincharged

I never knew there is a supermarket in vivo.ð

 

I think i one hand can count the number of times i visited vivo.

I am the weird one here... Everywhere I go, especially when overseas, I will always target the supermarkets there. So even though my visits to vivo also can hand count, but my favourite place will be the supermarket.
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