COLD Storage at Jaya Shopping Centre will officially close its doors on Dec 31 as part of GCH Retail (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd’s efforts to restructure its food business in Malaysia.
GCH Retail operates Giant, Cold Storage, Jason’s Food Hall, Mercato and Guardian stores in Malaysia.
Shoppers have been seen dropping by Cold Storage to take advantage of the attractive discounts and deals on offer.
Shelves and display racks were cleared of fresh, dry and household goods at the supermarket located in Section 14, Petaling Jaya.
Long-time patron Selva Sugumaran said everyone in his Section 14 neighbourhood was sad to see Cold Storage close down, as they have been frequenting the store for
decades since it was located in the mall then known as Jaya Supermarket.
“Cold Storage was our neighbourhood supermarket. Small, cosy and convenient, it was very easy for us to get everything we needed there, ” said Selva, who has been living in Section 14 for 60 years and is the Section 14 (Jalan 14/1 to 14/15) Residents Association chairman.
He said the store was known for its good selection of wines, cheese and imported products. There was also a small cafe inside that sold tasty and reasonably priced pastries.
Selva said Section 14 residents did not mind paying slightly more when shopping at Cold Storage as they knew they were paying for good quality products.
“It was very convenient for us as it was within walking distance from our homes, ” he said, adding that with the closure, the residents would most likely do their grocery shopping at Jaya Grocer in Jaya 33.
A GCH Retail (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd spokesman said, “The food retail sector has seen increasing competition in recent years, both in Malaysia and on a global scale. We have taken decisive action to reset and re-energise our food business in Malaysia.
“In line with our transformation plan, we are reshaping our business to better meet the needs of our customers.
“In some locations in Malaysia, that has meant a contraction of space.
“In others, we have been reinvesting and expanding our capabilities – opening and redeveloping stores, re-energising our customer offerings, ensuring quality and value as well as improving the productivity of our stores.
“While it is still early days, we are happy that the progress made has met with positive customer feedback, ” he said, adding that some of the transformations undertaken this year included the relaunch of over 36 refreshed Giant hypermarkets across Malaysia and the opening of the 37th store in Bandar Kinrara.
There is also the opening of the third Mercato store, Mercato Gurney Plaza in Penang, which features a more upscale store format.
“Cold Storage has been in Malaysia since 1963 and continues to be an iconic upscale brand for Malaysian customers.
“We remain committed to our business in Malaysia as a leading retailer and significant employer.
“While we have made changes to our store portfolio this year as part of our efforts to re-balance and reshape our business, our store network remains significant.
“This ongoing investment in our store base will lead to a stronger, more sustainable business going forward. However, we must transform to meet the rapidly changing needs of our customers and to safeguard the business for the future, ” he said.
The spokesman added that as GCH Retail strengthens its customer proposition in its food businesses, the company would continue to invest and grow the Guardian Health and Beauty stores, which are performing well in Malaysia.
According to its website, Cold Storage had 14 stores in Malaysia.
Seven stores located in Suria KLCC, Great Eastern Mall, Sunway Putra Mall, Solaris Mont Kiara and Alamanda Shopping Centre in the Klang Valley, as well as Island Plaza in Penang and Plaza Pelangi in Johor Baru remain in operations.
Besides Jaya Shopping Centre, Cold Storage had earlier closed it stores at 1 Utama Shopping Centre and Jaya One in Petaling Jaya.
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