VILLAGE Grocer, operated by The Food Purveyor (TFP) opened its first branch in the City Junction Mall, Penang that enforces the prohibition of single-use plastic carrier bags, marking its 21st store in the country.
Taking up 22,000 sq ft of space in the mall, the store will allow the residents in Penang to sample a variety of high-quality food items and fresh grocer items.
According to TFP Group executive director Ivan Tan, the opening of this new outlet is part of the company’s business expansion plan and will continue planning for more branches in strategic locations around the northern region of the country.
“As a consequence of the recent lockdown, it might not be an ideal time to celebrate the opening of a new grocery outlet during the pandemic, which could garner huge crowds and pose an unnecessary risk to the community. Thus, we have concluded that the Grand Opening ceremony and other celebrations will be postponed to a later date,” he said.
That being said, the opening of the new branch managed to conduct a soft launch to celebrate the occasion and attract local residents.
Meanwhile, TFP CEO Geoff King commented: “We are delighted to be the first eco-friendly grocery store in Penang to offer re-usable plastic alternatives instead of single-use plastic carrier bags and loose-produce bags.
“We have replaced single-use plastic wraps and packaging with sustainable packaging to reduce plastic waste and added an interesting zero-waste section for dry cooking-condiments.”
This zero-plastic initiative is a part of TFP’s flagship environmental sustainability goal ‘Plastic Free by 2023’ which aims to eliminate all single-use plastic from its business operation before the end of 2023. – June 25, 2021
