Cold Storage (supermarket)
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| Company type | Private (1903–1992) Subsidiary (1992–) |
|---|---|
| Industry | Retail |
| Founded | 3 June 1903 in Singapore[1] |
| Headquarters | 21 Tampines North Drive 2 #03-01 Singapore 528765 |
Area served | Asia-Pacific |
Key people | Chris Bush, CEO[citation needed] |
| Products | Grocery Stores, No Frills Supermarkets |
| Parent | Dairy Farm Group |
| Website | www.coldstorage.com.sg |
Cold Storage is a Singaporean multinational supermarket company currently owned by DFI Retail Group. Its parent company also operates Market Place stores, now branded as Cold Storage Fresh, as well as the Giant hypermarket brand, and has various other supermarkets around Asia including Hero and Wellcome.
Founded in 1903 as the Singapore Cold Storage Company,[1] Cold Storage was one of the first supermarkets in Singapore to offer its merchandise online in 1997. The number of regular customers has since grown from 6,000 in 1998, to more than 15,000 in 2012.[2] In 1992, DFI purchased the company.
SGS has awarded a HACCP certification to Cold Storage, for its quality and integrity in food safety.[3] As of 2022, Cold Storage operates 50 stores in Singapore,[4] located across the country in city centre, affluent suburbs and HDB (public housing) estates.[5]
History
[edit]Early years
[edit]Established in 1903 in Singapore, Cold Storage started as a small depot storing and selling mainly frozen meat.[6] Cold Storage was then known as the Singapore Cold Storage Company, and was the main manufacturer of ice in Singapore. Taking advantage of the booming ice manufacturing and refrigeration business, Cold Storage ventured into the ice cream business. In 1923, a small factory was set up at the Borneo Wharf of the Harbourfront district to manufacture ice cream under the Paradise brand.[7]
In its early days, the company's primary concern was to have a quick and profitable turnover of its imported meats and range of products. Cold Storage later shifted from counter-service to self-service, introducing the supermarket to Singapore.[citation needed]
Tropical dairy farm
[edit]In 1937, Cold Storage founded the world's first tropical dairy farm at the Bukit Timah district of Singapore, which aimed to produce fresh pasteurised milk. This farm, then known as the Singapore Dairy Farm, was situated inside what is now the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve. It kept as many as 800 cows. Pasteurised milk produced at the farm was packaged in pyramid-shaped cartons and sold under the brand Magnolia.[8][9][10]
Cold Storage is the Singapore's oldest established supermarket operator.[citation needed] It was the first supermarket in Singapore to receive the CaseTrust Mark introduced by the Consumer Association of Singapore (CASE) in 1998 which identifies companies that receive a high degree of consumer confidence.[citation needed] It was also the first supermarket in Singapore to receive MUIS certification for its supermarket operations at Causeway Point in Woodlands, thus providing Muslims with the assurance of Halal purchases.[11]
Recent years
[edit]In 1985, Cold Storage Malaysia opened its first Majik Market store in Bangsar Baru, Kuala Lumpur,[12] It operated under a franchise from Mumford Inc of Atlanta, USA,[13] which complements its existing Jaya Supermarket chain but differ in concept and management.[12] Due to competition from 7-Eleven, whose Malaysian franchise was then operated by the Antah Holdings group, Cold Storage Malaysia phased out Majik Market as part of its streamlining process.[13]
Cold Storage Malaysia, along with Peremba, Gaya Timur and Jusco were responsible for the initial version of Jaya Jusco "superstores" in 1985, with three stores in Dayabumi, Taman Tun Dr Ismail and Subang Jaya.[12]
In 1987, Cold Storage Malaysia, which had went through a difficult financial phase in the past three years, had a change in management with some senior executives left.[13]
In 1992, DFI Retail Group purchased the company, although no major changes were made to the Cold Storage brand.[citation needed]
Cold Storage started the Fresh Food Distribution Centre in Singapore in 1999, a composite multi-temperature warehousing for fresh and frozen food distribution.[14]
In 2023, DFI Retail Group divested its Malaysian food retailing business (including Cold Storage brand in that country) to Macrovalue Sdn Bhd.[15][16]
Brands
[edit]Private labels
[edit]Cold Storage supermarkets sell products from DFI's Meadows and Yu Pin King private labels.[citation needed]
Cold Storage Fresh and Mercató
[edit]Cold Storage Fresh (formerly Market Place, Jasons and Jasons Deli) in Singapore, Mercató was formerly known as Jasons Food Hall and had started business in 1975.[17] Now, It operates five stores in Singapore.[18]
Giant
[edit]Giant, a subsidiary of Cold Storage, is one of the largest players of the retail industry in Singapore as well as in Malaysia, having over 85 branches spread throughout the country. It was founded by the Teng family in 1944. Prices at Giant are significantly cheaper than at Cold Storage.[citation needed]
Shop N Save
[edit]Dairy Farm Singapore acquired Shop N Save in 2003, 35 stores from QAF and Belgian retailer, Delhaize.[19]
It was a former discount supermarket chain in Singapore, operating 50 stores located across the island in HDB estates and suburban malls.[20] It sells a range of cheap products and fresh food. In 2013, it was merged with Giant.[21]
Notes and references
[edit]- ^ a b Lim, Siew Yeen. "Cold Storage". eresources.nlb.gov.sg. National Library Board. Retrieved 24 April 2022.
- ^ "shopping at store online". Cold Storage (Dairy Farm Singapore). Archived from the original on 6 May 2009. Retrieved 10 May 2009.
- ^ "store brands concept". Cold Storage (Dairy Farm Slalalaingapore). Archived from the original on 6 May 2009. Retrieved 10 May 2009.
- ^ "Cold Storage store locations". Cold Storage (Dairy Farm Singapore). Archived from the original on 13 May 2009. Retrieved 10 May 2009.
- ^ "Our Story | Cold Storage Singapore". Cold Storage Online. Retrieved 24 April 2022.
- ^ Goh, Chor Boon (2003). Serving Singapore: a hundred years of Cold Storage, 1903-2003. Singapore: Cold Storage Singapore. ISBN 9813065702.
- ^ Boon, Goh Chor (4 June 2013). "7. Food and Singapore Cold Storage". Technology and Entrepot Colonialism in Singapore, 1819-1940. ISEAS Publishing. pp. 168–195. doi:10.1355/9789814414098-010. ISBN 978-981-4414-09-8.
- ^ "S'pore was once home to the world's first successful tropical dairy farm". mothership.sg. Retrieved 7 April 2022.
- ^ "Be proud of our local brands". Home & Decor Singapore. 29 March 2017. Retrieved 7 April 2022.
- ^ dairyreporter.com. "Paving of Singapore's original dairy farm takes away chunk of pioneering past". dairyreporter.com. Retrieved 7 April 2022.
- ^ Migration (3 May 2015). "Halal grocers popping up | The Straits Times". www.straitstimes.com. Retrieved 14 July 2022.
- ^ a b c "Cold Storage (M) to start chain of superstores". Business Times (Singapore). 27 February 1985.
- ^ a b c "Cold Storage (M) poised for growth". Business Times (Singapore). 10 February 1988.
- ^ "corporate history". Cold Storage (Dairy Farm Singapore). Archived from the original on 6 May 2009. Retrieved 10 May 2009.
- ^ "Giant operator Dairy Farm sells grocery business to Malaysian company". The Edge Malaysia. 23 February 2023. Retrieved 22 March 2024.
- ^ "Giant hypermarkets to be replaced by Giant Malls". The Edge Malaysia. 21 March 2023. Retrieved 22 March 2024.
- ^ "about Jasons Market Place (Chinese Version)". Jasons Market Place Taiwan. Archived from the original on 25 May 2009. Retrieved 10 May 2009.
- ^ "Market Place store locations". Cold Storage (Dairy Farm Singapore).
- ^ "corporate milestones in 2003". Cold Storage (Dairy Farm Singapore). Archived from the original on 25 May 2009. Retrieved 10 May 2009.
- ^ "Shop N Save store locations". Cold Storage (Dairy Farm Singapore). Archived from the original on 13 May 2009. Retrieved 10 May 2009.
- ^ "Shop n Save supermarket outlets to be converted to Giant stores". The Straits Times. 1 April 2013. Retrieved 5 April 2020.
