KK Super Mart

KK Supermart & Superstore Sdn. Bhd.
KK Super Mart
Company typePrivate limited company
IndustryGrocery stores, convenience stores, retail
FoundedJanuary 2001; 23 years ago (January 2001) in Kuchai Lama
FounderDatuk Seri Chai Kee Kan (蔡志权, CEO and Executive Chairman)
HeadquartersMenara KK, Tower 6, Maju Link, Jalan Lingkaran Tengah 2, Bandar Tasik Selatan,
Kuala Lumpur
,
Malaysia
Number of locations
653+ (2022)
Area served
Malaysia, Nepal, India[1]
BrandsKK Concept Store, KK Food Court, KK Kopitiam
ParentKK Group of Companies
Websitekkgroup.my

KK Supermart & Superstore Sdn Bhd, doing business as KK Super Mart, is a Malaysian convenience store chain owned and operated by KK Group of Companies.[2]

History

Established in 2001, it is named after its founder, Datuk Seri Dr. Chai Kee Kan. The first location of KK Supermart occupied the ground floor of a shoplot at Kuchai Entrepreneurs Park in Kuala Lumpur with an initial capital of only RM 60,000.[3]

It started out by focusing mainly in the Klang Valley region, Putrajaya, Cyberjaya, KLIA2, Malacca and Seremban. KK Super Mart also has branches in other countries such as Nepal and India. In 2019, KK Super Mart had launched its first outlet at a LRT station which was the Kelana Jaya LRT station.[4][5]

The retailer currently operates 650 outlets with rapidly expanding by average 10 stores a month.[6] The company entered into a partnership in 2019 with UniPin, an Indonesian payment gateway focused on online gaming.[7]

In July 2022, KK Supermart signed a MOU with GS25, a leading convenience store in South Korea with over 16,000 outlets worldwide. Following Vietnam and Mongolia, Malaysia is the third country that GS25 has expanded into.

According to their statement, KK Supermart is targeting to open first GS25 in third quarter of 2023 and 500 outlets in the next 5 years. They also will open franchisee opportunity to local business owner who interested to open their own GS25 outlet.[8]

Controversy

Socks bearing the word 'Allah'

Main article: 2024 Allah word socks controversy

In March 2024, socks bearing the word “Allah” were found to be sold in several outlets of KK Super Mart. Photographs of the offending item went viral online and have triggered backlash from netizens and prominent public figures, with some calling for a boycott of the convenience store.[9][10] The incident was a sensitive issue within the Muslim community in the country as it occurred during the holy month of Ramadan. The King of Malaysia was also outraged at it and had requested the authorities to proceed with investigations.[11]

References

  1. ^ "KK Super Mart Others Location".
  2. ^ "KK Supermart to expand ops". The Star. Retrieved 2024-03-26.
  3. ^ "Our Journey". KK GROUP. Retrieved 2021-09-11.
  4. ^ "KK Supermart : 7 Days Opening Promotion @ Kelana Jaya!". BigSale Malaysia. Retrieved 2021-09-10.
  5. ^ "KK Super Mart". KK GROUP. Retrieved 2021-09-10.
  6. ^ "Cover Story: 99 Speedmart and KK Super Mart hasten expansion". The Edge Markets. 2021-05-13. Retrieved 2021-09-10.
  7. ^ "UniPin appoints KK Super Mart as official retailer". The Malaysian Reserve. September 6, 2019. Retrieved September 11, 2021.
  8. ^ "South Korea convenience store GS25 announces partnership with KK Mart in Malaysia". The Retail in Aisa. July 13, 2022. Retrieved November 24, 2022.
  9. ^ "KK Mart 'Allah' Socks Fiasco: What Happened And 3 Facts You Need To Know". says. July 13, 2022. Retrieved March 21, 2024.
  10. ^ "K Mart draws ire after controversial sock issue, Religious Affairs minister steps in". Marketing -interctive. July 13, 2022.
  11. ^ "Malaysia's king slams mini-mart chain in rare royal rebuke over 'Allah' socks". scmp. July 13, 2022. Retrieved March 21, 2024.
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