Food + Drink

MCO 2021: 7 Initiatives by Malaysian food enterprises to ease the burden of Covid-19

11.04.2022

By Sanjeeva Suresh

MCO 2021: 7 Initiatives by Malaysian food enterprises to ease the burden of Covid-19

From Four Points by Sheraton Kuala Lumpur, Chinatown and Agrain’s “Thumbs Up Movement” to KitchenCo and Bar-United’s virtual initiatives, here is how the food industry is doing their part to give back 1. Growers Market by Low Yat Group

1. Growers Market by Low Yat Group

Photo: The Low Yat Group

The Low Yat Group has long been a pioneer of both the property development and investment industries. The pandemic brought on by Covid-19 has seen them make the move beyond residential and commercial real estate into the food and beverage sector. The Growers Market at Rivercity is an initiative by the Low Yat Group which seeks to overcome Malaysia’s need for alternative ways to shop for food in lieu of community wet markets downsizing or closing down. Growers Market is a one-stop destination where consumers are able to have direct access to wholesalers, importers and distributors that sell quality products and produce. The Growers Market aims to provide an avenue for local growers, farmers, wholesalers and emerging artisan food entrepreneurs as well as home bakers to start and grow their businesses. This also allows fresh graduates to explore entrepreneurship. Budding personnel from the food and beverage industry that have lost their jobs due to the pandemic can also use this to find new opportunities. With the Growers Market, Low Yat aims to answer the need for an alternative platform for local food entrepreneurs to step forward and grow.

Photo: The Low Yat Group

Address: 468-16, Rivercity, Jalan Sultan Azlan Shah, 51200 Kuala Lumpur

Contact: 03 2615 0200

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2. bouchon Enfin by James Won

Photo: bouchon Enfin

Bouchon Enfin aims to make French cuisine accessible to locals by adding a Malaysian twist. Beyond the kitchen, the BeKind Group is also extending its efforts in giving back to the community by donating 10 per cent of its sales from Bouchon Enfin and Enfin to its partner charities and foundations. They range from orphanages to refugee communities and homeless outreach programmes. Bouchon Enfin will also be introducing a special sandwich cart every morning throughout the MCO period, complimentary to essential workers and those in need.

Photo: bouchon Enfin

Address: Lot C3.10.02 Level 3, Pavilion Kuala Lumpur, 168, Jln Bukit Bintang, 55100 Kuala Lumpur

Contact: 012 669 9156

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3. Bar-United

Photo: Bar-United

Do you miss your nights out? Well, social drinking has now gone digital in the form of Bar-United, a virtual platform by Pernod Ricard Malaysia. The aim is to reunite Malaysians with their favourite local bars and entertainment businesses. An interactive virtual playground, Bar-United integrates online shopping and deliveries, e-bar hopping and live-streamed events. This, in turn, helps promote and support local businesses. The platform assists with the delivery services too. Hop onto the site and customers can order cocktails from one of the partnering bars within the Klang Valley or even join virtual tables (up to four people) that offer video call and chat functions.

Photo: Bar-United

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4. KitchenCo – Cloud Kitchen

Photo: KitchenCo

Siva Sachi and Raj Krishnasamy are the masterminds behind KitchenCo — Cloud Kitchen, specialising in food and beverage delivery services done via a “cloud” system. It is a one-stop, multi-cuisine outlet that offers delivery with no dine-ins. The idea came after the implementation of the first Movement Control Order last year when they saw a drastic drop in rentals for business premises. KitchenCo utilises smart-technology to operate in food services that sell high-quality meals with an affordable price range. The team currently consists of 15 people — some of whom have lost their jobs during MCO. They presently host a curation of 10 food brands that can be ordered via Grab Food, Food Panda, AirAsia Food and Beepit. Moving forward, the duo seeks to expand their business by both creating jobs and by expanding to large cities in the peninsula and East Malaysia.

Photo: KitchenCo

Address: 21-G, Taman Taiping, Jalan Tandok, Bangsar, 59100 Kuala Lumpur

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5. The Fire Grill

Photo: The Fire Grill

The Fire Grill aims to help those who are hit the hardest by the pandemic. In a show of solidarity, The Fire Grill’s owner Shankar Santhiram is donating a portion of his business’s profit. “We have decided on moving away from profit orientation, and we are giving our profits away by organising between 500 to 700 meals each week. During the first MCO, we managed to raise RM60,263 and we were able to serve 10,000 meals. For MCO 2.0, we are donating 20 per cent of our profits away,” says Santhiram.

That’s right: 20 per cent of The Fire Grill’s revenue during MCO 2.0 will be channelled to The Fire Grill’s MCO 2.0 Meals Initiative. The initiative provides cooked food to Persatuan OKU Sentral and the Kechara Soup Kitchen. So, something as simple as ordering a takeaway or delivery from The Fire Grill would end up contributing to supporting those in need.

Photo: The Fire Grill

Address: 24, Jalan Datuk Sulaiman, Taman Tun Dr Ismail, 60000 Kuala Lumpur

Contact: 03 7492 2197

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6.  Four Points by Sheraton Kuala Lumpur, Chinatown X Agrain

Photo: Agrain

MCO 2.0 sees Four Points by Sheraton Kuala Lumpur, Chinatown team up with Agrain to give back to essential workers via their “Thumbs Up Movement”. The project aims to support essential workers such as everyday food delivery drivers, police officers, firemen, ambulance drivers, restaurant crew, grocery storekeepers, cleaners, among many others.

 

All you have to do is:

  • Take a thumbs up pic of an essential worker and share it on your social media #ThumbsUpMovement #DriveThruWithLove @agrainmy @fourpointskualalumpurchinatown and follow both accounts
  •  You’ll get unique codes for x2 RM10 off Agrain in-house delivery and x1 discounted night stay at Four Points by Sheraton Kuala Lumpur, Chinatown inclusive of breakfast for 2 and room upgrade for RM179/night (worth RM270)
  • Every promo code redemption by you will entitle an essential worker to a free meal sponsored by Agrain and Four Points by Sheraton Kuala Lumpur, Chinatown.

Four Points by Sheraton Kuala Lumpur, Chinatown and Agrain will be distributing free meals to essential workers via a curbside pickup every Sunday from 12pm – 2pm throughout MCO 2.0.

Four Points by Sheraton Kuala Lumpur, Chinatown 

Address: 2, Jalan Balai Polis, City Centre, 50000 Kuala Lumpur

Contact: 03 2035 7333

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Agrain Address:

Bangsar South:The Sphere, Unit 1-6, level 1, No 1, Avenue, 1, Bangsar South, 59200 Kuala Lumpur

Contact: 012 680 5950

Intermark:Level LC-17, Food Hall, Intermark Mall, 348, Jln Tun Razak, 50400 Kuala Lumpur

Contact: 03 2271 0547

Gardens North Tower:Suite G01, Ground Floor, The Gardens North Tower, Lingkaran Syed Putra, Mid Valley City, 59200 Kuala Lumpur

Contact: 03 2202 0595

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7. The Hope Branch

Photo: The Hope Branch

Established by Harith Iskander and Dr Jezamine Lim, The Hope Branch is an initiative created to raise funds for those affected by Covid-19. The organisation works closely with KitaJagaKita to execute speedy aid delivery and stay connected with medical frontliners. They cover support to vulnerable homes and transit homes that include child care homes, orphanages, and elderly homes, among others. Aside from daily meal distributions around Klang Valley and Selangor, the organisation also travels to other parts of Malaysia as part of its meal distribution program. Most recently, The Hope Branch made a trip to Johor and Pahang to provide flood relief (in the form of food and essential items like toiletries) to affected families.

Photo: The Hope Branch

If you would like to make a donation to the Food Drive & Flood Drive, click here.

For more information on how you can help with flood relief, click here.

Contact: 019 7093 103

Email: thehopebranch@gmail.com

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