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02-11-2014, 12:21 PM
Sheng Siong’s strategy as a low-cost neighbourhood supermarket player, with a niche focus in fresh seafood & poultry
Given the intense competition in the local supermarket scene, I think it has adopted the right strategy in avoiding head-on competition with NTUC & Cold Storage, which are usually well-located in MRT stations & shopping malls & well-established posh neighbourhoods. Instead it has focused on taking over the role of traditional wet markets in the suburbs, by being the alternative to the wet market.
Here are my general views after visiting two outlets:-
Hygiene standards not up to scratch: some staff at the outlets were not wearing gloves. I saw the staff handling fish and cutting meat with bare fingers. At Cold Storage, the staff were at least wearing gloves in the hand cutting the meat. At Giant at Vivo City, the staff wore gloves in both hands. In all the supermarkets, none of the staff wore face masks, which I think they should.
If Sheng Siong is going to establish itself in poultry & fish retailing segment, setting exemplary hygiene standards goes towards consolidating its reputation as a serious player in this sector.
Yishun Central 925 Supermarket, Blk 925 Yishun Central 1 #01-211 (about 6 mins’ walk from Northpoint Shopping Centre)
It is tucked away in a quiet sleepy corner amidst the HDB heartland shops. I visited it on a Saturday late morning/noon time. There weren’t many customers, no queues being the cashier’s counters, roughly one or two persons at each cashier’s counter. Certainly doesn’t bode well for business in that branch, if it is so quiet on a Saturday late morning!
I suspect they may close down the outlet after the new outlet in Junction 9 Yishun opens. I can understand why they were willing to buy the outlet in Junction 9 despite the price tag. Because with a slightly off location like Yishun Central 925, pple don’t seem to be willing to take a detour there when they have Cold Storage in Northpoint and NTUC at Yishun MRT station. NTUC outlet at Yishun has very limited poultry & fish selections. Cold Storage with its much bigger space in Northpoint has a fine selection of poultry, hams, fresh cheese, olives & fish.
Woodlands 301 Supermarket, Blk 301 Woodlands St 31 #01-217 Singapore 730301 (across the road from Marsiling mrt station)
There is a small NTUC outlet at Marsiling MRT station. It has very limited poultry & fish selections.
The Sheng Siong outlet has goods displayed both within and outside the shop, messy very cramp Chinaman-style supermarket. Business is brisk. It has a sizeable seafood & poultry section, with live fish swimming in tanks. Location is good, because it is just across the road near Marsiling MRT station, surrounded by clusters of HDB flats nearby and I don’t see any sizeable NTUC supermarkets, Giant or Cold Storage nearby. The NTUC outlet at the MRT station is no competition where poultry & seafood is concerned.
Given the intense competition in the local supermarket scene, I think it has adopted the right strategy in avoiding head-on competition with NTUC & Cold Storage, which are usually well-located in MRT stations & shopping malls & well-established posh neighbourhoods. Instead it has focused on taking over the role of traditional wet markets in the suburbs, by being the alternative to the wet market.
Here are my general views after visiting two outlets:-
Hygiene standards not up to scratch: some staff at the outlets were not wearing gloves. I saw the staff handling fish and cutting meat with bare fingers. At Cold Storage, the staff were at least wearing gloves in the hand cutting the meat. At Giant at Vivo City, the staff wore gloves in both hands. In all the supermarkets, none of the staff wore face masks, which I think they should.
If Sheng Siong is going to establish itself in poultry & fish retailing segment, setting exemplary hygiene standards goes towards consolidating its reputation as a serious player in this sector.
Yishun Central 925 Supermarket, Blk 925 Yishun Central 1 #01-211 (about 6 mins’ walk from Northpoint Shopping Centre)
It is tucked away in a quiet sleepy corner amidst the HDB heartland shops. I visited it on a Saturday late morning/noon time. There weren’t many customers, no queues being the cashier’s counters, roughly one or two persons at each cashier’s counter. Certainly doesn’t bode well for business in that branch, if it is so quiet on a Saturday late morning!
I suspect they may close down the outlet after the new outlet in Junction 9 Yishun opens. I can understand why they were willing to buy the outlet in Junction 9 despite the price tag. Because with a slightly off location like Yishun Central 925, pple don’t seem to be willing to take a detour there when they have Cold Storage in Northpoint and NTUC at Yishun MRT station. NTUC outlet at Yishun has very limited poultry & fish selections. Cold Storage with its much bigger space in Northpoint has a fine selection of poultry, hams, fresh cheese, olives & fish.
Woodlands 301 Supermarket, Blk 301 Woodlands St 31 #01-217 Singapore 730301 (across the road from Marsiling mrt station)
There is a small NTUC outlet at Marsiling MRT station. It has very limited poultry & fish selections.
The Sheng Siong outlet has goods displayed both within and outside the shop, messy very cramp Chinaman-style supermarket. Business is brisk. It has a sizeable seafood & poultry section, with live fish swimming in tanks. Location is good, because it is just across the road near Marsiling MRT station, surrounded by clusters of HDB flats nearby and I don’t see any sizeable NTUC supermarkets, Giant or Cold Storage nearby. The NTUC outlet at the MRT station is no competition where poultry & seafood is concerned.