Aeon Co. (M) Bhd has opened Aeon MaxValu Prime, its first premium supermarket in Malaysia. The new premium supermarket in located inside the Sunway Velocity Mall and was officially launched on 8 December 2016 to coincide with the grand opening of the new mall.
An area well served by Aeon & Aeon Big
The new Aeon MaxValu Prime is located in an area well covered by two existing Aeon outlets – Aeon (Taman Maluri) and its sister company – Aeon Big (formerly Carrefour) Jalan Peel. Aeon Big Jaan Peel is a hypermarket, while Aeon Taman Maluri is a department store with a supermarket and is Aeon Co Bhd’s first superstore set up in 1989.
What is MaxValu Prime?
According to Aeon Co Bhd, MaxValu Prime is its “first premium superstore straight from Japan, redefined with a strict grocery ambience”. The store “presents an extensive range of fresh and quality products sourced locally and from around the world.”
Organic food abounds
Two words to describe Aeon MaxValu Prime are Eco and Organic. The store sells Zespri organic kiwifruit, Jardin Bio’ range, Only Organic, Happy Baby Organic and Ecostore.
Very visible signage
The good has clear signage in bold capital letters that can be seen from far to make it easier for consumers to find their products and navigate in the store. Even the price checker sign is highly visible.
The racks follow the overall dark grey and white colour scheme. The dark tone is often use to convey a sense of premium.
One problem with the layout is the check out counter is facing inwards back to the store rather than facing outside. It is also hard to find the check out counters as they are less visible.
Private label
The TopValu private label is clearly marked and covers a lot of categories including edible oil (extra virgin olive oil, pure olive oil and blended oil) and chocolate, among others.
TopValue products imported from Japan are also available. They include tea, sauces, jam, honey, coffee and pasta.
Aeon MaxValu Prime does carry a good range of imported Japanese food but the variety is less than the one at Aeon Mid Valley.
More space devoted to fresh produce and meat
The vegetable section is large with a good choice of varieties. Almost all of the vegetables and produce are prepacked and come with clear information about the growers.
The seafood section has some chilled fresh fish that can be cut and have their scales removed. However, the fresh seafood choices are limited.
The meat section features not only local meat but also those imported from Australia with visible marking of its Australian origin.
Non-halal section
The non-halal section is clearly separated with its own cashier, a standard practice in most supermarkets in Malaysia to protect the sensitivities of Muslim consumers.
Japanese eateries
Aeon MaxValu Prime has several eateries located within the supermarket serving Japanese food including sushi and Ayam-Ya ramen.
Key takeaways
Aeon MaxValu Prime is described as a premium supermarket but it is not like Village Grocer or Jaya Grocery where the latter stock more imported products. The key difference is the ambience that makes shopping a breeze plus the extensive range of premium fresh produce.
