Giant (hypermarket)
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Retail (hypermarkets and supermarkets) |
| Predecessor | Teng Minimarket Centre (TMC) |
| Founded | 1944 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia |
| Headquarters | Kuala Lumpur , Malaysia |
Area served | Malaysia, Singapore (formerly Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Vietnam) |
Key people | Andrew Lim Tatt Keong (owner of Macrovalue Sdn Bhd) |
| Products | Hypermarkets, supermarkets |
| Owner | Macrovalue Sdn Bhd (since 2023) |
| Parent | Dairy Farm International Holdings Limited (until 2023) |
| Website | www |
GCH Retail (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, known commercially as Giant Mall, is a prominent hypermarket chain operating mainly in Malaysia and Singapore, with previous ventures in Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, and Vietnam. In 2016, Giant held the position as the leading supermarket chain in Malaysia. The parent company also oversees other retail brands within Malaysia, such as Mercató, Cold Storage, and TMC.
History
The origins of Giant trace back to 1944 when it began as a modest grocery outlet in Kuala Lumpur. The business expanded notably in 1974 with the launch of the Teng Minimarket Centre (TMC) located in Bangsar. In 1999, Dairy Farm International Holdings acquired a majority 90% shareholding, while the Teng family maintained a 10% interest. By 2003, the company had been renamed Dairy Farm Giant Retail Sdn Bhd and operated a network comprising eight Giant hypermarkets, ten supermarkets, and three Cold Storage stores. Eventually rebranded as GCH Retail (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, it became a subsidiary under Dairy Farm International Holdings Limited.
Ownership of GCH Retail comprised 30% by Syarikat Pesaka Antah Sdn Bhd, which is controlled by the Negeri Sembilan royal family, while the remaining 70% was held by DFI Mauritius Ltd.
In December 2011, Giant ventured into the Vietnamese market but withdrew in February 2018 by divesting its operations to Auchan Retail Vietnam for US$6.4 million, thereby ending its supermarket and hypermarket activities in that country.
Starting from 2017, Giant encountered difficulties within Malaysia due to escalating operational expenses, diminished consumer purchasing power, and competition from smaller retailers and online platforms. By 2019, the company had shut down at least six outlets across Peninsular Malaysia—including both hypermarkets and Cold Storage stores—and exited Sabah and Sarawak by transferring approximately sixteen stores to local proprietors. Many of these locations were subsequently taken over by TF Value-Mart or NSK Trade City.
A comparable contraction occurred in Singapore with store closures at Bukit Panjang, Whampoa, and VivoCity between 2019 and 2020. This included the closure of the hypermarket at Parkway Parade.
In May 2021, Giant declared its full exit from Indonesia by July 31, 2021. Certain outlets were replaced by Hero Supermarket, which was formerly part of DFI Retail Group before its separation in 2024, alongside smaller IKEA stores.
Rebranding
On 24 September 2020, Giant Singapore unveiled a rebranding campaign that introduced a refreshed logo along with store upgrades. The initiative also involved lowering prices on everyday essentials by an average of 20% over six months, aligning with NTUC FairPrice’s measures to aid consumers during the COVID-19 crisis.
This rebranding effort extended to Malaysia in April 2021 with the launch of the “Ringgit Zone,” where items were uniformly priced at RM3 each to appeal to budget-conscious shoppers. Furthermore, ShopSmart and G-Ekspres outlets were merged under the Giant Mini brand.
New owner
On 23 February 2023, Dairy Farm announced its decision to exit Malaysia’s grocery retail sector amid intensifying competition. The Malaysian grocery operations were sold to Macrovalue Sdn Bhd, headed by entrepreneur Andrew Lim Tatt Keong. Dairy Farm will maintain control over Cold Storage and Giant franchises in Singapore until March 2025, after which ownership will transfer to Macrovalue Pte Ltd.
Following this acquisition, Macrovalue disclosed plans to rebrand Giant Hypermarkets across both Singapore and Malaysia as Giant Malls with the objective of increasing customer visits and curbing financial losses.