Wellcome
| Company type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Retail (Supermarket) |
| Founded | 1945 |
| Founder | Wu Chung-Wai, Lau Lim, Ko Yin-Yu |
| Headquarters | Hong Kong , Hong Kong |
Area served | Hong Kong |
| Products | Groceries, household goods |
| Owner | DFI Retail Group (subsidiary of Jardine Matheson Holdings) |
Number of employees | 5,000 |
| Parent | DFI Retail Group |
Wellcome () operates as a supermarket chain under the ownership of British multinational Jardine Matheson Holdings via its subsidiary, DFI Retail Group. It ranks among the two leading supermarket chains in Hong Kong, alongside ParknShop.
Previously, DFI managed Wellcome-branded supermarkets in the Philippines and Taiwan (), in addition to overseeing other Asian grocery brands such as Market Place, Cold Storage, Hero, and Giant.
History
Established in 1945 by Mr. Wu Chung-Wai, Mr. Lau Lim, and Mr. Ko Yin-Yu, Wellcome holds the distinction of being Hong Kong's oldest supermarket chain. Its inaugural outlet on Ice House Street specialized in imported items including wines and canned goods. In 1964, following a merger with competitor Dairy Lane, Dairy Farm International Holdings (now DFI Retail Group) acquired Wellcome. Currently, the chain operates over 240 stores staffed by approximately 5,000 employees, serving upwards of 14 million customers each month.
Wellcome has been at the forefront of retail innovation within Hong Kong, introducing the city’s first Home Delivery Service and pioneering self-service shopping formats. During the 1980s, it launched its own corporate brand "No Frills," featuring more than 300 affordable products. The company was also an early adopter of Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) technology to streamline operations. Its expansion into Taiwan included acquiring Ding Hao supermarket, and in 1998 it opened its first 24-hour outlet located in Causeway Bay.
In the late 1990s, Wellcome unveiled a second private label called First Choice, offering over 1,000 products priced between 20% to 30% lower than comparable international brands. A significant investment of HK$400 million enabled the launch of the "Wellcome Fresh Food Centre," a facility spanning 161,000 square feet designed to support fresh produce distribution. Additionally, Wellcome was the first supermarket in Hong Kong to implement UPC barcode scanning systems for faster checkout experiences.
From the year 2000 onward, Wellcome broadened its presence with superstore concepts such as the one at Tuen Mun Town Plaza that combined wet market and grocery shopping under a single roof. The company introduced a lowest-price guarantee policy backed by a double refund offer to enhance customer satisfaction. A notable milestone was the opening of its Stanley store in 2003 within the historic premises of the former Stanley Police Station.
Wellcome’s Taiwan operations encountered reputational difficulties during the 2014 food contamination scandal. These operations were eventually divested to Carrefour in 2020. In the Philippines, following Robinsons Retail’s acquisition of Rustan's Supercenters, Wellcome outlets were rebranded as Robinsons Easymart.
Private labels
Products from DFI’s Meadows and Yu Pin King private labels are available at Wellcome supermarkets.
Wellcome Superstore
The initial Wellcome Superstore launched in 2000; today there are 31 outlets across Hong Kong providing an expanded assortment tailored to local consumer preferences.
Wellcome Fresh
In 2021, the Wellcome Superstore located at The Belcher's was rebranded as Wellcome Fresh, emphasizing a broad variety of fresh food offerings.
Market Place
In Hong Kong, DFI manages a range of supermarket brands including Market Place (previously known as Marketplace by Jasons and Jason's Food & Living), 3hreeSixty, Jasons ichiba, as well as Oliver's The Delicatessen.