Kuala Lumpur, 7 January 2021 – In collaboration with the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs (MDTCA) and the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industries (MAFI), PETRONAS Dagangan Berhad (PDB) today launched Segar@Mesra - a farmer-to-consumer concept of locally farmed fresh produce; poultry, fish, vegetables and fruits sold at affordable prices.
The collaboration aims to assist local farmers’ livelihoods by connecting them directly to consumers, whilst ensuring consumers have easy access to affordable fresh produce that are capped at RM10 price point currently.
Speaking at the launch, Minister of MDTCA YB Datuk Alexander Nanta Linggi said, "This initiative is a strategic collaboration between the two ministries that regulate the products and basic needs of the people in the country and PDB which has direct access to the end consumer via Its network of petrol stations and Kedai Mesra throughout the country. Through this collaboration, I am confident that it will help to realise the Ministry's vision of accelerating main domestic sectors and protecting consumer's interest. Specifically, we hope to create a more efficient trade ecosystem for our local farmers and fishermen through shortening the supply chain which can help boost their livelihoods while providing competitive pricing to better support cost of living expenses of our communities - especially in this challenging time amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. The Ministry is also implementing various initiatives to overcome Malaysians' cost of living. One of them includes the element of availability and access, ensuring that the supply of consumer goods is not affected, in addition to identifying new strategies to increase access to these goods for the people. There are 12 initiatives under the element of availability and one of them include working with petrol stations in the marketing of fresh produce. "
MAFI
Through MAFI, three agencies will play a key role in ensuring the success of Segar@Mesra, namely National Farmers Organization (NAFAS), National Fishermen's Association (NEKMAT) and Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority (FAMA). NAFAS will supply freshly packed Peladang premium chicken, which they obtained from farmers in Johor and breed via contract farming.
NEKMAT will supply a range of fish under the brand Q-Fish, which are directly frozen using the Individual Quick Freezing (IQF) technology at its facility In Kuala Kedah. The IQF technology is capable of ensuring freshness of frozen fish is comparable to those sold in markets without the concern of deteriorating quality as they are not left exposed outdoors. FAMA on the other hand, will be supplying fresh local vegetables and fruits sourced from Selangor, Negeri Sembilan and Pahang, where items will be delivered to Kedai Mesra every three days to ensure freshness.
Commenting on the collaboration, Minister of MAFI, YB Datuk Sri Dr Ronald Kiandee said, "It has always been the Ministry's priority to continuously look for ways to enhance the livelihood of our farmers and we deem this a great platform for them to expand their reach and at the same time, showcase the quality of locally produce and encourage consumers to buy local. Currently, about 40 farmers are benefitting from this initiative and we expect to widen our reach as Segar@Mesra expands. The Ministry will also assist the agencies by funding the necessary equipment at Kedai Mesra such as chillers, freezers and promotional cost, if any."
PETRONAS DAGANGAN BERHAD
For the pilot phase, Segar@Mesra will be made available at four PETRONAS stations (PS), namely PS Unikeb 2, Seksyen 4, Bandar Baru Bangi, PS Persiaran Jaya/Sg Ramal Dalam, PS Prima Saujana 2, Kajang and PS Pelangi Semenyih. These stations are strategically chosen based on the surrounding community profiling targeting mainly the M40 and B40 group.
Speaking at the launch, PETRONAS Vice President of Downstream Marketing Ahmad Adly Alias said, "At PETRONAS, we are committed to generating a positive social impact as part of our sustainability agenda. We have a large network of stations across the country and have actively been encouraging local entrepreneurs to grow their business with us through campaigns such as Love Local, which is currently ongoing. This is also aligned with our business focus of expanding our F&B solutions to our customers as we continue to expand our presence across the nation. Our Makan@Mesra offers well-balanced and affordable locally sourced ready-to-eat meals to satisfy customers' dining needs, and we now go one step further to offer fresh, affordable and halal Segar@Mesra items for their daily cooking needs, making Kedai Mesra a truly one-stop convenience store.”
To encourage support for Segar@Mesra items, the first 10,000 customers will be able to enjoy a cashback of RM2 with a minimum purchase of RM20 worth of Segar@Mesra items through the Setel app from now until 31 January 2021. Setel is Malaysia’s first mobile application that integrates the e-payment platform with the fuel pump, Kedai Mesra and loyalty benefits to create a seamless retail-on-the-go experience for PETRONAS customers and it is available for free on iOS and Android via the Apple Store, Google Play Store and Huawei AppGallery.For more Information about Segar@Mesra, visit www.mymesra.com.my.
