Fight for food security through speedy digitalization

Gogopasar is contributing to the fight for food security through an acceleration of digitalization to reach customers in the new normal.

Gogopasar is an e-commerce grocery marketplace and online app under FGV Integrated Farming Holdings Sdn Bhd (FGV IF), a subsidiary of FGV Holdings Bhd. It has grown in leaps and bounds at the onset of the pandemic and frequent movement control orders (MCO) imposed.

Since the start of the pandemic, consumers have become accustomed to the “new normal” of grocery shopping. New shopping patterns with higher reliance on online and delivery options is commonplace now.

This is supported by an early 2021 report by management consultants Bain & Company, indicating that online grocery shopping in Southeast Asia grew nearly three times at the peak of Covid-19 and forecasts show that shoppers in the region will continue purchasing groceries online even after the pandemic is termed endemic.

Anticipating and catering to this demand, Gogopasar was launched in early 2020 and received US$2.37 million (RM10 million) in funding from FGV Holdings Bhd (FGV) in October 2020.

Gogopasar is the only end-to-end virtual retailer in the country to have an established system that integrates suppliers, warehouses and logistics. It provides an online retail business platform direct to consumers with options for same-day free deliveries, best-price and quality assurance.

Social impact

Restrictions have led to an increase in online orders, new subscribers and active users. Handling 20 transactions per day at the start, from March 2020, transactions increased to 200 per day in April 2020.

Building on the momentum of our earlier success, while making a social impact and helping our community flourish despite our constant challenges, Gogopasar is now expanding to Malacca in April 2022.

To understand how Gogopasar brings together three core elements – technology, network and social commerce, connecting both the business-to-business (B2B) and business-to-consumer (B2C) markets, we spoke to Pn Haslinda Alias, CEO of Gogopasar.

She explains how the company is building on the momentum of its initial success, with expansion plans in Malacca, aiming to drive food security and digitalization to the entire nation by 2024.

The Q&A is here:

Gogopasar is the only end-to-end virtual retailer in the country to have an established system that integrates suppliers, warehouses and logistics. It provides an online retail business platform direct to consumers with options for same-day free delivery, best-price and quality assurance.

“Buying from Gogopasar ensures that your grocery items come directly from suppliers, with minimal handling. Because our agro supply chain process is end-to-end, meaning we don’t engage with middlemen aka the retail shops, our products come in pristine condition- safe from being held and touched by a crowd of shoppers.

“We have gotten many testimonials from satisfied customers who rave about our fresh seafood, vegetables and chicken, especially. You won’t be able to get high quality at very competitive prices, free delivery and reliable driver service anywhere else.

“Another point for Gogopasar’s above average offering is our social enterprise activities. Providing food baskets for various organisations to support their ‘B2CSR’ initiatives, we are currently in zakat projects with Majlis Agama Wilayah Persekutuan (MAIWP) to distribute food baskets to those in need in various communities around the Klang Valley every day,” says Haslinda.

In January 2021, the team at Gogopasar set up a GOGOCARE team to join the Peace Malaysia Foundation in providing aid and food to Pahang flood victims through 3 phases of the Flood Relief Mission, of which we donated 5 tonnes of fresh chicken (almost 5,000 chickens). The movement control order which was then enforced did not prevent them from extending help to communities in need.

CSR

These and many other CSR projects are currently on-going as we partner with various NGOs and government agencies such as Baitulmal, K2K Group, MAIS, MARA, MDEC and HRDF are some of the initiatives and partnerships have taken on by GOGOPASAR in their social entrepreneurship efforts.

The most current food and donation assistance was for flood victims in Tangkak, Johor and Kemaman Terenganu with MAIWP and the various community organisations in those areas.

The Gogopreneur Programme is an entrepreneurship development programme that aims to assist and develop those who are looking to explore e-commerce. Gogopasar aims to particularly upskill and assist those who have lost jobs or have been retrenched due to the pandemic and the recent floods to get back on their feet.

It is for those looking to earn a living through sales via an online business, and they will receive digital marketing and social media training as part of the programme syllabus. Topics such as effective copywriting, FB Ads, and social media marketing are included in the programme.

Food security

Participants will be trained in digital marketing and business acumen for free, in order to effectively promote products sold by Gogopasar.

Graduates of the programme need to source for prospective customers and maintain their customer base. Then, they are coached to sell the products by Gogopasar consistently. In return, they will receive commissions for every purchase made by their prospects and contacts.

Benefits Of Being A Gogopreneur :

a) Low Capital Setup– To become a Gogopreneur, one doesn’t need to invest any money into the business. The one main thing one needs to invest in is some hours of their day and an open and positive mind to learning new things.

b) Low Operational Costs– As an entrepreneur working online from home, managing your own business has never been easier due to the zero payments for shop rental, utilities, inventory and overheads which usually plague other conventional businesses.

c) Attractive rewards and free gifts – If one performs excellently as a Gogopreneur by hitting the required sales targets set, then they are in the running to receive various levels of incentives in addition to the commissions they earn.

d) Fully digital business– The only tools you need to run the business effectively are a smartphone and stable internet connection. It would greatly help if you are also social media savvy. There is no need to travel to a workplace or meet customers face-to-face. Everything is done online using digital marketing tools to connect easily a and quickly to a larger network.

e) Ready market for everyone– Each and everyone one of us has a wide variety of contact groups. All of these groups are a potential target market for the products offered by Gogopasar, thus making it a ready market for a large audience. All you need is your network of contacts and you’re ready to start in this business endeavour.

FGV Holdings Berhad (FGV) is delving into e-commerce and completing their end-to-end agribusiness supply chain by introducing GOGOPASAR – their e-commerce grocery marketplace.

GOGOPASAR is a subsidiary of FGV Integrated Farming Holdings Sdn Bhd, a newly setup sector with business components which include fresh produce, cash crops, paddy and rice, animal feed, livestock and dairy farming.

This new partnership allows FGV to offer consumers, housewives, and people with busy lifestyles the benefit of receiving fresh products at their doorstep, with just a click of a button on the GOGOPASAR app.

One-stop e-commerce

In addition to that, it also offers home entrepreneurs a one-stop e-commerce solution to facilitate in generating additional income, as well as assist local farmers in selling their fresh produce.

Dato Haris Fadzilah Hassan, FGV’s Group Chief Executive Officer says FGV’s move into an integrated e-commerce platform is part of FGV’s long term plans to become one of the world’s leading integrated and sustainable agribusinesses focusing on consumer products.

“This year we saw the tremendous change in supply chain dynamics and in consumers’ spending patterns due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Our partnership with GOGOPASAR will digitalise FGV’s route to market in line with the government’s National E-commerce Roadmap mission to future-proof existing businesses and to expand local market access.”

Shariah compliant

“We only deliver the freshest and cleanest products to your doorstep. Gogopasar ensures that fresh seafood, meat and poultry especially, are packaged in a ‘sertu’ environment.

This means that they are prepared and cleaned within spaces that observe strict standards of hygiene following Islamic purification measures to ensure food safety and preservation.

Also, because we want the best for our customers, we also take time and effort to choose our external suppliers carefully, ensuring they align with our values and sustainability principles. Only the best from the best for our customers. Take, for example, our latest addition, our range of organic chicken by Delima in various packs and choice pieces, ready-cut for your convenience.

Customers are looking for a wide selection of choices, a hassle-free and convenient online shopping experience, reliable delivery, responsive customer service and quality products.

Gogopasar goes a step further by offering all these at extremely competitive prices. To see for yourself, download the Gogopasar app available at Google Playstore or the Apple App Store. You can also check us out on www.gogopasar.com and start shopping.