Giant
Retailer / private label
UnclaimedGiant is a Southeast Asian hypermarket and supermarket brand operating mainly in Malaysia and Singapore.
Last updated October 14, 2026
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Overview
Giant is a hypermarket and supermarket brand whose roots are in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. It began in 1944 as a small grocery store and developed into one of Malaysia's most prominent mass-market food retailers. The business expanded materially in the 1970s with the opening of the Teng Minimarket Centre in Bangsar, an important step in moving from a neighborhood grocery format toward organized supermarket retail. Dairy Farm International Holdings acquired a 90% interest in the chain in 1999, while the Teng family retained the remaining interest. Under Dairy Farm ownership, Giant became part of a broader grocery portfolio that also included Cold Storage and TMC. By 2003, the group operating the chain had eight Giant hypermarkets and ten supermarkets, alongside three Cold Storage supermarkets. The operating company later became known as Dairy Farm Giant Retail Sdn Bhd and subsequently GCH Retail (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd. At its regional peak, Giant operated across several Southeast Asian markets, including Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia and Vietnam. It entered Vietnam in December 2011, but Dairy Farm disposed of its entire interest in the Vietnamese operating company in February 2018, selling the business to Auchan Retail Vietnam and exiting that market. Giant also withdrew from Indonesia in 2021, with the withdrawal taking effect from 31 July. Some former Indonesian locations were expected to be replaced by Hero Supermarket outlets or small-format IKEA stores. The brand's large-store model came under pressure from rising operating costs, weaker consumer spending, competition from smaller supermarkets and discount-oriented retailers, and the growth of e-commerce. From 2017 onward, Giant and other Malaysian hypermarket operators experienced weaker performance. The company closed or transferred a number of Malaysian locations in 2019 and subsequently saw additional stores replaced or taken over by local operators. Singapore also experienced rationalization, including the closure of outlets at Bukit Panjang, Jalan Tenteram in Whampoa, VivoCity and Parkway Parade. Giant responded with a substantial repositioning. In Singapore, it announced a new logo and store concept in September 2020, together with a temporary average price reduction of 20% on daily essentials for six months. Malaysia adopted the refreshed branding in April 2021. The transformation included the Ringgit Zone, a fixed-price value section offering selected products at RM3, and the conversion of ShopSmart and G-Ekspres outlets into Giant Mini stores. In February 2023, Dairy Farm announced that it would leave the Malaysian grocery market, citing intensifying competition. Its Malaysian grocery business was sold to Macrovalue Sdn Bhd, led by Malaysian businessman Andrew Lim Tatt Keong. The new owner indicated that Giant hypermarkets in Malaysia and Singapore would be developed under the Giant Mall identity, with the aim of improving customer traffic and reducing losses. Dairy Farm continued operating the Singapore business during the transition, with the Singapore operation expected to move to Macrovalue Pte Ltd in March 2025. Giant therefore remains an active regional retail brand, but with a smaller geographic footprint and a strategy increasingly centered on value pricing, store-format adaptation and the Giant Mall concept.
History
Giant traces its origins to a small grocery shop established in Kuala Lumpur in 1944. The business remained rooted in Malaysian grocery retail for decades before taking a significant step toward modern supermarket operations in 1974, when the Teng family opened the Teng Minimarket Centre in Bangsar. The TMC format helped establish a platform for subsequent expansion into larger supermarkets and hypermarkets. A major ownership change occurred in 1999, when Dairy Farm International Holdings acquired 90% of the chain. The Teng family retained the balance. Dairy Farm's ownership connected Giant with a wider regional grocery portfolio that included Cold Storage and TMC. By 2003, the operating group had developed eight Giant hypermarkets and ten Giant supermarkets, in addition to three Cold Storage supermarkets. The operating structure was subsequently renamed Dairy Farm Giant Retail Sdn Bhd and later GCH Retail (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd. During the 2000s and 2010s, Giant expanded beyond Malaysia. The brand operated in Singapore and, at different times, in Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia and Vietnam. Vietnam became part of the network in December 2011. Dairy Farm later sold its entire interest in the Vietnamese operating company to Auchan Retail Vietnam in February 2018, receiving a reported net cash inflow of US$6.4 million, and thereby exited the Vietnamese supermarket and hypermarket market. Giant reached a particularly strong position in Malaysia and was described as the country's largest supermarket chain in 2016. Its scale was based on hypermarkets and supermarkets serving broad household shopping missions, combining food, household goods and general merchandise. However, the large-format model became more difficult to sustain. From 2017, the Malaysian hypermarket sector faced higher operating costs, less robust consumer spending, competition from smaller supermarkets and local retailers, and the increasing importance of e-commerce. Giant closed at least several Malaysian outlets in 2019 and withdrew completely from Sabah and Sarawak as part of the restructuring. Some locations were transferred to local operators rather than simply being permanently shut. Further branches were subsequently replaced by or transferred to operators such as TF Value-Mart and NSK Trade City. Singapore underwent similar rationalization. Giant closed outlets at Bukit Panjang and Jalan Tenteram in the Whampoa estate, as well as its VivoCity hypermarket, during 2019. The Parkway Parade hypermarket closed on 29 February 2020. These closures reflected the broader challenge of maintaining very large stores in a market with dense competition and changing shopping habits. The brand responded through rebranding and format experimentation. On 24 September 2020, Giant Singapore announced a new logo and store features, combined with an average 20% reduction in the prices of daily essentials for six months. The move followed a price-support initiative by Singapore's NTUC FairPrice during the COVID-19 pandemic. The refreshed identity reached Malaysia in April 2021. Giant also introduced the Ringgit Zone, a value section with selected goods priced at RM3, and converted ShopSmart and G-Ekspres outlets into Giant Mini stores. In May 2021, Giant announced its withdrawal from Indonesia, effective 31 July. Some sites were expected to be replaced by Hero Supermarket branches or small IKEA stores. The retreat left Malaysia and Singapore as the brand's principal markets. In February 2023, Dairy Farm announced that it would exit Malaysian grocery retail because of increasing competition. Macrovalue Sdn Bhd, led by Andrew Lim Tatt Keong, acquired the Malaysian grocery business. Dairy Farm continued to operate the Singapore Giant and Cold Storage franchise during the transition, with a planned transfer to Macrovalue Pte Ltd in March 2025. Macrovalue subsequently stated that Giant hypermarkets in Malaysia and Singapore would be rebranded as Giant Mall, signaling a shift from the legacy hypermarket identity toward a broader mall and value-retail proposition.
- 2025
Planned transfer of the Singapore business
[1]The Singapore Giant and Cold Storage franchise was expected to be transferred from Dairy Farm to Macrovalue Pte Ltd in March 2025.
- 2023
Macrovalue acquires the Malaysian grocery business
[1]Dairy Farm announced its Malaysian grocery exit and sold the business to Macrovalue Sdn Bhd.
- 2021
Malaysia adopts the refreshed brand and Giant exits Indonesia
[1]Malaysia received the refreshed identity and Ringgit Zone concept, while the Indonesian business was scheduled for closure from 31 July.
- 2020
Singapore rebranding begins
[1]Giant Singapore introduced a new logo, store features and a temporary value-pricing program.
- 2018
Vietnam business is sold
[1]Dairy Farm sold its Vietnamese operating company to Auchan Retail Vietnam and exited the country's supermarket and hypermarket business.
- 2016
Giant is described as Malaysia's largest supermarket chain
[1]Giant held a leading position in Malaysia's supermarket sector at this point in its development.
- 2011
Giant enters Vietnam
[1]The brand expanded into Vietnam in December.
- 2003
The chain reaches a multi-format Malaysian footprint
[1]The operating group had eight Giant hypermarkets, ten supermarkets and three Cold Storage supermarkets.
- 1999
Dairy Farm acquires a controlling interest
[1]Dairy Farm International Holdings bought 90% of the chain, with the Teng family retaining a minority interest.
- 1974
Teng Minimarket Centre opens in Bangsar
[1]The opening of TMC marked an important expansion of the Teng family's grocery business into a modern minimarket format.
Products and positioning
Mass-market, value-oriented grocery and general-merchandise retail, emphasizing large-format shopping, everyday essentials, promotions and lower prices.
Hypermarket
Giant Hypermarket
Giant's traditional large-format retail model, combining groceries, fresh food, household necessities and general merchandise in a single store. Hypermarkets formed the core of the brand's expansion in Malaysia and Singapore and supported broad weekly and family shopping missions.
Supermarket
Giant Supermarket
A smaller grocery format serving everyday food and household needs. Supermarkets complemented the larger hypermarkets and were part of the chain's multi-format network in Malaysia and other Southeast Asian markets.
Small-format grocery retail · 2021
Giant Mini
A smaller-format concept created through the rebranding of ShopSmart and G-Ekspres outlets. The format was intended to adapt the brand to more convenient neighborhood shopping missions and changing retail economics.
Hypermarket and mall retail concept · 2023
Giant Mall
The identity announced by Macrovalue for the next phase of the business in Malaysia and Singapore. It is intended to attract more customer traffic and reposition former Giant hypermarkets as broader, more commercially viable retail destinations.
Value retail section · 2021
Ringgit Zone
A Malaysian value section introduced during the brand transformation, offering selected products at a fixed price of RM3 per item. It was designed to appeal to bargain-focused shoppers and reinforce Giant's lower-price positioning.
Controversies
2026
Ahold Delhaize reports network security incident, takes systems offline; Albert Heijn deliveries halted
Ahold Delhaize separately reported a network security issue and took several systems offline as a precaution. Its Dutch supermarket chain Albert Heijn said grocery deliveries were unavailable because of a cybersecurity incident; online orders account for approximately 10 percent of Albert Heijn sales while physical stores remained open. Websites for US chains Stop & Shop, Giant, Hannaford and Food Lion also displayed temporary outage notices. Ahold Delhaize said there was no reason to link its incident with the French refrigeration attacks.
Marketing campaigns
- 2021Ringgit Zone
Malaysia
Giant introduced a fixed-price section offering selected products at RM3, targeting bargain hunters as part of its Malaysian transformation.
Outcome. The section became part of the brand's value-oriented store proposition; specific performance figures are unavailable.
- 2020Giant Singapore rebranding and essentials price-support program
Singapore
Giant Singapore introduced a new logo and store features while reducing the average price of daily essentials by 20% for six months during the COVID-19 period.
Outcome. The program supported a broader repositioning around value and affordability, although the available reference does not provide measured sales results.
Brand decisions
2023
Sale of the Malaysian grocery business to MacrovalueM&ABackground
Dairy Farm cited increasing competition as the reason for leaving Malaysian grocery retail.
Action taken
Dairy Farm sold its Malaysian grocery business to Macrovalue Sdn Bhd, led by Andrew Lim Tatt Keong.
Aftermath
Macrovalue became the new owner of the Malaysian operation and announced plans to develop the Giant Mall identity.
2023
Planned transition from Giant Hypermarket to Giant MallStrategyBackground
The new owner sought to improve foot traffic and reduce losses after acquiring the Malaysian grocery business.
Action taken
Macrovalue announced that Giant hypermarkets in Malaysia and Singapore would be rebranded as Giant Mall.
Aftermath
The announcement signaled a repositioning toward a broader mall-style retail proposition, although implementation details and results are not fully documented in the reference material.
2021
Malaysia adopts the refreshed identity and new store formatsGeneration changeBackground
The Malaysian hypermarket business was under pressure from high costs, smaller-format competitors and e-commerce.
Action taken
Giant extended the new logo to Malaysia, introduced Ringgit Zone sections and rebranded ShopSmart and G-Ekspres as Giant Mini.
Aftermath
The changes represented a move toward more explicitly value-oriented and flexible formats.
2021
Withdrawal from IndonesiaStrategyBackground
The regional portfolio was being reduced as the large-format grocery model faced competitive and operational pressure.
Action taken
Giant announced that it would withdraw from Indonesia from 31 July 2021.
Aftermath
Some former locations were expected to be replaced by Hero Supermarket or small-format IKEA stores.
2020
Singapore brand and value resetStrategyBackground
Giant Singapore faced intense competition and changing consumer behavior, while retailers were responding to the COVID-19 economic environment.
Action taken
The business introduced a new logo and store features and committed to an average 20% reduction in prices for daily essentials for six months.
Aftermath
The initiative established the basis for a broader value-led rebranding, but no quantified long-term outcome is provided.
- NTUC FairPrice — NTUC FairPrice had announced its own price-reduction initiative to support Singaporean consumers during the pandemic.
2018
Exit from Vietnam through disposal of the operating companyM&ABackground
Dairy Farm reviewed its regional supermarket and hypermarket portfolio after operating Giant in Vietnam since 2011.
Action taken
The group sold its 100% interest in Asia Investment Supermarket Trading Co. Ltd., which operated a Vietnamese hypermarket, to Auchan Retail Vietnam.
Aftermath
Giant and its parent exited the Vietnamese supermarket and hypermarket market.
Net cash inflow. US$6.4 million (February 2018)
Recent events
Reported
GIANT announces planned Parkesburg store opening[2]
The GIANT Company announced that its new 60,000-square-foot GIANT store in Parkesburg, Pennsylvania, is scheduled to open on November 6, 2026.
- Unconfirmed
Reported
Ahold Delhaize reports network security incident, takes systems offline; Albert Heijn deliveries halted[3]
Ahold Delhaize separately reported a network security issue and took several systems offline as a precaution. Its Dutch supermarket chain Albert Heijn said grocery deliveries were unavailable because of a cybersecurity incident; online orders account for approximately 10 percent of Albert Heijn sales while physical stores remained open. Websites for US chains Stop & Shop, Giant, Hannaford and Food Lion also displayed temporary outage notices. Ahold Delhaize said there was no reason to link its incident with the French refrigeration attacks.
Reported
Instacart launches Ready Meals delivery service with grocery retailers[4]
Instacart announced its Ready Meals service in partnership with grocery retailers, making prepared meals available for delivery through its app from more than 4,100 stores across 35 states.
Reported
Giant temporarily closed its Selangor and Klang Valley hypermarkets amid flooding[5]
Giant closed all its hypermarkets in Selangor and the Klang Valley from 7 p.m. on December 18 because of flash floods, and management said operations would remain temporarily shut until further notice.
Reported
GIANT launches Healing the Planet grant program[6]
The GIANT Company launched its Healing the Planet program in partnership with Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful. The $250,000 grant program is designed to support projects connecting people with community green spaces; applications were to be accepted June 1–30.
Reported
Giant extends its lower-price program through year-end[7]
Dairy Farm announced that Giant would extend its Lower Prices That Last program through the end of the year, with more than 700 participating products discounted by an average of about 20%.
Reported
Giant reduced prices on around 650 products[8]
Giant reduced prices by about 20% on around 650 fresh produce and household products, with the new prices stated to last at least three months for fresh products and at least six months for household products. The reduction included products from the Meadows private label.
Reported
Giant opens Beer & Wine Eatery in Chambersburg[9]
Giant opened a Beer & Wine Eatery at its store at 993 Wayne Ave. in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania.
- Unconfirmed
Giant donates $50,000 to Food Bank of Delaware[10]
Giant donated $50,000 to the Food Bank of Delaware to support its backpack program, which provides food kits to children without access to school meals during weekends or breaks.
- Unconfirmed
Southern California Motorcycles announces a dedicated e-bike store[11]
Southern California Motorcycles announced a planned grand opening for a dedicated Giant Group pedal-assist bicycle store on February 29; the source describes the opening as planned, not completed.
Sources11 sources
- 1Giant (hypermarket)en.wikipedia.org
- 2GIANT宣布计划开设帕克斯堡门店perishablenews.com
- 3Ahold Delhaize报告网络安全事件并将系统下线，Albert Heijn配送中断infotechlead.com
- 4Instacart与零售商推出Ready Meals即食餐配送服务foxbusiness.com
- 5洪水期间Giant暂时关闭雪兰莪州和巴生谷的所有大型超市malaymail.com
- 6GIANT推出“Healing the Planet”资助计划poconorecord.com
- 7Giant延长降价计划至年底zaobao.com.sg
- 8巨人超市约650种商品降价zaobao.com.sg
- 9Giant在钱伯斯堡开设啤酒与葡萄酒餐饮区heraldmailmedia.com
- 10Giant向特拉华州食品银行捐赠5万美元capegazette.com
- 11Southern California Motorcycles 宣布开设专营电动自行车的门店bicycleretailer.com
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