JAKARTA. The growing e-groceries business of PT Matahari Putra Prima Tbk (MPPA) allowed the segment to contribute 11% of the total revenue scored by the company in Q3 2021, amounting to IDR 4.9 trillion.
Although the general sales slid off by 3.6%, its market share for online retail sales in September jumped 27.6%, based on NielsenIQ data. Meanwhile, the e-groceries business posted 167% year-on-year (yoy) growth, covering 11% of the total revenue in Q3 2021. This e-groceries business growth exceeded the initial target by 8%.
Elliot Dickson, Chief Executive Officer of Matahari Putra Prima, claimed that the relaxation of mobility restriction policies and thus businesses’ operational hours had significantly boosted the sales in October, 27% higher than the previous month. Online sales also increased by 19%. Furthermore, these gains continued in November, Dickson added.
According to Dickson, his company is on the right track for O2O transformation. It would focus on the retail business both offline and online through the success of opening 9 new stores and new collaborations with online marketplaces, such as HappyFresh and other platforms in the last quarter of the year.
That particular strategy is a part of a transformation mission of MPPA to become one of the biggest online grocery retailers in Indonesia that successfully synergise with local high-profile technology companies in Indonesia. For example, its e-groceries business has recently reached out to form partnerships with GoMart under GoTo and HappyFresh. (AM/ZH)