Tesco M'sia Rebrands To Lotus's; M'sians Bid Farewell To Tesco Products

Tesco M’sia changes name to Lotus’s

We have plenty of grocery stores in Malaysia to sort out our grocery needs. But Tesco happens to hold a special place in our hearts, as many of us often hit up this UK hypermarket chain for groceries, lifestyle products, their in-house brand of chocolates, and to Everyday Value frozen foods that don’t burn holes in our wallets.

But just as nostalgic stores containing memories from our youth, such as Makro, Carrefour and Jusco, have slowly been disappearing from neighbourhoods, Tesco Malaysia’s brand name will soon be taking the same path. Nonetheless, you’ll still see the chain around, as Tesco Malaysia announced on their Facebook page that they’ll be rebranding from Tesco to Lotus’s.

The end of an era for Tesco Malaysia, at least in name

Tesco Malaysia made the announcement on their Facebook page on 15th February 2021. The post can be translated from Malay to English as, “Do you see something different? We have changed our name to Lotuss Stores (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd. Do await this new branding from us. One thing’s for sure, we will continue to make you happy with our services, offers and great products”.

Image adapted from: Tesco Malaysia

This news comes after Tesco Malaysia was sold to Charoen Pokphand Group (CP Group) – a Thai conglomerate that operates various businesses – back in March 2020 for USD10.6 billion, or over RM40 billion.

While the rebranding is set to cover all of Tesco’s 62 West Malaysia locations by the end of 2021, netizens have already been spotting changes at Tesco locations near them. Photos circulating on various social media platforms show Tesco outlets already switching out their familiar blue-and-red logos and colours for a bright turquoise signboard bearing the new name, Lotus’s.

Image credit: Malaysia Shopping Mall

Other sharp-eyed Malaysians have also been pointing out that Tesco Malaysia’s Facebook page had changed its bio to include information about its new rebranding. Showing the hypermarket’s quick brand makeover efforts, @asmazmi_ took to her Twitter account on 16th February to share photos of staff members switching out trolley handles at a Tesco location in Kepong.

Image credit: @asmazmi_

While the name Lotus’s comes as a new thing to Malaysians, Tesco Lotus was in fact founded 27 years ago in 1994. But the recent acquisition of the Tesco brand by CP Group is seeing all Tesco stores in Thailand and Malaysia dropping their familiar name for a new one: Lotus’s – with an extra S at the end standing for “smart”.

This marks a start of a new era for the hypermarket that’s offered affordable groceries to Malaysians for 19 years, since stepping foot in Malaysia in 2002.

Netizens bid farewell to Tesco Malaysia

As Tesco Malaysia is a household name in Malaysia, Malaysians have been taking to their social media accounts to bid farewell to the hypermarket brand. The word “Tesco” trended among Twitter’s Top 10 keywords yesterday, 15th February, with over 16,000 tweets amassed.

Included in the farewell party is netizen @AizadFariz, who tweeted his goodbye to Tesco Malaysia while uploading a photo of the hypermarket’s year of entry and exit in Malaysia. The photo also included a caption that reads “Will miss their products…especially nuggets”.

Image adapted from: @AizadFariz

The viral Twitter post had a flurry of Malaysians rushing out to share just what they love from their usual grocery shopping excursions to Tesco. Netizen @_Ayu_ismail, for one, listed out some of Tesco’s own house brand products that many of us head to the hypermarket for.

Many are assuming these items will no longer be stocked in aisles as the hypermarket will no longer be called Tesco. Such items include their extensive range of in-house chocolate milk, cat kibbles, and ground coffee.

Image adapted from: @_Ayu_ismail

Summing up our feelings of nostalgia about the hypermarket, netizen @hmi_icebear97 tweeted, “Doesn’t matter [if it’s called] Lotus’s or something else, it will always be Tesco to us [teary emoji]. It’s hard to move on from the name Tesco”.

Image adapted from: @hmi_icebear97

Tesco Malaysia changes its name to Lotus’s Stores

Malaysians have been bidding farewell to childhood things and snacks that have been slowly phased out. While hypermarkets seem like the last thing we would miss compared to all the things we had to put aside while growing up, they are also part and parcel of our beloved #TBT moments and memories as kids and adults.

Nonetheless, we can hope that things will mostly stay the same for this well-known hypermarket chain, even as it takes on a new name.