• FairPrice Hub features a new High-Tech Distribution Centre which will serve the co-operative’s supply chain needs for the next 20 years 
  
• FairPrice celebrates occasion with donation of S$4.3 million to NTUC to help low-income working families

SINGAPORE, 27 February 2014 – NTUC FairPrice (FairPrice) held its topping out ceremony today for FairPrice Hub, which will house a new High-Tech Distribution Centre, offices and commercial space. The event was hosted by Mr Ng Ser Miang, Chairman of NTUC FairPrice and graced by Guest-of-Honour, Mr Lim Swee Say, Minister for Prime Minister’s Office and NTUC Secretary-General. FairPrice also commemorated the event with a donation of $4.3 million to NTUC to aid low-income working families and foster community bonding.

Mr Ng Ser Miang, Chairman, NTUC FairPrice, said, “Through the years, FairPrice has served the community by ensuring quality products at best value are easily accessible to our members and customers through our stores that are conveniently located island-wide. In order for us to continue to grow and meet customers’ demand and increased business volume, we have invested in FairPrice Hub, which will help us to better manage operation costs, boost productivity, and achieve greater customer satisfaction.”

Located at Benoi, FairPrice Hub is a 16-storey building integrated with Joo Koon MRT station that will feature the new High-Tech Distribution Centre to boost its supply chain infrastructure, ancillary offices for administrative and support staff, a FairPrice store, and other commercial space. The facility is targeted for completion by the end of 2014. 

Meeting tomorrow’s business challenges

Equipped with the latest technology in warehouse management systems, the new High-Tech Distribution Centre (DC) housed within FairPrice Hub is set to bring about increased efficiency and boost productivity. It will also assure greater customer satisfaction through faster and more accurate deliveries as well as the capacity to manage more product varieties. This includes a highly automated system that combines the Automated Storage and Retrieval System (ASRS) together with the Caddy Pick system, which uses robotic technology for warehousing operations. The technology enables the DC to handle products 25 per cent faster than current operations and potentially save up to 28 per cent in manpower compared to the existing DC in Joo Koon. It will also double FairPrice’s warehouse storage capacity and is projected to be able to cope with FairPrice’s supply chain needs for the next 20 years.

FairPrice currently operates a network of 282 stores island wide, comprising 98 FairPrice and 17 Finest supermarkets, 6 FairPrice Xtra hypermarkets, 136 Cheers and 25 FairPrice Xpress convenience stores. This year, FairPrice aims to open another 5 more supermarkets including its seventh FairPrice Xtra hypermarket at the Singapore Sports Hub, and 20 more convenience stores. In terms of revenue, FairPrice Group has since exceeded $3 billion in sales.

BCA Green Mark Platinum Award

Aligned with FairPrice’s commitment to environmentally friendly, FairPrice Hub incorporates extensive green features that promote sustainability and conservation of resources. Last year, the building received the BCA Green Mark Platinum award. Some green features include:

•  Solar panels and motion sensors for efficient lighting and energy consumption
•  Recycled materials and approved green-label materials 
•  Demand-controlled air-conditioning and energy efficient systems 
•  Water efficient fittings and leak detection systems – during the construction phase, water management and filtration systems are also  enforced to minimise pollution.
•  Extensive landscaping on the ground level and on the 10th storey roof terraces to create a visual and physical relief from the  surrounding industrial zones.

$4.3 million donation to help low income workers

Doing well has enabled FairPrice to do more good. As part of its ongoing efforts to contribute to the community, FairPrice and FairPrice Foundation has donated S$4.3 million to NTUC, which will go towards various community initiatives like the NTUC U Care Fund to benefit low-income working families as well as family bonding activities such as U Picnic and Baby’s Day Out.

Mr Ng added, “This donation is an affirmation that we will continue to uphold our commitment to the community to do good by giving back and be a retailer with a heart even as we grow and evolve in the business environment.”

To date, FairPrice Foundation has donated over $49 million to the community through various initiatives and charity organisations like the FairPrice Food Vouchers Scheme, Ren Ci Nursing Home, and ComChest to benefit the poor and needy, foster community bonding and advance the welfare of workers. Additionally, FairPrice has donated over $14 million since 2006, when the foundation was set up.