Wellcome
Encyclopedia
Supermarket
A supermarket, a form of grocery store, is a self-service store offering a wide variety of food and household merchandise, organized into departments...
chain owned by Jardine Matheson Holdings
Jardine Matheson Holdings
Jardine Matheson Holdings Limited often referred to as Jardines, is a multinational corporation incorporated in Bermuda and based in Hong Kong. While listed on the London Stock Exchange and the Singapore Exchange, the vast majority of Jardines shares are traded in Singapore...
via its Dairy Farm subsidiary. The Wellcome supermarket chain is one of the two largest supermarket chains in Hong Kong, the other being PARKnSHOP
PARKnSHOP
PARKnSHOP is one of the two largest supermarket chains in Hong Kong, the other being Wellcome. PARKnSHOP operates more than 260 outlets in Hong Kong, Macau, and Mainland China....
. Wellcome also operates supermarkets in Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
under the Wellcome name. The parent company
Parent company
A parent company is a company that owns enough voting stock in another firm to control management and operations by influencing or electing its board of directors; the second company being deemed as a subsidiary of the parent company...
, Dairy Farm, also has other supermarket interests in the Asia Pacific under different brand names.
The correct spelling of the name of the supermarket should be "Wellcome" (double L), instead of the English greeting "Welcome
Welcome
Welcome may refer to:-Place names:* Welcome, Barnet, London, United Kingdom* Welcome , a metro station* Welcome Islands, a small rocky archipelago to the north of the main island of South Georgia* Welcome, Ontario, Canada...
" (single L).
History
Founded in 1945, Wellcome is Hong Kong's longest-established supermarket chain. Since 1964, the company has been wholly owned by Dairy Farm following the merger with rival supermarket Dairy Lane. Wellcome has an overall staff of 5,000 in more than 240 stores and serves more than 14 million customers every month.1940's-50's
Wellcome was established in 1945 by Mr. Wu Chung-Wai, Mr. Lau Lim and Mr. Ko Yin-Yu.
Wellcome established its first store on Ice House Street in Central. The shop specialised in imported products including wines, biscuits, canned food and beverages.
Wellcome was the first supermarket to establish a Home Delivery Service division, and an average of 600 customers enjoyed this one-of-a-kind service through orders in person daily.
1960's-70's
Wellcome became a member of The Dairy Farm International Group in 1964.
Wellcome was the first to introduce a "self-service" retailing concept. Customers no longer require the assistance of service staff to get products; they can personally select products from the shelf.
Wellcome was the first to offer pre-packaged rice products in 1973, offering consumers a convenient and hygienic choice to purchase rice.
1980's-90's
Wellcome launched its first corporate brand "No Frills", offering customers over 300 products at the lowest prices as compared to other products in the same category.
Wellcome was the first supermarket to employ Electronic Digital Internet (EDI) technology to improve the efficiency of operation.
Wellcome pioneered the 24-hour supermarket concept and set up its first 24-hour store in Great George Street, Causeway Bay on 23rd October 1998.
Wellcome established its second corporate brand, First Choice, with a product range of over 1,000 items. With prices at 20-30% less than competitive international brands, it is a well-known brand in Hong Kong.
A $400 million investment, "Wellcome Fresh Food Centre" was opened in 1998. Occupying an area of 161,000 sq. ft., it is the top, state-of-the-art fresh food-processing centre in Asia, ensuring quality, safe and efficient supply of fresh food.
1992's-98's, Wellcome Hong Kong to become the first to use the UPC system in Hong Kong supermarkets, offers a more efficient and more convenient payment services. According to the report of 2004-2008, Wellcome supermarkets and thus increase the number of branches.
The New Millennium
Wellcome introduced the "Vote For Your Favourite Brand" campaign in 2000 and it has been a successful annual consumer event ever since.
Wellcome opened the first ultra-modern superstore at Tuen Mun Town Plaza. The Wellcome superstore introduced a new "one-stop" shopping service, embracing the concepts of both wet market and grocery shop under one roof.
Wellcome announced its double refund offer with lowest price guarantee by doubling the difference back to customers.
Wellcome unveiled its Stanley store in January 2003. It is the first supermarket located inside a 100-year-old historical building - the old Stanley Police Station.
Generic products
Wellcome supermarkets sell several products under the generic brands No Frills (特惠牌) and First Choice (首選牌).Superstore
Wellcome’s first superstore was opened in 2000 and currently it has 19 superstores, spread across Hong Kong. They stock a greater variety of products, tailored to local demand.Market Place by Jasons
Wellcome began introducing Market Place by Jasons, a high end supermarket brand first introduced by its SingaporeSingapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
sister company
Company
A company is a form of business organization. It is an association or collection of individual real persons and/or other companies, who each provide some form of capital. This group has a common purpose or focus and an aim of gaining profits. This collection, group or association of persons can be...
Cold Storage
Cold Storage (supermarket)
Cold Storage is the second-largest supermarket chain in Singapore behind NTUC FairPrice, owned by Dairy Farm International Holdings.It operates 3 supermarket brands in Singapore and Malaysia; Cold Storage , Market Place and Shop N Save .-History:Established in 1903, Cold Storage started as a small...
, to Hong Kong in 2007. It imports medium to high-end products.
As of June 2010, fourteen stores had been opened. The stores are located at Perkin's Road (Jardine's Lookout
Jardine's Lookout
Jardine's Lookout is a mountain and a residential area on the Hong Kong Island in Hong Kong. It is located Southeast of the Wan Chai district and South of the Tai Hang area, at an altitude of about 433 metres. Nearby hills include Mount Nicholson, Violet Hill and Mount Butler etc.It is named after...
), Telford Plaza, Langham Place (Mong Kok
Mong Kok
Mong Kok , less often known as Argyle , is an area in the Yau Tsim Mong District on Kowloon Peninsula, Hong Kong...
), the Peak
Victoria Peak
Victoria Peak is a mountain in Hong Kong. It is also known as Mount Austin, and locally as The Peak. The mountain is located in the western half of Hong Kong Island...
, Happy Valley
Happy Valley, Hong Kong
Happy Valley is a mostly residential suburb of Hong Kong, located in the northern part of Hong Kong Island. Administratively, it is part of Wan Chai District....
, Austin Road
Austin Road
Austin Road is a road in Kowloon, Hong Kong. It was named after John Gardiner Austin, Colonial Secretary of Hong Kong from 1868 to 1879.-Location:...
(Tsim Sha Tsui
Tsim Sha Tsui
Tsim Sha Tsui , often abbreviated as TST, is an urbanized area in southern Kowloon, Hong Kong. The area is administratively part of the Yau Tsim Mong District. Tsim Sha Tsui East is a piece of land reclaimed from the Hung Hom Bay now east of Tsim Sha Tsui...
), Razor Hill
Razor Hill
Razor Hill, also known as Che Kwu Shan indigenously, is a hill between Pik Uk, Ta Ku Ling, Tseung Kwan O, and Tai Po Tsai in the New Territories of Hong Kong. The north and east mid slope is surrounded by Clear Water Bay Road....
(Clear Water Bay
Clear Water Bay
Clear Water Bay is a bay on the east shore of Clear Water Bay Peninsula of Hong Kong located within Clear Water Bay Country Park. There are two beaches at Clear Water Bay, namely Clear Water Bay 1st beach and Clear Water Bay 2nd beach...
), Cloud View Road
Braemar Hill
Braemar Hill is a hill at the south of North Point on the Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong. The hill was likely named after the Scottish village of Braemar by the British officials....
(North Point
North Point
North Point is a mixed-use urban area in the Eastern District of Hong Kong. It is the northernmost point of Hong Kong Island, adjacent to both Causeway Bay and Quarry Bay, and projecting toward Kowloon Bay. Fortress Hill occupies the western end of the North Point area.-History:In 1899, The...
), Nexxus Building (Central
Central, Hong Kong
Central is the central business district of Hong Kong. It is located in Central and Western District, on the north shore of Hong Kong Island, across Victoria Harbour from Tsim Sha Tsui, the southernmost point of Kowloon Peninsula...
), Manhattan Hill
Manhattan Hill
Manhattan Hill is a high-rise development located in the Lai Chi Kok district of Kowloon in Hong Kong, formerly Kowloon Motor Bus Lai Chi Kok Depot. The complex consists of five towers. Towers 1 and 2, which are interconnected, rise 51 floors, while towers 3, 5 and 6 rise 49 floors; each of the...
(Lai Chi Kok
Lai Chi Kok
Lai Chi Kok is a neighborhood in New Kowloon, Hong Kong, east of Kwai Chung and west of Cheung Sha Wan. Mei Foo Sun Chuen is the largest housing estate in the area. Administratively, it belongs to the Sham Shui Po District.-History:...
), Repulse Bay
Repulse Bay
Repulse Bay is a bay in the southern part of Hong Kong Island, located in the Southern District, Hong Kong.-Geography:Repulse Bay is located in the south of Hong Kong Island, to the east of Deep Water Bay and to the west of Middle Bay and South Bay...
, Hong Kong Gold Coast
Hong Kong Gold Coast
Hong Kong Gold Coast is a private housing estate served by Castle Peak Road, near Castle Peak Bay, in So Kwun Wat, Tuen Mun, New Territories, Hong Kong...
(Tuen Mun
Tuen Mun
Tuen Mun is a town near the mouth of Tuen Mun River and Castle Peak Bay in the New Territories, Hong Kong. It was one of the earliest settlements in Hong Kong which can be dated back to the Neolithic period. In the more recent past, it was home to many Tanka fishermen who gathered at the Castle...
), K11 (Tsim Sha Tsui
Tsim Sha Tsui
Tsim Sha Tsui , often abbreviated as TST, is an urbanized area in southern Kowloon, Hong Kong. The area is administratively part of the Yau Tsim Mong District. Tsim Sha Tsui East is a piece of land reclaimed from the Hung Hom Bay now east of Tsim Sha Tsui...
) and iSQUARE
ISQUARE
iSQUARE is a 31-story high shopping mall located at 63 Nathan Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon, Hong Kong, on the former site of the Hyatt Regency Hotel. It was developed by Associated International Hotels Ltd.-Introduction:...
(Tsim Sha Tsui
Tsim Sha Tsui
Tsim Sha Tsui , often abbreviated as TST, is an urbanized area in southern Kowloon, Hong Kong. The area is administratively part of the Yau Tsim Mong District. Tsim Sha Tsui East is a piece of land reclaimed from the Hung Hom Bay now east of Tsim Sha Tsui...
). The Palazzo (Hong Kong) (Fo Tan
Fo Tan
Fo Tan is a suburb of Sha Tin District, Hong Kong. It was developed as a light industrial area, but this activity has declined markedly in recent years. There are residential areas to the east, alongside the MTR line, and in the foothills to the west....
) store is expected to open in July 2010.
There is also a Market Place by Jasons in Taiwan located in the Taipei 101
Taipei 101
Taipei 101 , formerly known as the Taipei World Financial Center, is a landmark skyscraper located in Xinyi District, Taipei, Taiwan. The building ranked officially as the world's tallest from 2004 until the opening of the Burj Khalifa in Dubai in 2010...
shopping mall, basement level. It opened in 2004.