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Temasek-backed tech venture launches new rewards platform for everyday shopping Members of yuu Rewards Club can earn one point for every dollar spent at more than 1,000 participating places, including Cold Storage and Giant supermarkets. SINGAPORE: With a new rewards platform launching on Thursday (Oct 27), shoppers in Singapore could soon use a single app to redeem rewards on everyday spending at Cold Storage, Giant, Guardian, Singtel and BreadTalk Group F&B outlets. The yuu Rewards Club is a free platform created by minden.ai, a tech venture founded and backed by Temasek. DFI Retail Group, which operates Cold Storage, Giant and CS Fresh supermarkets as well as the Guardian and 7-Eleven outlets, also has a stake in the venture. On the platform, members can earn 1 yuu point for every dollar spent at the more than 1,000 participating places, said minden.ai in a press release on Wednesday. Every 200 yuu points can be used to offset S$1 on purchases at participating outlets, said CEO of minden.ai Sng Ren Yeong. The points can also be used to redeem deals and rewards from the participating brands. For example, 10 yuu points could net you a small hot coffee at Toast Box. Individuals who opt to save up for bigger redemptions could use 2,400 yuu points to redeem a free month of HBO Go subscription with Singtel. There will be no cap to the number of yuu points that can be accumulated. “The yuu Rewards Club was created to give consumers greater choice, convenience and flexibility, such that we can reward them for their everyday purchases,” said Mr Sng. “We hope to allow consumers to accumulate and earn points as they shop everyday purchases and be able to redeem them for meaningful rewards across this network,” he added. According to a survey of 1,000 Singapore residents, 60 per cent of them said they were increasingly looking to join a loyalty or rewards programme to save money, said minden.ai in a press release. “It is also opportune that this platform addresses the everyday purchase habits for consumers, and we are happy that we are doing our part today to help consumers stretch their dollar to offset some of the inflationary pressures that they face in today’s inflationary environment,” said Mr Sng. 72 per cent of respondents were looking for cost savings on purchases, and two-thirds of respondents wanted the ability to redeem points on everyday spending, the survey showed. Participating outlets and brands include Cold Storage, CS Fresh and Giant supermarkets, Guardian and 7-Eleven outlets. The yuu platform can also be used at the Mandai Wildlife Reserve parks - the Singapore Zoo, the Night Safari, River Wonders and Jurong Bird Park. Members can also earn yuu points at BreadTalk, Toast Box, Food Junction, Food Republic, Food Opera, Butter Bean and Thye Moh Chan, as well as on Singtel products. There are also offers specific to each brand. For example, if customers use the yuu platform at Giant, they could redeem offers like double the number of points on fresh vegetables and fruits, laundry items, rice, milk and cream, and triple the points on Meadows brand items. All of these offers can be stacked in the same transaction, and will automatically apply when individuals shop at the participating outlets, said Mr Sng. “We are happy to welcome more partners to come on board. Today we have some of Singaporeans’ favourite household brands that really are very consumer-centric in prioritising to reward their consumers. We hope to welcome more brands in time to come that equally focus on consumers as well,” said Mr Sng. To start earning yuu points, consumers need to download the yuu app, which is now available on the Apple App Store, Google Play Store and Huawei App Store. After they register for their yuu account, they will have a unique ID. Before paying at participating partners, they should scan their unique QR code or barcode. Members can see their point balance on the app and use the points to offset purchases or redeem rewards. Cashiers at the participating outlets have been trained to assist consumers who may be interested in joining the platform, said Mr Sng. Responding to a question on why minden.ai opted to focus on rewards and offers over cashback, Mr Sng noted that different consumers have different preferences. “Some consumers prefer cashback discounts, others prefer to accumulate and earn points so they can redeem it for meaningful rewards,” he said. “You may use your points to offset purchases, but if you save and accumulate them to a certain amount, you may find a reward for which there’s a big discount for, that you can redeem your points for,” he added. When brands know about the demand for such rewards, they may also be able to purchase them at a cheaper price or deliver these items at a greater scale, he added. As customers interact with the platform over time, minden.ai hopes to leverage technology to personalise the rewards, said Mr Sng. “If we understand both the consumer preferences as well as what’s available within our partner inventory network, they can reward the consumers in a much more meaningful way by making the rewards not only relevant but rewarding as well,” he added. minden.ai has also partnered with DBS and PAssion Card on the platform. DBS will launch a new DBS yuu credit card on Thursday, and these users can earn up to 30 times the points when they shop and make payment with this card at partner stores. Individuals who have a PAssion card or PAssion POSB debit card can also link their cards to the platform. Spending with the debit card or tapping the PAssion card at DFI outlets also earns yuu points. After accumulating yuu points, members can also choose to donate them to community projects and charitable causes such as PAssion CARES, a pay-it-forward initiative driven by the People’s Association via the yuu app, said minden.ai in the press release. https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/yuu-rewards-club-cold-storage-giant-7-11-singapore-zoo-singtel-dbs-3025836

Giant now selling Mobil 1 5W-30, 10W-30, 0W-40 & 15W-50 for $9.99! Those 946ml bottle. Grab yrs while stock lasts! For those who missed the Shop N Save offer.

Hope the title is useful to you guys =)

No supermarket at VivoCity for several months; FairPrice Xtra to open by Q3 2019 When the Giant hypermarket in VivoCity mall shuts on Feb 17, patrons will find the shopping complex devoid of a supermarket for several months until rival chain NTUC FairPrice opens its biggest store there later this year. VivoCity houses another supermarket, Cold Storage, but it too will shut on the same day, TODAY has learnt. Giant and Cold Storage are managed by retail group Dairy Farm. TODAY reported in September last year on the closure of Giant at VivoCity. The outlet, which was spread over two levels, opened in 2006 and is among the mall’s anchor tenants. FairPrice, the largest supermarket chain here, is set to take over the space by the third quarter of this year. The FairPrice Xtra outlet, spanning 90,000 sq ft, will be its largest in Singapore. A FairPrice spokesperson said the store will boast “unique features” but did not elaborate. In October last year, Ms Sharon Lim, the chief executive officer of Mapletree Commercial Trust Management — which oversees VivoCity — said FairPrice will bring a “new integrated concept” to cater to the varied needs of shoppers, and this is expected to improve the mall’s offerings. With only a fortnight before the Giant outlet shuts, regular patrons told TODAY on Friday (Feb 1) that they would be inconvenienced and would have to visit other supermarkets. Housewife Maria Peter, 57, visits the hypermarket several times a week and was sad to see it go. “The store has a good variety of produce and the prices are reasonable. It’s very upsetting,” said Mrs Peter, a Tiong Bahru resident. After the store shuts, she will have to shop at the FairPrice Finest supermarket at Tiong Bahru Plaza or visit the Giant Express store at Jalan Membina in Bukit Merah. Mr James Fernandez, 59, frequents Giant’s VivoCity outlet because of its range of offerings. “I prefer this store because of the choices and quality, and they refresh it pretty often. It’s very difficult to replace,” said the part-time lecturer. He will go to a FairPrice outlet at Bukit Merah after the hypermarket shuts. Mr Fernandez said he may have fewer reasons to visit VivoCity in future, as “there is no reason to come here except to eat”. A resident of Sentosa who wanted to be known only as Mrs Tan, 55, said she may turn to online grocer RedMart or visit supermarkets in Telok Blangah and Pasir Panjang. She was surprised that FairPrice would open its outlet only several months later. Giant’s closure of its VivoCity hypermarket comes after it shut two stores in Bukit Panjang and Jalan Tenteram in Whampoa estate last year, TODAY reported previously. The chain is also reviewing if business will remain viable in at least three other stores. The outlets — at The Grandstand mall on Turf Club Road, Block 512 on Bishan Street 13, and Block 118 on Aljunied Avenue 2 — are being reviewed for lease renewals and store performance, among other considerations. When approached on Friday, a spokesperson for Dairy Farm said the business has progressively redeployed its employees from its VivoCity outlets to other stores. A “core team” remains at VivoCity to serve patrons. The spokesperson did not say if other stores will be shutting this year, but noted that the company reviews its strategy continually and adjusts its “portfolio mix to meet the evolving tastes and demands” of its customers. “For us, this is business as usual.” OFFER AN EXPERIENCE In the first half of last year, operating profit for Dairy Farm’s hypermarket and supermarket businesses dropped to US$33.2 million (S$44.8 million) from US$71.3 million in the same period the year before. Dr Michael Chiam, a senior tourism lecturer at Ngee Ann Polytechnic, suggested it could make shopping more experiential by setting up a cafe or conducting cooking lessons in its stores, for instance. Mr Samuel Tan, course manager of the retail management diploma at Temasek Polytechnic’s School of Business, said Giant could be competing with players targeting similar customers and with similar product sources, such as Sheng Siong, another supermarket chain. Hence, it needs to reinvent itself by introducing more house brands or exclusive products. As for the future FairPrice Xtra outlet in VivoCity, Dr Chiam said it could consider a lifestyle theme and feature an in-store cafe. “Customers could select the ingredients found in the supermarket and the cafe offers to cook (a dish) for them at a fee,” he said. Mr Tan noted that FairPrice has been testing ideas at its Paya Lebar store, where shoppers can collect their purchases at a pick-up point, for instance. It could build on the concept at VivoCity, enabling consumers to scan a product or quick-response code to better understand the product, its possible uses or cooking methods, he said. “Fresh food from farms, ready food with seasoning and dine-in options could be considered as part of the shopper’s experience,” Mr Tan added.

Today went to Giant supermarket at Turf City and saw this new engine oil. Promotion now till 15 May. The certificate was shown at the display. Fully synthetic 5W40 17.90 for 4L bottle. Not sure if it is available in other Giant. Can buy?

Francois Michelin, who led the eponymous French tyre group for nearly half a century, died at the age of 88, the Clermont-Ferrand-based company said on Wednesday (Apr 29). CNA

See for yourself... Hahahah. No wonder I don feel healthy, I ised it the wrong way....

Chinese auto giant Wanxiang wins Fisker bid By Katie Fehrenbacher Summary: Chinese auto parts giant Wanxiang has won a bid for electric car maker Fisker for $149 million, and a judge has approved it. Will they restart production of the Karma and make the Atlantic soon? A Delaware judge approved the sale of bankrupt electric car maker Fisker and its assets to Chinese auto parts giant Wanxiang, according to local reports on Tuesday. Wanxiang, which also bought up bankrupt battery maker A123 Systems in late 2012, won the bid over Hong Kong billionaire Richard Li’s company Hybrid Technology, and the auction occurred over the end of last week. As Quartz put it, the auction had “pitted two Chinese billionaires against one another: Wanxiang’s Lu Guanqiu vs. Hong Kong telecoms titan Richard Li.” Wanxiang bid $149 million for Fisker, which is substantially larger than some earlier prices that had been offered, but just a fraction of Fisker’s valuation at one time. Lu’s advantages were that Wanxiang owns A123 — which made the batteries for Fisker’s Karma car — and also that he appeared to be willing to bail out unsecured creditors. Ray Lane’s Fisker Karma Wanxiang has said if it wins the bid it can soon restart production on Fisker’s first electric car, the Karma, and it can start providing parts and services for current Karmas on the roads. It will also resume development of the second car, the Atlantic. Only about 2,000 Karmas were sold before Fisker stopped production. Wanxiang’s U.S. division, based in Elgin, Illinois, has 6,000 workers in the U.S. and $2.5 billion in annual revenue. The Chinese company has a total of $13 billion in revenue and 45,000 employees across the world. The head of Wanxiang America, Pin Li, called cleantech “the new frontier for civilization,” in an interview with me a couple years ago. The company is involved in all types of clean technology, from electric cars, to solar, to wind farms, to batteries. Wanxiang has also invested $420 million into GreatPoint Energy, a company based in Cambridge, Mass. that converts coal into cleaner-burning natural gas. At the time that deal was described by the Wall Street Journal as “the largest ever by a Chinese corporation into a venture-capital-funded U.S. company.” Wanxiang also invested in another struggling company electric car company Smith Electric Vehicles. As with Wanxiang’s deal with A123, controversy will follow the realization that a Chinese conglomerate will likely be taking over an electric car maker that got substantial funding from the U.S. government. But as I reported yesterday, there’s money coming from Asia for some of these hard to fund cleantech innovations. Is the world ready for more Karmas? The car received weak reviews and the brand has been tarnished substantially. But clearly there’s been high demand for Tesla and its cars, so if a revived Fisker can overcome its past problems, it could find a market for its cars.

Hi all, Giant is currently having a promotion for the following grades of Mobil 1 product. Each quart (946ml) costs $12.90. Usual price is $18.90 0W-40: European formulation and compliant with 1.8T powerplant. xW-30 The promotion should end by 3 Sep.

$10.99 for a bottle of Mobil 1. New stock with API SN rating. 0W-20, 5W-20, 0W-30, 5W-30, 10W-30 and 0W-40 all have. Saw a pallet of them at Giant Parkway. Probably other Giant should have too.

Hi all, Anyone here know where are the pen shops in Singapore that I can get a giant refill for my old Montblanc 380 ballpoint pen ? Please let me know and Thank you very much. Regards,

Hi all jus saw in straits times that Giant is having sale of cxxxxxe full syn 5w40 at $26.90 at all outlets! jemjem

i didn't know heartlanders have taken to embracing this festival wholeheartedly

Which megamart yuo prefer and which part of JB.

Hello I see giant selling cheapskate schnell turtle brand engine oil 20 plus syn... Is it ok to use? I drive a second hand GTi R32

Next time there might be something 'add-on' in our milo :D But look at the purchase price, that is a lot of blue pill

Giant at Vivo 24hrs today mah?

I am, but this looks kinda interesting. Weta bug, 1st time come across it. More information on weta bug http://www.cafeterra.info/2009/02/giant-we...t-in-world.html I would run most likely if I see it. Edit: Upload Image

Hi All, Just bought 5 x quart bottles of the Mobil1 15W-50 at Giant over the weekend. Those were the last 5 bottles at the Sembawang Shopping Centre outlet. (Selling for $10.95 per quart bottle) Anyone else saw these on offer at other Giant outlets? (Please note 15W-50 and not the usual 5W-50 which is being offered) Thanks

I am talking about Gundam, Macross and Mechwarrior. If Transformers can rake in big bucks with such a lousy script, I don't understand why no other robot franchise is joining in. I think Gundam 0080 or 08 Team can easily be converted into a 2-3 hr film

Different grades available, Tampines Giant

Hi, As per topic title, which Giant in JB you most prefer to go to and why? Pls share with us the reason also, eg, closest to CIQ, most available parking, have lots of other shops there besides Giant, etc. Also, can share here which Giant you don't like and why. Eg, not enough parking, feels that parking is unsafe, hard to get to, etc.

A hole that swallows a 3 story high building http://sg.news.search.yahoo.com/search?ei=...&type=photo

hi guys anyone know of any furniture shops near Giant in JB? need to custom make a cabinet. tks

SINGAPORE - China will send two pandas to Singapore to mark next year's 20th anniversary of bilateral relations, the city-state's zoo operator said Wednesday. The announcement was made Wednesday evening by President Hu Jintao during a meeting with Singapore President S. R. Nathan, Wildlife Reserves Singapore said in a statement. It said the pandas, a male and female, would arrive in 2011 - a year after the 20th anniversary - and be housed at River Safari, a new attraction being built. They will be loaned to Singapore for 10 years, a spokeswoman for the zoo operator told AFP. Officials with the Chinese delegation to an Asia-Pacific leaders meeting being hosted by Singapore, which Hu will attend, were not immediately able to confirm the statement. China has used panda diplomacy worldwide since the days of the Cold War, most famously when it helped cement a rapprochement with the United States in the early 1970s by sending a pair of the animals. More recently, it sent a pair of pandas to Taiwan late last year amid a thaw in relations between mainland China and the self-ruled island, which split in 1949 at the end of a civil war. China normally demands enormous fees for its pandas. The statement said the panda enclosure in hot and humid Singapore would be climate-controlled to approximate the cooler climes of mountainous southwestern China, the animals' natural habitat. Habitat/ Exhibit The two giant pandas will be housed at Wildlife Reserves Singapore's River Safari. The exhibit will be constructed according to the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums standards. It will be fully air-conditioned and the humidity level kept low. The giant pandas will be housed in a 1600 m2 climate-controlled enclosure, off-exhibit holding area, exercise yard and cubbing den. The entire habitat will be air-conditioned with temperature set between 18 to 22˚C and humidity controlled at 50 to 60% all year round. The ambient conditions will be adjusted to simulate the four seasons similar to their natural habitat Diet The Giant Panda