ATLAS Vending, Malaysia’s biggest vending machine supplier is looking to make Malaysia Day more meaningful with their new Sapot SME campaign, featuring a multibrand collaboration involving 13 SMEs, each from a different state in Malaysia. In partnership with ATLAS Vending, each SME will place Halal-certified local favourites in ATLAS Vending’s machines located at the KLIA Ekspres Departure Hall in KL Sentral. The SMEs will be able to use the vending machines rent-free with free refilling services for the next three months starting from mid-September onwards. The Sapot SME campaign is the first phase in ATLAS Vending’s upcoming rollout of the new ATLAS Minit Mart concept which is set to offer an expanded range of products via the vending machines.
This initiative is in line with ATLAS Vending’s effort to support local SMEs affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. In this collaboration, the 13 SMEs will be able to use the vending machines to expand market access, reaching a wider audience by offering convenient purchase of their products around the clock from the vending machines. To protect customers passing through the KL Sentral travel hub during the pandemic, ATLAS Vending has also installed 99.99% effective UV light disinfection on the high-contact keypad. To further keep customers safe from UV light exposure, the UV light disinfection feature will be disabled if people are detected nearby by the motion sensors on the machine.
The brands participating in this campaign are Madina Food (Perlis), Nature’s Fresh (Kedah), Yee Hup Hiong Piah (Perak), TalentCook (Penang), TFN (Selangor), myEureka (Melaka), Rehan (Negeri Sembilan), Azhar Food (Johor), Tokey Sambal Hitam (Pahang), Anopokku (Terengganu), Akifcafe (Kelantan), Heera Enterprise (Sabah) and Lee Fah Mee (Sarawak).
“At ATLAS Vending, in conjunction with Malaysia Day, we wanted to do something to benefit our fellow Malaysians impacted by the pandemic. We found that many local entrepreneurs had to scale back their business plans, amidst challenges of stock logistics, rental costs and shortened operation hours, so we proposed to offer our vending machines as automated retail channels to help them expand their reach. We chose Sapot SME as the theme for the campaign as the SME Association of Malaysia found that 100,000 SMEs have closed their business since the first Movement Control Order (MCO) on 18 March 2020 and another 50,000 SMEs are at risk of shutting down their business if our current MCO 3.0 is extended further . Through the Sapot SME campaign, we hope to celebrate the Malaysian spirit by supporting entrepreneurs across the country and their determination to survive,” said Amy Gan, Head of Marketing & Ancillary Business, ATLAS Vending.
Expanding Accessibility To Hometown Favourites
With the ongoing pandemic, many Malaysians living in the Klang Valley may be missing the opportunity to stock up on hometown favourites or other products they often purchase during domestic travels. Through the Sapot SME campaign, ATLAS Vending is offering an additional channel for Malaysians to conveniently access products from different states, from their vending machines.
Chai Chin Siew, Marketing Manager of Lee Fah Mee Sdn Bhd based in Sarawak said, “As a Sarawak-based manufacturer and exporter of dried and instant noodles, this pandemic has slowed down our expansion plan into West Malaysia. When ATLAS Vending approached us for the Sapot SME campaign, deciding to participate was an easy decision to make. Our products are local Sarawakian favourites and thanks to ATLAS Vending, our instant noodles and snacks like our Sarawak Laksa Chips can now be accessed through a new channel, not only by Sarawakians who have not been home due to the pandemic but also by other Malaysians who have yet to try them! This campaign is definitely a great Malaysia Day gift for us.”
“For some of our partners, they may have reduced their physical presence due to loss of income. By embracing technology and placing their products in ATLAS Vending’s machines, they now have new market access options and new ways to promote their products. We want to help SMEs resume their business activities and also embrace the new normal in doing business. While the pandemic is ongoing, we also want to protect consumers by arming all 13 vending machines with 99.99% effective UV light disinfection on the commonly-touched keypads,” Gan said.
“We have been in the online market since 2017 and have not explored a physical sales channel so far. Being able to sell our products physically via our very own vending machine in the heart of Kuala Lumpur, provided by ATLAS Vending, is a meaningful milestone. This opportunity from ATLAS Vending has enabled us to expand beyond our current market, and we hope it will lead to growth in sales that will in turn allow us to survive this pandemic and expand in the future,” shared Khairril Adhzaha Awahab, Founder of Tokey Sambal Hitam, supplier and producer of Sambal Hitam from Pahang.
Tan Ai Leen, Director of Epic Food Manufacturing, the Penang-based manufacturer of TalentCook, said, “Our mission is to share our ethnic food with consumers globally and enable Malaysians to enjoy their favourite Penang foods anytime, anywhere. ATLAS Vending has taken our dream one step further with their vending machines that offer Klang Valley consumers another convenient way to make purchases. We would recommend other SMEs to consider placing their own products in vending machines!”
“Sapot SME is just the first phase in our planned introduction of new vending machines across Malaysia that will offer much more than the commonly sold drinks and snacks. Through the introduction of the ATLAS Minit Mart vending machines, Malaysian consumers will be able to access a 24-hour automated source of products they used to buy in convenience stores and mini markets. From instant noodles to sambal and pastes and spices for cooking, to a wide range of local fried snacks, dried fruits and even popcorn and brownies, and on to products like ice blended milkshakes, the products offered through the Minit Mart will transform the concept of vending machines in the minds of Malaysians,” Gan further elaborated.
The Sapot SME campaign is supported by Express Rail Link Sdn Bhd (ERLSB) as the official venue partner, lending help to strengthen SMEs through this meaningful initiative in conjunction with Malaysia Day. Check out the 13 vending machines located in KL Sentral to explore local favourites from SMEs participating in the Sapot SME campaign. Each vending machine has been decorated with design elements to reflect each state’s identity. Let’s celebrate Malaysia by choosing to Sapot SME and support each other. As they say, #KitaJagaKita. Other SMEs interested to be part of the ATLAS Vending Sapot SME campaign can contact ATLAS Vending via their hotline at 1300-1300-61, Facebook or visit their Website for more contact options.