Reaching for the sky

It is everyone’s dream to own their own home and for that, city developer SkyWorld Development Group (SkyWorld) has been at the forefront of providing quality homes in strategic locations, with a strong focus on city developments.

The company’s philosophy and determination paid off in FY2021, as it managed to achieve several significant milestones throughout the year. Besides surpassing RM1 billion in total sales, SkyWorld also earned two distinctive Asia Pacific Property Awards, and managed to garner seven BIG Wins at the StarProperty Awards 2021.

Last year, SkyWorld also collaborated with Shopee for the 11.11 Biggest Sale Giveaway, allowing it to reach out to a whole new demographic. SkyWorld was also ranked in the Top 20 in The Edge Property Excellence Award 2021, and was conferred the Best Employer 2021 Award for the 4th time by Kincentric.

On the property front, there were two major achievements: SkyVogue Residences at Taman Desa achieved a 95% take-up rate, and SkyMeridien Residences in Sentul East managed to be completed on-time, despite the challenges posed by the ongoing pandemic and in the midst of handing over to its homebuyers.

All of these notable milestones stand as a testament to SkyWorld’s commitment to being the best city developer in Malaysia, providing an unparalleled living experience to modern city communities.

A step forward

For 2022, SkyWorld plans on continuing to strive further, with a fresh vision & purpose, and a renewed brand promise.

The company’s new vision is based upon the simple principle of ‘ABCD’ – Always Best City Developer – illustrating SkyWorld’s intention to continue to focus upon the city and provide the ultimate sky living experience for its customers.

In addition, the company’s ‘Mission’ has been changed to ‘Purpose’ in order to set a clearer direction for its employees. And what is this new ‘Purpose’? Simply to ‘Make Living Better’.

This leads to the updated brand promise that ‘You can now own a quality home and living’. SkyWorld believes that a good product can be an asset that builds generational wealth, and it insists upon delivering a quality product that stands the test of time.

You & I

To drive home these new guiding principles, it has launched the You & I campaign, which encapsulates the true essence of SkyWorld as a customer-centric company, and its belief to only ‘do things that matter to the customers’.

This means always putting customers first and striving to provide the best customer service to them, even before they transition to becoming homebuyers. To that end, SkyWorld has implemented several measures that give it the edge when it comes to adding a personal touch to the home buying process.

It invested RM1 million into the SkyWorld Connects app, an innovative and user-friendly application specially developed for SkyWorld homeowners, that also serves as a dedicated platform for effective and efficient communications between SkyWorld property residents, management and its security team.

Some of the features include arranging key collection appointments, defect submissions, facilities booking, advance visitor registration, useful contacts and many more.

Taking note that the process of purchasing a new home can often be a long and painful one, SkyWorld also helps relieve some of the burdens during the key collection day, and make it a memorable experience by providing personalised HOVP to all valued purchasers.

The HOVP team will bring customers on a tour of the facilities and car park bays, and walk them to their units. They will also assist them in going through the checklist and teaching them how to submit a notation of defects using the SkyWorld Connects App.

It is this attention to detail that has allowed the HOVP team to achieve an over 90% customer service rating across five fully handed over projects.

More recently, SkyWorld launched Solution+, an innovative feature in the SkyWorld Connects app that links SkyWorld homebuyers with home solutions traders. This provides conveniences to SkyWorld homebuyers with a wide range of move-in necessities such as interior design and renovation, furniture, home appliances, telco services, movers and rental services, all at their fingertips. Besides that, SkyWorld homebuyers get to enjoy great savings and special packages, all thanks to crowd deals.

Some of SkyWorld’s Solution+ partners include Samsung, Electrolux, Panasonic, Maju Home Concept, Buenos Kitchen and more.

Solution+ has already been soft launched to SkyMeridien and SkyAwani 3 purchasers successfully, with RM2.8 million in sales transacted within one week.

In addition, to ensure that SkyWorld is able to design homes that are ideal for homebuyers, it is important for it to understand what the market wants and needs. To do that, SkyWorld will be launching a co-creation platform to enable public engagement, and to allow it to better understand the needs and requirements of homebuyers in its upcoming developments.

Business strategies

Looking further into the future, SkyWorld intends to continue to source for high-value land pockets across the city within established localities that enjoy excellent connectivity, amenities and public transportation systems.

It will also continue to focus on high rise residential developments and explore commercial offerings, as it believes in the concept of a wholesome living in a sustainable environment.

Upcoming launches

With so much already achieved, SkyWorld is not resting upon its laurels, and is continuously seeking to grow its property portfolio. Four new launches have been earmarked in ideal city-centric locations such as Setapak, Setiawangsa, Cheras and Taman Melawati, which will raise the company’s profile by providing the ultimate sky living experience for customers.

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Lights out for a better today and tomorrow

Carlsberg Malaysia’s efforts for conserving the environment it operates in are guided by its ambitious sustainability programme Together Towards ZERO (TTZ), in which the brewer pledges to address climate change by reducing carbon emissions and energy consumption.

Committed to delivering Together Towards ZERO carbon footprints, the brewer turned off nonessential lights for an hour on March 26 and saved 290 kilowatt hours (kWh), making it the 12th year it took part in the Earth Hour campaign. Ingrained in its founder J.C. Jacobsen’s Golden Words, the brewer prioritises product quality over profitability and is committed to brewing for a better today and tomorrow.

The brewery is wary of the alarming statistics of global warming are imminent threats to everyone and taking place in every part of the world; Malaysia not spared when extreme weather hit several parts of the Peninsula Malaysia and its brewery in Shah Alam was also affected from the disastrous floods last December. By turning the non-essential lights off at this brewery during this year’s Earth Hour, the brewer has recorded a total energy saved of 290 kWh, equivalent to carbon dioxide (CO2) emission reduction of 210 kilogrammes.

The energy saved is equal to powering a 40-watt lightbulb for almost 4 years! Supply Chain Director Peter Wachenschwanz said, “Our energy consumption has increased by 6% to 10.6 kWh/hl in 2021 versus 2019, mainly impacted by the 122 days of operations suspension throughout the two years of pandemic. Although there was no production activity, our base electricity consumption remained unchanged as the energy centre, mainly the cooling plant and compressed air system, was in operation to keep fermenter and beer storage temperature low, as well as ensure that semi-finished goods in tanks were always kept in optimal condition”.

“Despite the harsh operating environment, we implemented several energy optimisation initiatives to reduce total thermal energy usage. We optimised water usage in our bottle washer and pasteuriser, which reduces the energy required for heating. We also rolled out an insulation implementation project for hot water piping and tanks, and installed energy meters for better monitoring of heat usage and improved distribution. This year, we are exploring options for renewable energy”, he elaborated.

“Our efforts for carbon footprint reduction also reflected in our commitment to reduce ‘Beer-in-Hand’ carbon emissions, from agriculture and processing of raw materials to brewing and manufacturing of our products to packaging, transportation and distribution and cooling at the point of sales in bars and shops. This year, we aimed to achieve 15% reduction in beer-in-hand carbon footprint, a 2% reduction versus the 2015 benchmark”, he added.

Carlsberg Malaysia supports the UN Sustainable Development Goals and World Federation of Advertiser’s Planet Pledge; and is a corporate friend of Climate Governance Malaysia and a participant of the UN Global Compact Network Malaysia & Brunei. It has been a constituent of the FTSE4GOOD Bursa Malaysia (F4GBM) Index since 2019 and its ESG rating was upgraded to “AA” by the Morgan Stanley Capital International (MSCI) following a revenue conducted in August last year.

The Earth Hour initiative organized by WWF reminds societies across the globe about our planet issues. Over the years, the lights-off moment has seen entire streets, buildings, landmarks, and city skylines go dark - an unmissable sight that has drawn public attention to nature loss and the climate crisis.

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A new milestone

THE Malaysian beauty industry has contributed over RM13.5 billion to the domestic economy. In fact, there are over 80,000 beauticians, therapists and beauty consultants nationwide who contribute to a healthy workforce rate in Malaysia.

Over the years, the Department of Skills Development (JPK) coordinated training skills for Malaysian citizens by researching and developing standards to evaluate job expertise and competency. Meanwhile, the Modern Beauty Industry Association of Malaysia (PIKMM) aims to revolutionise the beauty industry by upgrading its training capacity and empowering the talent to fulfil the needs of the clients to the fullest.

PIKMM was established with the aim of inviting all beauty centre operators to work together to develop the beauty industry to be on par with other developed countries, and to revolutionise the beauty industry by upgrading its training capacity and empowering the talent to fulfil the needs of the clients to the fullest.

The global beauty industry has grown rapidly over the past 10 years, many new technologies and modern beauty treatment machines have been developed and used in the industry, especially laser treatments and energy/light-based technologies (non-invasive lasers and IPL). However, no appropriate training, recognition and certification is provided for the beauty industry in Malaysia.

The main goal of a beautician is to provide the best results for the client with minimal discomfort. All past and current innovation investments are centred around those two objectives, with new machines and treatments appearing every month around the world. It is important that the Malaysian beauty industry can take advantage of these innovations and deliver them to consumers safely and effectively.

In England, Australia, New Zealand and the United States, the leading countries in the beauty treatment industry, trained beauticians can use laser and light treatment machines (non-invasive laser and IPL). The accreditation process is clear and simple, and has led to the rapid economic growth and beauty industry to those countries. Recognition of trained beauticians to provide modern and safe treatments is central to the industry’s future success.

Meetings and discussions were held between JPK and PIKMM, and both parties have agreed to develop skills training programmes to improve the quality of human resources and produce a world-class skilled workforce in the beauty industry with the use of the latest laser and light treatment machines.

Both sides agreed that the course module is included as an addition to the existing NOSS - Field of Beauty, Part S96, Field: Beauty Therapy, and believe it is important to set standards and accreditation, as all emerging sectors will go through a technological transformation.

These standards should ensure that high standards of training are met. At the same time, training should be practical in terms of breadth and depth for accredited treatments. The module-based approach will provide a strong vocational training platform. It encourages Malaysia to become a regional leader and centre of beauty excellence.

Recently, a ceremony was held to sign an MOU between JPK, the Ministry of Human Resources and PIKMM for the setting up of an accredited centre to realise the initiative.

The MOU signing ceremony, JPK was represented by deputy director-general (operations) Ts. Kamaruzaman Haji Md Ali and director of the strategic cooperation division Faizah Harun, while PIKMM was represented by president YAM Tengku Dato’ Seri Baderul Zaman Ibni Almalhum Sultan Mahmud and vice president Dato’ Loke Yeu Loong.

The MOU between JPK and PIKMM shall facilitate the mutual sharing of best expertise and practices in the technical and learning aspects of modern beauty, training, and the professional development of talent in this industry.

The event was witnessed by the distinguished guest of honour Yang Berhormat Datuk Haji Awang Hashim, Deputy Minister of Human Resources.

During the ceremony, One Doc X Hair Doc and Slim Doc training centres were presented with the National Dual Training System (SLDN) Accreditation certificates by the guest of honour.

This paves the way for One Doc Group to become the accredited centre by JPK and the Ministry of Human Resources.

New One Doc X Hair Doc and Slim Doc outlets opened in Sunway Velocity Mall

On March 28, multi-award winning PicoPulse & Hair Growth Centre, One Doc x Hair Doc celebrated the official opening of its 24th outlet and the opening of Slim Doc’s 25th outlet, both located at Sunway Velocity Mall, Kuala Lumpur.

The outlets were officially opened by the distinguished guest of honour Yang Berhormat Datuk Haji Awang Hashim, Deputy Minister of Human Resources.

As part of PIKMM, the One Doc X Hair Doc Group of Companies is committed to providing professional knowledge and best practices to fulfil the goal of PIKMM to realising modern beauty training and learning excellence for the nation.

To date, One Doc X Hair Doc Group of Companies has recruited 300 staff, all of them undergoing structured on-the-job training by the organisation. For the training purpose, One Doc X Hair Doc collaborates with Slim Doc EMSlim, an organisation utilising the latest Korean treatment technology with Hi-EMT (High-Intensity Electromagnetic Trainer) energy using non-surgical and non-invasive procedures to facilitate remodelling and enhancement of muscles, as well as effective fat burning.

The innovative EMSlim system is a non-invasive, pain-free procedure that is able to tone and lift the buttocks without the need for excessive exercise or invasive surgery.

For years, One Doc X Hair Doc and Slim Doc have transferred their expertise and knowledge to transform the beauty industry. Working their best to offer the best solutions to the customers, the One Doc X Hair Doc and Slim Doc training centres have now been recognised as in-house training companies under the National Dual Training System (SLDN) programme.

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A more radiant you

IMAGINE being able to reap the benefits of high-tech skin treatments without actually having to undergo them yourself.

That is the concept behind Filorga, a French medi-cosmetique brand that recently began making in-roads into the Southeast Asian market. First established in 1978 by French aesthetic doctor Michel Tordjman, Filorga is renowned for creating products that combine aesthetic medicine with skincare.

All its products are formulated with a unique complex developed by Dr Tordjman known as NCEF, which contains 50 ingredients (comprising vitamins, amino acids, minerals, coenzymes and antioxidants) inspired by medical applications.

Recently, I was given the opportunity to test out two products from Filorga’s brand new SKIN-UNIFY range, the SKIN-UNIFY Intensive Illuminating Even Skin Tone Serum and the SKIN-UNIFY Radiance Illuminating Perfecting Fluid.

The range was designed to help reduce dark spots and to “bring out the skin’s natural radiance”, and utilises the features of laser therapy, skin peels and medical strobing.

As someone who is looking to even out my skin tone without having to resort to whitening products, I was very intrigued by the brand’s promised effects, as well as by its simple, minimalist packaging.

The SKIN-UNIFY Intensive serum comes in a pump bottle, and combines active ingredients like Vitamin C, glabridin and algae extract. The formula also contains antioxidant and anti-pollution properties to combat the effects of the impurities that cause dark spots and a dull complexion.

Just two short pumps produces enough serum for you to spread along your neck and face, in smooth upward motions. The serum is lightweight and absorbs easily into the skin, leaving it instantly soft without any greasy feeling.

There was an extremely mild scent to the product, but definitely not what I would classify as a cosmetic fragrance.

In fact, the SKIN-UNIFY Radiance perfecting fluid is the most ‘cosmetic’ of the two. It contains the same ingredients as the Intensive serum, as well as encapsulated weight high molecular hyaluronic acid for a plumping effect.

When first applied, I could feel a brief tingling sensation, which I assume comes from the hyaluronic acid being absorbed into the skin.

What I loved about this formula was that the fluid is infused with iridescent pearl particles, giving my skin a natural ‘shine’, rather like a highlight cream or powder. While its effects are far more subtle compared to actual makeup products, it is definitely something unique for a skincare product to have.

In addition, the page for the SKIN-UNIFY range on Filorga’s own website (int.filorga.com) features short tutorial videos on how to apply the products, including smoothing, dabbing and pinching your skin to ensure maximum absorbtion.

I tried both products on their own, and also incorporated them into my regular skincare routine. Filorga says that results can be seen within seven days, if applied twice daily.

After trying out the products for almost two weeks, I was pleasantly surprised by the results. I could definitely feel my skin getting smoother and retaining a lot more moisture (important when working in an airconditioned environment). There was also a visible shine to my bare skin, so much so that people gave positive comments about it.

Overall, I was extremely pleased with the results, and look forward to seeing their long-term effects.

Both these products are meant to complement the main star of Filorga’s SKIN-UNIFY range, the SKIN-UNIFY Illuminating Even Skin Tone Cream. It contains the same three key ingredients, as well as invisible optical blurring agents carefully selected to blend into the skin to even out the complexion from the very first application.

Used together, all three products work best for those who wish to achieve an even, luminous complexion and restore a youthful glow.

Exciting Giveaway!!

WANT to prevent and reduce the appearance of dark spots while also illuminate your complexion?

We’re giving away a 50ml jar of Filorga SKIN-UNIFY Illuminating Even Skin Tone Cream worth RM345 each to three (3) lucky winners!

How to enter:

1. Click on this LINK to go to our Contest Page

2. Answer two (2) simple questions and complete the slogan

3. Fill in your contact details and submit your entry

Entry submission begins on March 24, 2022 at 8am, and ends on March 31, 2022 at 11pm.

* Remember to turn off your AdBlocker

To find out more about Filorga, follow its Instagram @filorga_sea, or visit its store on Lazada at www.lazada.com.my/shop/filorga.

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Celebrate St. Patrick’s Festival together with Guinness

After two long years and many missed celebrations, the Guinness St. Patrick’s Festival 2022 signals the return of good times. Most importantly, it means finally being able to get the gang back together and celebrating in true St. Patrick’s spirit.

The St. Patrick’s celebration has long been a significant one for both Guinness and fans alike. It is a time when people get together to celebrate with their friends. This is why Guinness is rewarding fans who get the gang back together with exciting activities in conjunction with the St. Patrick’s celebration.

For starters, Guinness fans can express their different personas in unique ways with the Guinness St. Patrick’s AR Filter and stand to win attractive prizes weekly. All they have to do is visit https://guinnessstpatricks.com/, select the number of people in their gang, share the QR code or invite link to take a selfie, and generate a photo collage to be posted on Instagram stories.

Creative submissions stand to win the grand prize - Best Buds Getaway for four friends worth RM30,000 at OneAndOnly Desaru Coast. There are also ten sets of Guinness Home Party Kit that come with cans of an exclusive Guinness product, limited-edition glasses, t-shirts, and hats to celebrate with. To add to the merriment, 800 units of the exclusive Guinness Draught in a Can, the latest innovation product from HEINEKEN Malaysia’s portfolio that will be hitting the shelves soon are up for grabs too!

“One thing we are all hooked up with is our mobile phones, even when we are out with the gang. We want to leverage on that situation to spark magical moments among Guinness drinkers. By using the power of technology in the form of an AR filter, we are bringing the gang back together and linking their mobile devices to celebrate friendships over some smooth and creamy Guinness,” said Shaun Lim, Marketing Manager of Guinness Malaysia.

Getting the gang together at a bar is what most of us look forward to doing, and the best time to do that is during the Guinness St. Patrick’s celebration! With an array of activities, entertainment and exclusive giveaways, the St. Patrick’s festive spirit will be at an all-time high throughout the weekends of March at selected bars. Fans can print their selfies on top of cold and creamy Guinness with the STOUTie machine, get entertained by Irish parades and live band performances while also scoring even more exclusive giveaways through fun games.

That’s not all! For an added touch of St. Patrick’s joy, fans can get their hands on a free Limited-Edition Guinness Collectible Glass with every purchase of one set of Guinness Draught, or small bottles of Guinness Foreign Extra Stout. Meanwhile, at participating coffee shops and food courts, the Guinness Collectible Glass is also up for grabs with the purchase of three big bottles of Guinness Foreign Extra Stout, while stocks last.

For those who want to enjoy the St. Patrick’s celebration at home, the free Guinness Collectible Glass Set with three designs is available with each purchase of one carton of Guinness Foreign Extra Stout on Drinkies. Be sure to get your hands on them while stocks last, and maybe even share with the gang.

To participate in the St. Patrick’s AR Filter and to check out the list of participating outlets, head to the official campaign site HERE.

Guinness and all related activities are strictly for non-Muslims aged 21 and above only. Guinness Malaysia advocates responsible consumption and urges consumers to not drink and drive.

For more information about Guinness St. Patrick’s Festival, Guinness Draught in a Can, and other related promotions, visit Guinness Malaysia’s social media pages at www.facebook.com/guinnessmalaysia and www.instagram.com/guinnessmy.

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Shining a light on Malaysia-Japan conversations

Kaleidoscope Japan: Online Exhibition” is launching this 28 March with works from 13 selected artists reflecting the artists’ personal perceptions and hopes of Japan and its relationship with Malaysia at https://ift.tt/5cpHsji!

Happening for one month from 28 March to 24 April 2022, this exhibition will feature varied conversations surrounding Malaysia-Japan created by ranging disciplines of artists with underlying observations of our social, cultural, political and economic climate.

Beginning with Week 1: Pandang Ke Mana?, Week 2: Identity, Week 3: Myth and Phenomenon to Week 4: Spatial Memory, a series of events is planned on virtual and physical sites to provide space for interactions. Throughout the exhibition period, visitors can dive into each artist’s narrative in small groups during the online Obento Lunch Tour (non-video work) and Oshaberi Supper Tour (video-based work), as well as watch a 12-hour durational hybrid performance by one of the selected artists.

A hybrid pre-launch/free jamming session will be held on 27 March 2022, 6:00 PM at KongsiKL, open to the public.

“Kaleidoscope Japan” began with an open call held in November 2021. Planned during the pandemic, it was meant to be showcased fully online, but with the situation easing, new elements to the exhibition have been added. All 13 selected artworks, created by artists based in Malaysia, were picked by a panel of juries who are experts in the art arena.

Completed artworks were created in various forms including visual art, moving/static images, film, music, performing arts, literature and architecture.

For more details, visit https://ift.tt/5cpHsji

Event list

Pre-launch & Free Jamming (Physical and Virtual event)

Date: March 27, Sunday

Time: 6pm – 9pm

Venue/Platform: KongsiKL (physical event) and Facebook Live via JFKL & Kaleidoscope Japan FB Page (virtual event)

Oshaberi Supper Tour with Azzad Diah, Roopesh Sitharan and Katsuyuki Hattori

Date: March 29, Tuesday

Time: 9pm – 9.45pm

Platform: Virtual via Zoom and Facebook Live at JFKL & Kaleidoscope Japan FB Page

Oshaberi Supper Tour with Dhan Illiani Yusof and Linus Chung

Date: April 1, Friday

Time: 9pm – 9.45pm

Platform: Virtual via Zoom and Facebook Live at JFKL & Kaleidoscope Japan FB Page

Obento Lunch Tour with Wong Xiang Yi

Date: April 6, Wednesday

Time: 1pm – 1.30pm

Platform: Virtual via Zoom

Oshaberi Supper Tour with Jun Ong and Shaman Tearoom

Date: April 8, Friday

Time: 10pm – 10.45pm

Platform: Virtual via Zoom and Facebook Live at JFKL & Kaleidoscope Japan FB Page

Obento Lunch Tour with Yvonne Tan

Date: April 12, Tuesday

Time: 1pm – 1.30pm

Platform: Virtual via Zoom

EveryThoughtI’veEverHad: Contemplating the origin of the sun

12-hour durational performance by Tung Jit Yang, Bryan Chang and Arief Hamizan

Date: April 16 – 17, Saturday to Sunday

Time: 7.18pm – 7.07am

Venue/Platform: KongsiKL (physical event) and Twitch (virtual event)

Obento Lunch Tour with Harold Reagan Eswar @ Egn

Date: April 19, Tuesday

Time: 1pm – 1,30pm

Venue/Platform: Balai Seni Sabah (physical event) and Facebook Live at JFKL & Kaleidoscope Japan FB Page (virtual event)

Oshaberi Supper Tour with Blankmalaysia and Ridhwan Saidi

Date: April 22, Friday

Time: 11pm – 11.45pm

Platform: Virtual via Zoom and Facebook Live at JFKL & Kaleidoscope Japan FB Page

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LULU launches Bazar Ramadan 2022

In conjunction with the upcoming Holy Month of Ramadan, Lulu Hypermarket and Department Store is organizing a Ramadan Bazaar from Mar 14 to May 04, 2022 at Setia City Mall. The launch ceremony was officiated by Dato ‘Rosol Bin Wahid, Deputy Minister of KPDNHEP.

In this month long promotion, Lulu Hypermarket and Department Store is giving away discounts of up to 50% on Electronics, Electrical, Household, Home Furnishing, Luggage and Footwear items.

Shoppers can expect lots of electrical items such as television, washing machine, refrigerator, kitchenware and household items at rock-bottom prices. Among participating brands are Samsung, Sony, Philips, LG, Harman Kardon, Beko, Teka, Salpido, Cliptec, Tefal, Pensonic, Elba, Luminarc, Homewell and many more.

Weekend Flash Promotion

Also, don’t miss great savings with Lulu’s ‘Weekend Flash’ promotion taking place from 08th – 11th April 2022 on selected hot items that helps you save even more!

Get ready for your buka puasa with a wide selection of daily products such as: fresh vegetables & fruits, meat & poultry, seafood, delicatessen, hot foods, bakery, grocery items as well as health / beauty products and perfumes.

Discount Vouchers

Customer purchases worth RM50 from the supermarket section will be entitled to a RM25 deduction voucher.

The vouchers are redeemable on purchases worth RM100 from the department store, this offer is valid until March 20, 2022.

Shop Online

Customers can also shop online at https://www.luluhypermarket.com/en-my and get your items delivered to your doorstep.

LuLu Hypermarket has 4 outlets now and are planning to open more stores by the end of 2022.

For more details, kindly contact Ms Zura (Marketing Dept.) at 012 – 637 2015.

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A flavourful roadshow

To mark the beginnings of Spring, Starbucks Malaysia is inviting customers to relax and ‘unfocus’ themselves this season with the launch of its ‘Dream Beyond Mini-Tour’, a roadshow to inspire people to lift their imaginations and to dream up more creative, unexpected solutions – ideas beyond the norm.

The roadshow will run every Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 11th March until 3rd April from 10am to 8pm across Klang Valley, Penang, and Johor. During these roadshows, customers can also enjoy various exclusive activities, from personalizing their merchandise to snapping photos with the ‘Dream Beyond’ gallery wall.

In conjunction with the launch, Starbucks Malaysia also introduced brand new beverages that are inspired by the scenic cherry blossom landscapes of Japan. While cherry blossoms and spring are known for their fleeting beauty, the new Starbucks Strawberry Dream Pure Matcha Latte and Starbucks Strawberry Dream Crème Frappuccino are sure to provide everlasting bliss and infinite inspiration. Featuring ingredients of pure matcha and sweet strawberry, the combinations of these flavours build up into a whimsical beverage fit for your Instagram feed.

These delightful treats for the eyes and the tastebuds will be available at all stores today, while stocks last.

NEW! Starbucks Strawberry Dream Pure Matcha Latte

Our classic aromatic Pure Matcha gets a delightfully fluffy strawberry twist with the Starbucks Strawberry Dream Pure Matcha Latte. Enjoy our soothing Pure Matcha flavour, perfectly balanced with milk and strawberry syrup, creating deliciously light layers of strawberry flavoured cloud foam for a subtly- sweet finish. Available as a hot and iced handcrafted beverage.

NEW! Starbucks Strawberry Dream Crème Frappuccino blended beverage

Gift yourself a sweet treat with Starbucks’ blissful Strawberry Dream Crème Frappuccino blended beverage. The Strawberry Dream Crème Frappuccino blended beverage is a blissful combination of strawberry and vanilla – made with milk, ice, Creme Frappuccino syrup base, berrylicious strawberry syrup, and dreamy vanilla syrup. These flavours are layered to create a mesmerizing pink ombre look, topped with indulgent whipped cream and colourful sprinkles for a fun finish. Available as a blended handcrafted beverage. Customers can also customize their beverage with plant-based whipped cream, now available at Starbucks stores across Malaysia.

The Starbucks ‘Dream Beyond’ Mini Tour will start in Starbucks Reserve Tropicana Gardens Mall, from 11th March to 13th March. After that, the tour will continue upwards to Penang at Starbucks Tanjong Tokong Drive-Thru store, from 18th March through to 20th March, before moving southbound to Johor at Starbucks Setia Tropika Drive-Thru from 25th March to 27th March. Finally, the last stop of the tour will make its return to Klang Valley to the heart of Kuala Lumpur at Starbucks Reserve Shoppes at Four Seasons Place, from 1st April to 3rd April. All activities within the tour dates will operate from 10am to 8pm, each day.

Customers who visit any of the locations during the tour dates will be able to purchase selected Starbucks merchandise at up to 40% off. They can also participate in a number of activities, including a TikTok Challenge where three winners will be able to walk away with Starbucks merchandise worth up to RM500 at the conclusion of the tour. There will also be personalized engraving services provided for customers to personally engrave any new merchandise that they purchase during the tour. Participants will also enjoy complimentary Siren Gifting services during the event should they want to send their personalized merchandise to their friends or families around Malaysia.

The new spring beverages will be priced from RM20.15 onwards, and will be available in all stores across Malaysia, while stocks last. Engraving services will be priced at RM5 for customers who make their purchase with a Starbucks Card or Mobile app, or RM10 for customers who make their purchase with any other payments. The Dream Beyond Mini Tour will also retail its Starbucks Signature Gift Box for RM15 with any merchandise purchase.

For more information on the dreamy offerings, please visit www.starbucks.com.my.

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Celebrate St. Patrick’s Festival with Guinness

After two long years and many missed celebrations, the Guinness St. Patrick’s Festival 2022 signals the return of good times. Most importantly, it means finally being able to get the gang back together and celebrating in true St. Patrick’s spirit.

The St. Patrick’s celebration has long been a significant one for both Guinness and fans alike. It is a time when people get together to celebrate with their friends. This is why Guinness is rewarding fans who get the gang back together with exciting activities in conjunction with the St. Patrick’s celebration. For starters, Guinness fans can express their different personas in unique ways with the Guinness St. Patrick’s AR Filter and stand to win attractive prizes weekly. All they have to do is visit https://guinnessstpatricks.com/, select the number of people in their gang, share the QR code or invite link to take a selfie, and generate a photo collage to be posted on Instagram stories.

Creative submissions stand to win the grand prize - Best Buds Getaway for four friends worth RM30,000 at OneAndOnly Desaru Coast. There are also ten sets of Guinness Home Party Kit that come with cans of an exclusive Guinness product, limited-edition glasses, t-shirts, and hats to celebrate with. To add to the merriment, 800 units of the exclusive Guinness Draught in a Can, the latest innovation product from HEINEKEN Malaysia’s portfolio that will be hitting the shelves soon are up for grabs too!

“One thing we are all hooked up with is our mobile phones, even when we are out with the gang. We want to leverage on that situation to spark magical moments among Guinness drinkers. By using the power of technology in the form of an AR filter, we are bringing the gang back together and link their mobile devices to celebrate friendships over some smooth and creamy Guinness,” said Shaun Lim, Marketing Manager of Guinness Malaysia.

Getting the gang together at a bar is what most of us look forward to doing, and the best time to do that is during the Guinness St. Patrick’s celebration! With an array of activities, entertainment and exclusive giveaways, the St. Patrick’s festive spirit will be at an all-time high throughout the weekends of March at selected bars. Fans can print their selfies on top of cold and creamy Guinness with the STOUTie machine, get entertained by Irish parades and live band performances while also scoring even more exclusive giveaways through fun games.

That’s not all! For an added touch of St. Patrick’s joy, fans can get their hands on a free Limited-Edition Guinness Collectible Glass with every purchase of one set of Guinness Draught, or small bottles of Guinness Foreign Extra Stout. Meanwhile, at participating coffee shops and food courts, the Guinness Collectible Glass is also up for grabs with the purchase of three big bottles of Guinness Foreign Extra Stout, while stocks last.

For those who want to enjoy the St. Patrick’s celebration at home, the free Guinness Collectible Glass Set with three designs is available with each purchase of one carton of Guinness Foreign Extra Stout on Drinkies. Be sure to get your hands on them while stocks last, and maybe even share with the gang.

To participate in the St. Patrick’s AR Filter and to check out the list of participating outlets, head to the official campaign site HERE. Guinness and all related activities are strictly for non-Muslims aged 21 and above only. Guinness Malaysia advocates responsible consumption and urges consumers to not drink and drive. For more information about Guinness St. Patrick’s Festival, Guinness Draught in a Can, and other related promotions, visit Guinness Malaysia’s social media pages at www.facebook.com/guinnessmalaysia and www.instagram.com/guinnessmy.

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A defining moment

Homegrown broadcast network SUKE TV continues to make large strides in achieving new milestones; forging a historical partnership with MRANTI Nexus in a ceremony held today. MRANTI Nexus is a contract research and manufacturing entity within the Malaysian Research Accelerator for Technology and Innovation (MRANTI) group of companies.

The event was graced by the Founder and Chairman of SUKE TV Dato’ AC Mizal; Founder and Director of SUKE TV, Datin Emylia Rosnaida; CEO of MRANTI, Dzuleira Abu Bakar, Head of MRANTI Nexus, Muhamad Husni Md Zain, as well as the management team of SUKE TV and MRANTI Nexus.

The collaboration will see both parties joining hands in a commitment to help local entrepreneurs gain traction and expand their innovations and business presence. As a staunch believer in the quality of Malaysian-made products and the abilities of local entrepreneurs, SUKE TV strives hard to create a platform that pioneers innovations and empowers the economy.

This transcends into increased brand awareness and customer retention for all, via the diversified visibility offered by the network. SUKE TV’s unique proposition of bringing shopping straight to customers’ homes via its multiple channels is well-positioned to contribute to an increase in audience engagement, providing real-time interest and sales from customers from all walks of life.

Through the network’s vision and efforts, local entrepreneurs now have access to an easier, more affordable and hassle-free approach to advertise on TV and digitally. Founder and Chairman of SUKE TV, Dato’ AC Mizal, expressed his excitement at the landmark partnership between both parties and shared that this marks the start of exponential growth for the local business scene.

“With MRANTI Nexus on board with our vision, the sky is the limit from here - we are thrilled to see where this brings us in our vision to keep empowering local entrepreneurs to be noticed, not only in Malaysia but also on an international level. MRANTI Nexus is an industry pioneer with great expertise and resources, and we are excited to have them on board,” he shared.

MRANTI Nexus offers a full-suite of laboratory services, regulatory and product registration services, formulation and product development, product packaging, high-grade production equipment and herbal product OEM services. Muhamad Husni Md Zain, the Head of MRANTI Nexus, expressed his optimism at the opportunity to pair with an innovative outfit like SUKE TV for the betterment of the local business sector.

“We are guided by MRANTI’s “Ideas to Impact” to help researchers and entrepreneurs develop their products and solutions, and take them to market at a quicker rate, making the products more affordable, available and accessible. We believe that through this partnership more local innovators and entrepreneurs will benefit from this platform to reach a wider audience,” he remarked.

SUKE TV, which will be officially launching this year, has already brought home its first accolade, with Dato’ AC Mizal being named among the recent 100 Top Young CEO 2021 Lifetime Achievement Icon in the Entertainment and Business Industry.

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Celebrating the women of HEINEKEN Malaysia

Heineken Malaysia Berhad (HEINEKEN Malaysia) continues its commitment to champion diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) this International Women’s Day (IWD) by stepping up to be a part of the #BreakTheBias movement. Recognising how gender bias is a roadblock on the path towards a culture of inclusiveness, the brewer brings to the fore voices of women to share their stories, experiences, and reflections on how Malaysian businesses can help level the playing field. Walking the talk, the brewer had also identified its 2022 DEI targets in line with this year’s IWD theme #BreaktheBias.

Victoria Ang, the People Director at HEINEKEN Malaysia said, “As a progressive and responsible organisation, we champion social sustainability by including our people on our DEI journey. While we continue to work towards training 100% of our people leaders on inclusion practices, we also activate selected employees from each department as Inclusion and Diversity Ambassadors, who are empowered to host inclusion sessions to gather the thoughts and experiences of our employees on DEI. By 2023, we target to grow our organisation to reach at least 30% women while continuing to ensure meritocracy in talent acquisition, particularly in supporting more women in our Sales and Supply Chain functions.”

The #BreaktheBias stories of HEINEKEN Malaysia’s women will be shared as a social media series with the aim to provide opportunities for women employees and leaders to shed light on the challenges they have faced in the past and how they overcame them throughout their careers.

The stories originate from inspiring women from various stages of their careers working in traditionally male-dominated fields such as engineering, technology, sales, and packaging.

Through these stories, HEINEKEN Malaysia aims to #BreaktheBias in Malaysia, calling for Malaysian companies to push for gender equality, and empower women for generations to come. The series will be available on HEINEKEN Malaysia’s Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn pages throughout the month of March.

Janina Vriesekoop, Digital and Technology (D&T) Director for HEINEKEN Malaysia highlighted that social progress and advancement cannot be achieved without diversity and inclusion. She said, “In the workplace, everyone has a contribution to make. It’s important that we accept, respect, and embrace different insights and strengths to get the best results. At the forefront of our digital transformation are many talented women in our Digital & Technology team.

Women are just as capable as men in STEM and have much to contribute.” Selina Ng, Senior Key Account Manager for Modern Off-Trade, who is one of the six whose stories will be featured, added that it’s important to have women representation in leadership roles within a company, as it encourages a fresh perspective.

“One of the largest challenges that women face at work is being stereotyped based on gender. It’s important to have diverse and inclusive leaders who believe that both men and women can perform at work regardless of gender.” Beyond IWD, HEINEKEN Malaysia remains committed to championing DEI throughout the year.

In 2021, 80% of people leaders in HEINEKEN Malaysia received inclusive leadership training, where leaders learned to identify gender biases at the workplace and ways to mitigate the situation.

The efforts are also supported by the brewer’s global community of Functional Inclusion & Diversity Ambassadors who collaborate on promoting inclusive practices and gender equality at the workplace.

In terms of representation, 43% of HEINEKEN Malaysia’s Board of Directors are women, in addition to a 50:50 male to female ratio in the middle to senior management positions. The brewer is also ranked number two out of 312 Bursa listed companies in the Board Diversity Index 2021. In 2021, HEINEKEN Malaysia also joined the 30% Club, demonstrating that the brewer is not just committed internally but actively plays a bigger role in influencing as well as sharing best practices with other companies.

Externally, HEINEKEN Malaysia also supports organisations advocating the empowerment of women. As part of the HEINEKEN Cares programme, the brewer joined hands with Soroptimist International Damansara (SID), an organisation with the goal to Educate, Empower and Enable opportunities for women. In 2021, SID was one of eight partner organisations that collaborated on the HEINEKEN Cares food aid programme, which successfully channelled 255,000 meals and essential care packages to communities and families affected by the pandemic as well as the flood disaster in December last year.

In conjunction with IWD 2022, HEINEKEN Malaysia also organised two dialogue sessions internally to raise awareness and initiate action on the topic of DEI.

The first session, a virtual dialogue with SID, was held on 7 March. SID speakers Dr Saradha Narayanan, Suganthini Masilamoney, and Kalavathy Subramaniam shared with HEINEKEN Malaysia employees about the challenges faced by women in modern-day society as well as the work of Soroptimist International in empowering women in rural and underprivileged communities through education as well as improving access to participation in the local economy.

The second session, called “Venus vs Mars” was held on 8 March, featured three men and three women colleagues who had a lively exchange on how HEINEKEN Malaysia can #BreakTheBias by calling out biases, smashing stereotypes and rejecting discrimination.

For more information on HEINEKEN Malaysia and the company’s initiatives, please visit www.heinekenmalaysia.com.

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Batmania Returns!

THIS March, Sunway Pyramid brings an immersive Batman experience that explores the world of The Batman at the Ground Floor Water Feature from now to March 20. Being the one and only Batman attraction in Malaysia in conjunction with the latest Batman film. This is an event not to be missed by superhero fans that have the Batman Corner, The Riddler Corner, Gotham City, fun games, activities, prizes and exclusive Batman merchandise!

Batman Corner

This is an impressive section designed with official assets from Warner Bros. that allows visitors to delve deep into the universe of Batman. Visit the exhibition that has been set up to display the Batman cowl, batarang and localised Batman Wayang Kulit created by Fusion Wayang Kulit.

Visitors get to also have fun at the engagement zone that is designed with a Wayne Mansion concept. Inside this area, gamers get to play Batman video games that involve defeating villains to keep Gotham City safe, as well as exploring Batman’s cave as Bruce Wayne.

The Riddler Corner

This section is filled with elements related to The Riddler’s riddles. It is a replica of an iconic location in the movie, making this the perfect place for a photo opportunity. Visitors can drop by at The Riddler Corner Bar where anyone who successfully unlocks the riddles at the Shadow of Gotham game may redeem (1) one free cup of Batman drink sponsored by Nescafe Dolce Gusto.

Gotham City

Walk around the city landscape of Gotham with the top of the area built from a combination of mixed lightboxes and LED screens that display the latest Batman posters. An official Batman logo is displayed above a bigger LED screen showing the movie trailers with a bat-signal light projecting on Gotham City.

Calling out all DC Cosplayers

A DC league gathering will be happening every Sunday where cosplayers can come dressed up as heroes and villains.

Activity dates:

Mar 13 DC Hero and Villain Cosplay

Mar 13 Cosplay Competition

Mar 20 DC Villain Cosplay

The judges for this Cosplay competition will be representatives from Warner Bros., Sunway Pyramid and Batman Fans Malaysia. Winners get to win up to RM1,200 worth of Sunway Pals points, Batman merchandise, Lagoon tickets, Sunway exclusive goodie bags and more.

Prizes to Be Won By Visitors

There will be plenty of amazing and limited–edition prizes to be won during this event including the Grand Prize which is the 7-feet life-sized Batman flown from Germany exclusively for Sunway Pyramid. Aside from that, multiple social media contests will be ongoing throughout the event on Sunway Pyramid’s Facebook.

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Starbucks opens its first store in Perlis

Starbucks Malaysia today announced the official opening of its first store in Perlis, completing the company’s presence in all states and federal territories in Malaysia. The new store is a drive-thru store located in the state’s capital of Kangar, the largest town in Perlis that has historically been known for its paddy field landscape and rice production. Customers visiting the store will be able to enjoy Starbucks signature handcrafted beverages prepared by passionate and skilled baristas, as well as locally inspired food items such as the recently launched Kuih Kerak Jagung by local celebrity chef, Dato’ Fadzley.

“We are delighted to bring the unique Starbucks Experience to customers in Perlis, the remaining state in Malaysia without a Starbucks store location until today,” said Dato’ Sydney Quays, Group CEO of Berjaya Food Berhad and managing director of Starbucks Malaysia & Brunei. “This store marks a key milestone for the company and represents a great opportunity to deliver the exceptional coffee experience that so many Malaysians have come to love. We look forward to welcoming and sharing our coffee passion with all Perlisians. We are excited to be a part of this local community.”

Starbucks has always been committed to creating a positive impact in the communities it serves. With the company’s expansion to communities such as Kangar, Starbucks will increase employment opportunities and offer a wide range of skill training and development programs for its partners (employees), including coffee master certifications as well as sign language courses and more. The store will also provide a warm and welcoming Third place for its customers to enjoy and connect with one another and be a part of Starbucks’ partnership with local organizations on its social impact initiatives, including volunteer work and fundraising activities.

The first Starbucks store in Perlis has been designed to reflect the brand’s more than 50-year coffee heritage, while embracing Malaysia’s distinctive local traditions and culture. Key features include floor-to-ceiling glass windows that bring the beauty of the surrounding natural lighting into the store. In addition, this store also features a drive-thru lane, offering even more convenience to the residents of Perlis.

Customers may also sign-up for the brand’s loyalty program, Starbucks Rewards, to enjoy exclusive benefits including personalized promotions and other benefits that will bring instant value to their membership.

Extending the Starbucks Experience to Perlis

The new store features ethically-sourced quality Arabica coffee from the Latin America, Asia Pacific and Africa regions. Starbucks baristas are looking forward to welcoming customers with handcrafted personalized Starbucks coffee and blended beverages that are hot or cold, in addition to an assortment of snacks, teas, and grab-and-go alternatives on the menu.

Inside the store, customers will find ample seating and also several artworks of where Starbucks first started, in Pike Place, Seattle, a tribute to the brand’s roots of revolutionizing café culture around the world. The beautiful interior of the store is made up of a composition of wood, metal and cement finishes creating a bright and welcoming Third Place for customers to go to between their home and workplace. The store also elevates the coffeehouse experience by including pops of green through its indoor plants and stunning landscaping to inspire its appreciation for the nature that surrounds the city, and also a nod to its sustainability commitments.

For more information about the store opening, please visit www.starbucks.com.my.

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Commited to keeping users safe

TikTok, a leading destination for short-form mobile video, today announced the launch of a new in-app Digital Literacy Hub as part of its ongoing commitment to helping users navigate the digital environment. The introduction of the Hub will encourage users to tap on the available safety features to protect themselves and others online, while enjoying the benefits of the digital world.

Aligned with the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission's (MCMC) ongoing online safety efforts, the Digital Literacy Hub will serve as a one-stop portal that anchors all of TikTok's educational initiatives around mental wellbeing, cyber wellness, minor safety, potentially dangerous online challenges, and other digital literacy topics.

The Hub will also host digital literacy tips using videos, quizzes, scenario-based learning content, and educational content seeding in collaboration with Malaysian TikTok creators such as Sir Dharma and Wfsufina who have been actively educating their audiences on TikTok tips and tricks using #TikTokGuru. These resources are designed to empower users to become more discerning about the types of online content they choose to engage with, whilst also equipping them with the tools to recognise and report inappropriate materials, if ever encountered. Through this, TikTok will be able to drive greater awareness of #thinkb4youdo, digital wellness amongst users and tailor its approach to promote the mental health and well-being of Malaysia users.

“TikTok is dedicated to creating safe digital spaces for creativity and joy to thrive. We’re also committed to building and maintaining a safe and welcoming app environment and that’s why we developed the Digital Literacy Hub. The Hub collates all our safety resources and provides users with easy access to information that can help them maintain and improve their cyber wellness. TikTok brings important digital wellness resources even closer to our local community to ensure that they are well-equipped to tackle the ever-evolving digital landscape.” said Kristoffer Rada, Head of Public Policy, TikTok Philippines and Malaysia.

In conjunction with the Hub launch, TikTok has also announced three new updates in their continuous Trust and Safety initiatives comprising of a new Warning Label in their videos, a new Safety Centre page and an in-app safety guide. All three features are designed to educate and inspire teens to adopt positive online habits and be #SaferTogether. The new in-app guide in focus will encourage community members to follow the 4-step process when engaging with an online challenge:

￮ STOP for a moment

￮ THINK and digest the specifics of the challenge

￮ DECIDE if the content is beneficial or worth the risk

￮ ACT on those feelings and report harmful challenges or hoaxes

In addition to updating their Community Guidelines, TikTok, as part of its efforts to promote greater access to digital literacy resources, has also strengthened measures against potentially dangerous online challenges, with technology that immediately alerts safety teams of any sudden spikes in content violations linked to particular hashtags, as well as privacy-by-design initiatives that restrict app usage for users under 16 to ensure age-appropriate experiences.

Kristoffer added, “With the newly-established Digital Literacy Hub, enhanced Trust and Safety initiatives, alongside updated Community Guidelines, strengthened measures and privacy-by-design initiatives, TikTok is able to tailor its approach to suit Malaysia’s unique needs and challenges.”

Access the Digital Literacy Hub here to find out more about TikTok's ongoing safety initiatives for Malaysia. TikTok is available for free on iOS and Android via the Apple Store, Google Play Store and Huawei AppGallery.

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Shopee launch the first mega sale of 2022 with 3.15 Consumer Day!

Shopee, the leading e-commerce platform in Southeast Asia and Taiwan, launches 3.15 Consumer Day, the first mega sale of the year. 3.15 Consumer Day is happening now till 15 March and will bring the excitement of Shopee’s year-end festivals to all users, giving them more reasons to celebrate and reward themselves as they gear up for the year ahead.

Shopee is pioneering 3.15 Consumer Day to bring more value and joy to all shoppers, who are now using e-commerce to fulfil their needs all year round. Everyone can be a part of 3.15 Consumer Day which features the widest variety of products, made better with 95% off deals, free shipping with no minimum spend and the chance to Spin & Win a Nissan Almera.

Adding to the 3.15 celebrations, Shopee welcomes Dato Pandelela Rinong and Datuk Abdul Latif Romly as its 3.15 brand ambassadors in Malaysia. Both athletes have an incredible track record of overcoming tough odds and dedicating their lives towards putting Malaysia on the world map, serving as an inspiration in the way they accomplish great things by prioritising the well-being and celebrating achievements no matter how small. Dato Pandelela has won two Olympic medals and five World Championships medals while Datuk Latif has won two gold medals in the Paralympic Games. He holds the world record for Long Jump T20 until now.

Kenneth Soh, Head Of Marketing Campaigns at Shopee Malaysia said, “This Shopee 3.15 Consumer Day, we want to celebrate you. Be kind to yourself. Go at your own pace, celebrate the small wins and reward yourself. To better serve our consumers, we first have to understand what Malaysians have been buying since 2019.”

“At Shopee, we always put consumers at the heart of what we do, so we consistently innovate new initiatives and campaigns such as the 3.15 Consumer Day to better fulfil their needs” he added.

Understanding Malaysian shopping trends

As more people are accustomed to staying at home, Shopee noticed that many are looking to improve and prioritise themselves in terms of health, well-being and to destress. As such, there was 6 times increase in demand for Self-Care Products on the platform in 2021, compared to 2019, before the pandemic.

Physical wellness, environmental self-care, and social well-being were seen to be the top three self-care trends, as Shopee witnessed an impressive 10 times growth of demand related to better home and living.

As Malaysians paid more attention to their physical wellness, Shopee noted that 42% of self-care items sold last year pertained to personal grooming, supplements, exercise equipment, cooking and baking supplies, sleepwear, and bath and spa.

Due to Malaysians spending more time home with families, Shopee observed a 12 times uplift for snacks and 13 times increase in cooking and baking supplies in 2021 as compared to 2019.

Malaysians were also more and more into environmental self-care, to create a healthier living environment at home. They started new DIY projects, put some new wallpapers on, and grew indoor plants among other activities. This is mirrored by the 12 times increase in demand for home improvement items over 2 years.

Looking at social well-being, more Malaysians are open to the idea of having a furry companion at home as the demand for pet supplies grew 13 times in the space of two years from 2019 to 2021, as owners treat their pets with grooming, homes, pet food and treats and even fashion and accessories.

Taking a deeper dive into keyword searches data in self-care trends, Shopee noted that ‘keropok’ was searched nearly 7 times more in 2020 and over 25 times more in 2021, both as compared to 2019.

‘Kids books’ has also been one of the more popular keyword searches with over 11 times increase in 2020 compared to 2019, as moms and dads turned to Shopee to inculcate reading at a young age.

Additionally, since the launch of ShopeeFood in September 2021, the ‘bubble tea’ keyword search grew by more than 7 times by December last year, signalling a growing trend among Malaysians to reward themselves with some sweet treats through food delivery.

As part of the Shopee 3.15 Consumer Day, Shopee will also launch its #ShopeeCelebratesYou activation to bring more cheer to users across the 3.15 period.

Happening daily on Shopee Live from today till 15 March, users also get to play a game that will keep them on the edge of their seats, called Sampul Misteri. Lucky Callers will be required to answer a Question of the Day to unlock an envelope and stand a chance to walk away with grand cash prizes. Viewers can guess which envelope contains the grand cash prize before the show and stand a chance to win Shopee Coins with the correct guess.

Tune in to TV3 or Shopee Live at 9pm on 15 March to get your hands on the best TV deals in town, while enjoying some mesmerising local celeb performances, plus a little Korean flavour too on the Shopee TV Deals program for 3.15 Consumer Day.

For more information about Shopee 3.15 Consumer Day, visit https://shopee.com.my/m/3-3.

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Elevate your street tour experience in Hong Kong

From city skyscrapers and historic buildings to shopping and scrumptious dining experiences, Hong Kong is filled with hidden gems attracting travellers from around the world.

With Malaysians love for food, no travel is considered a complete holiday without a taste of the local street delicacies. With a wide selection of street eateries bursting across Hong Kong, how would you know which is the best in taste and value?

Fret not, the Bib Gourmand award by the Michelin Guides identifies and recognizes restaurants and eateries with good quality and value. Over 60 eateries in Hong Kong with high-quality food and budget prices have been given the Bib Gourmand distinction this year.

With the latest list, we have helped you identify the crème de la crème of Hong Kong street food that you can enjoy while touring Hong Kong on foot!

Kung Wo Beancurd Factory

If you’re a fan of Tau Foo Fah, you must stop by Kung Wo Beancurd Factory on Pei Ho Street. Since 1960, this classic store is known for their signature tofu pudding, which earned them the name King of Tofu Pudding in Hong Kong. Other popular items on their menu include sugar-free soy milk, tofu puffs, deep fried stuffed tofu, and golden fish tofu.

Address: 118 Pei Ho Street, Hong Kong

Price range: 10 - 30 HKD (RM6-RM16)

Kai Kai Dessert

Kai Kai Dessert is the perfect pit stop if you’re exploring Jordan, West Kowloon neighbourhood on foot. For over 40 years, this traditional Cantonese dessert shop has been the best-kept secret amongst locals.

This authentic dessert store serves classic Cantonese sweet soups like tofu skin soup with ginkgo and job’s tears, or black sesame soup. Ingredients used are freshly prepared and carefully brewed, with recipes passed down from generations. A local preference to enhance the experience further is to top your selection of sweet soup with glutinous rice balls or a hard-boiled egg for extra texture.

Address: 29 Ning Po Street, Hong Kong

Price range: 25 - 40 HKD (RM14-RM43)

Moon Tong Lok

Known for its signature rice rolls, the owner of Moon Tong Lok has been handmaking this speciality dish for the past 25 years by the minute! Besides the sticky rice, locals and visitors alike, are known to stand in long lines to get a taste of Moon Tong Lok’s hot and sour soup, chive dumplings and quench their thirst with their savoury soy milk made with dried krill.

Servings at Moon Tong Lok are known to be larger than regular street food sizes, so this is the perfect stop if you’re touring with a group of friends and would like to try more variety!

Address: 4 Ming On Street, Hong Kong

Price range: 40 - 80 HKD (RM22 – RM43)

Ding Ba

This is more of a lunch stop if you’re touring the Wong Tai Sin district on foot. Known for its oyster omelette, vermicelli soup, stinky tofu, pancake rolls, and braised minced pork rice, Ding Ba’s owner and chef hails from Taiwan and proudly serves authentic street snacks from his homeland.

For the perfect meal, don’t forget to wash down the dishes with their rice milk or winter melon tea.

The business only has two or three circular tables on the roadside, and even during non-peak hours, there are typically big lines, it’s worth buying takeout so you may enjoy it at your comfort.

Address: Kwai Chi Path, Ngau Chi Wan, Hong Kong

Price range: 30 - 80 HKD (RM16 -RM43)

Both Street

Owned by So Gun, whose culinary skills have been recognized in various Michelin starred restaurants, Both Street is best known for its Guo Bao sandwiches made and served fresh daily. Guo Baos are fluffy buns stuffed with braised pork belly and Yuja marmalade.

Other mouthwatering dishes customers rave about are their deep-fried mochi balls and the four-cheese pressed sandwiches.

If you’re planning to visit Yuen Long, we suggest you stop at Both Street store early because they only make about 100 pieces of Guo Baos daily, so if you snooze, you lose!

Address: 5-7 Fung Yau Street North, Hong Kong

Price range: 40 - 80 HKD (RM22 – RM43)

There’s is so much more for you to discover for your foodie HK adventure and they’re all best-experienced firsthand.

You can curate your personalised list of eateries to visit on your next Hong Kong trip. Find out more about Hong Kong’s dining scene at Discover Hong Kong.

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Spring is in the air

Sip back, relax and lift your imagination to the next level with the all-new Starbucks Cocoa Cloud Macchiato, Starbucks Salted Caramel Frappuccino, and together with a returning fan favourite, the Starbucks Salted Caramel Cloud Macchiato. Dream away as you sip on the new sweet and salty bliss in a cup that’s available in all Starbucks stores nationwide, through drive-thru and takeaway from 22nd February onwards, while stocks last.

•NEW! Starbucks Cocoa Cloud Macchiato

A new take on the Starbucks Cloud Macchiato series, featuring rich cocoa. The Cocoa Cloud Macchiato combines cloud foam made from irresistible layers of milk whipped with signature espresso and delicious vanilla syrup. To top it off, rich mocha is drizzled on top in an elegant crosshatch double-circle design for a chocolatey accent and a slight hint of vanilla to provide the richness that blends in your mouth and wanting more. The Cocoa Cloud Macchiato is available as an iced, hot or blended handcrafted beverage.

•NEW! Starbucks Salted Caramel Frappuccino

A harmonious balance of sweet and salty, Starbucks Salted Caramel Frappuccino blended beverage is the satisfying bliss you need this spring. Frappuccino Roast coffee is blended seamlessly with milk, ice, rich salted caramel syrup, and Coffee Frappuccino syrup base. The beverage is then topped with whipped cream and drizzled with caramel sauce for a decadent finish. The Salted Caramel Frappuccino is available as a blended handcrafted beverage. The beverage is also available as a Cream Frappuccino blended beverage without the Frappuccino Roast coffee.

•Returning Favorite! Starbucks Salted Caramel Cloud Macchiato

The irresistibly luscious Salted Caramel Cloud Macchiato returns to brighten up your cool spring mornings. Starbuck’s aromatic signature espresso is skillfully combined with salted caramel syrup and deliciously light layers of fluffy milk whipped into cloud foam, giving you a silky-smooth texture with every sip. This velvety creation is finished with a luxurious caramel drizzle for an extra sweet treat. The Salted Caramel Cloud Macchiato is available as an iced, hot or blended handcrafted beverage.

Also in stores, this season is the Starbucks Dream and Bloom merchandise collection. Decorated in soft hues of pink and lilac, the line-up celebrates the flourishing cherry blossom flowers during the months of spring, which brings new hope and highlights the rich beauty of nature.

The collection also features a cutlery set, lunch box, umbrella, travel organizer, and pouch- perfect for a nice sunny picnic with your loved ones. The graceful line-up is also bringing back familiar silhouettes from Stanley, MIIR and Corkcicle in brand new shapes and colours.

Get the Cherry Blossom 2022 Starbucks Card, which can be activated at RM80 minimum and the Spring Seasonal 2022 Starbucks Card, which can be activated at RM30 minimum. Earn STARs and enjoy delightful surprises such as complimentary food, beverages and even merchandise when you register your card on the Starbucks mobile app today.

Try the Starbucks Spring Season Blend 2022 whole bean and experience the dark cherry and cedary spice notes the blend offers. Sourced from around the world, Papua New Guinea, Colombia, Ethiopia, and Sumatra, this timeless favourite is set to arouse senses of renewal and vitality. The Starbucks Spring Season Blend 2022 is also available in Starbucks VIATM Ready Brew sachet form.

The floral season is not complete with sweet and tantalizing desserts. The Starbucks Raspberry Ribbon Cream Croissant adds a cheeky twist to the normal croissant, the raspberry ribbon cream croissant features attractive ruby red ribbon swirls with pinkish creamy filling, buttery goodness not to be missed!

Taking the normal chocolate cake to the next level, the Chocolate Feuilletine Cake is layered with rich chocolate ganache and crunchy wafer bits. Treat your taste buds to a luxurious dark cocoa flavour that can be paired perfectly with Starbucks medium roast coffees.

Going into the fourth phase of the Mobile Order and Pay (MOP) service, customers can order their beverages via the Starbucks mobile app beforehand and pick them up at 83 selected stores across West Malaysia. The MOP service is set to further roll out throughout 2022. With the global pandemic still engulfing our lives, this service offers a safer option as it limits the waiting time for customers in the store.

For more information on the dreamy offerings, please visit www.starbucks.com.my.

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