Elevating customer experience for SMEs

• SMEs in Malaysia can now serve their customers better. 500-backed StoreHub has teamed up with Artroniq to deploy omnichannel retail, food and beverage (F&B) solutions in more than 15,000 retail stores nationwide.
• The all-in-one point-of-sales (POS) solution will deliver a hassle-free experience allowing F&B retail chains to operate more efficiently.
• The two companies aim to empower businesses with tools to enhance their digital infrastructure capabilities, online presence, and gain further market share.
• This partnership is expected to help SMEs provide a seamless digital experience for their customers, and in turn, improve customer service and satisfaction.
• Read the full article on Digital News Asia.

 Setting the next Korean wave in motion  

• In more good news for SMEs, 500-backed e-commerce aggregator Una Brands announced plans to invest up to US$100 million over the course of two years in South Korean e-commerce startups.
• To achieve this, it formed a strategic partnership with local peer KlickBrands. Together, they will identify investment opportunities in startup K-brands from health, cosmetics, baby, pets, to home & living.
• Kiren Tanna, Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Una Brands, told TechCrunch that the two companies plan to acquire at least 25 profitable brands with annual revenue of between US$1 million to US$50 million.
• They aim to grow these brands domestically and into Southeast Asian markets such as Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand.
• Read the full story in TechCrunch.

More reasons to Grab a Starbucks

• A partnership between 500-backed superapp Grab and Starbucks will provide Southeast Asians with a more seamless Starbucks experience in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, and the Philippines.
• Customers will earn Starbucks Rewards through purchases on Grab, have more ways to order and pay in stores, and have their online orders delivered through Grab’s network.
• The two companies will also collaborate to provide food assistance to communities in need, starting with 40 stores in Manila, Philippines. Under Starbucks’ FoodShare food donation program, Grab drivers will pick up food donations from participating stores daily and deliver them to local food banks.
• The plan is to roll out this program to more communities in the Philippines and throughout Southeast Asia.
• Get the full story on TechNode Global.