Lotuss Stores (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd (formerly known as Tesco Stores (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd) (Lotus’s), alongside partner Nestlé (Malaysia) Berhad had successfully raised RM100,000 for the underprivileged community through the Gift of Prosperity (GOP) initiative.

Held up to February 2021 and as part of Lotus’s Chinese New Year ‘Ong Sana, Ong Sini’ campaign, the GOP is a community initiative that gives customers the opportunity to join and contribute essential food items to bring more ong (good luck) and a renewed hope to those badly affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Customers were able to contribute to the GOP by spending a minimum of RM45 in a single receipt on any Nestlé Malaysia products such as MILO, NESCAFÉ, MAGGI, NESTUM to name a few, at any Lotus’s stores and online. RM1 was then channeled to the GOP fund and use to purchase essential items for a total of 2,000 beneficiaries through the non-governmental organization, Kechara Soup Kitchen (Kechara).

Both Lotus’s and Kechara had collaborated on the GOP last year to equal success, but this is the first time that Nestlé Malaysia has come onboard.

“It is an incredibly auspicious start to the Year of the Ox to not only hit our target of RM100,000 raised through the GOP but to have done so earlier before the deadline. This is even more given the ongoing economic uncertainties brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic,” said Lotus’s Head of Communications and Corporate Social Responsibility, Hanim Hamdan.

“We are also pleased to partner with Nestlé Malaysia this time around as we believe that corporate collaboration can and must play a part in enriching, empowering, and aiding the needy communities around us. As before, we are also grateful to Kechara as, without them, we will not be able to reach out to those who need help the most,” continued Hanim.

“Supporting Malaysians in need has been a key focus for Nestlé since the start of Covid-19 last year. Last year, we fulfilled our pledge to channel RM15 million through our Nestlé Cares initiatives, to support those most impacted by the pandemic. The Gift of Prosperity initiative has been a great opportunity to contribute even more to society and we are very pleased to partner with Lotus’s and Kechara on this initiative,” said Nestlé Malaysia Executive Director of Sales, Chew Soi Ping.

Kechara Operations Director, Justin Cheah said that the GOP initiative has helped kept more Malaysians from hunger during these challenging times.

“When these individuals and families receive this donation, they will be able to save some money and use it for needful things like their children's education and house rentals. By contributing to the GOP, both Lotus’s and Nestle Malaysia’s customers have helped provide meals to even more underprivileged people across Malaysia as hunger knows no barriers,” he said.

Lotus’s, through Tesco, has collaborated with Kechara since 2016 where the former donates its unsold but edible food to Kechara for distribution to Kechara’s network of underprivileged individuals and families. Through this partnership, Lotus’ food surplus contribution has helped created some six million meals for the underprivileged community.

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