PB Grocery Group

PB Grocery Group Sdn. Bhd., operating under the brand name Potboy Groceries, is a Malaysian online and offline grocery retailer founded in November 2016 by former investment banker Eddie Chew Chun Liang and co-founder Fenn Wong. Chew, who serves as the CEO, leveraged his decade-long experience in private equity in China to launch a recession-proof e-commerce business in the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) sector upon his return to Malaysia. The company's name is inspired by the term "potboy," an assistant in a tavern, reflecting the brand's mission to handle the essential, yet often unappreciated, task of grocery shopping.

The company began as a pure-play online platform, potboy.com.my, aiming to reduce overhead costs and offer competitive pricing. It provides a wide product portfolio that includes fresh produce, beverages, household items, and pantry staples from both local and international suppliers. Monetization occurs through direct sales of these products to consumers. A key part of Potboy's business model is providing its partner brands, such as Nestlé and Coca-Cola, with a platform to distribute and market their goods, offering them access to valuable sales data to measure campaign success and improve efficiency. This data-centric approach helps Potboy manage inventory and curate product selections for its physical stores based on local shopper behavior.

PB Grocery Group has strategically expanded from a digital-first model to an omnichannel presence. A significant milestone was the launch of its Online-to-Offline (O2O) shopping events in 2018, which allowed customers to scan QR codes of products at physical events and have them delivered home for free. This strategy helped bridge the gap between online and offline retail, building a community of engaged buyers. Following this, the company launched a chain of physical mini-markets called Potboy Mart, growing to 50 outlets within eight months and over 80 in the Klang Valley subsequently. This O2O model offers customers flexibility, allowing them to order online for in-store pickup or purchase in-store for later home delivery. The company has demonstrated significant growth, reporting a revenue of RM55 million in 2020 and a net sales revenue increase of 80.64% in 2022. To support its operations, Potboy Groceries has raised a total of $1.03 million over two funding rounds, with its latest Seed round in April 2021 led by shopper360.

Keywords: online grocery, Malaysian retail, omnichannel retail, FMCG e-commerce, Potboy Groceries, Eddie Chew Chun Liang, O2O shopping, grocery delivery, Potboy Mart, data-driven retail, household essentials, food and beverage sales, e-commerce platform, physical grocery stores, consumer goods, supply chain management, retail technology, cashless payment, Southeast Asia retail, customer loyalty programs