CHEVRON Malaysia to replace Star Mart with Xpress Point c-stores

It had been decided earlier this year to rebrand the Star Mart stores as Chevron wanted to have the retail outlets under a single ownership. "We started Star Mart in 1996 and we have 160 stores nationwide, representing a strong retail network. We want to have only one brand retailer to take ownership," Mr. Oh told local media after the launch of the first Xpress Point store at a Caltex fuel service station this week.

The fuel service stations' current operators will be given the option of either choosing Xpress Point or staying with the traditional brand, Star Mart or C-Mart. "We believe with these new retail outlets we can provide better service. Our retailers are on the ground, they know the expectations. We want to give them full ownership. At the new retail stores we will have popular merchandise. Besides that, we will also include other facilities that will be upgraded from time to time," he continued. The Xpress Point stores will be handled by HYL Marketing, an associate company of Pen Petroleum, a Chevron branded marketer, which has 120 stations under the Caltex brand.

Meanwhile, HYL Marketing and Pen Petroleum General Manager Saw Siam Ching said they will extend the Xpress Point brand to other retailer-owned and retailer-operated Caltex service stations throughout Peninsular Malaysia. "We see it as an opportunity to develop our own C-Store retailing chain. We will deliver the selling proposition with prompt service fresh offerings at fair prices. Only the right convenient items that are within the shelf will be displayed and sold. HYL Marketing will also be organising promotions and customers' events at the stores," she said.