KUALA LUMPUR, 18 September 2024 – AEON CO. (M) BHD. (AEON) held its “AEON 40th Anniversary Thank You Dinner” to celebrate its 40th anniversary with nearly 400 business partners, suppliers, and stakeholders. The dinner took place on 14 September at the Hilton Hotel, Kuala Lumpur.
The event was a special occasion for AEON, graced by the presence of Akio Yoshida, President of AEON Co., Ltd., Japan; Takahashi Katsuhiko, the Japanese Ambassador to Malaysia; and Datuk Iskandar Sarudin, Chairman of AEON. Also attending was YB Senator Puan Hajah Fuziah Salleh, Deputy Minister of Domestic Trade and Costs of Living.
AEON began operations in Malaysia in September 1984 under the name JUSCO, an acronym for Japan United Stores Company. JUSCO’s presence in Malaysia resulted from a government initiative to modernise the country’s retail industry by leveraging advanced retail management expertise from Asia. Since then, JUSCO rapidly expanded, and in 2012 it rebranded as AEON, meaning “eternity” in Latin. Today, AEON operates 28 AEON Malls, 35 AEON Stores, 6 MaxValu Prime stores, 62 AEON Wellness outlets, and 46 DAISO stores nationwide. AEON employs more than 11,000 people across the country, making it one of the largest employers outside Japan.
In her speech, YB Senator Puan Hajah Fuziah Salleh expressed her appreciation for AEON’s achievements over its 40 years in Malaysia. She thanked AEON for consistently supporting the government’s aspirations to ensure consumers enjoy high-quality products at competitive prices, a valuable practice that enhances the quality of life for all Malaysians.
Datuk Iskandar Sarudin also stated, “This four-decade journey could not have been achieved without contributions from the entire ecosystem. Every success has been backed by support from the Malaysian government, the unwavering commitment of our business partners and suppliers, the loyalty of our customers, and the dedication and hard work of AEON employees who continue to drive the company’s success.”
As a token of appreciation and recognition, AEON presented the AEON Outstanding Partnership Awards to business partners and suppliers who have shown potential, innovation, achievement, and performance while supporting AEON’s sustainability efforts. The awards were divided into three categories: Mall, Supplier, and Corporate.
For the Mall Category, Poh Kong Jewellers Sdn Bhd received the AEON Strategic Partner Award (Mall), while the company known for the Zus Coffee brand, Zuspresso (M) Sdn Bhd, was recognised with the AEON Emerging Partner Award (Mall). Malaysia’s leading eyewear supplier, Focus Point Vision Care Group Sdn Bhd, was awarded the AEON Most Celebrated Partner Award (Mall).
For the Supplier Category, AEON recognised business partners across its product categories. The AEON Supplier Excellence Award (Foodline) was awarded to Abbott Laboratories (M) Sdn Bhd, while the AEON Supplier Excellence Award (Softline) went to Unitrade Venture Sdn Bhd, and the AEON Supplier Excellence Award (Hardline) to Goldtex Exim Sdn Bhd. In the AEON Supplier Excellence Award (Health and Beauty Care) category, it was awarded to Lam Soon Edible Oils Sdn Bhd, while Dasher Distribution Sdn Bhd received the AEON Emerging Partner Award (Supplier).
For the Corporate Category, GSPARX Sdn Bhd, responsible for installing solar panels at all AEON Malls, was awarded the AEON Sustainability Partner Award.
All the awards were presented by Naoya Okada, Managing Director of AEON. The event also featured a captivating performance by renowned national artist Dayang Nurfaizah.
The “AEON 40th Anniversary Thank You Dinner” is part of a series of activities planned throughout 2024 to celebrate AEON’s 40th anniversary. These include special sales campaigns, the “Senyum Tour” roadshow, customer programmes, and corporate social responsibility initiatives. In conjunction with the 40th anniversary, AEON will continue to engage with customers through various activities aimed at creating smiles and connecting hearts.