By Ahmad Fuad Yahya

JAKARTA, June 19 (Bernama) -- Products manufactured by small and medium enterprises (SMEs) will be marketed on a wider scale through hypermarts in a number of countries this year.

Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said the expansion initiative has been made easier under the Taste of Malaysia programme which has been getting good vibes from the targeted countries.

"The quality guarantee and adherence by Malaysia to the standard set by these countries also helped the endeavour.

"Last month the programme was launched in Tesco Beijing and today in Carrefour here. Very soon it will be at Giant Hong Kong, Jusco Tokyo, Japan and Carrefour Istanbul, Turkey," he told reporters after launching the programme at Carrefour Permata Hijau, South Jakarta Sunday.

Currently 286 Malaysian products are listed in Indonesia's Carrefour, including 95 new products, manufactured by 29 Malaysian SMEs.

Ismail Sabri said Jakarta has become a priority market under the programme as it was a world economic center with a population of 17 million.

Furthermore, Indonesians have a similar taste as Malaysians, hence the product potential in Indonesia remains huge with its 245 million population.

"This move will inevitably strengthen our bilateral trade relations which incidentally has existed for a long time," he said.

Carrefour Indonesia spokesman Adji Sri Handoyo said Malaysian products are sold in 81 of its branches in Indonesia.

"In Jakarta alone we have 42 branches," he said.

Meanwhile, Ismail Sabri who was leading a trade delegation on a five-day mission in Indonesia, witnessed the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU), between Malaysian franchiser Coffee Scene Sdn Bhd (Bangi Kopitiam) and PT Indo Bangi Kopitiam.

-- BERNAMA