Grocery vending machines with selected RedMart product lineup at Hive Express in Raffles Place MRT. Image: Stellar Lifestyle.
Stellar Lifestyle, the retail business arm of public transport operator SMRT Corporation, is expanding its retail presence beyond traditional vending machines through its new innovation space called Hive Express.
Hive Express is a concept built upon Hive 2.0, an “innovation hub” that showcases how high-tech retail for train stations works in the real world. Previously, we’ve seen examples of Hive 2.0, which includes an unmanned, self-checkout 7-11 convenience store and many other robotic peers.
Today, some of that convenience and innovation are real, with online grocer RedMart becoming Stellar Lifestyle’s first partner for Hive Express. RedMart offers daily necessities at the Hive 2.0 retail space in Raffles Place MRT at the same prices as its online supermarket portal, but with the perk of offline immediacy.
RedMart's vending machines operate seven days a week and sell beverages, snacks, and personal care items chosen from RedMart’s selection. These items were specially curated based on the commuter profile of Raffles Place MRT. So, commuters can expect to see standard necessities like Monday Haircare and drinking water, right up to the bourgeois tier of trail mix and kombucha.
“Building on the success of Hive 2.0, Hive Express creates even more opportunities for SMEs to innovate and test retail concepts within train stations. By harnessing new technologies and SMRT’s vast rail network, we can deliver unique retail experiences in compact spaces, enhancing convenience and enriching the daily journeys of commuters,” said Tony Heng, President of Stellar Lifestyle.
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