Grab showcases Southeast Asia’s food heroes on Times Square billboards, in partnership with Nasdaq

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To celebrate Southeast Asia’s vibrant local businesses, Grab, the region’s leading superapp and a frontrunner in the food deliveries industry, has collaborated with Nasdaq to feature 75 merchant-partners on billboards in New York City’s Times Square. The milestone highlights the diverse offerings and rich cultural heritage of Southeast Asia’s small businesses, bringing global attention to local heroes who represent the heart and soul of their communities.

Selected merchant-partners span small, local restaurants, stalls, shops and hawkers, many of whom are gaining international exposure for the first time through this initiative. The enterprises were selected for their contributions to local economies with the aim of reflecting the cultural diversity of the region. Ten Malaysian restaurants were amongst the 75 Southeast Asian merchant-partners featured on the billboards at Times Square –  Auntie Dayana’s, Borneo 1st Chicken Rice, Bungkus Kaw Kaw, Cendol BMI Sejak 1985, King Kunyit, La Juiceria Superfoods, Lancheese, Nasi Ayam Kee Chup, Roast & Coffee and Tasty Chapati. 

Grab’s commitment is to drive Southeast Asia forward by fostering economic empowerment for everyone. Our ambition is to level the playing field and celebrate our merchant-partners who are making a mark in their communities. We believe that true growth stems from not just providing access, but also offering the strategic support and resources necessary for our partners to flourish in all aspects of their business.

“When we first got the news that we’ll be featured on the Times Square billboard, we were jumping with joy and excitement. We also have a big dream of bringing Halal food to global recognition. And we never thought our small time nasi ayam restaurant could do so much,” said Mohd Fadli bin Mohd Rosli and Haliza Halim, Founders of Nasi Ayam Kee Chup. “Grab has really helped us reach out to a larger customer base. With the visibility and awareness they provide, we’re even being recognised among customers outside of Johor Bahru, specifically tourists from Singapore and Indonesia. As a small local business, we are truly grateful and thankful to be part of the Grab family, as it played a big role in the success of our business – giving us an effective platform to succeed in this rapidly changing market.”

Grab’s platform is a central hub for Southeast Asia’s homegrown businesses. We have more than 6 million registered merchant-partners and Kios agents, and a majority of our merchant-partners are micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs). In 2023, 67% of total GrabFood and GrabMart GMV was contributed by MSMEs. 

As these merchant-partners scale their operations, they gain access to insights, easy-to-use marketing tools, business training and financial resources, so they can compete on a larger scale and drive sustainable growth.

To meet diverse needs from discovery and transactions to loyalty and customer engagement, Grab continues to focus on serving as a strategic business partner for these small enterprises, enabling their success through a comprehensive omnicommerce strategy that includes both online and offline spaces.