What was a humble, homegrown idea to fill the vacuum separating the traditional wet market and the modern hypermarket is poised to take on regional proportions.

The KIP Group, which created the KIPMart community market that "combines the price and freshness of a wet market with the cleanliness and convenience of a hypermarket", intends to replicate it in Indonesia's Batam island as well as in Thailand and grow from there.

KIP Development Sdn Bhd general manager Lim Han Gie said the model is suitable in places that share similar growth patterns with locations where KIPMarts are currently operating, such as Masai and Tampoi in Johor.

"We're starting with Batam and Thailand because of their geographical proximity," he said.

Explaining the concept, Lim said "conventionally, wet markets only operate in the mornings, but their cleanliness and environment leave much to be desired".

"Because of these reasons, urbanites who work in the morning frequent hypermarkets… but there, they can't enjoy 'warm meats' or bargain on price."

At KIPMart, though, he said patrons can have the best of both worlds as it "provides almost everything under one roof, from fresh food to fashion wear, electrical appliances to motor vehicles and even banking services".

On its regional expansion plan, Lim said it will be franchise based, involving the export of systemised management procedures that will be tailored to suit the franchisee's local cultures and traditions.

Locally, KIP Development is scheduled to open the 110,000sq ft KIPMart Kota Tinggi in August, and is currently on a leasing exercise to attract small- and mid-size traders to lots that range in size from 100sq ft to 10,000sq ft by offering rates starting from RM1,000 monthly.

Among the benefits tenants can enjoy will be access to extensive advertising and promotion campaigns similar to those employed by large hypermarkets.

"By pooling resources and inputting our marketing expertise, we can help them compete with the big boys," said Lim.

Building and operating community markets is only one of KIP's businesses. Its mainstay is property development, one which is the ongoing Taman Tampoi Indah township near the Skudai-Johor Baru highway.

In Kuala Lumpur, it is undertaking the KiPark Sri Utara project along Jalan Kuching/Jalan Ipoh that will feature the 11-storey KIP Corporate Tower as well as three-storey town and courtyard villas, superlinks and condominiums.

It is also developing the gated KiPark Puchong comprising semi-detached houses set amidst a landscaped water park, and the KiPark Selayang condominium.

The group derived its name from its inaugural venture, the integrated Kepong Industrial Park that comprises residential, commercial and industrial units.