Kuala Lumpur's Mont Kiara neighbourhood has a new draw for food lovers: The Food Merchant, the city's premium gourmet grocer, cut the ribbon on its Solaris Mont Kiara outlet on 8 October 2026. It's the latest move in a fast expansion for a brand that started only in 2021 with a flagship at Pavilion Bukit Jalil, built by the same founders behind the Village Grocer chain of more than 30 stores across Malaysia.
The store itself is pitched at the area's famously international, food-obsessed community. Expect a mix of everyday staples and fresh local produce alongside rarer imported delicacies, plus a few services that go beyond the usual supermarket run: a complimentary gift-wrapping station with custom thank-you cards, a care counter that parks your shopping trolley for you, and prep counters where staff cut meat and seafood to order. Members of the free "Yes I Do!" loyalty programme earn a point for every RM2 spent and get access to member pricing.
There are opening deals worth timing a visit around. On launch day, the first 200 shoppers spending RM150 or more in a single receipt took home a grocery goodie bag, with a fruit and vegetable gift bag for the first 50 who hit RM300. A seafood giveaway runs on 16 and 17 October: spend a minimum of RM350 on fresh seafood and you can claim a whole Norwegian salmon weighing 3-4kg, cut and vacuum-packed for free — limited to 25 redemptions per day. Until 1 November, members can also redeem a herb plant with an RM180 spend or a succulent with RM80, plus a free shopping bag on RM80 purchases, all while stocks last.
Why should a traveller care? Mont Kiara is one of KL's most expat-heavy districts, and Solaris is its eating and drinking heart — a walkable cluster of Korean, Japanese and Western restaurants and cafes. A well-stocked gourmet grocer fits neatly into a self-catering stay, an apartment rental, or simply an afternoon of grazing. If you're in town between now and early November, the salmon giveaway and plant redemptions are a quirky bonus on top of the regular shopping trip, and the store doubles as a handy source of edible souvenirs given the gift-wrapping setup.
