Chef Wan brings local flavour to Grab this Merdeka

Grab Malaysia is tapping into the country's love for local food this Merdeka and Malaysia Day, teaming up with culinary personality Redzuawan Ismail, better known as Chef Wan, for a month-long celebration of homegrown flavours and businesses.

Running from 17 August to 17 September, the "Grab x Merdeka 2026: Discover the best of Malaysia" campaign brings together Malaysian food, beverage and grocery brands across Grab's ecosystem, positioning the platform as a gateway to local favourites during the festive period.

As ambassador for the campaign, Chef Wan will champion Malaysia's food culture and its homegrown businesses, bringing his culinary profile to the platform's Merdeka push.

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The campaign spotlights familiar Malaysian brands across different parts of the day, including ZUS Coffee and Oriental Kopi for morning coffee and meals, Tealive and Beautea for beverages, Marrybrown for quick meals and Jaya Grocer for fresh produce and groceries.

The campaign also seeks to encourage Malaysians to explore local businesses and destinations through its "Cuba-Cuba Lokal, Cuti-Cuti Lokal" ('Try local, travel local') contest, which spans GrabFood, GrabMart and Grab rides and rewards consumers for discovering local spots during the festive period.

Alongside the contest, Grab is rolling out Merdeka-themed promotions across its app, spanning Dine Out deals, restaurant discounts and GrabMart savings. The offers are aimed at encouraging consumers to discover and support local merchants while tapping into the national celebrations.

Grab is also using the campaign to spotlight its "Grab 5-Star Eats food guide", which was developed in collaboration with Tourism Malaysia and draws on customer reviews to highlight highly rated dining spots around the country.

The guide is positioned as a discovery tool for both Malaysians and travelers looking for local food recommendations, extending the campaign beyond promotions and into domestic food and tourism discovery.

“Grab takes pride in being a connecting thread woven into the everyday Malaysian experience, from delivering morning kopi to offering Group Rides out to Central Market, or making last-minute grocery shopping a breeze before family dinners,” said Tan Jiong Jian, director of commercial and deliveries, Grab Malaysia.

He added, “This Merdeka, we are taking these connections further, bringing icons like Chef Wan together with our country's favourite local brands, to celebrate the best of Malaysia with a simple, joyful, and deeply personal touch."

The campaign comes as brands and platforms across Malaysia roll out initiatives tapping into local pride and homegrown favourites around Merdeka and Malaysia Day. Earlier this month, Lalamove teamed up with homegrown beverage brand Tealive for its "Sip, sip, Lalamove" campaign, offering Malaysians free Tealive drinks delivered to their doorstep.

Running from 17 August, the campaign marks the on-demand delivery platform's first initiative of its kind. The promotion spans 24 participating Tealive outlets across Johor, Klang Valley, Malacca, Penang and Kuching, alongside a separate delivery promotion running during the Merdeka period.

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