Retail News CRM

Author: Mei Ling Tan

  • 3 new restaurants for Impossible Foods

    3 new restaurants for Impossible Foods

    Impossible Foods launches its plant-based meat at three Hong Kong restaurants today: Beef & Liberty, Happy Paradise and Little Bao. They’re the first eateries outside the US to feature the artificial meet on their menus.

    Introduced in 2011 by Stanford biochemistry professor and former pediatrician Dr Patrick Brown, Impossible Foods makes meat, fish and dairy products directly from plants. It uses science and technology to create wholesome food with the aim of restoring natural ecosystems while sustainably feeding a growing global population.

    Hong Kong is the first place outside the US to have the Impossible Burger, which cooks, smells and tastes like ground beef but is made entirely from plants. It is served in more than 1400 outlets in the US from award-winning restaurants to diners to the nation’s original fast-food chain White Castle. In Hong Kong, diners can try the product as a traditional burger or as the central filling of savoury streetfood.

    “We’re confident that Hong Kong – Asia’s crossroads of ideas and influences both modern and traditional – will be home to the most innovative Impossible recipes yet,” says Impossible Foods CEO/founder Brown.

    Twist on tradition

    Named Asia’s top female chef last year, chef May Chow heads Happy Paradise and Little Bao, which both present a 21st-century approach to traditional Cantonese dining. A Toronto native who trained and worked in Bangkok, Los Angeles and Boston, Chow gained fame in Hong Kong’s streetfood markets.

    From today at Little Bao, Chow and her team are serving the Impossible Bao, a traditional sandwich made with Impossible meat, black-pepper teriyaki sauce, salted-lemon kombu salad, and fermented tofu sauce, between two house-made steamed buns. The Impossible XinJiang Hot Pocket, another Chinese street snack debuts at Happy Paradise, served with pickled daikon and XinJiang spices.

    Another award-winning chef in Hong Kong, Uwe Opocensky, who worked in Spain’s El Bulli when it was voted best restaurant in the world, spent a decade as executive chef at Hong Kong’s Mandarin Oriental before joining Beef & Liberty as group executive chef in 2016. Beef & Liberty is serving the Impossible Thai Burger with chili, coriander, mint, basil, spring onion, soya mayonnaise, crispy shallots and garlic. The restaurant group is also featuring Impossible Chili Cheese Fries.

    “We are obsessed, in a good way, with burgers and doing what we can for the environment,” says Opocensky. “We love the way the Impossible Burger has created new excitement in the global burger scene and opportunities to be more sustainable.”

    Impossible products have been made available in Hong Kong on a limited and exclusive basis through importer/distributor Classic Fine Foods.

    Ingredients of the Impossible Burger include water, wheat protein, potato protein and coconut oil, with special ingredient heme contributing the characteristic taste of meat. Heme is a molecule that is especially abundant in animal tissue. The burger is produced without abattoirs, hormones, antibiotics, cholesterol or artificial flavours. Its production uses about 75 per cent less water, generates about 87 per cent fewer greenhouse gases, and needs about 95 per cent less land than conventional ground beef.

    Investors in Impossible Foods include Bill Gates, Google Ventures, Temasek, UBS and Open Philanthropy Project.

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  • Phuc Long makes it debut in Danang

    Phuc Long makes it debut in Danang

    Vietnamese coffee and tea chain Phuc Long has opened its first Danang outlet.

    Located on the second floor of Lotte Mart, the new Phuc Long Danang store drew long queues on opening day, as it offered three days of launch promotional activity. From today until Sunday, customers who come early and check-in on Facebook will get free vouchers and coffee mugs.

    Phuc Long has partnered with Grab to offer discount for rides to its store – for both GrabBike and GrabCar.

    The second Phuc Long Danang outlet will open soon on Nguyen Van Linh.

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  • Innisfree Vietnam pop-up boosts brand

    Innisfree Vietnam pop-up boosts brand

    Korean cosmetics brand Innisfree has opened its first pop-up store, inside Saigon Center in Ho Chi Minh City, from now until Sunday.

    Called New Hydration Station, the Innisfree Vietnam pop-up introduces the brand’s new green tea range through different sections such as Hydration Station, Hydration Wash Zone, Beauty Wash, Green Tea Store, Green Tea Zone.

     

    After the pop-up, the brand will open new store at Crescent Mall in District 7, in the hub of the city’s Korean community.

    During the first two days, customers will get the chance to receive Innisfree tumblers, eco bags, and masks with bills over VND300,000.

    After arriving in Vietnam in 2016, Innisfree has opened four stores, all in Ho Chi Minh City.

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  • Prada Silver Line kicks off at Pacific Place

    Prada Silver Line kicks off at Pacific Place

    Prada Silver Line, a pop-up store with a railway station theme, has arrived at the Garden Court of Hong Kong’s Pacific Place.

    An itinerant project, which had its debut in Macau in December, it offers exclusive women’s and men’s bags and accessories that match each destination of the journey.

    Covering about 147sqm, the pop-up represents the Italian luxury brand on the move. It replicates part of a train with a metal exterior reminiscent of the American Streamliners of the ’30s and ’50s. The interior walls feature floral-patterned red silk brocade, and the setting is completed with a black-and-white checkered floor that has characterised Prada stores internationally since 1913.

    Around the train, the illuminated platforms have installations that continue the train theme:

    Prada Robots as porters with luggage trolleys, and a ticket kiosk that turns into a concierge that can arrange the home delivery of purchases.

    The exhibition ends on 29 April.

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  • Debenhams profit plunges 84 per cent after storm

    Debenhams profit plunges 84 per cent after storm

    Debenhams profit plunged 84 per cent in the half year to March 3.

    The UK department store operator says its like-for-like sales fell 2.2 per cent during “challenging conditions” in its home market. Its pre-tax profit fell from £87.8 million in the same period last year to £13.5 million.

    The company said a major contributor to its falling sales was the forced closure of about 100 stores after a major storm hit the UK in February. Christmas sales were also down.

    “We approach the remainder of the year mindful of the very challenging market conditions, but with confidence that we have a strong team and the right plan to navigate them and return Debenhams to profitable growth,” said CEO Sergio Bucher in a statement.

    “It has not been an easy first half and the extreme weather in the final week of the half had a material impact on our results,” he said.

  • Iceland Foods partners up with JD.com

    Iceland Foods partners up with JD.com

    Welsh supermarket giant Iceland Foods will partner with e-commerce platform JD.com to sell its products to China.

    These will include its own-brand products such as biscuits, cereals and sauces, as well as cosmetics brands Pulsin, Re-gen, and Soft and Gentle.

    “With the rapid growth and significant opportunities the market in China offers we decided it was time to act,” says Iceland founder Sir Malcolm Walker.

    “Iceland adds to the growing number of British brands on our platforms as we continue our push to bring the best of Britain to Chinese consumers,” says JD Worldwide GM Yang Ye. The number of UK brands on JD.com has doubled in the past few years, and this week it held a 24-hour “Celebrate Britain” promotion.

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  • Offline sales activities for Fashionally.com

    Offline sales activities for Fashionally.com

    Fashionally.com, an HKTDC-endorsed website that promotes Hong Kong fashion, is organising a retail event at PMQ in Central from next Friday.

    The 23 Senses event will be held over three weeks to introduce Hong Kong designers and new labels including SFZ Sons, a collaboration between Sonic Lam and street artist Start From Zero, and YMDH by Jason Lee, last year’s Best Footwear Design Award winner at YDC (Young Designers Contest). YLY Studio, newly launched by design duo Matt Hui and Lilian Tsang, will be offering its first collection inspired by the art of embroidery and knitwear.

    Labels such as Kenson, Kurt Ho, Necro Poon and NelsonBlackle, which are mostly sold overseas, will be available locally.

    Promotional offers for 23 Senses shoppers include a chance to win a hand-drawn t-shirt by illustrator Calvin Kwok.

  • Meghan Markle gives Oroton Label a boost

    Meghan Markle gives Oroton Label a boost

    Embattled Australian accessories label Oroton has hit headlines for good reasons when Prince Harry’s fiancee, Meghan Markle, was spotted with one of its handbags.

    The former Suits actress was sporting Oroton’s Avalon Stripe Crosboody bag, which retails for $295, during a Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting event in London this week.

    Oroton, which fell into voluntary administration six months ago, has jumped on the opportunity, splashing photos and video of Markle’s entrance to the event across its website.

    “As seen on future Royal, Meghan Markle, at the Commonwealth Youth Forum in London,” the company says on its site.

    The bag has sold out and shoppers will have to wait until August before more stock arrives.

    This type of support from a celebrity, particularly a future royal, is priceless, says retail academic Gary Mortimer of the Queensland University of Technology’s business school.

    “Images of Meghan Markle will permeate social media, including Instagram and Facebook, in coming days,” Professor Mortimer said.

    “The story is being covered by mainstream media and very quickly that particular handbag will be sold out if it hasn’t already.”

    But Prof Mortimer said such strong sales were usually short-lived because consumers were “fickle and are always looking for the next big thing”.

    Debt-laden Oroton called in administrators in late November after making a $14.3 million annual loss because of consistently weak sales.

    It’s among a string of luxury retailers to hit financial strife in the past year, including Topshop, Marcs, David Lawrence, Herringbone and Rhodes & Beckett.

    The company’s stores have continued to operate under administrators and its creditors have backed a $25 million plan to hand control of the company to major shareholder and funds manager Will Vicars.

  • Lazada launches regional trade with Digital Free Trade Zone Ahead of 6th Birthday

    Lazada launches regional trade with Digital Free Trade Zone Ahead of 6th Birthday

    Starting today, over 100 Lazada sellers in Malaysia will begin marketing their products to buyers in Singapore, with seamless support from Lazada and the Digital Free Trade Zone (DFTZ).

    This is a significant boost for online trade, allowing Malaysian small and medium enterprise owners to expand overseas, reaching out to new customers among Singapore’s population of 6 million. Through Lazada and the DFTZ, sellers enjoy a one-stop solution with more efficient cargo clearance and GST exemptions, and overall, export processes that are quick and hassle-free.

    In this pilot phase, over 50,000 products from various categories – Fashion, Health & Beauty, Home & Lifestyle, Sports & Travel and more – will be made available to Lazada Singapore shoppers. They include items from iconic Malaysian brands like Carlo Rino, Pensonic and Swan. This provides Malaysian brands increased visibility and representation in today’s global marketplace.

    The kick-off today is strategically timed to precede Lazada’s annual birthday campaign, taking place from 24 to 26 April in Singapore. As for Malaysia, the 6th birthday campaign will take place from 25 to 27 April. During this period, a spike in consumer interest and transactions are expected, owing to a continuous stream of promotions and giveaways.

    Empowering Malaysian Sellers

    The DFTZ is the first e-hub outside of China under the Electronic World Trade Platform. With Lazada and DFTZ, there is none of the administrative and legal hassles associated with entering new markets. A single contract grants access to Singapore in this rollout; and other Southeast Asia countries will be added subsequently. Business owners also need only upload their product information once and Lazada will replicate the content on local portals.

    The DFTZ provides a centralized bonded warehouse at KL International Airport (KLIA) Aeropolis, allowing efficient sharing of inventory among markets. The warehousing hub features advanced technology for sorting, shelving, packing and logistics.

    Fulfilment of orders is also easier on the pocket, with Lazada’s e-Logistics solutions which offer lower-cost and faster delivery.

    Paving the Way for Borderless e-commerce

    “This is a significant milestone in Southeast Asian e-commerce, one we are proud to lead. We see huge potential for expanding trade across Southeast Asia and are working hard to make it happen,” says Hans-Peter Ressel, Lazada Group Chief International Officer.

    “Now, I can bring my sales to the next level and easily reach a new group of customers in Singapore. I don’t have a wide logistics network so Lazada’s ecosystem gives me an amazing chance to participate in overseas trade for the first time,” says Aymen Ben, from ACHLIM HEALTH & BEAUTY, Malaysia.

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  • YNAP Clicks with Customers By Launching First Dedicated Platform For Fine Jewellery

    YNAP Clicks with Customers By Launching First Dedicated Platform For Fine Jewellery

    YNAP, the world’s leading online luxury fashion retailer, has today launched its first dedicated online destination for fine jewellery and luxury watches to serve a fast-growing customer base seeking to purchase high-value items in a single click.

    The destination – part of NET-A-PORTER’s website – features an extensive fine jewellery collection from more than 40 brands, including Piaget, Cartier, Pomellato, Tiffany & Co. and Buccellati, and select items priced at over €100,000. New and extensive content will be available for customers including “how to” on topics such as fine jewellery storage and care, diamond education, as well as style inspiration. Customers will also be able to speak to personal shoppers who have been trained by the Gemological Institute of America.

    Fine jewellery and watches is a key part of YNAP’s five-year strategy to grow its high-end luxury category in response to strong customer demand. The Group has pioneered the category online, leveraging its first mover advantage to establish itself as the leader in online sales of hard luxury products.  The success to date on both NET-A-PORTER and its stablemate, MR PORTER shows that many customers now have no hesitation in making these exclusive luxury purchases online.

    Speaking at a luxury industry conference in Portuga, Federico Marchetti, CEO of YNAP, said: “This explosion in fine jewellery and watches shows there’s no limit to what customers will buy online with us. And we are now getting a fascinating insight into who these hard luxury customers are and what they are prepared to buy online.”

    Mr Marchetti said: “Fine jewellery and watches are the perfect complement to high fashion and the category is expected to create an opportunity for sales of 100m euros by 2020 for YNAP. We surprised the sector by introducing this successful category, and the potential of our online platforms for branded jewellery and luxury watches is huge.”

    Key customer insight on fine jewellery and watches from NET-A-PORTER and MR PORTER includes:

    • Two thirds of fine jewellery and watch sales on NET-A-PORTER now come from the Group’s most loyal customers, known as Extremely Important People (EIPs)
    • A quarter of NET-A-PORTER’s sales come via personal shoppers, demonstrating the importance of service, while the majority of customers are buying either as a gift for themselves or to wear for a special event
    • The majority of fine jewellery and watch customers for both NET-A-PORTER and MR PORTER are from the US, with the UK and Hong Kong the next biggest markets
    • Cartier launched on MR PORTER earlier this month, complementing its array of existing fine watch brands. MR PORTER also recently unveiled an exclusive Bell & Ross sapphire watch retailing at €400,000, the most expensive item the Group has ever carried across its sites
    • NET-A-PORTER EIPs typically own around 35 pieces of fine jewellery and watches in their collection and they enjoy benefits such as EIP previews (providing early access to pieces) and one-to-one appointments with Personal Shoppers. Customers also buy after seeing something they love, even when it comes to fine jewellery
    • When NET-A-PORTER introduced Cartier in 2017, it sold a £113,000 pavé limited-edition Panthère de Cartier watch on the day of launch – the most expensive item sold on the e-commerce fashion site so far
    • On MR PORTER, which first started selling luxury watches in 2013, the fine watches offering is generating new customers. They are initially attracted by the watches– especially aviation and sports based watches – but they then go on to shop other categories, such as from leading designers including Tom Ford, Brunello Cucinelli and Gucci

     

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  • Global Savings Group is launching discount code portal CupoNation in Indonesia

    Global Savings Group is launching discount code portal CupoNation in Indonesia

    The Global Savings Group (GSG), a Rocket Internet backed leading global provider of Commerce Content Solutions, launches its premium discount code portal CupoNation in Indonesia. The new portal will enable Indonesian users to save more on online shopping from leading retail stores and brands. It is now accessible for avid shoppers in Indonesia through its local website www.cuponation.co.id.

    The GSG is globally operating over 100 digital portals and tools that offer the right mix of product discovery, recommendations, deals and discounts to help consumers take smarter shopping decisions while enabling advertisers to reach high-intent users at scale. Following the successful establishment of CupoNation in Singapore (2013), Australia (2014), and Malaysia (2016), the brand has been quickly gaining popularity in Southeast Asia Pacific markets.

    Igor Shapiro, Managing Director Asia Pacific and Eastern Europe, says “We are convinced that Indonesia is the best next market to launch this platform. The launch of CupoNation in Indonesia will not only benefit online shoppers but also help e-commerce players and advertisers in generating significant value by attracting ‘discount savvy users’ to their portals, thereby increasing revenues.”

    Indonesia has a population of over 264 million and growing. The global professional services company Accenture expects the national internet penetration to grow to 50% by 2022.

    This forecasted significant increase in digitization and therefore digital commerce will be driven by Indonesia’s general positive development. The World Bank expects the GDP to continue to grow at an annual average of over 5 percent. Digital purchase is expected to grow by US$46.40 to US$78.10 per capita in the next four years. Furthermore, 74.1% of Indonesia’s online shoppers love discounts and will use them as a reason to purchase, the Accenture report reveals.

    “Indonesia has a fast growing economy with a fast-growing e-commerce market. Through launching CupoNation in Indonesia we are adding a globally proven commerce content solution to the local ecosystem, linking consumers and retailers, and fueling this growth. With our strong team, global insights, and local synergies we see across the South East Asian markets, we are confident about becoming the leading discount code portal in Indonesia in the next months”, adds Igor.

    Google and Temasek report that people in Southeast Asia spend more time on the mobile internet than anyone else on the planet. Indonesians spend 3.9 hours on the mobile internet, while U.S. users just spend 2 hours per day. According to GSMA Intelligence, there are 439 million registered mobile connections in Indonesia – a SIM penetration of 166%.

    That’s why CupoNation has come to Indonesia with a fully mobile responsive service, providing a comprehensive range of online coupons and deals across 13 categories. These categories supported by Indonesians’ most-loved online shops and brands such as Lazada, Zalora, Tokopedia, Bhinneka, Matahari Mall, Blibli, Bukalapak, and many more.

    Andreas Fruth, Managing Director and Co-Founder of the Global Savings Group, adds “We want to transform the way consumers buy and the way brands sell around the world. The launch of CupoNation in Indonesia is proof of our regional commitment, strengthening our position in the South East Asia Pacific markets and enhancing our global service offering, helping us to further improve our position as a global leading provider of commerce content solutions.”

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  • Game development experts converge on Pakistan’s first Game Summit by Gamebird

    Game development experts converge on Pakistan’s first Game Summit by Gamebird

    Pakistan’s second most populous city and the country’s cultural center, Lahore, was the go-to place for game developing experts and enthusiasts from Google, Telenor, and the best of Pakistani talent in the industry. The event was Pakistan’s first Game Summit hosted by ‘Gamebird’, Telenor’s new platform that connects game developers to boost the gaming ecosystem in Pakistan.

    Pakistan has a vibrant gaming app developing ecosystem and this Game Summit was aimed at helping developers learn the latest tips and best practices about how to take their app business to the next level. The one-day, invitation-only event gave developers a chance to come together with Google, Telenor industry experts, and fellow app developers to ask questions, give feedback, share learnings, discuss projects, and be inspired.

    The top speakers of the Game Summit included Dr. Umar Saif – Chairman, Punjab Information Technology Board and Vice Chancellor of Information Technology University, Fawad Asghar – CTO, WeRPlay, Sadia Bashir – Founder & CEO, Pixel Art Games Academy, and Faizan Iftikhar – CEO, GeniTeam, among others.

    Telenor Pakistan has been developing initiatives to strengthen the local developer community, while Google has tools and insights with a focus on game creation and monetization. Together, the speakers from Telenor Pakistan & Google elaborated on their expertise and how the gaming ecosystem can benefit from it. Prominent local developers also shared experiences, challenges, and ideas on how to better contribute to the local game development ecosystem. Gamebox, Pakistan’s indigenous game store, was a sponsor of the Game Summit and showcased its offerings at the event.

    “We are proud and delighted to be hosting the country’s first Game Summit in a city that’s fast emerging as one of Pakistan’s key app development centers,” said Durdana Achakzai, Chief Digital Officer at Telenor Pakistan. “We are grateful to the experts from Google and the local gaming community for coming together and exploring ways to boost the Pakistani game development industry. We hope that the learnings the event’s participants take home today will prove valuable in putting Pakistan on the global map for gaming innovation. With Gamebird in place, we are expecting more of such knowledge-sharing networking events for the gaming community in the future.”

    Sharing his thoughts on the occasion, Umar Saif, the keynote speaker who is Chairman Punjab Information Technology Board and Vice Chancellor Information Technology University, said:

    “We congratulate Gamebird for hosting this insightful event and giving game developers the opportunity to demonstrate their skills. The launch of Google DCB has been a game changer for the gaming industry as it has provided earning avenues to game developers. I appreciate Telenor’s role in spearheading the launch of Google DCB in Pakistan and hope that Pakistani Gamers make good use of it to come up with a superb game in the near future.”

    Gamebird is an e-Sports platform for gamers and gaming app developers in Pakistan. The platform hosts events, tournaments, broadcasts, and provides reviews and plays of different games. Gamebird is geared for more initiatives in mobile & PC gaming (tournaments, community meet-ups, etc.) in the near future.

     

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  • Telenor presents ‘Motorcycle Girl’, an adventure based on the life of motorcyclist, Zenith Irfan

    Telenor presents ‘Motorcycle Girl’, an adventure based on the life of motorcyclist, Zenith Irfan

    ‘Motorcycle Girl’, a biopic on the achievements of Zenith Irfan, the first female biker to take a solo journey to Pakistan’s northern areas, was premiered in Karachi. Showcasing the feat of a young girl challenging stereotypes, the movie fits perfectly with Telenor’s brand philosophy of empowering Pakistanis so that they become the better version of themselves.

    The movie tells the story of Zenith Irfan, an 21-year old girl who makes the bold decision to break free from societal shackles and embark on a solo motorcycle trip to the Northern areas of Pakistan to fulfil her deceased father’s dream of travelling to Khunjerab Pass on a motorbike. Zenith’s valiance and determination led her to undertake a difficult journey, which even men would think twice to undertake given the dangers involved; making her the first Pakistani woman to achieve this remarkable feat.

    Starring Sohai Ali Abro and Ali Kazmi, Motorcycle Girl has been directed, written and co-produced by Adnan Sarwar, a talented young Pakistani actor, director, musician, screenwriter, and producer who made his film debut in the biopic, Shah. The movie is the second installment of Adnan Sarwar’s planned ‘Heroes Trilogy’ as he brings another real-life story of a Pakistani hero to the big screen.

    “At Telenor Pakistan, we have always been a strong advocate of individual empowerment. Telenor wants to enable Pakistanis with the power of its data so that they can achieve more and become a better version of themselves. Zenith’s story is a strong voice with which we can perfectly match our brand philosophy of doing more and achieving more,” said Umair Mohsin, VP Circle South at Telenor Pakistan. “The way Zenith turned her father’s unmet dream into a reality by showing unwavering strength and commitment to her passion against all odds should serve as an inspiration for all Pakistanis to listen to their inner voice and make things happen independently. This is what Telenor believes in and through its data, Telenor wants to enable its audiences in this journey.”

    “This is a story of Zenith’s determination in the face of all the resistance and noise trying to hold her back from her ultimate goal. Her story is representative of the problems faced by any girl in our society,” said Adnan Sarwar. “The movie is important because at such a young age, Zenith is doing things that challenge stereotypes which are deeply engrained in the fabric of our society.”

    Motorcycle Girl drew applause and positive initial feedback from the audience. The movie will now be screening at all major cinemas across Karachi, Lahore, and Islamabad among other cities from April 20, 2018.

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  • Alibaba in a smart deal with the Thai government

    Alibaba in a smart deal with the Thai government

    China’s Alibaba Group will partner with the Thai government to build a smart digital trading hub in Thailand while also working to develop its capabilities in e-commerce, digital logistics, tourism and training.

    Alibaba says it will work with Thailand on everything from boosting efficiencies in trade to educating Thai entrepreneurs and SMEs in digital commerce. The partnership will give Thailand access to technologies and processes that can help advance its economy, while Alibaba gains a stronger foothold in an important market in Southeast Asia.

    Local news media has valued Alibaba’s Thai investment commitments at THB11 billion (US$352 million).

    The smart digital hub, in Thailand’s Eastern Economic Corridor, will use technologies from Alibaba and its logistics platform Cainiao Network to streamline trade between Thailand and China and other markets, including digitising the customs process.

    At the same time, Alibaba and the Thai government say they will develop educational initiatives for SMEs and entrepreneurs to learn best practices for e-commerce. Included are courses co-developed by Alibaba Business School and Thailand’s Ministries of Industry and Commerce, as well as training centered on the digital economy at Alibaba Business School in Hangzhou.

    Under the deal, Thailand also gains greater access to China’s consumer market. Thai products such as fragrant rice, durian and other tropical fruits are in demand in China.

    In a related move, a flagship store has been launched on Alibaba’s Tmall platform to sell Thai rice, the country’s main export.

    Alibaba’s online travel platform Fliggy is part of the arrangement because of Thailand’s popularity as a destination for Chinese tourists. Fliggy and the Tourism Authority of Thailand will work to develop smart and digital services for those visitors, including online tour guides and electronic ticketing systems.

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  • Park N Parcel secures 648,000$ in seed funding

    Park N Parcel secures 648,000$ in seed funding

    Singapore’s last-mile logistics startup Park N Parcel plans offshore expansion after raising US$648,000 in a seed funding round.

    Park N Parcel’s service provides “parking” for online purchases. Packages are delivered to a registered residential or commercial “parker” within a 1km radius of the buyer’s home for collection when convenient. After two years, the startup has more than 1500 parkers.

    The fresh funding will be used to strengthen the company’s core leadership team and for expansion into Thailand, Hong Kong and Japan by the fourth quarter of this year, says Park N Parcel co-founder Bryan See Toh.

    As well, the team plans to expand its client base through partnerships with e-commerce platforms and logistics companies.

    “Last-mile has always been a problem for big e-commerce players across Asia, and we believe Park N Parcel has resolved this issue,” says managing partner Christopher Quek of Tri5 Ventures, which led the funding round with a group of angel investors. “There is a huge opportunity in the $701 billion logistics market across Asia.”

    Park N Parcel, along with seven other startups, are heading to Thailand this month to attend the Bangkok Immersion Program organised by Enterprise Singapore under the Ministry of Trade and Industry.