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  • UK’s John Lewis opens today in Makati

    UK’s John Lewis opens today in Makati

    John Lewis, a chain of quality department stores operating through out Great Britain, will open its first shop-in-shop in the Philippines at SM Makati today. The chain is part of the John Lewis Partnership, and is known for its slogan “Never Knowingly Undersold.”

    John Lewis Partnership is UK’s largest example of worker co-ownership where all 30,000 staff are Partners in the business. On the other hand, Never Knowingly Undersold is the company’s unique policy to its customers that the price of any item it sells will always be as low as the lowest price in the neighborhood. It has been in use since 1925.

    A wide range of own-brand home products including bed, bath, tableware, and home accessories, such as candles and photo frames, will be on offer in a dedicated John Lewis Department at SM Home in SM Makati’s Fifth Level.

    The shop-in-shop here in the Philippines will have a wide range of own-brand home products like tableware and kitchen furniture

    This will be the first of the 11 John Lewis shop-in-shops in SM Retail locations across the Philippines—SM Makati, SM Aura Premier, SM Megamall, SM Mall of Asia, SM North EDSA, SM Southmall in the Metro area, and SM Cebu and SM Lanang in the provincial areas; as well as three Our Home stores. The sites will be between 300 square feet and 1,000 square feet and will have a dedicated staff.

    “SM Retail is a perfect partner to help bring the John Lewis brand to a new Asian customer base,” declares Andy Street, managing director at John Lewis.

    Meanwhile, British Ambassador to the Philippines Asif Ahmad says in a message,“I would like to congratulate SM for successfully bringing John Lewis to the Philippines,” says. In the UK, John Lewis is known as a top retailer and has a reputation for offering excellent value to customers for many years. We are delighted to have another iconic brand that will bring the experience of British quality, creativity, and lifestyle to the Filipino home.”

    The first John Lewis store opened in 1864 in Oxford Street, London. Today, it operates 43 John Lewis stores across the UK and runs a shopping website at johnlewis.com.

  • 7-Eleven Philippines gross sales soar

    7-Eleven Philippines gross sales soar

    Philippine Seven Company, the native licensee of 7-Eleven Comfort Shops, has reported a 12.9 per cent progress in internet revenue for the primary quarter of 2015.

    The corporate says the rise is the results of improved working margin and its aggressive 7-Eleven Philippines retailer enlargement program throughout the nation.

    The community of firm owned and franchised shops’ gross sales rose by 24.2 per cent from P4.four billion (US$98.9 million) within the first quarter to 2014 P5.5 billion (US$123.6 million) within the newest quarter. First quarter internet revenue reached P112.9 million ($2.5 million).

    On the finish of the quarter, PSC had constructed its community to 1341 shops – a rise of 292 year-on-year.

    The corporate stated the speed of earnings progress was slower than top-line progress because of the elevated spending attributed to increasing the logistics infrastructure of the corporate. PSC has been constructing the capability of its distribution middle to help its enlargement within the totally different elements of the nation, together with the islands within the Visayas and in DavaoCity.

    Jose Victor Paterno, president and CEO, stated PSC has taken steps to guard and broaden its management in mild of elevated competitors, recognising that rewards for market share are particularly robust within the comfort retailer sector.

    “This includes not solely an elevated tempo of enlargement in areas contested by competitors, however strategic entry into new territories. The latter could also be unprofitable for the primary few years because of the excessive fastened prices of logistics, however we consider will later be rewarded with robust first mover benefits,” he stated.

    “Final yr we entered Panay and constructed on our entry into Negros and Cebu the years prior. This yr we will probably be getting into Mindanao by way of Davao and Cagayan de Oro.”

    For 2015, the corporate might be growing its capital expenditures price range by greater than 50 per cent to help its accelerated retailer enlargement technique.

    Philippine Seven Company operates the most important comfort retailer community within the nation. It acquired from Southland Company (now Seven Eleven Inc.) of Dallas, Texas the license to function 7-Eleven Philippines shops in December 1982 and listed on the Philippine Inventory Trade in February, 1998.

  • Singapore retail gross sales slide three.2 per cent

    Singapore retail gross sales slide three.2 per cent

    Singapore retail gross sales in March slumped three.2 per cent after the distortionary impact of motorcar gross sales is faraway from the info.

    Whereas the official figures present a seasonally-adjusted 1.1 per cent enchancment in March 2015 over the earlier month, knowledge from Statistics Singapore exhibits automotive gross sales soared 37 per cent over February and 40 per cent March on March.

    There was an similar three.2 per cent general decline year-on-year for March after automobiles have been eliminated.

    Seasonally adjusted gross sales of meals & beverage providers decreased 5.2 per cent in March 2015 over February and by 1.7 per cent in contrast with March 2014.

    After seasonal adjustment, retail gross sales of automobiles, mini-marts & comfort shops and meals & drinks elevated between 12.9 per cent and 37.1 per cent in March 2015 in comparison with the earlier month (Desk 1). Retail gross sales of petrol service stations and leisure items additionally rose four.9 per cent and 1.1 per cent respectively.

    Then again, retail gross sales of optical items & books, sporting attire & footwear, telecommunications equipment & computer systems, furnishings & family gear, supermarkets, watches & jewelry and medical items & toiletries decreased between 2.four per cent and 10.four per cent in March 2015 in comparison with February 2015.

  • Sephora, JD.com staff up

    Sephora, JD.com staff up

    LVMH-owned cosmetics retailer Sephora has opened a flagship retailer on Chinese language eCommerce website JD.com.

    Sephora, which already as a profitable retail community in tier one Mainland China cities, says the transfer wil assist it break into the eCommerce market there, and attain shoppers in smaller city markets.

    “This marks a big step ahead for Sephora, the main magnificence retailer of LVMH Group, in its eCommerce and general retail technique for China,” the 2 corporations stated in a press release.

    Upon launch, Sephora’s retailer would be the largest cosmetics retailer on JD.com’s platform, that includes over 1200 gadgets from greater than 70 worldwide beauty manufacturers, together with Dior, Guerlain, Givenchy, Profit and Kenzoki.

    Anne Veronique Bruel, president of Sephora Asia, stated she is assured that Sephora, JD.com will have the ability to present Chinese language shoppers with “a very world-class on-line purchasing expertise, with out the fear of counterfeits”.

    Haoyu Shen, CEO of JD Mall added: “We’re capable of supply Sephora an end-to-end eCommerce answer that ensures Chinese language shoppers have the absolute best model expertise when buying their magnificence merchandise on-line. Our direct co-operation with Sephora additional strengthens the arrogance of cosmetics buyers in China that JD.com is the go-to website for probably the most wanted genuine name-brand merchandise.”

    Sephora, based in Limoges, France, in 1969, was purchased by luxurious group LVMH in 1997.At the moment, it has greater than 2000 shops in 32 nations stocking greater than 200 worldwide manufacturers and 10,000 of its personal distinctive personal label merchandise.

  • Indonesia`s red onion production predicted to reach 1.14 million tons

    Indonesia`s red onion production predicted to reach 1.14 million tons

    The agriculture ministry said the countrys production of red onion is predicted to reach 120,000 tons a month or 1.14 million tons this year. The production fell from 122,000 tons a month in 2014, but still is higher than domestic requirement.

    Horticulture Director General Hasanuddin Ibrahim said the production will exceed domestic consumption of around 90,000 tons a month.

    “In the period of January to September this year, the production is predicted to rise 20 to 30 percent, but October to December, the production is expected to fall by the same rate of 20 to 30 percent,” Hasanuddin said.

    The countrys red onion production is expected to peak in June at 122,800 tons. The second highest was 116,300 tons in January and the third highest was 110,900 tons in August, he said.

    The lowest production was expected in March at 65,270 tons , November at 81,010 tons and in October at 83,850 tons.

    “The production is not level from month to month depending on the season. The production falls in rainy season but surges in dry season,” he said.

    In rainy attacks by season plant disease on red onion are more wide spread, he said. He said red onion plantations totaled 119,966 hectares in 2014. In 2015, red onion would be grown in 27 of the countrys 34 provinces.

  • Maisen Tonkatsu heads to Philippines

    Maisen Tonkatsu heads to Philippines

    Maisen Tonkatsu, described as Japan’s “greatest tonkatsu restaurant”, is to open a sequence of eating places within the Philippines.

    The primary restaurant, described as a flagship, will open at SM Megamall by the third quarter of 2015.

    Maisen Tonkatsu, based in 1965, will increase into the Philippines underneath Katsucuisine Inc, a subsidiary of its Japanese father or mother Suyen Company.

    Thought-about the market chief in its class in Tokyo, the restaurant model is steadily increasing in Asia. It has six branches in Bangkok, Thailand, a part of a community now numbering 1100 worldwide.

    Foodies and vacationers alike typically queue outdoors the Tokyo eating places whose profile has been boosted by in depth reward on social media and by skilled reviewers.

    The restaurant’s positioning slogan is: “Tender tonkatsu you’ll be able to minimize with chopsticks.”

  • Razer Taiwan opens gaming retailer idea

    Razer Taiwan opens gaming retailer idea

    US-based digital video games big Razer has opened a singular flagship retailer in Taiwan’s capital metropolis, Taipei.

    Razer was created by CEO and Min-Liang Tan, a Singaporean, and specialises in merchandise marketed particularly to players. The Razer model is presently being marketed underneath Razer US.

    Within the new Taipei retailer, which opened final Friday, players can attempt the corporate’s distinctive units together with excessive finish pc mice designed for on-line video games, keyboards and different equipment.

    Centrestage are the Razer Edge pill, a handheld pc operating Home windows eight optimised to game-playing – and a purpose-built PC unveiled finally yr’s Shopper Electronics Present in Las Vegas.

    The opening was celebrated on-line with a minisite – #TWRazerStore (in Chinese language language) and weblog and social media postings in English. Most of the firm’s US administration flew to Taiwan for the opening.

  • Personal label saving Korean retailers

    Personal label saving Korean retailers

    As South Korea’s giant retailers are affected by damaging progress, personal manufacturers (PB), or personal labels (PL) are providing a ray of sunshine to Korean retailers.

    Gross sales of personal branded items have elevated 20 to 30 per cent within the first quarter in comparison with the identical interval final yr.

    PB items are often 20 to 30 per cent cheaper than different model items, and as they’re turning into more and more widespread, extra clients are constructing belief in sure manufacturers.

    Gross sales of Residence Plus PB items within the first quarter elevated 21 per cent, whereas gross sales of all items mixed solely elevated zero.9 per cent. PB merchandise now account for 28.four per cent of Residence Plus merchandise.

    Gross sales of PL items additionally elevated 15.four perc ent at E-Mart, whose administration report their  1.1 per cent gross sales improve within the first quarter – the primary year-on-year constructive progress price in 13 quarters – was because of the reputation of PB items.

    Gross sales of PB items on the CU comfort chain additionally elevated 7.6 per cent for the primary quarter in 2013, 9.1 per cent in 2014 and 22.eight per cent for a similar interval this yr. Gross sales of such items at 7-Eleven elevated a record-high 34.eight per cent.

    A person with information of Lotte Mart’s operations stated that though there was some distrust in personal manufacturers up to now, nowadays they’re among the many best items, as they’re produced by well-known producers.

    CU stated that it will give attention to creating private hygiene PB items sooner or later, because it has been solely creating snack PB items up to now.

    House Plus additionally stated that it will improve PB manufacturing, saying that as greater than 90 per cent of PB producers are SMEs, the present growth might additionally end in a constructive synergy impact on them.

  • Successful development by Cale in Indonesia

    Successful development by Cale in Indonesia

    September 26, 2014 marked the first launch of Cale parking terminals in Jakarta, the capital city of Indonesia, a country with a population of 250 million people.

    An initial number of around 10 terminals were installed in Sabang Street, one of the busiest streets in the City. The Swedish Ambassador to Indonesia, Johanna Brismar Skoog, as well as government officials of the City of Jakarta attended the launch ceremony.

    With around 37 million vehicles operating on the streets of the city and the prevalence of illegal parking on street sides that contributes to Jakarta’s severe

    traffic congestion, the city government deemed the on-street parking solutions offered by Cale as important in reducing the traffic problems as well as preventing the misappropriation of the city’s parking revenue.

    The reason Cale is well placed to provide the solution to parking management in Indonesia is largely due to its 60 years of expertise and technology-driven innovations. Its latest parking terminal is designed to meet any possible needs of the user while supported by a sophisticated back office web system and reliable personnel. The company’s business spirit lies in the sustained product development with end-to-end solution in sight and knowledgeable support team, which is something that the end users in Indonesia have greatly benefited from.

    BANDUNG

    By partnering with PT Vertikal Akses Asia as Indonesia’s sole distributor, Cale is cementing its presence in the country by being the Jakarta government’s product of choice due to its technology and reliability. The parking terminals in Jakarta are operated and managed by PT Mata Biru, which has also been tasked in 2015 to install and operate the terminals in Bandung, a city of 2.5 million people, a 2-hour drive away from Jakarta.

    Meanwhile, the second installation of close to 100 CWT Compact terminals in Kelapa Gading Boulevard of North Jakarta in March 2015 was the first of many to come for the city this year, where the government has estimated that more than 1000 terminals are required to cover the entire on-street parking locations in Jakarta.

    So far, the implementation of on-street parking terminals in Jakarta has been met with positive response by the general public as well as the city government who has seen its revenues from on-street parking increase by 12-fold, as paying the fee at the machine plugs leaking revenues and promotes transparency and accountability.

    As Cale reaches its 60th anniversary this year, and with plans of expansion in other cities of Indonesia, 2015 will be the year that the company further solidifies its presence in Asia.

    Cale offers innovative and efficient parking solutions. From the start in 1955, Cale has developed into a world leading brand within the parking business, with a turnover close to half a billion SEK. Cale has subsidiaries, distributors and customers all around the world.

  • Singapore franchise axed by Milan Station

    Singapore franchise axed by Milan Station

    Milan Station has terminated the settlement with its Singapore franchisee M C Holdings.

    In a voluntary replace disclosure to the Hong Kong Inventory Change this week, Milan Station says the corporate additionally negotiated the top of consignment gross sales at concession counters at Hong Kong’s 4 cruises.

    The posh bag and equipment retailer stated the rationale for the terminations of the franchise and concessions is that retail gross sales of luxurious items remained stagnant.

    “The termination of the Concession Settlement and the Franchise Settlement shall allow to group to pay attention its useful resource on the extra worthwhile working arms of the group,” Milan Station stated in its replace.

    “The group will assess the market situation repeatedly and can think about re-launching the concession and franchise enterprise when the market outlook turns to be promising in future.”

    The Singapore franchise settlement dates again to June 2013. The 2 events have agreed that half of the safety deposit of S$180,000 shall be deducted by the franchisor as compensation for inconvenience incurred, with the stability to be repaid. Unsold inventory shall be returned to Milan Station.

    The Hong Kong firm says the concession enterprise underneath the Concession Agreements accounted for about 1.eight per cent of the group’s income within the yr to December 31.

    The Singapore franchise enterprise accounted for about two per cent of group income.

    “The Board considers that the termination of the Concession Settlement and the Franchise Settlement has no materials impression on the prevailing enterprise operation and monetary place of the group.”

  • Chow Tai Fook takes on landlords

    Chow Tai Fook takes on landlords

    Hong Kong jeweller Chow Tai Fook is flexing its muscle in a softening retail rental market, in search of lease cuts of as much as 20 per cent.

    The listed firm says some 30 leases throughout the territory will come up for renewal later this yr and the corporate will probably be in search of reductions within the wake of a difficult retail market which has seen gross sales plunge in some luxurious classes.

    In an interview revealed on Bloomberg on-line, MD Kent Wong stated the corporate has already been granted reductions of between 10 per cent and 20 per cent in renewal negotiations this yr, however he didn’t reveal the variety of leases concerned.

    He advised Bloomberg that circumstances in 2015 are “very particular”.

    “We’re demand pushed; we anticipate we will have a 20 per cent rental discount.”

    Chow Tai Fook has reported a fall in same-store gross sales in Hong Kong and Macau of 26 per cent within the first quarter of this yr – the fifth consecutive quarterly fall.

    Wong stated his firm might shut some shops this yr – singling out its Peak outlet for instance.

    The jeweller has 90 shops in Hong Kong, interesting largely to Mainland Chinese language vacationers. However customer numbers from China have been falling, and people nonetheless coming are much less prosperous than the standard guests of previous years. These with larger disposable incomes have began travelling additional afield, many spooked by the Occupy Central protests of the second half of final yr.

    The mainland authorities’s clampdown on present giving has additionally affected gross sales of upper priced luxurious items in Hong Kong.

    Regardless of a lower in complete retail gross sales of two.three per cent in Hong Kong in the course of the first three months of 2015, Wong expects a restoration later within the yr.

    “The market basically wants six months to at least one yr to restructure the product combine catering to the altering style of consumers,” he advised Bloomberg.

    “We stay optimistic about Hong Kong within the mid- to long-term.”

  • Parkson Retail grows regardless of Vietnam drag

    Parkson Retail grows regardless of Vietnam drag

    Listed division retailer operator Parkson Retail Asia has reported a 5.5 per cent year-on-year improve in internet revenue for the third quarter.

    Within the three months to March 31, Parkson posted a revenue of S$7.98 million.

    The corporate attributed the development to elevated gross sales in its Malaysia department shops the place shoppers have been shopping for items prematurely of the introduction of GST on April 1.

    The development got here regardless of a discount in similar retailer gross sales from the corporate’s Vietnam operations, which proceed to wrestle and now faces elevated competitors from the arrival of M&S and the Thailand Central Group’s Robins department shops in the important thing Ho Chi Minh Metropolis and Hanoi markets.

    Gross sales within the Indonesia and Myanmar shops each improved.

    Complete gross sales income for the group rose 9.2 per cent to S$116.58 million.

    CEO Toh Peng Koon stated the corporate expects a decline in Malaysia gross sales following the GST implementation, however expects that can be buffered by the beginning of the pre-Hari Raya festive shopping for season in the direction of the top of June.

    He stated he expects Indonesia and Myanmar to conitnue to ship encouraging outcomes, however warned Vietnam remained a difficult market.

  • AirAsia X cuts frequency to optimise capacity

    AirAsia X cuts frequency to optimise capacity

    AirAsia X Bhd (AAX), the long-haul, low cost airline affiliate of the AirAsia Bhd flew a total of 914,970 passengers in the first quarter, down 15% from 1.08 million passengers in the same quarter in 2014.

    According to AAX’s preliminary operating statistics released yesterday, the carrier recorded a load factor of 74% for the first quarter ended March 31, down 12 percentage points from a year ago.

    AAX said it had implemented frequency cut on certain routes, mainly China and Australia, and concurrently terminated loss-making routes – Adelaide and Nagoya – to optimise capacity in line with its turnaround strategy.

    It said the excess capacity from capacity management had been re-deployed to short-term wet lease and charter operations, to maximise revenue.

    AAX said its passenger traffic, as measured by revenue-passenger-KM (RPK), declined 17% year-on-year to 4,431 million in the first quarter from 5.34 billion in the same quarter last year, while available-seat-KM (ASK) capacity decreased by 3% to 6.02 billion.

    This was due to capacity management and slowdown in marketing activities during the first three months of this year with respect to the QZ 8501 incident in December 2014.

    “Consequently, year-on-year load factor during the quarter dropped 12 percentage points to 74% against 86% in the same period last year.

    “Current bookings trends are in line with expectations for a recovery in the second half of 2015,” the carrier said.

    In terms of fleet movement, AirAsia took deliveries of two A330-300s on operating lease during the quarter, bringing its total number of A330-300s to 25, compared with 19 a year earlier.

    On the associate companies, Thai AirAsia X registered strong loads of 82% for its first quarter, with 155,961 passengers carried, implying continued positive pick-up for the popular routes between Thailand, Japan, and South Korea.

    Thai AirAsia X currently operates 3 A330-300s while Indonesia AirAsia X has two A330-300s serving Bali-Taipei and Bali-Melbourne respectively.

  • Nuance India unveils new duty-free idea

    Nuance India unveils new duty-free idea

    Travellers flying out of Kempegowda Worldwide Airport in Bengaluru, India might be handled to a stroll of nostalgia and wealthy South Indian custom in Nuance’s new Obligation Free Retailer on the departure lounge.

    Nuance India has opened a 900 sqm purchasing expertise which it says – aside from providing the perfect worldwide merchandise and the perfect costs – will showcase Bengaluru’s opulent heritage and tradition.

    “We consider journey is all about new experiences and airports are a touch-point for the travellers to work together with the area,” stated G V Sanjay Reddy, MD of Bengaluru Worldwide Airport.

    “Our try is to make it possible for each business area on the airport supplies a way of place and embodies the native tradition, heritage and aesthetics. The Nuance group has carried out justice to our imaginative and prescient and developed the brand new Obligation Free expertise to fulfil a memorable buying expertise to our passengers.”

    Anirban Dutta Chowdhury, nation head of Nuance India, stated the brand new purchasing expertise “represents the town and showcases an eclectic mix of conventional values coupled with world class design.”

    That design consists of unique Chettinnad pillars from Kalaikudi, kolam-inspired patterns and jhumka-influenced lighting.

    “Our purpose was to make a retailer based mostly on our international Obligation Free Retailer idea, that might be anyplace on the planet, however is proud to be at KIAB and we really feel we now have been capable of ship that to the discerning Bengaluru traveller.

    “The brand new retailer will supply a world boutique-style atmosphere, with a mix of know-how together with an intimate and welcoming environment, which can elevate the buying expertise of the travellers to the subsequent degree.”

    The shop shares perfumes, cosmetics, liquors, confectionaries, electronics and extra and can later introduce trend and equipment.

    “The target is just not solely to offer a singular and unique buying expertise but in addition to supply unmatched offers. Bengaluru Obligation Free has launched a Merely Cheaper Pricing Technique, with assured financial savings in comparison with different regional worldwide airports,” Chowdhury stated.

    Your complete product vary can also be obtainable on-line. Passengers can merely e-book on the firm’swebsite and gather their purchases from the airport retailer.

  • Karl Lagerfeld goes on-line in 96 nations

    Karl Lagerfeld goes on-line in 96 nations

    Paris based mostly luxurious style home Karl Lagerfeld has partnerd with Yoox Group to launch Karl.com in 96 nations, together with in Asia.

    The location will go stay late in 2015 in a three way partnership partnership described as “long run”.

    Karl Lagerfeld says the enterprise will take “a contemporary strategy to distribution, an revolutionary digital technique and a worldwide 360 diploma imaginative and prescient that displays the designer’s personal type and soul”.

    “Launching eCommerce on Karl.com is the subsequent step right into a full omnichannel distribution mannequin,” the corporate stated in a press release.

    “I’m excited to annouce the launch of our eCommerce website as we speak partnering with the ‘greatest in school’ ecom supplier, Yoox Group. Karl.com will permit us to serve our clients and followers scaling geographical attain and delivering an distinctive expertise,” stated Pier Paolo Righi, CEO of Karl Lagerfeld.

    Karl.com will supply the complete ladies’s way of life mixture of the model – womens able to put on, luggage, footwear and equipment resembling small leather-based items, watches, eyewear, perfume and novely gadgets and restricted editions.

    Karl Lagerfeld luggage shall be on the core of the model’s distribution.

    One of many world’s celebrated trend designers, Karl Lagerfeld is globally famend for his aspirational and cutting-edge strategy to fashion. The designer’s namesake style home displays his personal signature aesthetic by way of artistic, cool and accessible-luxe attire and equipment.

    This yr, the corporate will increase its portfolio into childrenswear.