Retail News CRM

Tag: asia

  • Pepper exports rise in volume

    Pepper exports rise in volume

    Vietnam exported 153,000 tons of pepper worth US$483 million in the first half of this year, up 24% in volume but down 13.7% in value year-on-year.

    According to the General Department of Vietnam Customs, the average price stood at $3,184 per ton, a decrease of 29.7% from a year earlier, due to weaker global demand.

    Pepper exports to the U.S., UAE, India, Germany, the Netherlands, the U.K., and South Korea declined by 20-70%.

    China and the U.S.were Vietnam’s biggest markets, accounting for 35% and 16% of its exports.

    According to the Vietnam Pepper Association, China has large inventories of pepper and so will import less in the second half of this year. It had imported 46,169 tons in the first five months of the year.

    Other major importers like the U.S. and the European Union will also import less pepper due to their economic situation and high inventories.

    The price of black pepper in Vietnam is currently VND67,000-69,000 ($2.8-2.9) per kilogram, down VND3,000-5,000 from a year ago, and that of white pepper is VND103,000, down VND6,000.

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  • Netflix adds new feature to iOS, Android to help you quickly find content to watch

    Netflix adds new feature to iOS, Android to help you quickly find content to watch

    Netflix announced today that it is adding a new feature to its popular mobile phone app. Called My Netflix, this is a one-stop shop for both iOS and Android users that features shortcuts to help you find something to stream on the platform. The new My Netflix Hub will show you the content you recently downloaded, the movies and television shows you gave a thumbs up to, shows and movies you’ve saved to My List, trailers that you’ve viewed, what content you’re in the middle of watching, content you’ve recently viewed and more.

    With the My Netflix Hub, you can check it out wherever you are to get ideas of what to watch next including shows and movies that you’re in the middle of watching, or content that you’ve downloaded to view at any time. Even with the capabilities of the My Netflix Hub, you can always visit your Home tab or other parts of the app to see the entire Netflix library.

    The My Netflix Hub learns more about you the more you use it. So if you save more medical dramas or give a thumbs up to every episode of Grey’s Anatomy, you’re apt to find more medical dramas in the My Netflix Hub. The Hub is rolling out today to iOS users and will be available on Android devices early next month. Check to see if the My Netflix Hub has arrived by opening the app and looking for the tab on the bottom right corner of the display.
    If the My Netflix Hub hasn’t been added to your iOS Netflix app, you can try to manually update the app by opening the App Store and tapping on the profile picture in the upper right corner. You’ll see a list of apps that are in a queue to be updated. Scroll down until you see “Netflix” (that is, if it appears on the list) and tap on “Update.” Wait for the app to be updated before you open the Netflix app to check whether the My Netflix Hub has arrived on your iPhone. I can tell you that the update has hit the Netflix app on my iPhone 11 Pro Max running iOS 16.6.
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  • Costco fined for mislabelling seafood origin

    Costco fined for mislabelling seafood origin

    Costco Wholesale Australia Pty Ltd has paid penalties totalling $33,000 after the ACCC issued it with two infringement notices for alleged false or misleading labelling of the country and place of origin on lobster products and failing to comply with the Country of Origin Food Labelling Information Standard.

    In early January 2023, Costco sold two packages of lobsters from its Casuarina warehouse in Western Australia which were labelled ‘Kirkland Signature PREVIOUSLY FROZEN WHOLE COOKED WA LOBSTER’ and ‘Australian Lobster’. Other packages were also displayed for sale with the allegedly misleading labels. In fact, the lobsters were imported from Canada.

    The ACCC also alleges that Costco did not comply with the specific Country of Origin Food Labelling Information Standard because it used the Australian-made kangaroo logo as well as a full bar chart indicating that the lobsters were exclusively Australian when they were not.

    “Selling goods with an incorrect country or place of origin label is a breach of Australian Consumer Law,” ACCC Deputy Chair Mick Keogh said.

    “Many shoppers pay a premium to purchase Australian seafood rather than imported products, which makes the accuracy of the labelling a crucial part of enabling consumers to make an informed choice.”

    “While a small number of consumers were impacted in this instance, this conduct involved a large and sophisticated business,” Mr Keogh said.

    “This action by the ACCC is a reminder to all businesses, large or small, of the importance of ensuring that country of origin labelling is accurate and complies with the Country of Origin Food Labelling Information Standard.”

    Costco is one of the world’s largest retailers and operates warehouse outlets in 13 countries. Costco operates 15 warehouses in Australia.

    The Country of Origin Food Labelling Information Standard 2016 applies to most food available for retail sale in Australia, including food that is imported into Australia for retail sale.

    The standard requires that if a product is grown, produced or made in Australia, the label must contain a ‘standard mark’ label which includes the kangaroo in a triangle logo which indicates the product is of Australian origin; a bar chart indicating the percentage of Australian ingredients in the food; and explanatory text which states whether the product was grown, produced or made in Australia.

    In addition to the Country of Origin Food Labelling Information Standard, section 29 of the Australian Consumer Law also prohibits businesses from making false or misleading representations about the place of origin of the goods they supply to consumers.

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  • HCMC hotel business gloomy as foreign tourists keep away

    HCMC hotel business gloomy as foreign tourists keep away

    Hotels in Ho Chi Minh City are suffering from low occupancy rates due to a sharp drop in international visitor arrivals and domestic tourists’ preference for traveling to beaches.

    In May, amid a wave of hotel closures and conversions into office buildings, the Norfolk Hotel in District 1 with over 100 rooms stopped operating.

    In mid-June many hotels in tourist areas such as Bui Vien Street, Bui Thi Xuan Street and Le Thanh Ton – Ly Tu Trong in District 1 temporarily closed due to lack of customers.

    The latest accommodation market report by real estate consultancy Savills Vietnam said hotel occupancy rates in the second quarter were down 8 percentage points quarter-on-quarter.

    All segments suffered as foreign visitor arrivals to the city fell by 13% quarter-on-quarter. The rate of overnight guests in the city was only 19%, the lowest in the country.

    Hotels are currently relying on business guests since the city is a transit point between various provinces and cities.

    Troy Griffiths, deputy general director of Savills, said recovery in international tourism has been slower in Vietnam than other countries in the region.

    He pointed out that the number of visitors from China, the second biggest market, was 78% down in the first half from 2019, the year before Covid.

    Trang Minh Ha, chairman of investment firm North Stars Asia, said the third quarter, when it is the rainy season, is the low tourist season in HCMC, and so occupancy and room rates would continue to be low.

    The number of hotels that close permanently or temporarily could rise sharply, he said.

    The economic difficulties post-pandemic, boring and monotonous tourism products and Vietnam’s difficult visa policies have kept tourists away, he said.

    The city needs to strengthen programs on attracting visitors to compete with countries such as Thailand, Singapore and Indonesia, he said.

    “HCMC’s hotel industry is waiting for an optimistic signal from the economy for recovery. However, the market may have to wait until the end of 2024 for a solid positive signal.”

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  • Google Assistant and AI might help Pixel users understand what they are reading online

    Google Assistant and AI might help Pixel users understand what they are reading online

    code found in the latest beta version of the Google app (version 14.29) indicates that Google Assistant will soon be able to use generative AI to help summarize passages found on the internet. While browsing the web, a user can tap on a “Summarize” button when the Google Assistant’s presence is requested with the iconic “Hey Google” call out. Or, you can ask the Assistant to “Summarize this” to see a quick summary of what you are reading on the screen.

    The Summarize suggestion will appear when browsing the internet using Chrome or when an app opens a web page in a Custom Tab (also powered by Chrome). At the moment, the feature does not work as requests for the Assistant to summarize a passage from a website return an error message as seen in the embedded image below.

    While it isn’t clear if and when this feature will be made available, it is a strong possibility that the Google Assistant’s AI summary of internet content will be limited to Pixel phones and tablets only. Google Assistant is supposed to be more optimized and offer faster responses on a Pixel handset.
    The problem with relying on AI to summarize a document is the same problem that is typical with artificial intelligence: the possibility that summaries from Google’s AI service will contain “hallucinations.” These AI platforms are “trained” using information derived from humans and could contain biases and outright incorrect data. But this is something that you need to keep in the back of your mind anytime you use AI to interpret information.
    The Google app right now will also help answer your queries using generative AI on Android and iOS. All you have to do is tap the “Generate” button to the right of your question on the Google app and you’ll see more enhanced information related to your search. Again, you’ll need to watch out for hallucinations and biases, if any.
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  • Spotify to raise prices of its Premium plan in the US

    Spotify to raise prices of its Premium plan in the US

    Spotify will no longer remain one of the few music streaming services in the US not to increase its subscription prices. Just about every other player in the market raised prices in the last year or so, while Spotify benefited from influx of customers that decided to switch services. Unfortunately, that didn’t last long, as Spotify is about to raise prices too.

    Spotify plans to raise the monthly subscription prices in the US by $1. That means that the price of the ad-free $9.99 plan will become $10.99 per month in the United States. Spotify is reportedly expected to announce as early as next week, but only for the US market.

    The bad news is price hikes will be announced for many other markets too in the following weeks, although it’s unclear where and when these changes will be introduced. Spotify has been keeping the price of its premium plan stuck on the $9.99 psychological threshold for quite some time, but that’s about to change for customers in the US.

    Currently, Spotify offers a free, ad-supported plan that provides access to over 80 million songs, podcasts and audiobooks, downloadable podcasts, the ability to take the music with your when traveling abroad (for 14 days only), and the option to pick and play any track on mobile (select playlists only).

    The Premium plan still costs $9.99 and doesn’t have the limitations that the free plan has. On top of that, it allows subscribers to download music and podcasts, play songs in any order, and listen to the highest music quality. Of course, there will be no ads running while listening to Spotify if you’re subscribed to the Premium plan.

    Students get 50% off Premium for up to 4 years, while Premium Duo offers two people living together the option to get their own Premium account for 1 discount price. Also, the Premium Family covers up to 6 people living together each getting their own Premium account for 1 discount price. The Family plan comes with Spotify Kids and explicit filter.

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  • Diana Unicharm to sell cat food

    Diana Unicharm to sell cat food

    Diana Unicharm, a leading personal hygiene products manufacturer, is set to distribute Japanese cat food brand Silver Spoon.

    Takahiro Okada, CEO of Diana Unicharm, said the company would import the product from Japanese joint venture partner Unicharm and sell it through supermarkets, pet stores and e-commerce platforms in Vietnam.

    Since Covid broke out, the pet industry has thrived as families choose to raise dogs or cats to soothe themselves.

    Statistics from Pet Fair Asia, the organizer of an annual international tradeshow for pet supplies, show pet care industry sales in Southeast Asia are US$4 billion, with Vietnam accounting for $500 million.

    The Vietnamese market is forecast to grow at 11% a year.

    Diana Unicharm, one of the biggest makers of sanitary napkins and diapers in Vietnam, targets annual revenues of $1 billion by 2030.

    As of last year it had a 40% share of the child care segment, 58% of the women’s care segment and 88% of the adult care segment.

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  • India’s rice export ban gives Vietnam golden y

    India’s rice export ban gives Vietnam golden y

    Vietnam’s rice exporters could raise prices and sign long-term contracts with buyers now that India, the world’s largest supplier, has ordered an export halt.

    Indian government on July 20 announced a ban on non-basmati white rice as retail rice prices climbed 3% in a month after heavy monsoon rains caused significant damage to crops.

    India accounts for more than 40% of world rice exports, and non-basmati white and broken rice accounted for around 10 million tons of a total of 22 million tons of Indian rice exports last year, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. With the ban taking effect, global insiders have raised concerns about food price rises.

    Professor Vo Tong Xuan, an economist and expert in rice farming, said given the situation, the second half of the year will offer a golden opportunity for Vietnamese rice exports.

    In the first half of the year, the average export price of Vietnamese rice increased by 11% to US$539 a ton.

    After this ban, Xuan thinks the price could be as high as $600 per ton on average and high-quality varieties that can be sold at $700 a ton.

    The professor said India’s sudden export ban will “create big impacts” on importing countries because they cannot find replacing rice shipments from countries with small supply.

    Therefore, Vietnam and Thailand will be their next destinations. He forecast that Vietnam’s export turnover in the second half of this year could increase dramatically.

    The director of a rice export company in Can Tho said that in July, the company’s rice export orders increased by 20% from the previous month and by 30% compared to the same period last year.

    “Two days after the news that India banned rice exports, many buyers have asked us to sign them long-term contracts to ensure supply, but we’re still considering the offer,” said the director.

    He added that in the first half of this year, the company’s rice export price increased by 22% over the same period last year.

    After the ban, he forecasted that export prices could increase by 30-40% compared to last year.

    The Rice Exporters Association says that rice is a staple for more than 3 billion people, and nearly 90% of the water-intensive crop is produced in Asia, where the El Nino weather pattern usually brings lower rainfall. Global prices are already hovering at their highest level in 11 years.

    According to official data, India’s rice shipments reached a record 22.2 million tons in 2022, more than the combined shipments of the world’s next four biggest exporters of the grain – Thailand, Vietnam, Pakistan and the U.S. India exports rice to more than 140 countries.

    Nguyen Duy Thuan, CEO of Loc Troi Group, agrees that India’s ban on rice exports is an opportunity for rice-exporting countries and that Vietnam can take advantage of this opportunity to act as a sustainable rice supply source for the international food market.

    However, he noted that Vietnamese rice still has many challenges to face in terms of quality and export scale.

    “In particular, farmers are yet to have access to high-quality varieties and therefore the rice yield has not reached the optimal level,” Thuan said.

    Meanwhile, their farming techniques are still limited, resulting in many fertilizers and pesticides, affecting the rice’s quality and the environment.

    In addition, the large-scale management capacity of Vietnam’s rice industry is still limited, Thuan added.

    Thuan suggested that Vietnamese rice needs to improve quality and traceability in the supply chain to gain trust from consumers and regulators.

    Professor Xuan said the government needs to take specific actions to monitor planting areas and create favorable legal corridors to support businesses.

    “At the moment, in order to secure a large rice output for export, businesses need to associate long-term cooperation with traders and farmers, and ensure benefits for them,” Xuan said.

    With import partners, businesses should ask them to sign long-term contracts to ensure stable export activities and also help farmers feel more secure in production.

    Forecasting for this year’s supply, Xuan said that Vietnam has quite favorable weather and the yield could be high. He said that Vietnam can produce nine million tons of rice this year.

    Data from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development shows that rice exports in the first six months reached 4.27 million tons in volume and $2.3 billion in value, up 22.2% and 34.7%, respectively against the same period last year.

    The U.S. Department of Agriculture has raised its forecast for Vietnam’s rice exports 2023 to 7.2 million tons, up from 7.05 million tons in 2022. Vietnam will rank third in the world in rice exports this year, after India and Thailand.

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  • Can technology make us more productive in the workplace?

    Can technology make us more productive in the workplace?

    Increasing workplace productivity is a typical objective shared by many business owners. We want everyone on our team to get as much done as possible while maintaining a pleasant work atmosphere since this helps us to grow our businesses.

    Despite having the same aim, company owners approach productivity improvement uniquely. Some may strive to conduct team-building activities, while others may simplify specific procedures. If you want to increase workplace productivity, you may do it by using modern technologies. Here are a few ways technology might assist in boosting efficiency in your office.

    How does technology help make us more productive?

    Many businesses integrate new technology into the workplace to boost staff productivity by decreasing mistakes, shortening timeframes, and lowering worker stress. Cloud computing has already influenced enterprises’ capacity to operate from anywhere, including mobile devices.

    Artificial intelligence (AI) will significantly affect sectors and enterprises during the next decade.

    Of course, introducing new technology into the workplace can be overwhelming at first. It’s also important to remember there is little point in introducing new software without a rigorous onboarding process. For example, employees might already be familiar with a free VPN for PCs in the office, and it’s easy to implement.

    Let’s look at different types of technology and how they help improve productivity in the workplace.

    Communication software

    An excellent place to begin is using communication software. Even if your staff members work in the same office, having technologies to assist them interact can help them operate more efficiently. This is especially true if you still converse by email. Providing your staff with chat software is an excellent choice.

    They can swiftly send messages, share files, and do other things using software like Microsoft Teams. This facilitates talks through email and provides a central location for your staff to address significant issues.

    Cybersecurity technology

    VPNs assist in improving online privacy and security by protecting your IP address, location, passwords, and data from possible hackers. A VPN can even enhance your business’s next digital marketing campaign.

    Your company may be transmitting data between web programs like Dropbox or within Office 365, and a VPN establishes an extra layer of protection and security between the source and destination of the data.

    Another valuable piece of cybersecurity technology is the firewall. It’s a virtual framework comprising hardware, software, or a combination that can prevent hackers, fraudsters, and other criminals from accessing your data.

    A firewall also stops hackers from entering your system in the first place, as opposed to a virus protection tool, which prevents them from installing a virus once they’ve entered. When activated, a firewall inspects the millions of data that move in and out of your company’s network. It prevents it from entering if it detects something unlawful, malicious, or harmful.

    Project management software

    If your company works on massive projects, having software that can coordinate all relevant duties is important. You may use project management software to define goals, allocate tasks to specific individuals, measure progress, and exchange files.

    Attempting to do this without specialist software may result in errors, miscommunications, and delays. Even if you already use project management software, looking into alternative possibilities is good since you could find something better suited to your needs.

    Automation tools

    Automation tools can help your staff save time. You can automate them if they have basic and repetitive duties that they must complete daily. You may automate email answers, meeting scheduling, communications to prospective clients, data input, and other tasks.

    A simple automation software solution may sometimes save your staff a significant amount of time throughout their day. They can then use this time to concentrate on more vital duties. They can now do more in less time, resulting in increased production.

    Enhanced internet hardware

    A dependable internet connection is an essential component of a productive office. If your staff needs to wait for items to load or transfer files, it will only slow down their workday. Moreover, frequent internet disconnects cause dissatisfaction and might slow down your staff. This is why having the proper gear for your internet connection is critical.

    Some smaller offices, for example, may require a single router to which everyone may connect. Larger workplaces may need hubs or wifi extenders to reach everyone successfully. Similarly, other businesses may need to rely on technology such as SD-WAN networks to provide the entire office with safe and reliable internet access. If your employees need help with their internet connections, one of the most important things you can do is look into ways to enhance them.

    Recreational and atmosphere

    Finally, technology may assist you in creating a more joyful workplace. It makes no difference what productivity techniques you apply if your staff are unhappy at work. Installing wireless speakers across the office and playing background music is a simple option that can significantly boost productivity.

    You could even arrange a virtual quiz event or start a fantasy sports league for your team. These are accessible technological applications that will make your employees’ days more enjoyable, increasing their productivity.

    Conclusion

    Technology is a wonderful thing that can help improve our experience in the workplace, just like it does when we are off the clock. Implementing new technology in the office will boost productivity through automation and project management while providing security for your business.

     

     

  • % Arabica returns to the Philippines

    % Arabica returns to the Philippines

    Arabica PH returns! The Japanese coffee shop has announced that it will be back in the Philippines this year with upcoming new branches in Bonifacio Global City (BGC), Taguig City.

    In a Thursday, January 5 Instagram post, Arabica Journal – the global account of the brand – posted rendered layout images of the two new Philippine stores as a “sneak preview,” showing minimalist, modern interiors and the brand’s iconic percentage symbol logo.

    “Manila, we will restart our project this year with these stores. We cannot wait to serve our coffee from the world to you once again,” they said.

    Arabica PH reposted the images on Friday, January 6, with the caption: “MABUHAY PILIPINAS! We are coming back bigger and better!” The branches’ opening dates and exact locations have yet to be confirmed.

    The Philippine return of the independent coffee brand from Kyoto has been met with excitement from the brand’s former patrons, especially after three of Arabica PH’s branches suddenly closed with no warning in late January 2021. Even the brand’s Instagram page was suddenly no longer available, much to customers’ confusion and concern.

    A day later, it was announced that Arabica’s franchise period and contract with its Philippine partner had already ended, and a new partner would soon be in the picture. Before this, the Arabica Headquarters had already been experiencing “communication issues” with the Philippine franchise partners. On February 2, Arabica PH was back online once again, with a new Instagram account to boot.

    Arabica PH said then that expansion plans were already being discussed with new franchise partners, and the plans were not limited to just Metro Manila but would also include other Philippine regions.

    Arabica PH opened its first branch in Bonifacio Global City in Taguig City in 2018, followed by a second BGC branch and another at The Podium in Mandaluyong City. The brand currently has 140 stores worldwide, and advocates a “simple love for coffee and design.”

    Arabica PH’s former partners since 2017, mother-daughter duo Allue and Dr. San San Hortaleza, built a new “proudly Filipino” coffee brand called Angkan Coffee, which has branches in BGC, The Podium, and a soon-to-open one in Capitol Commons.

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  • Google Messages could soon feature end-to-end encryption for cross-platform messaging

    Google Messages could soon feature end-to-end encryption for cross-platform messaging

    Rich Communication Services (RCS) is the messaging platform available on the Messages by Google app for Android. Similar to Apple’s iMessage, RCS runs off data connectivity, not cellular connectivity. This allows it to send and receive huge messages, share higher-quality images and videos, deliver read receipts and typing indicators, and offer end-to-end encryption.

    But like a chat made up of iMessage users that loses all of its great features when an Android user dares to join the group, the same thing happens when an iPhone user joins a chat session made up of RCS users. One of the features that both RCS and iMessage users lose when someone from a rival platform joins a group chat is the aforementioned end-to-end encryption.

    As Google said in a blog post it published on Wednesday, “This is why Google is strongly supportive of regulatory efforts that require interoperability for large end-to-end messaging platforms.”
    Google writes, “For interoperability to succeed in practice, however, regulations must be combined with open, industry-vetted, standards, particularly in the area of privacy, security, and end-to-end encryption.” And this makes sense. Otherwise, you’ll have a situation where end-to-end encryption would be a mess. “Group messages would have to be encrypted and delivered multiple times to cater for every different protocol,” the company says.

    As a result, Google announced that it is supporting Messaging Layer Security (MLS) which would allow end-to-end encryption to remain in effect between two large messaging platforms like iMessage and RCS. MLS is a protocol developed by the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) and now enables “practical interoperability across services and platforms, scaling to groups of thousands of multi-device users.”

    Google plans on integrating MLS into Google Messages. The goal is to have users of the Google Messages app enjoy secure group chats with all members of a group chat regardless of the messaging app they are using.
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  • T-Mobile is making things worse for people struggling financially

    T-Mobile is making things worse for people struggling financially

    Just when you think T-Mobile is done delivering bad news, something new comes along. Just today, it was reported that customers are having a meltdown at stores after learning about the new fee for offline payments and now the carrier has dropped two more bombs.
    The Mobile Report spotted a change to the company’s terms and conditions and found two potentially worrying things. One of the clauses says that “you may still incur charges while an account or service is suspended.” This means that the company has the right to charge you even when you are not using their services because of a non-payment suspension.
    Your account may still accrue charges even if the Service is suspended. You are responsible for any charges that are incurred while your Service or account is suspended. You agree to pay all Charges we assess and bill you, including charges covering periods where your Service is suspended for non-payment, or Charges that were accepted or processed through all Devices and/or Products on your account, including while your service is suspended. If your account is unpaid or otherwise not in good standing, your service may be reduced, suspended, or terminated. Charges may not be prorated while your Service is suspended. If you port your number to another carrier, your Service will be deactivated immediately once the number is ported, though you will still be charged for a full billing cycle.

    And even though the website uses the word “may,” The Mobile Report has received a screenshot of an internal document that says that customers will be charged during account suspension.

    This went into effect on July 19 and employees have apparently been told that the charges are not prorated – meaning customers will be charged the full amount for the entire billing period – and they will not be credited.
    As is the case with the offline payment fiasco, employees will have to deal with disappointed customers and this time around, T-Mobile doesn’t even explain why it has made this change.
    Verizon is the only of the big three carriers that does not charge customers during non-payment suspensions.
    Besides that, T-Mobile also says it’s “not responsible for any… …information, goods, or services provided by third parties.” So if you do business with a third party and something goes wrong, you can raise a dispute but it would be up to T-Mobile if it wants to help and it can walk away scot-free.
    This means that customers will have to be a lot more careful about where they shop from as T-Mobile can simply refuse to help if something goes wrong with the device you were provided or you were misguided about a plan by an authorized retailer.
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  • UK coffee chain EL&N launches in Malaysia

    UK coffee chain EL&N launches in Malaysia

    London-based EL&N has made its first foray into Asia with a store at the Pavilion shopping centre in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

    The site, which features indoor and terraced seating, is the boutique café chain’s 30th globally and its second market entry in the last two months following its Bahraini debut in Amman in June 2023.

    EL&N currently operates 15 outlets across Europe, 12 of which are in its native market, and 14 across the Middle East, primarily in Saudi Arabia.

    “We are so thrilled to finally be opening our first outlet in Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur. Today marks the first EL&N in Asia and myself and the team are so proud and excited to be bringing the brand to such an incredible part of the world. The store location is an absolute dream come true for us and we are so confident that our Malaysian clientele are going to love everything we have on offer, from the unique interior design moments to our fusion of European dishes with some localised twists,” said Alexandra Miller, Founder EL&N.

    Pavilion Kuala Lumpur features more than 700 retail units, with its food and beverage offer including several boutique café operators.

    Japanese specialty café group % Arabica, Taiwanese chain HWC Coffee and Hong Kong-based The Coffee Academïcs all operate in the shopping centre, alongside Italian coffee roaster illycaffé. US coffee chains Starbucks and The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf both operate two stores at the mall.

    Indonesian value-focused chain Kopi Kenangan and South Korean bakery café chain Paris Baguette also made their Malaysian debuts at Pavilion Kuala Lumpur, joining domestic boutique brands Dome Café, Artelier Coffee and Tom&Danny.

    EL&N, which is also expected to open outlets in India soon via a franchise partnership with Reliance Brands, is the latest international brand to launch or announce its upcoming entry in Malaysia.

    In July 2023, Indonesian specialty coffee roaster and café chain Tanamera Coffee opened its first Malaysian store in Kuala Lumpur, while Moroccan café chain Bacha Coffee announced it will debut in the southeast Asian country at the Suria KLCC shopping centre in the capital city.

    Additionally, Saudi Arabian coffee chain Barn’s has partnered with Premier Fine Foods to open stores in Kuala Lumpur as part of plans to reach 300 outlets across southeast Asia by 2033.

    World Coffee Portal research forecasts the total Malaysian branded coffee shop market will exceed 2,700 outlets by 2025.

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  • Aeon Vietnam secures $41 million loan to fuel expansion

    Aeon Vietnam secures $41 million loan to fuel expansion

    DHL Supply Chain has announced a landmark investment of €500 million into Latin America over the next years (until 2028) as part of a strategy to strengthen its capabilities in high-demand sectors like healthcare, automotive, technology, retail and e-commerce.

    Projects in the pipeline include decarbonizing the domestic fleet through greener alternatives; building, developing and retrofitting real estate assets and warehouses in the market; as well as significant investments into new technologies, robotics and automation solutions.

    DHL Supply Chain is confident in its plans for the region, citing its proximity to large consumer markets in North America as well as booming sales markets which make it attractive for industries to invest and therewith request additional logistics support.

    The company has been growing its operations in Latin America with more than 240 locations. In Mexico last year, it acquired NTA, a company focused on logistics services for the pharmaceutical industry.

    In Brazil, it recently announced the expansion and modernization of its distribution centre located in Goiás, while expanding its operations and presence in Extrema Minas Gerais for various clients in pharmaceuticals and retail fashion. It also opened a new distribution centre in Pudahuel, Chile, and expanded its presence in Mexico with new warehouses in Tijuana and Monterrey, including a new campus in the State of Mexico, which will serve the e-commerce, retail, fashion, consumer, medical devices, aerospace, electronics, and automotive sectors.

    Following the announcement of the investment, DHL Supply Chain Mexico inaugurated a new center of excellence for electric vehicles to provide synergy to the automotive industry in the region.

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  • Fish exports expected to recover from late Q3

    Fish exports expected to recover from late Q3

    The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) forecast that aquatic product exports will bounce back at the end of the third quarter and reach the yearly revenue target of $10 billion.

    It reported that in the first six months of this year, the export value of aquatic products hit nearly $4.2 billion, down over 27% year-on-year.

    To achieve the yearly target, many businesses have diversified products, focused on intensive processing, and invested in value chains.

    Meanwhile, the MARD and localities will further provide fishermen with market information and guide them to implement solutions to deal with the European Commission (EC)’s “yellow card” warning against Vietnamese seafood, and step up inspections and handling of cases of illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, towards a sustainable fishery sector.

    Competent agencies will also work to remove obstacles relating to the Chinese and US markets, diversify export markets, and coordinate with banks to support businesses.

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