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Tag: asia

  • National Gallery Singapore to get new food, retail concept

    National Gallery Singapore to get new food, retail concept

    New retail business ‘& Co’ has partnered with the National Gallery Singapore to create a food and beverage and retail concept called Gallery & Co.

    Inspired by Southeast Asian art and culture, Gallery & Co fuses art and design into a curated retail experience featuring specially designed products for the museum, books, design collectibles and prints, amongst others, as well as a quick-service, casual dining venue (comprising a café and cafeteria). The new space, to open in November, spans the entire frontage of the City Hall Wing on the ground floor, overlooking the historically significant Padang.

    The partners of & Co. are local industry heavyweights Loh Lik Peng (Unlisted Collection), Yah-Leng Yu and Arthur Chin (Foreign Policy Design), along with Alwyn Chong (Luxasia). This new venture combines their diverse experience and depth of expertise, creating a unique platform for cross-disciplinary projects spanning retail, F&B, art, design and culture.

    Leading the culinary direction at Gallery & Co. will be Lik Peng, while Yah-Leng and Arthur oversee the branding, space and product design. Alwyn heads & Co’s retail strategy, forming a dream team with Yah-Leng to direct & Co’s merchandising vision, curate brands and identify exciting collaborations exclusive to Gallery & Co.

    “This collaboration creates a seamless experience for visitors as they extend their art journey into Gallery & Co to shop, read and dine,” said Chong Siak Ching, CEO of the National Gallery Singapore.

    “We are delighted that & Co responded to our brief with a pitch that reflects our unique visitor experience philosophy. We welcome visitors to explore Gallery & Co when it opens, and be among the first to immerse in an experience that is unique to National Gallery Singapore.”

    With Chef Sufian Zain of Restaurant Ember as consultant chef, the cafeteria’s menu will feature the distinctive flavours of Southeast Asia, reinterpreted with his signature pared down style. The café offers cakes, coffee and sweets from choice local purveyors and artisans, a perfect respite between exhibition hopping and a gathering place for friends.

    “At Gallery & Co, we want to dispel the elitist stigma associated with art,” said Arthur Chin.

    “Being the first-ever museum shop in the world to house a bookstore, F&B establishments and retail in one continuous space, we hope to create a dynamic visitor experience that not only bookends a visit to the National Gallery Singapore, but is also a destination in its own right. By curating and purveying products that provoke curiosity and inspire, we hope to make art accessible to everyone.”

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  • Marks & Spencer Vietnam opens second store

    Marks & Spencer Vietnam opens second store

    UK-based department store retailer Marks & Spencer has opened a second store in Vietnam’s largest city, Ho Chi Minh.

    Marks & Spencer Vietnam plans to have 20 stores trading in the country by 2020, focused on selling womenswear and menswear.

    The new store is at Crescent Mall in Ho Chi Minh City’s District 7, a four year old mall which also hosts a newly opened Robins Department store.

    It is operated by Marks & Spencer’s long-term franchise partner, Thailand-based Central Retail Corporation, a member of Central Group, which also owns Robins.

    The first Marks & Spencer Vietnam store opened in a 1200 sqm space in the Vincom Center in downtown Ho Chi Minh City last year, the site previously occupied by UK rival Debenhams.

    M&S now has over 800 stores in the UK and more than 460 international stores across 56 markets in Europe, the Middle East and Asia.

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  • Honda BR-V prototype debuts at Gaikindo in Indonesia

    Honda BR-V prototype debuts at Gaikindo in Indonesia

    Japanese automotive major Honda has unveiled its Honda BR-V Prototype, powered by a 1.5 liter i-VTEC engine with 6-speed manual transmission or a continuously variable transmission (CVT), at GAIKINDO Indonesia International Auto Show (GIIAS) 2015.

    honda

    Stated to blend the appearance of an SUV with the spacious cabin of an MPV, the new vehicle will first hit the stores in Indonesia next year at a price range between $16,432 and $18,932.

    Production of the vehicle will begin at the firm’s facility at Karawang, Indonesia, in January.

    Honda Motor regional operation (Asia and Oceania) COO Noriaki Abe said: “Honda started business in Indonesia in 1971, and the importance of this country for Honda’s auto business has been increasing year by year.

    “With the all-new 7-seat BR-V and the rest of the Honda line-up, we will continue to offer exciting products and the joy of driving to our customers in Indonesia.”

    With the exterior sporting high ground clearance, big roof rails for all grades, LED connected tail light design in C-character and new 16-inch aluminum wheels, the interior flaunts a spacious and comfortable cabin with additional knee room and head room.

    PT Honda Prospect Motor president director Tomoki Uchida said: “Honda BR-V was developed to fulfill the needs of Indonesian customers. We believe Honda BR-V will be greatly received by customers in Indonesia and become the main attraction in this year’s motor show.”

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  • Royal Enfield enters Indonesian market

    Royal Enfield enters Indonesian market

    Royal Enfield has entered Indonesian market targeting mid-size motorcycle segment and an exclusive store in Jakarta, the company said Monday, adding that the move into the world’s third largest two-wheeler is part of its growth strategy and international thrust to expand its presence in the mid-sized motorcycle segment (250-750cc).

    The company announced the foray at GAIKINDO Indonesia International Auto Show 2015. The two-wheeler major displayed its range of motorcycles at the show including the Bullet 500cc, the retro-street models – Classic 500cc and Classic Chrome and the Continental GT (535cc) cafe racer.

    Abhijit Singh Brar, head of marketing for Royal Enfield, said the company will commence retail operations soon from its exclusive dealership in Jakarta that is being set up in partnership with PT Distributor Motor Indonesia. In addition to the store, they will also build service and aftermarket capability for Royal Enfield in Jakarta.

    Backed by a growth of over 50% year on year in the past five years, the company is aiming to lead and grow the middle-weight segment, which is underserved globally. The move to enter Indonesia is part of the company’s larger growth strategy which includes a thrust on expanding its international presence.

    The company believes this growth will largely come from markets like India such as Latin America – it entered the Colombian market last year – and South East Asia, given their size and comparable commuting trends.
    Indonesia is a strategic market for Royal Enfield. With its large commuter based, this market has enormous potential to upgrade to the next level of motorcycles, should there be optimal product choice.

    “We will build our presence from Jakarta and depending on the response, we will expand our footprint to the other key cities in Indonesia,” said Arun Gopal, head for international business at Royal Enfield.
    In 2014, Royal Enfield sold more than three lakh motorcycles globally. In 2015, the company aims to produce 4.50 lakh motorcycles to supports its growth strategy globally.

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  • CapitaLand may sell Rivervale Mall

    CapitaLand may sell Rivervale Mall

    Singapore property conglomerate CapitaLand has confirmed it is reviewing its options for the future of Rivervale Mall.

    “CapitaLand Mall Trust has not come to any decision or entered into any agreement or transaction in connection with the options, nor is there any certainty or assurance that CMT will enter into or conclude any such transactions,” the company said in a disclosure to the Singapore stock exchange.

    The company said the consideration was in line with its policy of continually evaluating its portfolio of assets “and exploring opportunities to maximise” their value.

    Rivervale Mall is located in the Sengkang housing estate close to Rumbia LRT station in the north-eastern region of Singapore. The three-storey mall has a net lettable area of 81,159 sqft and serves the local community.

    Key tenants include NTUC Foodfare, Daiso, Bata, Eu Yan Sang TCM, McDonald’s, Long John Silver’s, Guardian, KFC, BBQ Chicken, Watsons, Kimage, NTUC Denticare, Unity NTUC Healthcare.

    In 2014, it had a footfall of 9.9 million.

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  • Missha expands in Vietnam

    Missha expands in Vietnam

    Korean cosmetics retailer Missha has opened its 15th retail store in Vietnam.

    The newest store, at Cach Mang Thang St in downtown Ho Chi Minh City, is located in a neighbourhood popular with tourists and locals.

    Besides its focus on Vietnam’s most populous city, Missha is expanding in other Vietnamese cities. In April it opened in the holiday resort of Danang

    Missha Korea has 1650 stores in 29 countries including about 110 in Southeast Asian markets including Indonesia, Thailand and Singapore.

    The company says it sold US$570,000 worth of products in Vietnam in the first half of 2015, up 32.5 per cent on the same time last year.

    The Korea Cosmetics Industry Institute predicts Vietnam’s cosmetics markets will grow by 17.5 per cent this year, making it the second fastest growing market in Asia, behind India.

    “With Missha’s main items of makeup cosmetics, including mascaras and BB creams, we will accelerate the market invasion in Vietnam,” said Lee Kwang-sup, chief manager of Missha’s overseas business unit.

    “As Missha has already been established as one of the most popular brands in the country, we will dominate the market in advance by actively expanding stores.”

  • Studio City retail tenants revealed

    Studio City retail tenants revealed

    Studio City and Taubman Asia, have revealed the lineup of fashion brands that will open inside The Boulevard at Studio City.

    A mix of fashion-forward labels and internationally-renowned luxury brands include Macau’s first Balmain, Macau’s first Belstaff, and Tom Ford’s largest store in Asia, amongst many others. The selection was assembled by Taubman Asia and Melco Crown Entertainment’s combined team of retail specialists to meet Chinese consumers’ increasing desire to express their individuality through high quality, expertly crafted clothing and accessories. Bespoke and personal services will be offered to ensure our shoppers take center stage.

    Taubman says The Boulevard at Studio City will bring “an unparalleled shopping experience” to Studio City.

    “Unlike any retail offering to be found in Asia, the unique 35,000 sqm ‘immersive’ retail entertainment environment brings shopping to life by ‘transporting’ visitors to high-energy street-scapes and entertaining them at every turn with featured streets and squares inspired by iconic shopping and entertainment locations, including New York’s Times Square and Hollywood’s Beverly Hills,” Taubman said in a statement.

    “At the futuristic Times Square Macau, inside The Boulevard at Studio City, a variety of entertainment from ‘virtual’ musicians to film stars will be shown through holographic projections.

    “Leveraging our global expertise increating extraordinary retail environments, and our exceptional relationships with the world’s leading brands, our talented team in Asia has brought together an exciting mix of brands for The Boulevard at Studio City,” said René Tremblay, president of Taubman Asia.

    “Our merchandising and management services are the industry standard for performance and excellence. We are thrilled to welcome these brands to our latest project and are committed to supporting them for the long term.”

    List of brands:

    Aeronautica Militare
    Balmain
    Bank of China
    Belstaff
    Boss
    Bottega Veneta
    Bulgari
    Cigar Emporium
    Coach
    Cosmos Food Station
    Din Tai Fung
    Dunhill
    Emporio Armani
    Fendi
    Girard-Perregaux
    Givenchy
    Glashutte Original
    Graff
    Gucci
    Hide Yamamoto
    Hublot
    ICBC
    Trattoria Il Mulino
    Image Digital
    IWC Schaffhausen
    Jaeger-LeCoultre
    Jaquet Droz
    kate spade new york
    Kenzo
    Longines
    McCafe
    McDonald’s
    MCM
    Michael Kors
    Montblanc
    Philipp Plein
    Piaget
    Prada
    Rainbow
    Rimowa
    Roberto Cavalli
    Saint Laurent Paris
    Shiki Hot Pot Restaurant
    Starbucks
    Tag Heuer
    T Galleria Beauty by DFS
    Tiffany & Co.
    Tom Ford
    UM
    Vacheron Constantin
    Valentino
    Van Cleef & Arpels
    Versace Collection
    Ermenegildo Zegna
    Zenith

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  • Telent to open Malaysia stores

    Telent to open Malaysia stores

    Chinese outdoor apparel brand Telent says it plans to set up retail points of sale in Malaysia as a first step in a broader Southeast Asian push.

    Telent specialises in the design, manufacture, marketing, brand management and distribution of branded outdoor apparel, footwear and equipment. It is China’s second largest outdoor wear brand measured by retail sales value.

    Telent is undertaking an IPO in Malaysia, issuing 103.39 million new shares at ten US cents each.

    The first new store will open in Kuala Lumpur with other Southeast Asian stores will follow as early as the third quarter of this year, in part funded with the funds raised in the IPO

    Telent Group executive director Hui Tang Tat says the product sales mix percentage in outdoor apparel and outdoor footwear respectively posted 43.8 per cent and 49.5 per cent sales growth last year, while equipment products grew by a more modest 6.7 per cent.

    As of October, Telent had 817 retail points of sale and 23 network distributors across China.

    “The Malaysian market is competitive and building our presence there will offer us a platform and opportunity to expand in this region,” Hui said during a media conference.

    “Perhaps in the next five to 10 years, we can go down the road to tap other Asian markets as we want our brand to be globally recognised,” he said.

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  • China Fordoo boosts store network

    China Fordoo boosts store network

    China Fordoo Holdings opened 42 new stores in the first half of this year, helping it boost sales in a soft Mainland retail market.

    Fordoo, a specialist menswear designer, manufacturer and retailer, now has 1494 stores across the Mainland, including two self-managed. Trousers account for 58 per cent of its revenue.

    For the six months to June 30, group profit was about RMB136.9 million (US$21.4 million), up 6.4 per cent on the same period last year. Sales increased by 8.1 per cent to RMB828.4 million ($129.56 million).

    “The increase was mainly due to the expansion of the group’s distribution network and the enhancement of its brand recognition,” the company said in its statement.

    Fordoo said in the first half, China’s economy had entered into a “New Normal” phase.

    “The economy has shifted from high growth to medium-to-high growth, and the economic structure has improved and been upgraded. Under the “New Normal” phase, the economy is increasingly driven by innovation rather than input and investment.”

    Apparel retail growth slowed. Total retail sales of garments, hats, footwear and knitwear in China recorded a 8.3 per cent year on year increase which was 0.4 percentage points lower than that of the corresponding period in 2014.

    “The overall retail market in China remained weak and consumer sentiment showed no sign of notable recovery. However, we are glad that China Fordoo Holdings was able to continue to grow at a stable and moderate pace during the period in terms of number of retail outlets, distributors and revenue.”

  • Corrupt Chinese supermarket exec jailed

    Corrupt Chinese supermarket exec jailed

    The former chairman of China’s Bright Food Group has been found guilty of embezzling US$31 million between 2000 and 2006 when he was chairman of Shanghai Lianhua Supermarket Holdings Ltd.

    Corrupt Chinese businessman Wang Zongnan was sentenced by the People’s Court in Shanghai on Tuesday to 18 years in prison for embezzlement and accepting bribes.

    According to the court hearing, Zongnan had accepted 2.69 million yuan in bribes, hiding the money through the purchase of two villas.

    In 2003, Wang’s parents bought two villas in Shanghai for 2.08 million yuan, 2.69 million yuan below the market price. The sellers were associated to a subsidiary of a company that had owed Wang a favor, according to the verdict. Wang sold the two villas in 2010 and 2013 for 14.8 million yuan in total.

    In the ruling, the court ordered that 1 million yuan of Wang’s personal property be confiscated and more than 12 million yuan in bribes and illegal earnings be returned.

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  • The Children’s Place lands in India

    The Children’s Place lands in India

    US retailer The Children’s Place has opened its first store in India.

    The brand has entered the market in partnership with Arvind Lifestyle Brands, opening its first store in Bengaluru.

    The Children’s Place operates about 1200 stores internationally and Arvind Lifestyle hopes to open up to 40 in India during the next four years, largely located in Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Chennai.

    Arvind Lifestyle CEO J. Suresh said the children’s clothes and accessories market is dominated by the ‘unorganised” retailers and his company sees a significant opportunity to gain first to market advantage in the category.

    “We should hopefully be the leading player in the market,” said Suresh.

    Mridumesh Kumar Rai, who heads The Children’s Place business in India added: “We want to be for kids wear what Zara and Mango are for women’s fast fashion in India,” said.

    Arvind Lifestyle sells a broad range of franchised lifestyle brands including Gap, Nautica, Ralph Lauren, US Polo and Elle. Earlier this year it announced a partnership with US teen fast fashion brand Aeropostale.

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  • Profit falls as QKL Stores buys market share

    Profit falls as QKL Stores buys market share

    QKL Stores  a regional supermarket chain in Northeastern China and Inner Mongolia, has announced improved sales, but lower profit in the second quarter.

    Zhuangyi Wang, chairman and CEO, said the company had boosted its promotional activities in existing stores to strengthen its competitive position.

    Second quarter sales rose 9.2 per cent to US$56.4 million and gross profit decreased 4.3 per cent to $9.1 million.

    “The decrease in gross profit relative to net sales was due to competitions arising from the increasing challenge from the online shopping that have significant pricing pressure on our selling of high margin products.”

    Wang said QKL plans to slow down the pace of its new store openings this year.

    “Currently, we expect to open two new supermarket stores this year. We maintain confidence in our strategy of strengthening our store presence in Tier 4 and 5 cities in northeastern China as well as in our core region of operation around Daqing where the majority of our older stores are based.”

    Based in Daqing, QKL Stores sells a broad selection of merchandise, including groceries, fresh food, and non-food items, through its 40-odd retail supermarkets, hypermarkets and department stores; the company also has its own distribution centers that service its supermarkets.

    “As QKL expands its market presence in northeast China, we are uniquely positioned against our local competitors through our large product offering, strong supplier relationships, efficient distribution network and state-of-the-art IT system,” said Wang.

    “We are comfortable with our opportunities in the second half of the year and believe we’ll see an improvement in operating expenses and net result from the current quarter.”

  • China’s Jollychic.com branches into homewares

    China’s Jollychic.com branches into homewares

    Chinese eCommerce company Jollychic.com, an online global fashion destination, has unveiled a new line of homeware products called J.Home.

    “Increasing demand and lower prices have made Jollychic’s promotional furniture products a viable alternative for clients all around the world, according to Siwei Ma, furniture manager at JollyChic.com.

    “The growing public awareness about global eCommerce and other major advantages of the internet enables our customers to shop for more than 6000 products from different categories, including home decor, bed & bath, dining and pet care.”

    Jollychic.com is a global fashion destination, selling fast fashion and publishing a wide variety of fashion-related content, positioning the website as a growing fashion community. We sell over 50,000 branded and own-brand products through localized mobile and web experiences, delivering from our fulfillment centers in China to almost every country in the world. It runs sites in nine languages: English, French, Spanish, Arabic, Polish and Chinese.

    With the expansion into homewares, shoppers can take advantage of a free interior design consultation with dedicated customer service. An expanded customer loyalty program has been expanded to include a free gift offer that includes mugs and more.

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  • Air India to start evening Surat-Delhi flight from Oct 1

    Air India to start evening Surat-Delhi flight from Oct 1

    This year’s Diwali is set to usher in loads of surprises for the high-flying Surtis.

    Air India is preparing to introduce daily evening flight between Delhi and Surat by deploying the 168-seater Airbus-320 from October 1.

    This will be over and above the existing morning flight to Delhi. Hence, the Diamond City will have two daily flights to the national capital and same day return option will be available to business flyers at both ends. International connections to the USA, Europe and South East Asia will also be offered.

    By the end of October, Air India plans morning flight between Mumbai and Surat in its ATR aircraft.

    Thanks to the efforts of Surat and Navsari MPs — Darshana Jardosh and CR Paatil — frequent fliers from the Diamond City will get an opportunity to fly to Mumbai and Delhi after a break of more than 11 months.

    He added, “We also met Air Asia CEO Mittu Chandaliya who has agreed to introduce daily flights between Bangalore, Jaipur, Delhi and Surat this winter session.”

    Despite being the second largest city in the state, ninth in India and fourth fastest growing city in the world, Surat is very unfortunate in getting domestic as well as international air connectivity.

    Jardosh said, “We have been successful in convincing Air India authorities on introducing evening Delhi flight from Surat. We also met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in August and he instructed Air India CMD to take positive action. We are grateful to AirAsia CEO Chandaliya who is keen on starting flight operations from Surat.”

    Airport director Pramod Thakre said, “The DGCA will be sending the slot schedule of Air India’s evening flight to and fro from Delhi. The evening slot is open for smooth operation at the airport.”

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  • AirAsia bags gold at Putra Brand Awards 2015 for 6th consecutive year

    AirAsia bags gold at Putra Brand Awards 2015 for 6th consecutive year

    AirAsia Bhd emerged the gold recipient for the “Transportation, Travel & Tourism” category for the sixth consecutive year at the Putra Brand Awards 2015.

    The award was given to AirAsia for the airline’s continued presence as the country and the region’s leading and largest low-cost carrier.

    Elated at having bagged the award, chief executive officer Aireen Omar said AirAsia was committed to further grow its route network as the airline moves from being just a low-cost carrier to a value-carrier.

    The Putra Brand Awards was launched in 2010 by the Association of Accredited Advertising Agents Malaysia to recognise brand building as an integral business investment.

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