Retail News CRM

Tag: asia

  • Tea chain Heytea opening outlets in Singapore

    Tea chain Heytea opening outlets in Singapore

    Chinese tea chain Heytea will open a new store at Westgate, Singapore on Saturday.

    The minimalist store design is inspired by the traditional Chinese handscroll and attempts a “Zen” vibe intended to provide customers with an immersive store experience to enhance inspiration and creativity.

    The Westgate store introduces two newly launched items in its Oreo Series, including the Orea Boboshake and the Oreo Sundae.

    The tea chain Heytea operates 268 stores in more than 35 cities in China and abroad. Its first overseas store launched in Singapore last year, since which time it has opened three more locations.

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  • Fjallraven launches local E-commerce initiative

    Fjallraven launches local E-commerce initiative

    Swedish outdoor heritage brand Fjallraven has launched a local online presence in New Zealand, as part of a broader push into the ANZ market.

    The move follows the launch of a local Australian site in 2017, and the opening of two brick-and-mortar stores, including the launch of a Sydney flagship store last month.

    Brand manager Susan Park said a bricks-and-mortar store is on the agenda for New Zealand as well.

    “New Zealand is definitely in our brand strategy for a store,” Park said.

    “We just launched Fjallraven.co.nz to satisfy the growing demand in New Zealand. We have some other locations on our radar and plan to look at them when Sydney has established itself as a leading destination.”

    Demand for the brand has been growing in Australia and New Zealand since Zen Imports became Fjallraven’s local distributor in 2017, establishing new partnerships with retailers in the region.

    The brand’s most popular product is its Kanken rucksack, a style Fjallraven first debuted in 1978, which has become hugely popular around the world.

    According to Park, however, interest in the brand’s broader range of jackets, trousers and other outdoor apparel has been growing in Australia since the brand’s first brick-and-mortar store opened in Melbourne last year.

    Introducing customers to the brand’s full range of products, and its Swedish heritage – through a daily ‘fika’ or coffee break, offered free to customers in-store – is a key part of Fjallraven’s store strategy.

    The retailer is also planning to reach customers in new ways with the launch of Fjallraven Discovery Australia, a three-day hike in the Grampians designed to get people outdoors and back to nature.

    This is in keeping with the growing theme of Fjallraven hikes all over the world.

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  • Zara in defense mode after IFC mall store closure

    Zara in defense mode after IFC mall store closure

    Fashion retailer Zara has reassured customers that its decision to close its IFC mall store in Hong Kong on Monday was not related to protests currently taking place in the city.

    The statement emerged after social media users in Mainland China speculated that the store closures were a show of support for the demonstrators and to allow staff to participate.

    “Zara has never made any comments or undertaken any actions related to a strike in Hong Kong,” read the firm’s statement on its Weibo account. “Zara does not back a strike and supports ‘one country, two systems’.”

    The controversy was sparked after an image of a sign posted on the IFC mall store’s shutters was circulated online, apparently going viral.

    Major businesses have come under close scrutiny for their actual or suspected support of the protestors, including Cathay Pacific, HSBC and PWC.

    The protests have been held in the city over the past three months, and have become seen as a challenge to Beijing’s sovereignty over the territory.

    Zara has declined to offer any explanation as to why the majority of its Hong Kong island stores were closed during the time in question.

    However, the store reopened yesterday with new interior design to coincide with the opening of the Sephora store in a space carved out of Zara’s previous footprint in the mall.

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  • Asia Pacific’s five most popular cities o pay with Mastercard

    Asia Pacific’s five most popular cities o pay with Mastercard

    Five destinations attract 22 per cent of all international traveller arrivals in Asia Pacific and a quarter of travel spend in the region, according to a new Mastercard report.

    Asia Pacific’s five most popular destinations for international travellers – Bangkok, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Tokyo and Seoul – welcomed over one-fifth of all overnight visitors to the region’s top 161 cities and regional centres last year. Hong Kong is notably absent from the list.

    The data has been revealed in Mastercard’s Asia Pacific Destinations Index (APDI), a regional subset of the Global Destination Cities Index (GDCI) which is now in its tenth year.

    Primarily driven by explosive growth in outbound travel from Mainland China, these five cities are also capturing more than 25.2 per cent of total international travel spending in the region.

    Last year, Asia Pacific hosted travellers making 342.2 million business and leisure trips, up from 159.1 million in 2009, representing an 8.9-per-cent compound annual growth rate (CAGR) over the nine-year period. During the same period, travel spending in Asia Pacific more than doubled, rising from US$117.6 billion to $281.1 billion, equating to a compound annual growth rate of 10.2 per cent.

    “While the world’s economic, geopolitical, technological and societal landscapes have all changed dramatically since Mastercard launched this research 10 years ago, one thing has remained constant: the desire of ever-growing numbers of people to explore the world beyond their own borders,” said Mastercard’s senior VP data & services Asia Pacific Rupert Naylor. “With the top 20 cities attracting nearly half (49.8 per cent) of all international overnight arrivals to the 161 destinations ranked in the APDI, it is important to understand not only how continuously rising travel numbers impact cities and destinations for the better, but also the challenges they pose. This equips governments, merchants and the global travel industry with the information and insights they need to better serve their residents and visitors.

    The research shows that Mainland China continues to exert the greatest influence over travel patterns and expenditure flows. Since 2009, overnight arrivals by Mainland Chinese travellers in markets across Asia Pacific surged from 10.5 million to 62.4 million last year, representing a 21.9 per cent compound annual growth rate over the period.

    “While Mainland China serves as a focal point for Asia Pacific’s top destinations, there are also bright spots in South Korea, Japan and India,” said Naylor. “As travellers from these markets continue to increase by remarkable percentages year over year, it is imperative that we bring together resources from both the public and private sectors to help tourism partners better understand commerce patterns and deliver attractive experiences for eager travellers from across the region.”

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  • Walmart cuts back ammunition sales

    Walmart cuts back ammunition sales

    US department store chain Walmart has taken a stand on gun sales in the United States, announcing it will no longer sell handgun and certain rifle ammunition, as well as finalizing its exit from handgun sales by discontinuing sales in Alaska.

    The decision comes after 22 people were killed in a Walmart store in El Paso, Texas, as well as further killings in Dayton, Ohio, and Midland and Odessa, Texas, with Walmart chief executive Doug McMillion stating it was clear the status quo was unacceptable.

    “We know these decisions will inconvenience some of our customers, and we hope they will understand,” McMillion wrote in a letter to associates.

    “Our remaining assortment will be even more focused on the needs of hunting and sport shooting enthusiasts. It will include long barrel deer rifles and shotguns, much of the ammunition they require, as well as hunting and sport accessories and apparel.”

    While Walmart’s short-barrel rifle ammunition range is more commonly used in hunting rifles, it can be fed into larger capacity clips for use in military-style weapons.

    According to McMillion, the follow on effect of this decision would likely result in a loss of market share in the ammunition space, from Walmart’s current 20 percent to approximately 6 to 9 percent.

    McMillion also expressed intentions to send letters to the White House and the Congressional leadership, pushing for stronger background checks, and to remove weapons from those who have been determined to be dangerous.

    “As we’ve seen before, these horrific events occur and then the spotlight fades. We should not allow that to open,” McMillion said.

    “In a complex situation lacking a simple solution, we are trying to take constructive steps to reduce the risk that events like these happen again.”

    Additionally, after open carrying customers brandished firearms in a way that frightened or concerned staff and customers around them, McMillion has asked customers to no longer openly carry firearms into Walmarts and Sam’s Club stores with open carry laws – unless they are authorized law enforcement officers.

    “We believe the opportunity for someone to misinterpret a situation, even in open carry states, could lead to tragic results,” McMillion said.

    “We hope that everyone will understand the circumstances that led to this new policy and will respect the concerns of their fellow shoppers and our associates.”

    The business has faced immense pressure to take a stand on the issue, and remove firearms from its physical stores, following the El Paso shooting.

    According to CNN Business several presidential candidates, the American Federation of Teachers, as well as gun safety groups have all pressed the retailer.

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  • Costco China plans more store openings

    Costco China plans more store openings

    Within days of opening its first warehouse store, Costco China is already talking about its plans to expand the new network.

    As happens in many new market Costco enters, the new Shanghai store grew thousands of people, some of who queued for hours to shop, and then check out, while others spent a similar time in their cars circling the suburb seeking somewhere to park. In the afternoon, the store was closed due to crowding.

    Costco CFO Richard Galanti confirmed with analysts a second store is already in advanced planning and he hopes construction will start as soon as possible.

    The first store opened on August 27 in Shanghai’s Minghang district. It followed a four-year program by Costco to build brand awareness among local consumers through a presence on Alibaba’s Tmall Global. The company has a target of signing up at least 100,000 members to make the venture viable.

    While Costco expected to draw large crowds to the opening, the sheer numbers exceeded even the company’s most optimistic projections. A record number of customer membership registrations were taken for an opening day, however Galanti did not release the actual number.

    Costco China is looking to establish a beachhead in Shanghai before expanding into other tier-one cities.

    Trade tensions between China and the US appear not to be affecting the store’s early success, with Costco switching sourcing of some products from the US to Australian suppliers.

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  • Uniqlo hitted by South Korean consumer boycott

    Uniqlo hitted by South Korean consumer boycott

    Fast-fashion chain Uniqlo is suffering from the South Korean consumer boycott of Japanese goods.

    “We can confirm that there has been an impact on the sales in Korea,” a spokeswoman for Uniqlo owner Fast Retailing told Reuters. She declined to release any figures, however.

    The two countries are involved in a diplomatic row relating to disagreements over the compensation for forced laborers during Japan’s occupation of Korea during the second world war. That dispute has spilled over into the populations with Japanese products in South Korea being boycotted by shoppers as a form of protest.

    Uniqlo has nearly 200 stores in South Korea, selling around US$1.3 billion worth of clothing annually, equal to about 6.6 percent of its total sales. The South Korean consumer boycott may lead to delays in new stores opening if it continues

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  • 5 Star Plus designs concept store for Sinsian Black Jelly

    5 Star Plus designs concept store for Sinsian Black Jelly

    Sinsian Black Jelly is making a play in China’s growing health food industry from its Liangmaqiao store in Beijing, which opened earlier this year.

    The brand plans to open 10 further stores in the coming year so that more of China can experience the dessert.

    The Sinsian Black Jelly store’s design by 5 Star Plus Retail Design reflects the product geometrically via tiles intended to resemble the squares of the jelly after processing, offset by white tones to symbolise the ingredients.

    In expressing the product through a minimalist decor and style, the designer’s goal is to allow customers to recall the product more easily. The lighting sources and glass walls convey warmth and a coordinated environment, while the transparent design elements place a focus on the grass jelly by putting the preparation of the desserts on display, encouraging confidence in the product.

    Customers in store can watch as fresh ingredients are put into their jellies using toppings of their choice.

    The jelly is made from a plant known as Mesona chinensis, which grows largely in East Asia. It is preserved without pigments or preservatives and prepared by allowing the leaves to dry before boiling cooling before being cut into cubes.

    Sinsian Black Jelly is making a play in China’s growing health food industry from its Liangmaqiao store in Beijing, which opened earlier this year.

    The brand plans to open 10 further stores in the coming year so that more of China can experience the dessert.

    The Sinsian Black Jelly store’s design by 5 Star Plus Retail Design reflects the product geometrically via tiles intended to resemble the squares of the jelly after processing, offset by white tones to symbolize the ingredients.

    In expressing the product through a minimalist decor and style, the designer’s goal is to allow customers to recall the product more easily. The lighting sources and glass walls convey warmth and a coordinated environment, while the transparent design elements place a focus on the grass jelly by putting the preparation of the desserts on display, encouraging confidence in the product.

    Customers in store can watch as fresh ingredients are put into their jellies using toppings of their choice.

    The jelly is made from a plant known as Mesona chinensis, which grows largely in East Asia. It is preserved without pigments or preservatives and prepared by allowing the leaves to dry before boiling cooling before being cut into cubes.

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  • Shapeshifting smartphone cameras may be the next big thing

    Shapeshifting smartphone cameras may be the next big thing

    Over the past couple of years, we’ve been talking about how hardware innovation in smartphone cameras has taken a back seat in favor of new software developments. Despite small camera sensor sizes, limited by the slim profiles of modern phones and ever-increasing battery capacities, smartphone cameras have been able to deliver miraculously good results, almost exclusively thanks to improvements in how raw image and video dta is processed by software.

    However, during this time of amazing software developments, companies like Huawei kept pushing camera hardware innovations forward, albeit at a slower pace, by introducing larger sensors and impressive optical zoom solutions. In comparison, the likes of Samsung and Apple, who are considered leaders in their own market segments, have seemingly fallen behind in terms of bringing new camera innovations to the table. Recently, an infographic started doing rounds online, comparing camera sensors in Samsung and Huawei phones over the past couple of years. As you can see, while the sensors in Samsung phones have remained the same size since the release of the Galaxy S7 in 2016, Huawei has been upping its camera game the whole time.

    And though Samsung may seem like it’s got quite comfortable in its leading position in the premium Android market, hence less willing to introduce drastic new hardware innovations, next year’s Samsung flagship models may actually usher in a radical new camera technology that could make smartphone cameras even more versatile, with quicker focus, and even smaller optical parts.

    Samsung has been working with a company called Varioptic, since around 2005, on a liquid lens camera solution for smartphones. Actually, Varioptic is the company that created this type of lens way back in 2002, but Samsung was evidently interested in implementing it in a smartphone 14 years ago.

    Digging through news and press-releases from 2005, I stumbled across many reports that Samsung wanted to use a liquid lens to create a phone camera with optical zoom capabilities. At that time, motorized solutions were too big and too expensive for what Samsung wanted to achieve in mobile device, so Varioptic’s liquid lens—which had no moving parts, and was small and very durable—seemed like the perfect vessel to carry out the company’s vision.

    Something went wrong, however—or it must have—because, according to an official press-release from that time, Samsung phones with liquid lens cameras were supposed to be “commercially available by the last quarter of [2005].”

    But the technology wasn’t just written off. On the contrary. In 2017, Varioptic became a part of Corning, the maker of your phone’s Gorilla Glass, through an acquisition that included Varioptic and Invenios technologies for packaging and stabilizing liquid lenses. Coincidentally, Samsung has a strategic partnership with Corning.

    Recent “leaks” about the Galaxy S11 mentioned that Samsung’s next S-series flagship will bring something that’s “never been seen before” in relation to the camera. Now, this may very well be in part your usual leaker mumbo-jumbo get-on-the-hype-train-thing, but considering Samsung’s past relations with Varioptics and its current partnership with Corning, there may be something in the pipeline relating to liquid lenses on smartphones.

    Liquid lens showcase by Corning and Varioptic from 2018. This footage was slowed down thousands of times. Liquid lenses are capable of changing their shape on the order of milliseconds

    Traditional camera lenses are made from glass, while liquid lenses are, well… liquid. To be precise, they are composed of an optical liquid that is capable of changing its shape at a very rapid pace. The focal length of a glass lens is dependent on the material it’s made of, and the radius of its curvature. The same holds true for liquid lenses, though they are capable of altering the radius of their curvature, thus changing their focal length at a whim. This shape-shifting is controlled electronically and can occur extremely fast. As in, milliseconds fast.

    Imaging lenses are usually comprised of multiple optical elements because a single optical lens can rarely provide sufficient resolving power. For this same reason, using a liquid lens by itself is not likely to be done on a smartphone. However, by introducing a liquid lens to multi-element lens design, the speed and flexibility of the camera can be greatly improved. Having the ability to focus both up close and to optical infinity in milliseconds makes integrating liquid lenses an ideal choice for applications that require focusing at multiple distances where the objects are different sizes or are at different distances away from the lens.

    And herein lies the “problem” that may have deterred Samsung from using liquid lenses back in 2005. On their own, liquid lenses may be very compact and extremely quick, but they have nowhere near the imaging performance of traditional, multi-element lenses. Combining the two can, potentially, lead to some interesting developments, but 14 years ago, this wasn’t enough of an incentive. In 2020, however, the time may be ripe for the marriage between liquid and glass in smartphone cameras.

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  • Apple’s taking a conservative approach to 2019 iPhone production orders

    Apple’s taking a conservative approach to 2019 iPhone production orders

    The iPhone 11 series is just one week away and analysts from Cowen and Rosenblatt Securities believe Apple is adopting a pretty conservative approach this year when it comes to orders.

    The overall number of units ordered this year from Apple’s assembly partners isn’t thought to be much higher than what was requested twelve months earlier. Specifically, Cowen’s source suggests Apple is planning to manufacture a total of 65 million units for the fourth quarter of 2019 which is considered “flat” year-over-year. This figure consists of 47 million iPhone 11 units and 18 million combined units of older models such as the iPhone XS and iPhone 8.
    Looking at the entire second half of 2019 in terms of manufacturing volume, it’s believed Apple has ordered 79 million iPhone 11 units which is actually down 7% from the 85 million iPhone XS & XR units it ordered last year. Cowen believes the lower production rate is an attempt to better handle excess inventories as Apple heads into 2020.
    From what can be gathered, Apple’s biggest focus right now in terms of production seems to be successfully serving the North American market before mid-December when tariffs on Chinese imports are set to be applied. According to Rosenblatt, the California-based company is yet to make any changes to iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max manufacturing levels because it’s “already been aggressive enough to build inventory for the North American market.” However, Apple reportedly sped up production for the iPhone 11 (R) in August because of anticipated higher sales.
    Once December passes both new and old iPhone models imported from China will automatically be subject to the new 15% import tariff. The impact of this should be split between Apple and its supply chain partners although the “rapid depreciation” of China’s currency that’s gradually lowering manufacturing costs should help offset the added cost for Apple slightly. Nevertheless, it’s still expected to impact the company’s bottom line and may result in weaker Chinese iPhone sales as local customers retaliate.
    Consumers in the US aren’t presently expected to see any price increases but the threat certainly exists. This could lead to a sudden spike in demand by consumers attempting to avoid the tariffs which may result in a “stronger than seasonally normal” quarter for Apple, according to Rosenblatt.
    The iPhone 11 (R), iPhone 11 Pro, and iPhone 11 Pro Max or whatever Apple chooses to call them will all be announced next Tuesday, September 10. Last year Apple opted for a staggered release wherein the iPhone XS Max series arrived in September and the cheaper iPhone XR followed in October but this year all smartphones are expected to launch simultaneously on Friday, September 20. To ensure an early delivery, Apple should open up pre-orders a week earlier on Friday, September 13.
    When it comes to pricing the 2019 iPhone lineup is rumored to be no different to last year’s. The cheaper iPhone 11 will apparently stick to the $749 price tag while the premium iPhone 11 Pro looks set to land at $999. The iPhone XS Max’s replacement, on the other hand, should retail at $1,099. The standard models should feature 128GB of storage although 256GB and 512GB variants that retail at higher prices are to be expected too.
    Finally, in regards to colors, the iPhone 11 will reportedly be sold in black, white, red, yellow, green, and lavender. The iPhone 11 Pro and Pro Max, on the other hand, may launch in Gold, Space Gray, Silver, and a new dark green shade.
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  • Kerry Logistics Records a 194% Surge in Profit

    Kerry Logistics Records a 194% Surge in Profit

    Kerry Logistics Network Limited (‘Kerry Logistics’ or together with its subsidiaries, the ‘Group’ today announced the Group’s interim results for the six months ended 30 June 2019.

    The Group’s Financial Highlights

    ·      Turnover increased by 13% to HK$19,810 million (2018 1H: HK$17,461 million)

    ·      Core operating profit increased by 9% to HK$1,330 million (2018 1H: HK$1,216 million)

    ·      Core net profit dropped slightly by 4% to HK$669 million (2018 1H: HK$700 million)

    ·      Profit attributable to the Shareholders, including the gain from disposal of two warehouses in Hong Kong of HK$1,958 million, increased by 194% to HK$2,790 million (2018 1H: HK$948 million)

    ·      Integrated Logistics (‘IL’) business recorded a segment profit of HK$1,162 million (2018 1H: HK$1,107 million) and International Freight Forwarding (‘IFF’) business recorded HK$288 million (2018 1H: HK$235 million), which represent an increase of 5% and 22%, respectively

    ·      Special dividend of 35 HK cents per Share was paid on Tuesday, 23 July 2019. Interim dividend of 9 HK cents per Share, to be payable on Friday, 27 September 2019

    William MA, Group Managing Director of Kerry Logistics, said, “Global economic growth has markedly slowed down in 2019 1H, with weakened trade and manufacturing. The ongoing international trade disputes and unresolved negotiations have created further adverse conditions and accelerated changes in the global supply chains. Rising political and social turmoil in Hong Kong added pressure to the already softening economy. In view of the slower world economy, the Group continued its efforts in strengthening its service capabilities, expanding its network coverage and building its business scale in order to give itself a competitive advantage in adapting to the changing global logistics landscape.”

    IL Profit Rose

    Buoyed by the positive performance of its Hong Kong business and continued expansion in Taiwan, coupled with the steady growth of its operation in Asia, the Group’s IL division recorded a moderate increase in segment profit, which accounted for 80% of the Group’s total segment profit in 2019 1H

    In Hong Kong, supported by new customer wins across various industries and business growth of some of the key accounts in the fashion and food and beverage industries, the segment profit of the logistics operations remained in an upward trend by rising 18% in 2019 1H.

    In Mainland China, benefitting from shifting the focus to multiple higher-growth verticals including pharmaceutical, imported food and beverage, and automotive parts to minimize impact from global trade volatility, the segment profit of the Group’s IL business turned around in 2019 1H.

    In Taiwan, driven by Kerry Pharma and the newly acquired Science Park Logistics, the IL profit grew by 11% in 2019 1H. Kerry Pharma, as the sole certified pharmaceutical logistics provider in Taiwan, has continued to expand in the niche market. The acquisition of Science Park Logistics in January 2019 strengthened the Group’s capability in serving high-tech customers.

    In Asia, the growth momentum of the Group’s business moderated in 2019 1H. While Kerry Express Thailand continued to expand its service coverage and business scale across Thailand, the profit growth was slower. The performance of the Thailand operation remained robust. Kerry Express Thailand’s daily delivery quantity has grown to more than 1 million parcels, and the number of service points has doubled (compared to 2018 Q4) to 10,000 locations. Segment profit in Asia increased by 7% during the period. The increment was only moderate as the Group is still financing the Kerry Express operations in Malaysia, Vietnam and Indonesia, which incurred an aggregated loss of approximately HK$40 million during the period.

    IFF Volume Swelled

    Riding on the increased trade from Mainland China to other Southeast Asian countries and within Asia, the IFF division achieved a 22% growth in segment profit, which contributed 20% to the Group’s total segment profit in 2019 1H.

    Facility Portfolio Enhanced

    In Mainland China, the logistics centre in Wuhan was completed in 2019 Q2. In Taiwan, the 154,000-sq-ft transit hub in Xinshi District commenced operation in 2019 Q2, and the 430,000-sq-ft logistics centre in Guanyin is expected to complete in 2019 Q4. In Thailand, construction of Phase three of the Kerry Bangna Logistics Centre began in 2018 Q4, and is expected to complete in 2020 Q1.

    Asset Monetised

    In June 2019, the disposal of the Group’s warehouses in Chai Wan and Shatin to a subsidiary of Kerry Properties Limited was completed. The total gain of the disposal was approximately HK$2 billion. The Group will continue to actively consider opportunities to unlock the value of its assets on the balance sheet, which will provide capital for strategic investments and ongoing expansion, and crystallise value for its shareholders.

    Softening Asia Growth

    Recent events in Hong Kong are creating unfavourable conditions for the Group’s business in 2019 2H. However, the Group believes that the stronger results elsewhere in Asia should be able to offset the weak performance in Hong Kong. In particular, Taiwan will remain one of the growth drivers in Asia in 2019 2H.

    Enriching Business Mix

    Following the extension of its business into new verticals such as coffee trading and distribution, and the expansion of its service in pharmaceutical and food-related cold chain to tap into emerging business segments, the Group will keep on diversifying its business capabilities in local markets to position itself for growth opportunities in various sectors.

    Seizing E-Commerce Growth

    E-commerce has increasingly gained prevalence as a mode of consumption. In view of the strong growth impetus in cross-border e-commerce, in particular the exports from Mainland China and the intra-Asia e-commerce trade, the Group will pursue further strategic setups that will optimally deploy its resources to seize the e-commerce growth potential in the region.

    Pursuing Asset-Lighter Model

    Taking into account the positive profit growth and expansion potential in the IFF division, the Group will continue to focus on expanding its less asset-heavy IFF business both organically and through mergers and acquisitions.

    William Ma concluded, “Global economic growth is expected to remain weak in 2020, as policy uncertainties and geopolitical tensions continue to cloud the trade environment. The current political and social disquiet in Hong Kong, which is the Group’s key market, is expected to adversely impact the Group’s performance in 2019 2H. Nevertheless, the Group is in a resilient position to withstand difficult market conditions, sustained by its expanding global network and diverse range of businesses. Taking into consideration the challenging market outlook, the Group will remain watchful and keep reinforcing its foundation through enhancing its service capabilities, expanding its network presence and enlarging its business scale.”

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  • Lucasfilm to launch LEGO Star Wars Battles mobile game

    Lucasfilm to launch LEGO Star Wars Battles mobile game

    To be successful, you’ll have to collect and upgrade characters and vehicles, build LEGO towers to combat, defend and capture territory, as well as create both light and dark side armies.

    LEGO Star Wars Battles includes heroes and villains that have never been featured in any other LEG Star Wars game, such as Rey and Kylo Ren, the First Order’s BB-9E, and a Duros rebel trooper inspired by Star Wars Battlefront.

    There will be more than 40 units featuring characters, vehicles, and troops from Star Wars films and animation that can be collected in LEGO Star Wars Battles. Now, the bad news is the game won’t be available any time soon, as Lucasfilm announced LEGO Star Wars Battles will be available in 2020 on the App Store and Google Play, so we’ll just have to wait at six months.

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  • Nearly 70 Percent of Singaporeans Registered to National E-Payment System

    Nearly 70 Percent of Singaporeans Registered to National E-Payment System

    Singapore’s national e-payment system, «PayNow», currently boasts a nearly 70 percent penetration of the city-state’s population with monthly volumes exceeding S$1 billion, an MAS board member recently shared with parliament.

    Ong Ye Kung, minister of education and Monetary Authority of Singapore board member noted that take-up was «encouraging» with more than 65 percent of Singaporeans aged between 20 to 75 years old having already registered, representing 2.8 million accounts.

    Transaction volumes have also increased significantly. Two years ago, PayNow registered 150,000 transactions totaling S$24 million ($17 million) and in July this year, the figures rose to over 5 million and S$1 billion ($720 million), respectively.

    Despite PayNow’s success, Ong noted that Singapore made a conscious decision to keep the playing field open for all.

    «We made a deliberate decision not to have one player dominate the landscape and grow up very quickly,» he said, citing other channels like Apple or Google Pay.

    «Instead, we put in place the backbone infrastructure so that multiple providers can compete and innovate to increase consumer choice while encouraging interoperability. As a result, Singaporeans can now make e-payments in multiple ways which are simple, swift and secure.»

    Although corporate adoption has lagged its retail counterpart, Ong remains optimistic. Its corporate business currently serves entities representing half of the total unique entity number (UEN) issued in Singapore, an ID number required to interact with government agencies. It has 20 percent penetration rate of retail acceptance across hawker centers, supermarkets, healthcare and various F&B businesses.

    As a result, the ratio of cash and cheque’s relative usage to e-payments have decreased significantly. Cheques have fallen 8 percent per year over the past three years while the cash ratio dropped from 53 percent to 33 percent in the same period.

    When asked about pushing greater usage from banks, Ong agreed that the MAS should encourage the sector to promote PayNow corporates while also charging for cheques.

    «And I think having this carrot-and-stick, push-and-pull approach will continue to see higher take-up of pay now corporate,» he said.

  • AirAsia eager to introduce bio-fuel powered flight, supported by Airbus

    AirAsia eager to introduce bio-fuel powered flight, supported by Airbus

    AirAsia Group Bhd is expected to introduce a biofuel-powered flight in the future as the airline initiated research and developments (R&D) into aviation biofuels supported by Airbus SE.

    Group chief executive officer Tan Sri Tony Fernandes has expressed interest to explore the production of alternative and sustainable aviation biofuels in Malaysia.

    “However, it is too early to comment right now but obviously, we as an airline would like to do more in biofuels. We can not do it alone. So, it is great that Airbus supports our vision of trying to get biofuels into the aircraft. Hopefully that dream is not so far away with Airbus’ support,” Fernandes said after the signing ceremony between AirAsia and Airbus involving the airline’s 42 new aircraft orders in Kuala Lumpur last Friday.

    Market observers believe the move likely to cut the group’s jet fuel cost and reduce carbon emissions.

    Fernandes said aviation biofuels R&D requires a lot of work involving comprehensive studies on how the alternative fuel burns compared with the conventional kerosene jet fuels.

    He said technical support from airframe maker Airbus SE would facilitate the airline’s initiative to develop its aviation biofuels.

    Airbus had last Friday announced it would increase participation in the Aerospace Malaysia Innovation Centre (AMIC) to provide more funds for joint research programs.

    Airbus is also one of AMIC founders, which is set to appoint an Innovation Technical Director to support the non-profit organization including into aviation biofuels in Malaysia.

    This was also part of Airbus’ US$120 million (RM505 million) planned investments announced last week comprising three initiatives to further develop Malaysia’s aviation and aerospace industry.

    Under the initiatives for AMIC, Airbus said the programs benefitting from additional funding such as alternative and sustainable aviation biofuels.

    Inter’s Romelu Lukaku was allegedly subjected to racial abuse during the match against Cagliari at Sardegna Arena Stadium in Cagliari, Italy. – EPA

    Chief executive officer Gauillaume Faury said Airbus’ new initiatives also include the expansion of the company’s wholly-owned maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) facility – Sepang Aircraft Engineering (SAE); and the establishment of the Airbus Malaysia Digital Initiative.

    “These initiatives will significantly enhance our presence in Malaysia, which is one of our most important markets in Asia,” he said at a press conference at the signing ceremony of the firm order between AirAsia Group and Airbus here, recently.

    He said Airbus’ initiatives would also strengthen its win-win partnerships with Malaysia, contributing to the development of the Malaysian aerospace sector and enabling the company to benefit from the competencies and skills available in the country.

    Major airlines had been experimenting for years with biofuels in an effort to reduce both carbon emissions and their reliance on fossil fuels.

    According to Bloomberg, several major carriers were planning larger-scale usage of biofuel in 2019 and 2020, including JetBlue Airways Corp and Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd.

    Meanwhile, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) had approved a resolution that called on governments to continue working towards the implementation of the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA).

    Having agreed through the United Nations’ International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), CORSIA would limit net carbon dioxide emissions from international aviation at 2020 levels to achieve carbon-neutral growth.

    The first test flight with biojet fuel was undertaken by Virgin Atlantic in 2008. As at June 2019, more than 180,000 commercial flights using sustainable aviation fuels have been performed, according to IATA.

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  • Fenty Beauty by Rihanna launched in Hong Kong

    Fenty Beauty by Rihanna launched in Hong Kong

    Luxury travel retailer DFS will debut cosmetics brand Fenty Beauty by Rihanna in downtown T Galleria locations in Hong Kong and Macau today.

    DFS will stock Fenty Beauty by Rihanna exclusively in Macau and be one of the first retailers in Hong Kong to introduce the brand.

    Singer Rihanna developed her global makeup line in partnership with Kendo Brands, an LVMH-owned beauty developer, in 2017. Now the company has created a full Maison for Fenty.

    The range of artistry-quality products are inspired by Rihanna’s vision of ensuring people everywhere feel included, with a focus on skin tones that have been traditionally underrepresented in the beauty industry.

    “I created Fenty Beauty because I wanted to make a beauty brand that is inclusive for people everywhere,” said Rihanna. “I want everyone to feel beautiful, recognized and empowered, no matter their ethnicity, culture, skin tone or style.”

    DFS Group chairman and CEO Ed Brennan described Rihanna as a “multi-talented entrepreneur who embraces diversity, applauds curiosity and instills playfulness – qualities that we at DFS also value and promote”.