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Tag: asia

  • Hyundai Mobis Builds Camera System To Replace Vehicle Side Mirrors

    Hyundai Mobis Builds Camera System To Replace Vehicle Side Mirrors

    South Korea’s largest auto parts maker Hyundai Mobis on Sunday said it has developed a camera monitoring system that will replace side-view mirrors in next-generation vehicles. With the advanced sensor technology, Hyundai Mobis has joined a couple of global future mobility developers and it aims to export the technology to carmakers, Yonhap news agency reported.

    Three high-performance camera sensors inside the vehicle will not only increase driving safety by significantly reducing blind spots, and but also improve fuel efficiency as side-view mirrors will be hidden inside the car, Hyundai Mobis said in a statement.

    “The paradigm shift to the future car is demanding both functional and design upgrades of all core components, which have been taken for granted until today,” Vice President Gregory Baratoff in charge of autonomous vehicle development at Hyundai Mobis said in the statement.

    The company will not only develop element technologies, like sensors and solutions based on them, but also the core parts portfolio that it has already secured in accordance with the future car era, he said.

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  • Bali bakery Starter Lab to open in Singapore

    Bali bakery Starter Lab to open in Singapore

    Bali-based bakery Starter Lab is opening its first overseas branch in Singapore.

    Located at 721 Havelock Road, Singapore’s Starter Lab will be able to host up to 35 people around a communal table and bars, offering take-away coffee and bread.

    Its menu is expected to feature seven types of sourdough loaves each day, and flavours such as Rosemary Lemon and Sea Salt Sourdough, Garlic Confit & Parmesan, as well as Salted Egg & Curry Leaf.

    There will also be sandwiches and pastries on the menu, banana bread, scones and cookies.

    Starter Lab has already launched pop-ups in Singapore, including at Camp Kilo Charcoal Club.

    Founded by Emerson Manibo, who worked at NYC’s three Michelin-starred restaurant Per Se, Della Fattoria and Tartine Bakery, Starter Lab is famous for its American-style sourdough bread.

  • SMCP launched Sandro on Farfetch

    SMCP launched Sandro on Farfetch

    Fashion group SMCP is to launch its Sandro brand on Farfetch. The Chinese-controlled, French-based affordable luxury retailer says the 13 million-plus clients per month around the world that Farfetch attracts will be an ideal partner to enable Sandro to address a wider, premium customer base.

    “We are delighted with this new partnership with one of the major digital players of the luxury sector,” said Sandro CEO Isabelle Allouch.  “We are convinced that having our products on Farfetch will contribute to Sandro’s digital expansion across the globe, positioning it as a high-end luxury brand and enhancing its worldwide visibility and awareness.”

    She said the partnership marks a key milestone in the global roll-out of SMCP’s digital strategy, bringing together online and offline shopping.

    “It perfectly complements the group’s growing digital presence alongside the successful global deployment of our own websites, and further diversifies its digital sales channels, enabling the group to reach more than 190 countries across the world.”

    The partnership comes just three months after the announcement of a landmark partnership with JD.

  • Taiwan’s Crowd-pleasing KiKi Noodle Bar Launching in Hong Kong at IFC Mall

    Taiwan’s Crowd-pleasing KiKi Noodle Bar Launching in Hong Kong at IFC Mall

    Taiwan’s famed KiKi Noodle Bar (KiKi Tea) is launching in Hong Kong in late-July at ifc Mall in Central. In collaboration with renowned Hong Kong hospitality group Lai Sun Dining, the brand expands internationally to Hong Kong following last year’s phenomenal successful debut in Taipei – endorsed by celebrities including superstar actress Shu Qi.

    The Hong Kong flagship also opens hot-on-the-heels of a Shanghai branch last month.

    International expansion of dedicated KiKi Noodle Bar (KiKi Tea)branches builds on the Hong Kong success story of the brand’s iconic sun-dried KiKi Noodles, handmade from just flour and water, popular for being 100% natural and healthy, and authentic Taiwanese tea and bubbles sensation KiKi Tea.

    To celebrate the Hong Kong launch, Michelin three-starred Chef Albert Au Kwok Keung has created two exclusive KiKi noodle dishes complementing the brand’s menu of signature dishes and KiKi teas.

    Chef Au’s adaptation of KiKi’s popular sun-dried, handmade noodles is showcased with KiKi Meat Dumpling Mixed Noodles, Scallion Oil; and classic Chinese favourite, Abalone and Fish Maw Noodles in Chicken Soup.

    Signature dishes at KiKi Noodle Bar (KiKi Tea) meanwhile include ‘instagrammable’ crowd-pleaser Stir-fried Minced Pork Mixed Noodles with Chive Flowers and Fermented Black Bean, with black beans sprinkled atop to mimic fly heads, mixed with crunching chive flowers, chili and savoury stir-fried minced pork; Sichuan Spicy Tofu Noodles in Soup, Duck Blood and Sliced Pork packing a punch of spice; and comforting classic KiKi Dan Dan Noodles.

    Complementing dishes is a KiKi Tea menu of bubble-teas brewed from a traditional Taiwanese recipe, headlined by classic favourites such as refreshing Pineapple Green Teapresso; and Winter Melon Tea, pairing with Sichuan-pepper-flavoured “pearls” and fluffy cream mousse.

    To celebrate the ifc Mall opening, new tea specialties to beat the summer heat are also to be unveiled. Peach Oolong Tea topped with Mango Cream Mousse and Coconut Jelly is made with signature Taiwanese Irwin mango, for distinct sweetness and refreshing taste; and Winter Melon Tea, Aiyu Jelly and Coconut Jelly  is inspired by Taiwan’s favourite summer cooler, winter melon tea.

    The sweet craze extends to classic tea-style desserts including Earl Grey Chiffon Cake with Brown Sugar Pearls and Chestnut Mont Blanc. 

    KiKi Noodle Bar (KiKi Tea) seats 32 over around 700 sq ft on Podium Level Two of ifc Mall. Interior design is in neutral and rustic colour for a sense of Zen courtyard minimalism as a restful haven in the heart of Central.  Communal oak tables foster a sense of warmth encouraging customer interaction.

    A pre-opening promotion is launched at KiKi Tea @ Sun’s Bazaar at Pacific Place mall offers diners spending at least HK$500 vouchers worth HK$50 to spend at the new KiKi Noodle Bar (KiKi Tea) at ifc Mall.

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  • Beiersdorf’s Best-Selling Brands Record Over 300% YoY Sales Growth on Shopee

    Beiersdorf’s Best-Selling Brands Record Over 300% YoY Sales Growth on Shopee

    Shopee, the leading e-commerce platform in Southeast Asia and Taiwan and Beiersdorf, a global skin care company, cement their long-term regional partnership with the launch of a brand new campaign, ‘Win the Day with NIVEA and EUCERIN’, engaging close to over 200 million users across the region.

    This comes on the back of Beiersdorf’s 1st anniversary with Shopee. Sales of Beiersdorf’s top brands, NIVEA and EUCERIN, across Southeast Asia increased by more than 300% year-on-year, demonstrating Beiersdorf’s successful foray into e-commerce and Shopee’s commitment to deliver the best outcomes for brands.

    Cornelius Becker, Managing Director of Beiersdorf South East Asia said, “The past year with Shopee has been a resounding success. We have seen a significant boost in sales and our partnership with Shopee has helped to strengthen our overall online presence as well as reach out to new consumer segments. With that, I am happy to announce our new campaign ‘Win the Day with NIVEA and EUCERIN’, providing customers easy access to our most-loved products.”

    A champion in empowering brands and sellers across Southeast Asia, Shopee provides Beiersdorf key operational and marketing solutions to drive sales and bolster consumer engagement. This includes exclusive in-app branding to boost brand image and visibility, as well as in-app consumer games to give shoppers an entertaining online shopping experience.

    “Our continued partnership with Beiersdorf is a demonstration of our commitment to bring consumers the quality products they seek, and to elevate the user experience through exciting and meaningful features. Such partnerships are vital to us as consumers today increasingly look towards online platforms such as Shopee to access their favourite brands and products,” said Ian Ho, Regional Managing Director, Shopee.

    The campaign, “Win the Day with NIVEA and EUCERIN”, aims to help consumers, especially the younger consumer segment, kick-start a daily skin care regime to help protect their skin against various problems and to ultimately boost one’s confidence. Consumers are able to purchase a wide variety of products including moisturisers, face cleansers and deodorants. Highlights of the campaign include:

    • Discounts and Promotions: Enjoy 25% off all NIVEA, EUCERIN and Hansaplast products. Get $5 off $25 and $8 off $40 vouchers.
    • Daily Prize Giveaways: Free travel size NIVEA Professional Micellar Water (125ml) with every purchase
    • Skincare Pro-Tips: Look forward to daily skincare pro-tips, great for those new to a skincare routine or for anyone who simply wants to know how to take better care of their skin.

    All NIVEA and EUCERIN products can be found via the Beiersdorf Official Store on Shopee, under Shopee Mall, which offers 15-days free returns, 100% authenticity, and free shipping on orders over $25.

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  • Lotte Duty Free online sales up

    Lotte Duty Free online sales up

    Online store sales at Lotte Duty Free (LDF) increased by 49 percent year on year to KRW1.4 trillion (US$1.85 billion) during the first half of this year.

    The firm is targeting total online sales of KRW2.9 trillion ($2.46 billion) by the end of the year, following around KRW2 trillion in sales last year – an increase of 46.3 percent over 2017 results. It welcomes an average of 5.4 million active users per month on its retail platform and is on track to take in 30 percent of its total revenues from online sales within five years.

    LDF’s online store offers roughly 87,000 products from almost 2000 brands, around 324 of which are Korean-industry-exclusives such as Filorga, Eve Lom, S. Maria Novella, Barbour, Dr. Martens, Crocs, Joseph&Stacey, Primage, and Lucky Chouette.

    According to the firm, it is the only online duty free operator supporting four languages – Korean, English, Japanese, and Chinese (both simplified and traditional). The addition of traditional Chinese characters in September last year contributed to a 291 percent boost from countries using the character set, including Taiwan, Singapore and Hong Kong.

    The online platform has recently introduced several measures to improve its online services. It monitors real-time congestion levels at its Incheon Airport pick-up counters and has recently relaxed conditions for online VIP membership. The firm has also been conspicuously targeting a younger market with partnerships with other online platforms – supermarket Market Kurly and fashion retailer W Concept – popular with that demographic. Lotte also markets throughout its subsidiary platforms via other Lotte-branded online services.

  • Hong Kong protests affect Richemont sales

    Hong Kong protests affect Richemont sales

    Protests in Hong Kong have likely contributed to an unexpected drop in revenues for Richemont sales in a key luxury market.

    The Cartier timepiece brand owner saw a 2-per-cent drop in sales in the last quarter and experienced a 3.9-per-cent fall in its stock price.

    The effect has not been across the board within the luxury sector: competitors Burberry and Swatch announced positive results for the period, although Swatch did also note the impact on sales following the highly publicized protests.

    Part of the difference in results lies in a recent inventory glut for Richemont over the past two-to-three years, compelling the firm to buy back unsold products from the market. According to the firm, the measured distribution tactics are intended to make its products scarcer, and that its new watches will be released in the next quarter.

    Shipments of Swiss watches to Hong Kong dropped 27 percent in June, averaging 6.6 percent for the first half. The decline corresponds with a general drop in Swiss watch exports, which fell 11 percent in June, partially set off by a boom in the mainland Chinese luxury industry, shifting sales away from Hong Kong where margins are typically higher due to lower taxes.

    Boosted sales on the mainland did help Richemont post a 9-per-cent rise in comparable revenue for the quarter to June 30, offsetting the effect of the Hong Kong protests.

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  • Porsche To Use Holoride’s Virtual Reality Tech To Keep Rear Passengers Entertained

    Porsche To Use Holoride’s Virtual Reality Tech To Keep Rear Passengers Entertained

    Porsche has collaborated with Munich-based entertainment firm Holoride to come out with a special Virtual Reality (VR) based entertainment device for rear passengers. Recently unveiled at the Start-up Autobahn Expo Day, the immersive virtual entertainment tech uses a VR headset with sensors, which is paired to the vehicle so that its content can be adapted to the car’s driving movements in real-time. With this new tech, the German luxury and sports carmaker is trying to show what entertainment could be like in the future for the backseat passenger in a Porsche.

    How this device essentially works is, suppose the car is being driven around the curve, the virtual vehicle that the passenger is traveling in, let’s say, for example, a space shuttle, will also change direction. The company says that this results in a highly immersive experience, which significantly reduces the symptoms of motion sickness. Although still in prototype stage, Porsche says In future, the system will also, for example, be able to evaluate navigation data to adapt the length of a VR game to the calculated duration of the journey. This technology can be used to integrate other entertainment services such as watching a film or even virtual conferences, the applications are many. Also, as Holoroid has an open platform approach, car manufacturers and content producers can customize the content to adapt to driving time, motion, and context.

    Nils Wollny, CEO of Holoride founded the entertainment tech start-up at the end of 2018 with his partners, Marcus Kuhne and Daniel Profendiner. Using the Start-up Autobahn platform, the up-and-coming company has now shown that their “holoride” software works seamlessly with manufacturers’ vehicle data for motion-synchronized, real-time generation of virtual reality (VR) and cross-reality (XR) content.

    Porsche will have the new VR technology on display and to experience at the upcoming Frankfurt Motor Show, from September 20, 2019. Under the motto “Next Visions. Change the Game – Create tomorrow”, Porsche is inviting innovators and partners to the motor show to discuss the future of mobility.

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  • Uniqlo India set to open first three stores

    Uniqlo India set to open first three stores

    Uniqlo India is counting down to the launch of its first three stores in India.

    The Japanese fast-fashion retailer first announced plans to open in India in late 2017 and it has taken more than 18 months to secure necessary approvals, locations and prepare operations.

    The stores will open in Delhi-NCR, with the first 35,000sqft outlet due to start trading in three months’ time. The move is part of the brand’s global strategy to gain ground on rival brands Zara and H&M.

    “The opening of our first store, Uniqlo Ambience Mall Vasant Kunj, followed by a second and third store a little later represents a significant step in our company’s global strategy,” said Uniqlo founder and Fast Retailing chairman, president and CEO Tadashi Yanai.

    A Uniqlo India spokesperson added: “Given the size and fast growth of the Indian market, the launch will for the first time involve three separate stores to be able to offer LifeWear to as many people as possible”.

    “We have to do the best price point based on our quality,” said the firm’s head of research & development Yuki Katsuta. “I have confidence in our price and also our value. Of course, we know, maybe our price point is slightly more expensive than your local market. People feel that it’s a little bit more expensive to what they’re used to buying. But at the same time, we have confidence that once they buy it we don’t let them down.”

    Uniqlo India has been helped by the government’s relaxation of sourcing restrictions for single-brand retailers, which currently stand at 30 per cent mandatory local sourcing.

  • Instagram tests hidden like counts in Australia

    Instagram tests hidden like counts in Australia

    Some Instagram users in Australia are no longer able to see exactly how many likes other users’ posts have received, after the social media platform expanded a test to hide like counts to more countries today.

    Instagram has been testing hidden like counts in Canada for the past 2.5 months, and on Thursday, the platform expanded the test to six more countries, including Australia and New Zealand.

    According to reports, users involved in the test can still see how many likes their own posts receive, but the number is not made public, unless they opt out of the test. Instead, posts show the usernames of one or two people, and say they and “others” have liked the post.

    The company, which is owned by Facebook, has said it is exploring whether hidden like counts will encourage users to pay more attention to the photos and videos being shared, rather than the number of likes a post receives.

    The change comes amid growing concern about the impact of social media on users’ mental health, especially young people. A recent study conducted with university students found that those who limited their total time on Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat to 30 minutes per day reported feeling less depressed and lonely.

    The head of Instagram Adam Mosseri recently told the Financial Times that ensuring safety and well-being on the platform is his “number-one priority”.

    In addition to hiding like counts, the platform is also exploring features to reduce bullying on Instagram, such as a new “nudge” feature that will warn users if they’re about to comment something hurtful, and an “away mode” that will enable users to take a break from the platform without deleting their account.

    The platform is also exploring ways to enable users to control how certain people interact with them without having to block them completely.

    But while these measures largely have been welcomed by users, it is unclear how they will impact the millions of businesses that use Instagram to share new products and offerings with consumers.

    Like counts not only give businesses a rough indication of how popular certain products or trends are, they are a key metric for influencers and the brands that hire them.

    An Instagram spokesperson said: We understand that this is important for many creators, and while this test is in exploratory stages, we are thinking through ways for them to communicate value to their brand partners.”

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  • Plant-based meat market to surpass $320 million by 2025

    Plant-based meat market to surpass $320 million by 2025

    The plant-based meat market will rise from US$150 million in 2018 to over US$320 million by 2025, according to a 2019 Global Market Insights, Inc. report.

    Consumers are wanting more meat alternatives, such as those based on wheat, soy, pea, lentils or oats, as awareness about the health benefits of plant based options rises.

    Consumers are now more aware of the environmental problems and it has changed the way they buy, with plants requiring less water and space to grow.

    The 2019 Global Market Insights’ latest report showed that the pea-based meat market demand has significant gains at over 10.5 per cent by 2025.

    In 2018, ground meat wheat-based meat market size was at about $3 million.

    The report found that plant-based brands including DuPont, Amy’s Kitchen, Quorn Foods, Maple Leaf Foods, The Vegetarian Butcher, Impossible Foods and Gardein Protein are the key players in the market currently.

    Many companies are now planning to expand their products with alternatives to exotic red and white meat such as veal, turkey, quail, tune, rabbit, ostrich, venison and elk.

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  • Positive outlook for Singapore retail leasing sector

    Positive outlook for Singapore retail leasing sector

    Ongoing investment-sale activity for malls suggests a positive outlook for the Singapore retail leasing sector, reports Edmund Tie & Company – especially for properties well connected to public transport and offering experiential and activity-based retail options.

    In a report Q2 2019 Real Estate Times for the Singapore market, the property company projects islandwide rental growth will be mixed, ranging from a 2 per cent decline to a 2 per cent increase this year. The low supply pipeline from next year onwards is likely to provide some underlying support to occupancy rates and rental levels.

    Investment market 

    For the second consecutive quarter, investment transaction value (of properties valued above S$100 million) jumped more than 52 per cent quarter on quarter with two transactions totalling $961 million. The largest sale was Chinatown Point for $520 million to a foreign institutional investor.

    The net supply of space fell by about 78 per cent as fewer projects were completed. As such, islandwide occupancy declined slightly by 0.4 percentage points to 90.1 per cent in the first quarter, however, the opening of Funan mall with 325,000sqft net lettable area – with 95 per cent of space pre-leased – is not expected to significantly impact occupancy rates in the second quarter.

    Rental rates 

    Singapore retail leasing rates across the different market segments remained largely flat, as occupancy rates remained high for malls located in prime positions. Upper-storey retail in the Orchard Road/Scotts Road area likely fell slightly due to weakened tourist spending, while the prime malls in the suburban areas continue to attract major brand retailers and new-to-market brands.

    The net demand and supply for retail spaces in suburban areas slowed in the first quarter, with the occupancy rate down marginally.  Prime-located malls with easy transportation access and a diverse and well-managed tenant mix continued to perform relatively well.

    New openings included Cafe Amazon outlets at Jewel Changi and Jurong Point Shopping Centre, and Xing Fu Tang (a Taiwanese bubble tea chain) opened a permanent store at Century Square in the second quarter.

    New space supply pipeline 

    From the third quarter of this year through to 2022, some 1.1 million sqft of retail space is expected to come onstream, with the majority of that to be completed in the second half of this year. The largest will be the Paya Lebar Quarter mall of about 313,000sqft.

    The average annual pipeline of known projects from next year through to 2022 is less than 150,000sqft, which is substantially below the three- and five-year average.

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  • Lee Hwa’s JewelPlay opens at Bugis Junction

    Lee Hwa’s JewelPlay opens at Bugis Junction

    Lee Hwa’s JewelPlay concept has opened at Bugis Junction, promising personalised jewellery and services for weddings.

    Targeting millennial couples and fashion-forward shoppers, the 880sqft concept store features interactive touch-points and spaces geared to showcasing the brand’s bridal jewellery collection, Lee Hwa Romance, as well as its extensive multi-wear series catered to the young and the young-at-heart.

    “Besides the trendsetting multi-wear jewellery for daily wear, we observed a growing demand among young couples,” said Mavis Toh, business director of Lee Hwa Jewellery.

    “We want to be a part of every couple’s unique love journey, from couple bands, to proposal ring, wedding bands, bridal jewellery, and anniversary gifts.”

    She says Lee Hwa’s JewelPlay boutique is providing an engaging space for couples to “revel in the experience and celebrate their love story together”.

    The store features a JewelPlay Mirror in front of which people can try on jewellery for Instagrammable photographs.

    In the ‘Love Cove’ customers can receive a private consultation with a boutique staff member to explore creative bridal styles and personalisation.

    Lee Hwa’s JewelPlay carries the widest selection of bridal jewellery among all of its stores, which includes global jewellery brands such as Destinee, Forevermark and Niessing as well as customisable wedding-band collections such as Ensemble Collection, Niessing Configurator, and Furrer Jacot Ringdividuell.

    Couples can design their own jewellery Lee Hwa Jewellery’s My Personal Designer service.

    Lee Hwa’s JewelPlay has launched a store-exclusive collection to celebrate the boutique’s opening.

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  • SMCP launches Sandro on Farfetch

    SMCP launches Sandro on Farfetch

    Fashion group SMCP is to launch its Sandro brand on Farfetch.

    The Chinese-controlled, French-based affordable luxury retailer says the 13 million-plus clients per month around the world that Farfetch attracts will be an ideal partner to enable Sandro to address a wider, premium customer base.

    “We are delighted with this new partnership with one of the major digital players of the luxury sector,” said Sandro CEO Isabelle Allouch.  “We are convinced that having our products on Farfetch will contribute to Sandro’s digital expansion across the globe, positioning it as a high-end luxury brand and enhancing its worldwide visibility and awareness.”

    She said the partnership marks a key milestone in the global roll-out of SMCP’s digital strategy, bringing together online and offline shopping.

    “It perfectly complements the group’s growing digital presence alongside the successful global deployment of our own websites, and further diversifies its digital sales channels, enabling the group to reach more than 190 countries across the world.”

    The partnership comes just three months after the announcement of a landmark partnership with JD.

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  • Prada to phase out virgin nylon

    Prada to phase out virgin nylon

    Luxury Italian fashion brand Prada has launched six bags made from regenerated nylon, as the first stage in a plan to phase out virgin nylon during the next two years.

    In a project dubbed ReNylon, Prada will replace virgin nylon in its collections by using regenerated nylon yarn called Econyl.

    The first products made with Econyl are a belt bag, shoulder bag, tote bag, a duffle and two backpacks.

    The company will replace all the virgin nylon it currently uses with Econyl recycled nylon in the next two years.

    “Our ultimate goal will be to convert all Prada virgin nylon into ReNylon by the end of 2021,” said head of communications at Prada, Lorenzo Bertelli.

    Prada has collaborated with Italian textile yarn producer Aquafil on the project, a manufacturer with more than 50 years experience in producing synthetic textiles.

    The resulting material, Econyl, is produced through a process of depolymerisation. It can be recycled an indefinite number of times with no loss of material quality.