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Tag: canada

  • Suicoke takes first step into Canada

    Suicoke takes first step into Canada

    Cult Japanese performance sandal brand Suicoke has entered the Canadian market.

    Its styles are being made available through its first-ever eCommerce website, Suicoke.ca, as well as in luxury Canadian retailers including Gravity Pope, Haven Shop, Holt Renfrew, Ssense and TNT. The brand is being distributed by wholesale multi-brand sales and distribution agency, Slavin Raphael.

    Canadian shoppers can now buy Suicoke’s latest collection, characterised by the brand’s signature details such as neoprene panels, adjustable nylon straps and Vibram Morflex soles.

    “Suicoke provides a fresh and innovative take on the sandal,” says Slavin Raphael partner Avi Raphael.

    Suicoke was established in 2006.

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  • Jollibee Winnipeg first Canadian foothold

    Jollibee Winnipeg first Canadian foothold

    Filipino restaurant company and global fast-food chain Jollibee Foods Corporation (JFC) has opened its first Canadian outlet, Jollibee Winnipeg.

    With 35 stores already in North America, it plans to continue its march into Canada with three more outlets next year, at Winnipeg Northgate, Scarborough, and Mississauga, to be followed by Edmonton in 2018.

    In the US, it is also set to open its first store in the state of Florida, in Jacksonville, and its first store for Manhattan, New York.

    “It has been a joy to see the happiness families experience when visiting our locations in the US, and we are thrilled to now bring that same feeling into Canada at such a festive time like this,” says JFC group president for north America and foreign franchise brands Jose Minana.

    “Winnipeg is a fitting choice for Jollibee’s first Canadian store because it has largest density of Filipinos to the total population of the city,” says JFC North America VP/GM Maribeth dela Cruz.

    JFC is currently the largest Asian restaurant company in market capitalisation, working in 12 markets including Brunei, China, Hong Kong, Singapore and Vietnam. It has 3236 stores globally, of which 1111 are Jollibee branded. Other brands in its portfolio are Burger King, Chowking, Greenwich, Hong Zhuang Yuanm Mang Inasal, Red Ribbon and Yonghe King.

    JFC also has investments with the brands 12 Hotpot, Highlands Coffee, Pho 24, Dunkin Donuts in China, and US-based burger chain Smashburger.

  • Tim Hortons plans expansion into Southeast Asia starting with the Philippines

    Tim Hortons plans expansion into Southeast Asia starting with the Philippines

    People craving a jolt of caffeine in the Philippines may soon be able to order a double-double at their local Tim Hortons.

    Restaurant Brands International, the multinational owner and operator of Tim Hortons and Burger King, said Thursday it has partnered with a group of investors to establish a master franchise joint venture company to sell the fast-food chain’s coffee and doughnuts in the Southeast Asian country.

    RBI chose the Philippines for its first stop in Southeast Asia because the country has a strong economy and a fast-growing quick-service market, said CEO Daniel Schwartz.

    The Philippines also boasts “a population that has an affinity for coffee and baked goods,” Schwartz added, including those of Tim Hortons’s, the company determined after months of market research.

    RBI didn’t say how many shops it plans to open in the Philippines. But chief financial officer Joshua Kobza said, “We aim to be a leader in the market.”

    Kobza hinted Tim Hortons would aim to match the level of some of its rivals in the local market — many of which boast hundreds of restaurants in the country, he said.

    The stores will serve many of the same staples as Canadian locations, like Timbits and iced capps, as well as some surprises, he added.

    “You’ll have a mix of the kind of products that we know and love here in Canada and some new products.”

    But details about any new offerings likely won’t be divulged until the first Philippines location opens, which Kobza and Schwartz said will open as soon as possible.

    RBI views Tim Hortons’z expansion to the Philippines as a gateway into other markets within the sub-region and other parts of the continent, noted Schwartz.

    Since Tim Hortons and Burger King merged into RBI in late 2014, the company’s been focused on taking the master franchise joint venture model that’s proved successful for Burger King and applying it to help Tim Hortons grow globally.

    “We think it’s a great opportunity,” Schwartz said.

    More international expansion announcements are expected from the company in the future, but all Schwartz will say is, “Stay tuned.”

    The restaurant chain has 4,438 restaurants, not including its 411 limited-service kiosks, as of March 31, 2016, the company’s latest quarterly report said.

    According to Tim Hortons’s 2015 annual report (when it had 25 fewer locations), the majority of those stores are in Canada, with 14.7 per cent in the U.S. and 2.6 per cent in the Middle East.

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  • ‘Energy drink’ for your mobile phone

    ‘Energy drink’ for your mobile phone

    EVER get that sinking feeling when the last of the battery drains from your mobile phone while in the middle of something? What makes it worse is that you haven’t got your power bank with you, and there’s not a plug point in sight! Now, a cute-looking product called MoBeeGo – a one-time mobile phone charger may just be the answer you have been waiting for.

    The cute black and yellow miniature barrels are able to juice up your dying mobile phones for another four hours maximum. Produced by NASDAQ-listed Life Clips Inc, MoBeeGo is an innovative one-time charger that does not require any pre-charging nor the use of cumbersome cords. Brought in to Malaysia by Kelvin Hun and Edric Foong, the founders of Veloster Technology, a local company that specialises in cutting-edge devices and technological gadgets, MoBeeGo is designed with two elements.

    One is a re-usable ultra-compact adapter – there are separate ones available for Google Android and Apple iOs smartphones – that connects to the phone’s charging outlet. The second element is the battery can (shaped to look like a can of an energy drink) or charging unit, which is mounted onto the adapter that attaches to the phone. The charger is tiny and can be easily stored in pockets, purses, and bags. The battery has a 10-year shelf life, enabling consumers to keep them on hand for prolonged periods.

    According to Hun, the battery is hardy enough to withstand extreme temperatures of up to minus 12 and still be able to function well. That’s certainly good news for those planning to travel to cold places this winter. He also added that MoBeeGo is intended to offer convenience and safety, and to be an immediate solution to complement the busy lifestyle of today’s mobile consumers who often carry multiple devices at a time. “With today’s busy lifestyle, we rely heavily on our mobile devices to keep us connected to the world around us.

    Whether we are searching for places to eat on our mobile or playing games during our commute, today’s mobile apps consume lot of power from your devices. The problem lies in trying to squeeze a full day’s worth of power into such mobile devices. Hence, MoBeeGo is designed with ease of use in mind and lets you charge instantly when you need it – anytime and anywhere,” said Hun. The charger and battery is easily available from local stores from next week onwards.

    In the meantime, Veloster Technology is planning to further expand the network of stores where MoBeeGo can be made available. “We are thrilled to have myNEWS as the first convenience retail chain for our award-winning charger. We look forward to expanding our distribution network to even more stores and new markets such as check-out counters in pharmacies, grocery stores, cafes, magazine kiosks, shopping malls, airports and other places where people shop in the near future. So the next time you are running low on battery, just grab a can from the stores, plug it in and go!” said Hun.

    MoBeeGo batteries are recyclable. MoBeeGo is currently sold in 14 countries including Canada, United Kingdom, Malaysia, France and Russia. It recently received an Honourable Mention on the Red Dot Design Award: Product Design this year. The Red Dot Design Award is an international product design and communication design prize awarded by the Design Zentrum Nordrhein Westfalen in Essen, Germany.

  • Woodland looking at franchising

    Woodland looking at franchising

    Indian footwear and outdoor gear brand Woodland is planning to open stores in China, Malaysia and Singapore along with franchising its brand in other markets.

    Woodland is also taking the eCommerce route as part of its expansion, and is hiring social-media teams to run campaigns and online selling platforms in local languages.

    After announcing plans two years ago to launch 25 stores across China, it has subsequently opened “about a dozen stores” in Hong Kong. Its products are available through distributors in Singapore, and the company plans to enhance its global distributor networks. It aims to add at least 10 retail outlets internationally over the next two years.

    While the first few international stores will be company owned, MD Harkirat Singh says Woodland is open to franchisee formats for serious investors. The global stores will be a mix of independent stores and shops in shops.

    Singh says the product line in international markets will be customised to suit the region’s climate. according to the climatic conditions of the region. Woodland looks to tap the fast-growing extreme-weather outdoor gear market both in national and international markets, and claims to already have an 80 per cent market share in this segment in India.

    “While we have grown at an average of 15 to 20 per cent year-on-year in the past two to three years, the outdoor category has grown exceptionally in the past five years, says Singh. “Outdoor gear has become a lifestyle item, making our brand more popular.”

    Founded in Canada in 1992, Woodland is owned by Delhi-based Aero Group, which has its own leather-tanning and production units in Bangladesh, Canada, China, Indonesia, Macau, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, The Philippines and Vietnam, and as well as India.

  • Hip & Bone China plans 50 stores

    Hip & Bone China plans 50 stores

    Fast-rising Canadian street sportswear fashion label Hip & Bone has formed a joint venture with MRH SpaRotica Groupe to roll out 50 stores in China over the next five years.

    Hip & Bone China will leverage the existing MRH vertical and franchise networks providing a unique platform for collaboration and a dedicated Hip & Bone design studio in Shanghai. More than 50 Hip & Bone retail stores will be developed within five years, the first five due to open during Spring/Summer 2016.

    “Hip & Bone epitomises our dedication to evocative premium fashion brands that forge emotional connections with consumers, with design that’s ever relevant to millennial generations globally” said Richard Kisembo, MRH CEO.

    “We are dedicated to developing design language in product and marketing that crosses the cultural bar through a more engaging product array that’s ‘market right’. The Hip & Bone design center in Shanghai was opened in August as a base dedicated to deciphering local design trends and customising style for the ardent Hip & Bone Chinese consumer.”

    Carlos Fogelman, CEO of Hip & Bone, says participation in fashion weeks in Shanghai, Berlin, Mila, Toronto and New York has helped the brand “transcend borders and cultures with outstanding reviews across major publications”.

    “We are excited about this partnership.  MRH SpaRotica Groupe is comprised of an outstanding group of people who are tremendously experienced in the Chinese market. Their passion and  keen business sense are fundamental to the growth of Hip & Bone in this exhilarating market,” said Fogelman.

    Established just three years ago, Hip and Bone has quickly built a strong profile in the street sportswear clothing and accessories market, with a wide range of products and lines ranging from clothing, leather accessories, footwear and jewellery.

    “Hip & Bone revives the modern man’s wardrobe with an array of redefined basics. Designed to endure changing tastes and fashions, Hip & Bone fuses luxurious materials with relaxed silhouettes to be enjoyed in an everyday setting,” the company says in a self-description.

    MRH owns and operates retail stores, distributes merchandise through franchisees, and operates eCommerce websites in the fashion & leather goods; lingerie & intimate goods; perfume, body & cosmetics; and selective retailing sectors.

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  • Apple IPhone 6s, IPhone 6s Plus To Be Available At Retail Stores From Friday

    Apple IPhone 6s, IPhone 6s Plus To Be Available At Retail Stores From Friday

    Apple Inc. said Monday that its latest smartphones, the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus, will be available at the technology giant’s retail stores at 8 a.m. local time on Friday, September 25.

    The company also noted that more than 50 percent of existing devices have upgraded to iOS 9, its newest mobile operating software that was rolled out last week, marking the fastest iOS adoption ever.

    Apple said its retail stores will have the new iPhones available for walk-in customers, who should arrive at a store early. Both models will also be available on Friday from AT&T Inc. ( T ), Sprint Corp. ( S ), T-Mobile US Inc. ( TMUS ), Verizon Wireless, additional carriers and select Apple authorized resellers.

    Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing said, “Customer response to the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus has been incredibly positive, we can’t wait to get our most advanced iPhones ever into customers’ hands starting this Friday. iOS 9 is also off to an amazing start, on pace to be downloaded by more users than any other software release in Apple’s history.”

    In early September, Apple unveiled its iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus smartphones with a faster processor, new 3D Touch capabilities and an improved camera, seeking to woo customers ahead of the holiday season and to assuage investors that its flagship device still has the mojo to sustain growth.

    The phones, which look like their predecessors, are powered by A9 chip, have a new feature called 3D Touch that lets users make commands as well as avail shortcuts and menus by pressing down on the screen.

    Last Monday, Apple said it is on track to beat last year’s record for first weekend sales of iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, when sales breached the 10 million mark within just three days of its sales launch on September 19, 2014.

    The iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus will be available in gold, silver, space gray and the new rose gold metallic finishes for $0 down, with 24 monthly installment payments that start at $27 and $31 respectively, from Apple’s retail stores in the U.S., Apple.com, select carriers and Apple authorized resellers.

    Both the smartphone models will also be available from Friday in Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, New Zealand, Puerto Rico, Singapore, the UK and the U.S. The iPhone will be available by reservation only in China, Hong Kong, Japan and U.S. stores in tax-free states.

    Starting this Saturday, September 26, customers will be able to visit Apple.com to reserve their iPhone for pick-up at their local Apple Store, based on availability. Apple noted that most Apple stores will also have iPhone available for walk-in customers each day.

    Every customer who buys an iPhone 6s or iPhone 6s Plus at an Apple retail store will be offered free Personal Setup to help them customize their iPhone by setting up email and show them new apps from the App Store.

    Apple-designed accessories, such as leather and silicone cases in different colors and Lightning Docks in color-matched metallic finishes, will also be available.

    While unveiling the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus earlier in September, Apple had said that the devices will come with iOS 9, which would be available as a free software update.

    iOS 9 brings more features to iPhone with a Proactive assistant that is similar to Android’s Google Now service, powerful search and improved Siri features, along with an improved security feature.

    Built-in apps on iOS 9 feature redesigned Notes app, detailed transit information in Maps, and a new News app that displays news from several sources.

    AAPL is trading at $114.33, up $0.88 or 0.78 on a volume of 4.44 million shares.

     

     

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  • SSI to launch Joe Recent Philippines

    SSI to launch Joe Recent Philippines

    SSI subsidiary Shops Specialists has obtained the franchise for the Joe Recent style model within the Philippines.

    SSI will open a sequence of Joe Recent Philippines shops underneath licence from Loblaw, the Canadian retail big which owns the model.

    The primary shops will open subsequent yr, ranging attire, equipment, footwear and wonder merchandise for ladies, males and youngsters.

    “Joe Recent additional strengthens our lineup of worth manufacturers, permitting us to faucet and delight a fair broader base of Philippine shoppers,” SSI President Anthony T. Huang stated in a press release.

    With 350 shops in Canada, Joe Recent began increasing outdoors North America in 2014, opening shops with companions in Egypt, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, and the UAE.

    “We’re happy to introduce Joe Recent to the increasing Philippines retail panorama,” Joe Recent president Mario Grauso stated.

    SSI, mum or dad of the Rustan Group, additionally owns the FamilyMart and Wellworth retail operations within the Philippines.

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  • SSI brings Canadian fashion retailer Joe Fresh to PH

    SSI brings Canadian fashion retailer Joe Fresh to PH

    Specialty retailer SSI Group has entered into a deal to bring to the Philippines Joe Fresh, one of Canada’s leading fashion retailers.

    In a disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange, SSI said it had entered into a franchise partnership with Loblaw Companies Ltd. and its affiliates, the owners of Joe Fresh, to open free- standing Joe Fresh stores in the local market starting first half of 2016.

    “We are very excited for the addition of Joe Fresh to our portfolio of brands. Joe Fresh further strengthens our lineup of value brands, allowing us to tap and delight an even broader base of Philippine consumers,” SSI president Anthony Huang said in a press statement.

    “We are pleased to introduce Joe Fresh to the expanding Philippines retail landscape. There is no better partner than SSI Group, Inc. to deliver our message of essential, modern style and exceptional value to this dynamic market. Building on SSI Group’s unparalleled expertise in the region, we look forward to creating an exciting and accessible new fashion choice for consumers in the Philippines,” said Mario Grauso, President of Joe Fresh.

    Founded in 2006, Joe Fresh offers what have been described as “well-designed” and “well-priced” collections for women, men and children. Assortments include apparel, accessories, footwear and cosmetics. The brand is sold in over 350 locations in Canada, including 12 freestanding stores and using online platform JoeFresh.com. In the United States, Joe Fresh is available in four freestanding stores and online.

    Since 2014, Joe Fresh has entered new overseas markets like Egypt, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, and the United Arab Emirates with local partners.

    For its part, the Tantoco family-led SSI represents 112 brands in more than 740 stores across the Philippines. In partnership with Ayala Land, Inc. and FamilyMart Japan, SSI also operates the FamilyMart chain of convenience stores and, together with Ayala Land, the Wellworth department store chain.

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  • BlackBerry lays off employees to be worthwhile

    BlackBerry lays off employees to be worthwhile

    BLACKBERRY is shedding an unspecified variety of staff around the globe because the struggling smartphone vendor tries to make its gadget enterprise worthwhile.

    The Canadian firm, based mostly in Waterloo, Ontario, stated the cuts will impression these engaged on the software program, hardware and purposes aspect of the enterprise.

    “As the corporate strikes into its subsequent stage of the turnaround, our intention is to reallocate assets in methods that may greatest allow us to capitalize on progress alternatives whereas driving towards sustainable profitability throughout all sides of our enterprise,” BlackBerry stated in a press release on Saturday.

    A spokeswoman declined to offer further details about the cuts.

    BlackBerry employs 7,000 individuals globally.

    BlackBerry, which solely a decade in the past was a titan within the smartphone enterprise, has been pressured into a serious reorganization focusing extra on software program and providers since being overtaken out there for cellular units.

    An IDC survey confirmed BlackBerry took simply zero.four % of worldwide smartphone gross sales in 2014.

    “Certainly one of our priorities is making our system enterprise worthwhile,” BlackBerry stated. “On the similar time, we should develop software program and licensing revenues.

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