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Tag: expansion

  • JR East’s Atre to open first shopping mall outside Japan in Taiwan

    JR East’s Atre to open first shopping mall outside Japan in Taiwan

    The East Japan Railway is launching its first overseas shopping mall in Taiwan next month. The mall is opening under JR East’s station complex management subsidiary Atre, following an extended consideration of alternative international locations that included Thailand, Malaysia and the US. Taiwan was was chosen for its affinity with Japanese brands, which will occupy around 60 per cent of the mall’s 51 stores.

    The mall will open in Taipei Nan Shan Plaza’s Breeze Center on January 10.

    “We have no specific targets or plans at this point on how many shopping malls we want to develop outside Japan,” a spokesman for East Japan Railway said.

    The firm has 29 malls to date within Japan.

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  • H&M HOME to open concept store on London’s Regent Street in 2019

    H&M HOME to open concept store on London’s Regent Street in 2019

    H&M HOME will be opening the new Concept Store in central London in Spring 2019: at 208 Regent Street. The new H&M HOME Concept Store covers approximately 700 square metres across two floors and will offer the full assortment, the newly launched range of furniture, lighting and the Classic Collection.

    First launched earlier this year across five European markets – Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Germany and UK – including first stand-alone store in Westfield London (White City), the aim of H&M HOME concept store is to be an inspiring interiors destination that will bring together the latest products from the full H&M HOME assortment, as well as a selection of pieces from a curated selection of other brands.

    “Our H&M HOME concept stores complement to our digital offering by offering personal service from H&M HOME colleagues, and allowing our customers to interact with the products in an inspirational environment. We are investing in a next level customer experience, and we could not have hoped for a better location for our upcoming concept store. We are very proud to be a part of the legendary Regent Street,” says Anders Sjöblom, Managing Director of H&M HOME.

    The exact opening date and full details of the products, services and experiences that will be available at H&M HOME on Regent Street will be revealed in the new year.

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  • Italian fast fashion brand set for Vietnam debut

    Italian fast fashion brand set for Vietnam debut

    Italy’s OVS midrange fashion brand will open its first outlet in Ho Chi Minh City this weekend. ACFC, distributor of IPP Group, a major Vietnamese fashion retailer, has confirmed that they are introducing the OVS brand in Vietnam. OVS is a popular fashion brand in Europe. In Italy, the brand has 15 percent of the market share in the country’s children aged 0-14 segment.

    The company’s products range is geared towards consumers of all ages. Its collection stretches from bold, urban looks, to elegant, formal office attire. At the same time, the OVS price tag targets the mass consumer segment.

    An increasing middle-class population has made Vietnam a magnet for international fast fashion brands, industry insiders have noted.

    The middle and affluent class, categorized as those earning $714 a month or more, would double to 33 million, about a third of the population, between 2014 and 2020, it is reported recently, citing a study by the Boston Consulting Group.

    Market research firm Nielsen estimates the number of middle and affluent class Vietnamese will reach 44 million by 2020 and 95 million by 2030.

    By late 2017, there were some 200 international fashion brands, including Zara, H&M, Stradivarius, Pull & Bear and Massimo Dutti, in Vietnam, accounting for more than 60 percent of the market share.

    A survey released in October last year by market research firm Q&Me showed fashion items topping online purchases in Vietnam, followed by IT products, cosmetics, food and beverage, and books and stationery.

    According to Statista, a database portal of statistics, consumer survey results and industry studies, the apparel market will be worth $2.74 billion this year and is set to grow at 7.7 percent annually until 2021.

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  • How Pizza Hut is mixing technology with pizza

    How Pizza Hut is mixing technology with pizza

    Yum! Restaurants-led Pizza Hut is betting big on technology. The brand is investing technology at each every step from taking orders to delivery of the pizza. Elaborating more on the same, Managing Director, Pizza Hut (India Subcontinent), Yum! Restaurants, Unnat Varma said, “We are using technology in sorting out our kitchens. So kitchens are becoming better in terms of layout, efficiency, optimising labour. Apart from this, we are also using technology to schedule riders to make sure that pizzas reach hot and fresh to the consumers.”

    “To ensure a seemless experience to the customers we have again using technology. We have a new online experience for customers, it is one of the best friction-less experience. From getting customer’s location to ordering the pizza, the entire process has been reduced to a four-step journey,” he added.

    The brand is also not shying away from using drones to deliver the pizzas in the near future.

    “We are closely watching the drone delivery space. However, there is no current successful model. There has to be regulation, approval from the Government that drones can fly in the air space and to understand that how does it work for food as food is very atypical, it cannot loose temperature and it has to be accurate, it has to reach in a certain stipulated time and it has be delivered straight. We will host the space, we are very open, we are transforming ourselves digitally and technologically, if this space helps us unlock some future possibilities, we will definitely go ahead with it,” Varma revealed.

    Enhancing Customer Experience

    To add to the overall consumer experience, the brand has been constantly improving its products.

    According to Varma, “These days the customer experience is always around product and product excellence and there we have been making a continuos effort to make our product more delicious, fresh and hot but in addition to that it is about the entire experience – how fast customer can place the order, how fast cusotmer can locate our store, can we give cusotmers a great value deal, can we understand their requirements, can we customise, can we help them earn and let them use some loyalty points in the future.”

    Expansion Plans

    Pizza Hut India plans to open over 200 more outlets in India by 2022 to expand its retail footprint. Currently, it operates 422 stores in the country.

    “‘Pizza Hut is a very democratic brand, it is used by segments of the consumers in the market, so our attempt is to go to as close to consumer as possible, it could be going after the shoppers in the shopping mall or it could be going close to residential areas, or going to captive locations where we have people working, so we are open to all kind of opportunities that exist. We are even open to open our outlets at airports and railway stations too,” asserted Varma.

    The pizza chain runs a franchise model in the country, where investments for opening new outlets mainly comes from franchise partner.

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  • Bottega Veneta opens massive flagship store in Tokyo

    Bottega Veneta opens massive flagship store in Tokyo

    High-end Italian label Bottega Veneta has opened a new flagship in Tokyo this month. The six-storey store at Ginza Chuo-Ku is the brand’s largest in the Asia region, and features men’s and women’s ready-to-wear, leather goods, handbags, eyewear, footwear, fragrances, jewellery and home decor.

    The store’s facade is composed of more than 900 metal panels similar to a motif featured on the brand’s handbag range, while the understated interior design matches Bottega Veneta’s furniture aesthetic.

    The label’s GM Claus-Dietrich Lahrs said in a statement that the Japanese clientele is important and extremely loyal – adding that Japan is one of the world’s leading markets for Bottega Veneta.

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  • UK-based international chain bar Toy Room enters India

    UK-based international chain bar Toy Room enters India

    Toy Room, one of the most talked-about premium and international brand which has attracted visits from A-listers around the world including Jessie J, Lindsay Lohan and Nicole Scherzinger, has opened its first outlet in India in Aerocity. According to Akshay Anand, Owner Toy Room India, “Present in eight different countries, Toy Room is one of the biggest and hottest UK-based international entertainment brands with outposts already operating in London, Dubai, Istanbul, Rome, Mykonos, Athens, São Paulo and now India.”

    “This was the right time to introduce the brand in the country as food service industry is at its full-bloom all thanks to the well-informed and frequent travelling consumers,” he adds.

    Toy Room is the first international nightlife brand to enter the Indian market.

    Elaborating more about the brand, Anand says, “Toy Room is a playful, provocative, unpretentious and sexy place with a special focus on intimate hospitality and service and that is going to set it apart from other brands in the same category.”

    “With capacity for over 400 guests and a Hip-hop/ Rock ‘n’ Roll only music policy, Toy Room is derived from an urge to create an intimate setting for people to have fun,” he adds.

    Spanning across 4,500 sq.ft. Toy Room has been positioned as a finest party place that delivers an upscale nightclub experience with a focus on delivering premium hospitality, while still retaining its brand of sexy and provocative playfulness, which made it a worldwide sensation.

    The Toy Room brand internationally is known for placing children’s toys and imagery in an entertaining setting for adults, bringing together the notion of innocence alongside deviant party behaviour.

    “We are eyeing Rs 25 crore per annum revenue from Toy Room and going ahead we will be opening more outlets in Mumbai and Goa,” Anand concludes.

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  • Starbucks opens immersive coffee destination in New York

    Starbucks opens immersive coffee destination in New York

    “We designed the Roastery as the pinnacle experience around all-things-coffee, and there is nothing else like it in the world. With premium coffees, teas, mixology and the iconic Milanese Princi Bakery, it serves as a Starbucks brand amplifier and a platform for future innovation,” said Kevin Johnson, CEO, Starbucks. “Beverages such as Draft Nitro, Cold Foam and the recent launch of Juniper Latte all began at the Roastery and have since been introduced to Starbucks locations around the world. It is the ultimate Starbucks Experience and an unforgettable way to connect with our customers.”

    Starbucks has a long history in New York. In 1994, Starbucks chairman emeritus, Howard Schultz, who was born and raised in Canarsie, Brooklyn, opened the first Starbucks store in the city on Broadway and 87th Street on the Upper West Side. Nearly 25 years later, there are 350 Starbucks stores across the five boroughs in the city where Starbucks employs approximately 5,000 partners (employees). The Roastery employs nearly 300 people, including roasters, baristas, commessas and mixologists.

    “Like most people I first experienced Starbucks as a customer, where I would go to my store at 195 Broadway in the Financial District in New York City and order a tall latte which was the perfect way to start my day,” said Raul Adorno, Managing Director Reserve Roastery New York. “I look forward to welcoming my fellow New Yorkers and visitors from all around the world when we open the Roastery on Friday. You will be amazed.”

    At its core, Starbucks Reserve Roastery New York is a working coffee roastery, where every day Starbucks Master Roasters, who have trained for years in the craft of coffee roasting, will be small-batch roasting Starbucks rarest single-origin coffees and blends called Starbucks Reserve. Those coffees then get served fresh at the Roastery or shipped to select Starbucks stores around the world. That functional purpose, as well as the history of industry and manufacturing in the meatpacking district, is reflected in the design of the space.

    “New York is a hub to the world,” said Liz Muller, Chief Design Officer of Starbucks. “It’s an unbelievable place with such history. The meatpacking district has a fantastic history of industry, and the neighborhood has an electric energy; it is alive. We’ve designed a space where the excitement and dynamic activity of the neighborhood is mirrored in the Roastery. We want our customers to come in and feel very inspired.”

    Unique Food and Beverages

    Coffee Bars – There are two coffee bars at the Roastery, which in total offer seven brewing methods, including pour over, Chemex, coffee press, siphon, espresso, Clover and cold brewing.

    Upon entering the Roastery, visitors can visit the coffee bar on the main level, where baristas, called coffee masters, are crafting classic espresso beverages such as cappuccino, latte, cortado and specialty drinks such as whiskey barrel-aged cold brew, sparkling citrus espresso, nitro hopped apricot cold brew and rotating specials like the cardamom latte.

    Arriviamo Bar – For the first time in the U.S., Starbucks will debut the Arriviamo Bar inspired by the Italian tradition of aperitivo. This craft cocktail bar is located inside the Roastery where expert mixologists will serve cocktails and spiritfrees curated by award-winning mixologist Julia Momose featuring coffee and tea. Specialty cocktails include the Nocino Notte, made with cold brew coffee, barrel-aged gin and black truffle salt, and the Triomphe, made with Teavana/MC Darjeeling de Triomphe Tea, gin, dry Riesling, aquavit, passionfruit sparkling water and orange saffron bitters. The Arriviamo Bar will also serve a selection of beer, wine and classic cocktails

    Princi – Inside the Roastery is the Milanese boutique bakery Princi from founder Rocco Princi, with on-site baking of fresh breads, Pizzas, cornetti, focaccias, desserts and more.

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  • IKEA signs MoU to open store in Noida; create 8,000 jobs

    IKEA signs MoU to open store in Noida; create 8,000 jobs

    Swedish furniture giant, IKEA, has signed MoU with the Uttar Pradesh government for the investment of Rs 5,000 crore to set up an integrated commercial project, including a store, in Noida. The MoU was signed between R K Singh, Principal Secretary, Infrastructure and Industrial Development Department, and David McCausland, Country Property Manager, IKEA.

    An integrated commercial project will be set up by Ikea at Noida, Gautam Budh Nagar. After the establishment, approximately 4,000 direct and 4,000 indirect employment opportunities will be created by this project.

    IKEA said the first store in the state is expected to come up in Noida for which the Swedish company has not yet signed any land deal.

    “The state government will provide all possible help to such investors,” the Uttar Pradesh government said in a statement on Wednesday.

    IKEA had, on September 24, 2015, signed an MoU with the UP government during the previous Akhilesh Yadav regime for launching three stores in Lucknow, Agra and Noida. The deal, however, did not move forward.

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  • Acne Studios Opens First Store in Beijing

    Acne Studios Opens First Store in Beijing

    Acne Studios China has opened its third store, in Beijing. The Swedish luxury fashion brand launched in China two years ago, offering its eclectic mix of minimalist ready-to-wear fashion and denim. The new store’s interior features straight lines with glass, high-gloss white walls and contrasting stainless steel railing and shelves. A large display created by British designer Max Lamb stands in the centre of the store, painted in the label’s trademark shade of pink. It’s matched with purple rugs created by Lamb which contrast with the stark white interior.

    Acne Studios creative director Jonny Johansson said it had been a long-held dream to open a store in Beijing. “It is also my hope that this store will bring us the opportunity to create many special projects in the future.” Lines exclusive to Acne Studio China will be sold at the new boutique to mark its opening.

    The store is located in Taikoo Li North Village on Sanlitun Road.

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  • 7-Eleven Malaysia eyes 200 new stores next year

    7-Eleven Malaysia eyes 200 new stores next year

    7-Eleven Malaysia Holdings Bhd is looking to expand the number of the convenience store chain outlets by at least 200 new stores next year. In 2017, 7-Eleven Malaysia opened 126 new stores. Berjaya Corp founder and executive chairman Tan Sri Vincent Tan Chee Yioun said 7-Eleven Malaysia is also looking at increasing the number of franchisees for stores in Malaysia, along with the expansion in the number of outlets.

    7-Eleven Malaysia is the largest standalone convenience store chain nationwide with more than 2,250 outlets across the country.

    Its wholly owned subsidiary 7-Eleven Malaysia Sdn Bhd today entered into a memorandum of agreement with Pertubuhan Tindakan Pejuang Wanita Dalam Sosial, Ekonomi, Rumahtangga Dan Ilmu (Tiangseri Malaysia) to provide an opportunity to those interested to be franchisees to enter the ecosystem.

    Tiangseri is commissioned to recruit and recommend up to 50 potential franchisees to 7-Eleven Malaysia in the next 12 months.

    This programme also bodes well with the company’s target of increasing the number of franchisees. The first store under the programme is expected to be opened next month.

    7-Eleven Malaysia CEO Colin Harvey said the franchising programme through Tiangseri will see both partners leveraging on each other’s unique strengths and experience in retail and grassroots franchise recruitment.

    “We are fully focused on this collaboration as we believe franchising is an integral part of our long-term corporate strategy of giving back to the local community that we operate in, as it will both provide and create important life and management skills in future entrepreneurs as well as providing more job opportunities to our local workforce.”

    Harvey noted there are many potential locations for expansion, for instance in Sabah and around the Klang Valley. Meanwhile, Tiangseri president Mastura said the collaboration has already started generating interest from interested parties.

    Tiangseri will also be aiding potential franchisees in securing funding at a preferential rate from agencies such as Perbadanan Usahawan Nasional Bhd and Majlis Amanah Rakyat, among others.

  • American Eagle Outfitters India to open 25 outlets in three years

    American Eagle Outfitters India to open 25 outlets in three years

    US-based mid-to-premium denim wear brand, American Eagle Outfitters entered India in the summer of 2018 through a licensing agreement with Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail Ltd. The brand expects India will be its top three international markets in the next five years.

    In an interview with IMAGES Retail, Guillermo La Rosa, Vice-President, International and Business Development, American Eagle Outfitters says, “Our brand has been in India for the past few months and it has been performing well. We are learning a lot about the Indian consumer as we plan to expand within the market and as we will get these learnings under our belt, it will help us grow and offer the right products to consumers.”

    Target Customers

    American Eagle Outfitters is a leading global specialty retailer offering high-quality, on-trend clothing, accessories and personal care products at affordable prices.

    The brand is betting big on Generation Z, who are between the age group of 15-25-year-old.

    “India’s rapidly developing and vibrant economy, anchored by the world’s largest youth population, provides an exciting growth opportunity for our brands and expanding our global reach,” says La Rosa.

    Category Mix

    The category mix of American Eagle Outfitters comprises of jeans, shorts, joggers, t-shirts, tops, woven shirts, sweatshirts, jackets and hoodies along with accessories like shoes, socks and belts.

    Elaborating on this, La Rosa says, “The breadth of our assortment is global; however, the category mix varies from location to location. For example, in DLF Promenade, the penetration is around 60 percent men and 40 percent women products whereas in Mall of India, it is 50-50.”

    In the Indian market, Denim is the Number 1 category for both men and women followed by other categories like woven shirts, polo shirts, fleece and sweaters.

    “In India, there have been a lot of learnings for us, like in the women’s category, the customer prefers more of bootcut whereas outside India it is more about skinny and super skinny. Skinny and super skinny is little bit slower than what we had anticipated. Similarly, in the men’s category, slim and skinny are very important globally whereas here in India it is more of slim and straight denim. It seems like here in India the customer wants more clean-cut denims. We will continue with what the consumer wants as we grow,” he adds.

    Decoding the Store

    The average size of the American Eagle Outfitters’ store spans across 2,500-3,500 sq. ft. in India.

    According to La Rosa, the store size of the brand in India is smaller as compared to that in the US. “In the US the store size ranges from 4,500 sq. ft. to 10,000 sq. ft.,” he says.

    Despite the smaller spaces, the brand is hoping to launch more stores in more cities soon. Apart from this, the brand will also launch bigger flagship outlets.

    “We are looking forward to opening more flagship stores in key cities like Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru and these stores will be bigger than the average store. In addition to this, after the launch of Aerie in India, we expect to have bigger stores,” he adds.

    Aerie is a lingerie retailer and intimate apparel sub-brand owned by American Eagle Outfitters. In the US, Aerie targets the 15- to 25-year-old female demographic.

    Expansion Plans

    At present, the brand has three operational stores spread across Delhi-NCR and Chandigarh. Apart from this, it is available through its own website and also on fashion portal Myntra.

    “By this year-end, we are looking to open six to nine more outlets. In the next three years, we are looking at a total of 25 locations. For some of the new stores, we have got locations in Hyderabad, Chennai, Pune, Mumbai, Delhi and we are also exploring other options,” La Rosa reveals.

    “We are not here to be in every single mall and exploit the brand. We want to be very meticulous and calculative in the partnerships that we have with malls. We will be launching the Mumbai outlet in the upcoming months,” he adds.

    The brand may also look at having a presence through multi-brand stores and in Tier II markets in the future. It will also open Aerie stores across India in partnership with the Aditya Birla Group.

    “We believe that in the next five years India could emerge as the top three markets outside the US,” La Rosa asserts.

    American Eagle Outfitters merchandise also is available at more than 190 international locations operated by licensees in 24 countries.

  • Cle De Peau Beaute opens first Malaysian store

    Cle De Peau Beaute opens first Malaysian store

    Luxury skincare and makeup brand Cle De Peau Beaute Malaysia has opened its first boutique, at Pavilion Kuala Lumpur shopping centre. The store features a makeup gallery which tells the story of Pave-Diamond particles while a skincare gallery showcases La Creme.

    The store has consultation tables with personal beauty specialists available to help customers choose the most suitable products for their skin types.

    A VIP-consultation space at the back of the boutique hosts signature facial treatments, which incorporate massage techniques by aestheticians.

    “The retail landscape has changed tremendously in the past 15 years,” said Hiroyuki Maeda, Cle de Peau Beaute global director of business operations with the group. “This change is not specific to just Malaysia but on a global level. As a brand, we need to continuously innovate and transform to make ourselves relevant to our customers.”

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  • Copperwired adding .Life stores next year

    Copperwired adding .Life stores next year

    Gadget retailer Copperwired is set to invest THB165 million (US$5.036 million) opening 30 new .Life stores by the end of next year. The new .Life stores include a new 310sqm flagship at CentralWorld, described as the “largest gadget lifestyle shop featuring Internet of Things (IoT) technology in Thailand”, which opened in September.

    The brand’s public listing on the Thai exchange is expected next year.

    “With the adoption of 5G, the number of connected devices will increase, and IoT in the form of connected toys, smart homes and smart transport and new demand for product categories will rise accordingly,” said Copperwired CEO Paramate Rienjaroensuk.

    The company expects .Life stores to boost its income by more than 20 per cent in the current financial year to more than THB800 million (US$24.414 million).

  • Google launches ‘Shopping’ in India to woo online shoppers

    Google launches ‘Shopping’ in India to woo online shoppers

    Tech giant Google Thursday unveiled ‘Google Shopping’ in India that will allow users to easily filter through offers, review prices from multiple retailers and find products that they are looking for. According to a report: The personalised experience will be available across various Google products — a Shopping home page, Shopping tab on Google Search and through Google Lens. Customers will be able to see trending products across different categories, various deals, and compare prices using the new offering.

    For retailers, the company will offer its ‘Merchant Center’ in Hindi, which will allow the sellers to list their products for Google Shopping, without paying for ad campaigns.

    “India has over 400 million internet users. However, only one-third of these have shopped online and that number includes those buying railway tickets online. From seasoned desktop shoppers to first-time users with entry-level smartphones, we hope this new shopping experience will make finding what people are looking for just a little bit easier,” Surojit Chatterjee, Vice President – Product Management, Google said.

    Google Shopping will be a connector between retailers and consumers, and the transaction and delivery of products will be handled by the merchant, he added.

    “There are an estimated 58 million small and medium businesses (SMBs) in India, of which 35 per cent are engaged in retail trade. However, a very small number of them have an online presence, this is a huge opportunity for retailers to surface their merchandise to the millions of online consumers,” Chatterjee said.

    Google aims to support the entire retail ecosystem — from shopping sites and large retailers to small local shops — by giving them access to the tools, technology, and scale to thrive in the new digital economy, he added.

    Chatterjee said merchants will not have to pay any fee for listing their products for Google Shopping.

    Under the Shopping tab in Google Search, users can search for products and see prices from across multiple retailers. The ‘Style Search’ option in Google Lens will allow users to find products such as clothes, furniture, and home decor, by simply pointing the Lens app from their smartphones.

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  • Decathlon Japan first full store opens next year

    Decathlon Japan first full store opens next year

    Decathlon Japan will open its first full-sized store next year as the French sporting goods retailer continues its rapid global expansion. The Decathlon Japan debut will come just a few months after the company opened its first store in South Korea.

    The company has taken a careful, measured approach to Japan, launching a website in 2015 to build brand awareness and gauge consumer demand. A small test store popped up in Osaka last year, under the Decathlon Lab banner, offering a limited range.

    The first full-sized Decathlon Japan store will be opened in the Hankyu Nishinomiya Gardens shopping mall, in the city of Nishinomiya, located between Kobe and Osaka. It will sell the company’s own house brands Domyos, Quechua and Kalenji, and provide space for consumers to test products before buying.

    Data from BPI France shows Japan is the world’s second largest sport market after the US, and was worth US$12.6 billion last year.

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