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Tag: expansion

  • Owndays Europe marks first foray outside Asia-Pacific

    Owndays Europe marks first foray outside Asia-Pacific

    After rapidly building a network of stores across Asia, Japanese eyewear retailer Owndays has made its European debut.

    Owndays Europe has opened its first store in the Netherlands, the design largely true to its Asian format and its simple pricing model seamlessly converted into local currency with frames and lenses paired at between 98 euros and 198 euros.  A 20-minute “quick processing” promise is also included in its in-store marketing, two two promises being the eyewear chain’s unique selling points.

    Owndays Netherlands 1

     

    The 80 sqm Dutch store opened last week in a traditional street-front location, rather than a shopping mall, where most of its stores are located in Asia; at Passage in The Hague, a trendy area bustling with retail and food & beverages establishments.

    Owndays Europe plans to open 30 stores in the Netherlands in the next three years.

    The brand began its international expansion just three years ago and is already trading in Singapore, the Philippines, Australia, Vietnam, Taiwan, Thailand, Cambodia and Malaysia, making the Netherlands its 10th market.

    owndays-netherlands

    Owndays Europe stores carry more than 1500 designs of frames ranging from basic and functional to stylish and fashion-forward so customers can pick the right pairs of glasses to suit their lifestyles or to match occasions and functions. With a team of in-house designers based in Japan, the brand regularly adds new designs to its existing collections so customers always see something new each time they visit the shop.

    Owndays already has more than 170 shops in Asia-Pacific and sells more than 1.5 million pairs of glasses a year. It is one of the few optical retailers internationally which has adopted an entirely private label system, managing the entire process from design and manufacturing to inventory management and retail.

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  • UFC Gym plans 30 outlets for Philippines

    UFC Gym plans 30 outlets for Philippines

    UFC Gym plans to open the first of 30 MMA-inspired gyms in the Philippines early next year.

    Under a new 10-year partnership with the Fitspiration Philippines Corporation, the first signature branch will be at Glorietta mall in Makati.

    “Filipino fight fans understand our brand, and partnering with Fitspiration PH is a perfect fit to help Manila’s fitness enthusiasts ‘train different’ while working to achieve their individual fitness goals,” says UFC Gym CEO Brent Leffel.
    “In almost two decades of bringing major players in the fitness industry to the country, I know a winner when I see it – and make no mistake, UFC Gym is a winner,” says Fitspiration PH president Mark Dayrit.

    “Asia is one of the UFC’s fastest-growing markets, and fight fans in the Philippines are some of the most passionate around the world,” says UFC Asia executive VP/GM Kenneth Berger. “We are excited to be leading the way, making MMA [mixed martial arts] more accessible for Filipino fans to train and increase their fitness through the sport.”

    Since its debut in 2009, UFC Gym franchise has opened more than 135 locations throughout the US, Australia, Canada, South America and the UAE. Offering a range of fitness classes, group and private MMA training, group fitness, personal and group dynamic performance-based training, plus MMA youth programming, UFC Gym has programs to suit all ages and fitness levels.

    Membership includes unlimited access to UFC’s Octagon and signature classes such as Daily Ultimate Training, Muay Thai, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, kickboxing, boxing and women’s self-defence.

  • New Challenger subsidiary set-up in Malaysia

    New Challenger subsidiary set-up in Malaysia

    Singapore-based retailer Challenger Technologies has set up a new wholly-owned susbidiary in Malaysisa. The new subsidiary, which is called Hachi MY, has been set up by Challenger Technologies’ wholly-owned Challenge Ventures unit. Announing the incorporation of the new subsidiary, Challenger stated that its principal business would be trading, retail, distribution and online trading if IT and lifestyle products and services.

    Established in 1984 as an IT products retailer, Challenger Technologies now operates 40-plus stores consisting of superstores, mini stores, Valore concept stores and Musica stores across Singapore.

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  • Korea’s Whoo to make debut in Cannes

    Korea’s Whoo to make debut in Cannes

    Korean cosmetics brand Whoo is set to make its debut at TFWA Cannes as parent company LG Household & Health Care Co., Ltd. aims to introduce the Asian oriental medicinal cosmetic brand to the world and “take a leap to a global brand”.

    LG Household & Health Care Co., will introduce Whoo to the travel-retail market as it seeks opportunities to expand beyond Asia.

    As it celebrates its 13th anniversary this year, Whoo, which took its brand name ‘后’(whoo) from the image of fiddle, has already experienced rapid growth in Asia. The brand’s products are based on remedies and formulas popular among emperors and empresses of the historical Korean courts.

    The brand has been present in the top ranks of sales among large duty-free shops in Korea, according to the company, and set a remarkable record reaching $20m of monthly sales in just one store  – Lotte Duty Free Shop Sogong. The company stated this trend continues across the duty-free market with retailers in China, Hongkong and Thailand reporting sales have doubled for the brand compared to the previous year.

    The brand’s best seller is the Whoo Bichup Self-Generating (Jasaeng) Essence, which is an oriental medicinal essence that helps to repair skin balance that has been damaged through aging with  three formulas originated from oriental medicinal remedies Gongjinbidan, Gyeongokbidan, Cheongsimbidan, adding to the Chojahabidan formula.

    The Whoo brand was the first Korean cosmetic brand that participated in The 20th French Louvre Museum Wedding Fair held in Louvre Museum, France in October 2014 where it received a good reception with its court stories of emperors and empresses, and sophisticated design exhibiting Korean beauty.

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  • Metro China launches chain’s first green store

    Metro China launches chain’s first green store

    German retail and trading giant Metro China has launched its first global green store in the Pearl River delta city of Dongguan.

    It aims to upgrade its sustainable development in the Chinese market, where it had double-digit growth in its latest fiscal year.

    Metro China president Jeroen de Groot says the green renovation of its Dongguan Wanjiang store is estimated to help it cut its annual energy consumption by as much as 50 per cent. It makes full use of clean energy, namely solar and wind power.

    The renovation cost more than 5 million yuan (US$75,700), and Metro plans to convert all its mainland stores to become green.

    “Innovation and change have always been the driving forces for sustainable growth at Metro, and the green renovation of the Dongguan Wanjiang store is our new endeavour in the field of energy conservation and environment protection, aiming to promote long-term social sustainability,” says de Groot.

    Metro opened its first mainland store in Shanghai in 1996 and now has 84 stores employing more than 11,000 people in 58 Chinese cities. Its annual sales volume reached €2.66 billion (US$3 billion) during the fiscal year to September 30 last year, up 17.4 per cent.

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  • Santa Rita launches on Tmall

    Santa Rita launches on Tmall

    The Alibaba Group which operates Tmall is the biggest e-commerce platform in China with more than 400 million users and 120 million clicks per day. Tmall is Alibaba’s B2C online retail platform that has recently listed other big brand wine accounts, such as Wine Australia, Mondavi andASC Fine Wines.

    Earlier this year, Jack Ma, founder and executive chairman of Alibaba Group announced the launch of the first ever ‘Wine Day’. Hoping to emulate the success of ‘11.11 Singles Day’ which recorded a massive US$14.32 billion in sales in just 24 hours, this event, called the “9.9 Wine & Spirits Festival”, took place today at 9am CST.

    The Santa Rita online flagship store will offer key wines from their portfolio along with specific offers and promotions targeted China’s 688 million internet users – most of whom connect to Tmall via their smartphones.

    Terry Pennington, Santa Rita’s east region export director, said the listing was a “significant milestone” in the estate’s route-to-market in China.

    “This opportunity provides an excellent platform not only for retail but one from which we can communicate to and with the many millions of Chinese e-consumers our brand heritage, values and story,” he said.

    Established in 1880, Santa Rita is one of Chile’s oldest and most renowned wineries and owns over 2,500 hectares in the wine valleys of Limarí, Casablanca, Leyda, Maipo, Colchagua, Apalta, Maule, Rapel and Curico.

    Brands in the Santa Rita portfolio include 120, Secret Reserve, Reserva, Medalla Real, Floresta, Pehuen, Triple C and Bougainville with the top wine being Casa Real.

    Santa Rita is part of the Santa Rita Estates (SRE) stable comprising three key wine brands: Santa Rita and Carmen from Chile and Doña Paula from Argentina.

  • Dsquared2 Vietnam makes debut

    Dsquared2 Vietnam makes debut

    Canadian fashion brand Dsquared2 has opened its first Vietnam boutique at the newly-revamped Saigon Center.

    Dsquared2 Vietnam is located at unit 11-12 on level 1 with the front spreading out over 18 meters onto Le Loi Street – one of main thoroughfares of the city center.

    The store’s interior is decorated with marble stones, ash gray and brown silk wool carpets. For the Vietnam store, Dsquared2 introduces its collections including Italian classics for men and a capsule line of cocktail and evening gowns for women. Also available in the store are underwear and accessories.

    Dsquared2 Vietnam 1

    Dsquared2 was founded by Canadian twins Dean and Dan Caten, who are its creative directors. The two worked together on the interior design of the Vietnam store in order to maintain the brand’s DNA.

    Dsquared2 Vietnam 2

    Dsquared2 Vietnam is the third Southeast Asian store after Singapore and Hong Kong. Talking about the opening of the store, Dean and Dan said, “We are proud to have a retail presence here, in a market where consumers that care about international fashion are constantly increasing and we believe this store represents a new chapter and an energetic retail future in Asia for our brand!”

    The brand was brought into Vietnam through Maison, a fashion distributor launched in 2012 and home to more than 17 international brands including Coach, Dorothy Perkins, Karen Miller, Mango and Topshop.

    dsquared2-vietnam

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  • Uniqlo overseas push pays off for Fast Retailing

    Uniqlo overseas push pays off for Fast Retailing

    Fast Retailing raised its full-year earnings forecasts after sales at its Uniqlo casual-wear stores in China and South Korea grew more strongly than expected during the first half of the financial year, showing its overseas expansion is bearing fruit.

    Overseas growth is key to the Japanese firm’s goal of becoming the world’s top apparel retailer by 2020 ahead of Zara owner Inditex, Hennes & Mauritz and Gap.

    Chief executive Tadashi Yanai said Fast Retailing would have more Uniqlo outlets overseas than in Japan by this autumn, with openings in mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan to continue at break-neck pace.

    “Maybe in about five years, we’ll have 1,000 stores [in China],” he said, compared with 415 at the end of February. “Eventually we want to have about 3,000 stores [there].”

    Uniqlo, known for its HeatTech fabric technology and rainbow-coloured basics, now has close to 1,600 stores globally, with about 46 per cent of those outside Japan.

    Fast Retailing said it now expected operating profit of 200 billion yen for the financial year to August, up from its previous estimate of 180 billion yen. The average forecast of 22 analysts was for 197.25 billion yen.

    Asia’s biggest apparel retailer also bumped up its revenue forecast to 1.65 trillion yen from 1.6 trillion yen and its net profit estimate to 120 billion yen from 100 billion yen.

    Overseas sales at Uniqlo jumped 49 per cent in the first half from a year earlier, led by China and Korea, although the United States remained a weak spot. The firm did not break out sales results by country, only saying whether they met its targets.

    In Japan, sales rose 12 per cent during the period as shoppers snapped up items like its ultra-light down jackets and extra-fine merino sweaters.

    Fast Retailing also got a boost from the yen’s depreciation, booking a 13.5 billion yen foreign-exchange gain for the six-month period.

    But the company also warned it was facing rising import costs from the weaker yen. As a result, it will raise prices by 10 per cent on average for roughly a fifth of its products in the next autumn/winter season at Uniqlo Japan.

    Shares in Fast Retailing have gained 10 per cent in the year to date, while the Topix Index is up 13 per cent.

    Separately, Britain’s Co-operative Group, the supermarkets-to-funerals operator that almost collapsed in 2013, said it had been rescued by selling assets including its pharmacies and could now focus on rebuilding.

    Co-operative reported pre-tax profit of £124 million for the year to January 3, against a loss of £255 million a year earlier, on revenue of £9.4 billion, helped by disposals.

    The mutually owned group said it had emerged from the rescue phase of a three-year turnaround as a slimmer business focused on its food stores, funerals, insurance and legal services. It has cut net debt to £808 million from £1.4 billion.

    Chief executive Richard Pennycook said the hard work of rebuilding the group was under way after the completion of its rescue plan.

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  • Citilink recruits 70 new pilots for business expansion

    Citilink recruits 70 new pilots for business expansion

    Low-cost carrier Citilink, a subsidiary of national flag carrier Garuda Indonesia, recruited 70 candidate pilots to boost the company’s business expansion after a three-month enrollment process from June to August this year.

    Citilink president director Albert Burhan said that the company had chosen the candidates out of 897 applicants from across country.

    “We need to recruit more pilots to undertake our expansion and open new routes,” Albert said at the Garuda Indonesia Training Center (GITC) in Jakarta on Monday.

    The recruited pilots will undergo a series of training at the GITC and at the Airbus training centers in Toulouse, France, and Florida, US, for at least six months. They will exercise to achieve a “type rating” as is required to operate an Airbus A320.

    Garuda Indonesia human resources director Linggarsari Suharso warned the candidate pilots that working as a pilot was a difficult job. A pilot must prioritize the safety of passengers over other considerations, he said.

    “Safety is the top priority in the transportation business,” he said at the training center on Monday.

    According to data from the Transportation Ministry last year, Indonesia needs at least 600 new pilots every year. Meanwhile, 24 pilot schools across the country graduate from 15 to 24 students each annually.

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  • Menswear milestone: Hugo Boss opens 200th airport store

    Menswear milestone: Hugo Boss opens 200th airport store

    Luxury menswear specialist Hugo Boss opened its 200th airport store earlier this year at Sydney Airport, as the brand maintains its strong focus on growth in travel retail.

    The store, which opened in April, measures 187sq m and is located at Sydney Airport Terminal 1. It offers Boss menswear including ready-to-wear, shoes, accessories as well as sportswear lines such as Boss Green.

    The opening takes the brand’s total number of airport stores in Asia Pacific to 47.

    Hugo Boss entered travel retail in the 1990s and has four lines: Boss, Boss Green, Boss Orange and Hugo. The company has a dedicated global travel retail team, with offices in Zürich, New York and Hong Kong.

    The company said growth in the channel over the years has been stable apart from 2001/2002 and 2008/2009 when the travel retail and fashion industries were shaken by global events such as 9/11 and the financial crisis.

    Hugo Boss Travel Retail Director Jesper Gustafsson said Hugo Boss had proven a success in travel retail because it offers all three product pillars in men’s fashion: formalwear, sportswear, shoes and accessories. “The share among the three pillars is equal today, with shoes and accessories the fastest growing product segment for the past two to three years.”

    Gustafsson continued: “Last year’s exceptional growth of fashion and accessories in the travel retail industry was mainly driven by womenswear and by the accessories category in particular. For Hugo Boss, this has been a blessing in disguise. On the one hand, it has given us tough times as some airport authorities have been chasing the accessories segment for women blindly, sometimes deciding to dedicate 100% of the available stores in their airports to this product category.

    Hugo2_32 - Copy

    Hugo Boss Travel Retail Director Jesper Gustafsson says there is limited competition in men’s fashion in travel retail

    “On the other hand, it has given us little competition in our area of expertise, namely fashion for the male customer at the airports. Our strategy has always been to be the number one menswear brand in travel retail, a vision we have kept and fulfilled for several years now.”

    The importance of travel retail to Hugo Boss’ business is highlighted in the brand’s investments in new stores and renovations, he said. “On average we finalise between 40 to 50 store projects per year, with a strong distribution network as a result,” noted Gustafsson.

    “We develop both through franchise partners and directly operated stores, which enables us to act fast and balance our distribution in a way that we can learn from direct contact with the traveller. It is imperative to learn how the needs of the travelling customer develop and how we can adapt as a brand to become better, and more responsive in the way we develop our business.”

    Opening Photo

    According to Gustafsson, fashion is not considered a priority by many male travellers. “Fashion, especially for men, often comes after the core categories, food & beverage and sometimes also behind technology. This means that a clear, powerful message is needed in your offer as well as good customer service to enable the purchase to happen within the restricted time limit for the customer.

    “Another important factor is omnichannel. If we can start the buying process before our customer leaves his home, we have a head-start and our airport conversion rates will be affected positively.

    “Like many other fashion companies out there, Hugo Boss is investing heavily in this area and in due time several functions such as click & collect for example will be available at our airport stores.”

    So, where does Gustafsson see Hugo Boss’ travel retail business in five years’ time? “Having 200 airport stores is certainly a milestone, but the road ahead is filled with more opportunities, which does not necessarily have to be more stores. It can also mean new ways of connecting to the customer through an omnichannel approach, or, for example, to offer a deeper customer service with tailoring at the airport and free home delivery of an altered suit.”

    Gustafsson continued: “Airports will develop more and more towards downtown shopping centres, where customer experience takes precedence rather than the spur-of-the-moment or last-minute approach used today by airport authorities when they develop their retail areas.

    “I also think that we will see the fashion & accessories category continue to outpace the traditional airport categories in growth, leading to a welcome shift in focus from how the main duty free stores should develop separately from the rest of the stores and cafes/restaurants, to how the entire airport shopping area should develop to give the customer a better experience.”

    “A brand like Hugo Boss can make gains as there’s still a mismatch between demand and supply for men’s and women’s fashion at airports today if you compare it to downtown,” concluded Gustafsson.

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  • Pelican BioThermal expands in Asia

    Pelican BioThermal expands in Asia

    Pelican BioThermal, providing temperature-controlled packaging solutions serving the life sciences industry, has expanded its operations in Asia with the launch of a new network of distribution partners in the region.

    Pelican BioThermal announced it has joined forces with the region’s distinguished distributors, Pharmaserv Express of the Philippines and CMC Element of China, to further enhance its operations offering in Asia.

    Pharmaserv Express works closely with national health services to skillfully transport pharmaceutical products throughout the complex geography of the Philippines.

    CMC Element distributes a variety of health care products, including pharmaceuticals protected in temperature controlled packaging, across the vast Chinese market using their extensive network.

    The latest development demonstrates Pelican BioThermal’s continued growth in Asia and follows the company’s recent launch of its new operational facility in Singapore.

    The new industry partnerships with these key distributors signals another major development in it’s expanding presence and support network in Asia, further enhancing the extending range of products and services offered by the company in the region.

    In particular, the new distributors enhance customer support for global customers shared with Pelican BioThermal, by offering local hours, local language and local service and inventory at the point of final distribution of pharmaceuticals.

    Pelican BioThermal’s growing global network supports customers wherever they are located and establishing productive partnerships with reliable, reputable, dedicated distributors further strengthens the Asia based business offering.

    The increasing network of distribution partners complements the company’s newly established Asia headquarters, which is co-located with Pelican BioThermal’s authorized distributor for Singapore, Enviropac.

    Benson Teo, Pelican BioThermal’s Senior Director of Sales for Asia, said: “We are delighted to announce the latest additions to our expanding network of dedicated distributors. We welcome Pharmaserv Express and CMC Element to our Asia operations; these well-established partners will play a pivotal part in our expansion efforts in Asia.

    “As the global cold chain logistics industry continues to thrive we want to further demonstrate we have the critical capabilities to support the growing Asia pharma marketplace.”

    The region continues to be an area of pronounced growth for Pelican BioThermal and forging links with these well-established distribution partners will increase the company’s global reach and support network for customers.

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  • More stores in Asia for Guzman y Gomez

    More stores in Asia for Guzman y Gomez

    Australia’s Mexican food chain Guzman y Gomez (GYG) has done so well in Japan and Singapore it is planning to open more outlets in both countries this year.

    It opened its first taqueria in Singapore in 2014, since adding three more, plus a second in Tokyo. It plans to open at least five more in Japan this year, plus two in Singapore.

    Guzman y Gomez Japan 1

    “We have outstanding partners in both Japan and Singapore who are incredibly experienced in introducing Australian brands into their local markets,” says CEO Mark Hawthorne. “They are executing the brand to a very high standard.”

    GYG opened its first restaurant in Sydney in 2006, and now has 73 outlets across Australia. It was named Australia’s fastest-growing fast-food brand in the latest Consumer Report on Eating Share Trends.

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  • C. Banner details plans to open first flagship Hamleys store in Nanjing, China

    C. Banner details plans to open first flagship Hamleys store in Nanjing, China

    C. Banner International has detailed its plans to open its first Hamleys flagship store in Nanjing, China this October.

    The announcement follows the retail group’s latest 2016 interim results in which it saw revenue and gross profit increase 6.1 per cent and 2.2 per cent respectively.

    C. Banner acquired the iconic toy brand Hamleys last year in a bid to maintain its lead of competitors to become the leading international integrated retailer and the second largest retailer in the world.

    The firm believes that the expansion plans for Hamleys will help the retailer enhance its overall brand value, image and exposure.

    Chen Yixi, chairman of C. Banner, said: “Although the global economy and retail industry remained weak in the first half of 2016, china still recorded a GDP growth of 6.7 per cent.

    “To gain a head start over competitors, we had acquired the Hamleys brand last year, which is one of the most famous toy brands in the world.

    “We are planning to open its first Hamleys flagship store in Nanjing this October and expect the addition of Hamleys brand will provide a great boost to enhance the company’s overall brand value, image and exposure.”

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  • Xiaomi eyes offline expansion

    Xiaomi eyes offline expansion

    Chinese smartphone vendor Xiaomi Corp unveiled a new smartphone with China Mobile Communications Corp on Thursday, as the company steps up efforts to expand offline retailing channels.

    China Mobile, the country’s largest telecom mobile carrier by subscribers, said it hopes to sell 30 million Xiaomi handsets this year, signaling a boost for Xiaomi, which is wrestling with declining shipments and mounting competition from rivals such as Huawei Technologies Co Ltd.

    Priced from 899 yuan ($136), the new phone, the Redmi Note 4, will be on sale at China Mobile’s 20,000 offline stores and more than 100,000 bricks-and-mortar retailing partners’ stores.

    Lei Jun, CEO of Xiaomi, said the company has sold more than 110 million smartphones under Redmi, a brand known for its cost-effectiveness. “The new phone is our latest effort to offer a quality smartphone that everyone can buy.”

    The move came as China’s online smartphone sales hit a ceiling, and market players are banking on bricks-and-mortar retail partners for growth.

    James Yan, research director at Counterpoint Technology Market Research, said it is highly possible to achieve the sales target, given China Mobile’s sprawling offline presence.

    “Telecom operators’ retail channels account for 30 percent of China’s total smartphone sales, and more than half of that are handled by China Mobile,” Yan said.

    The new phone’s good design and sophisticated body, better than most of Xiaomi’s previous phones, will also help boost sales. And the Beijing-based firm’s supply chain partner Wingtech Group is able to ensure an abundant supply of the new phone, he added.

    In 2015, China Mobile and Xiaomi jointly unveiled a smartphone called Redmi Note, whose total sales volume hit 27.5 million units, but that happened when Xiaomi was growing rapidly.

    The partnership between Xiaomi and China Mobile will also be expanded to Southeast Asia, as China’s smartphone market is reaching saturation point and local players are eyeing overseas markets for opportunities.

    Li Huidi, vice-president of China Mobile, said the company is making investments in India and Southeast Asian counties where Xiaomi has established a presence.

    “We will partner with hardware vendors such as Xiaomi to bring more domestic devices to overseas markets,” Li added.

    He did not disclose details, but analysts said it is likely for China Mobile to leverage its overseas investments or foreign partners to build retail channels for Chinese handsets.

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  • Sennheiser Singapore store an Asian first

    Sennheiser Singapore store an Asian first

    Headphone brand Sennheiser Singapore has opened its first store, at Marina Square.

    After its home country Germany, the store is only its second fully owned outlet, but it is the only one to offer a one-week free trial service.

    sennMS-10 (1)

    Customers can take home the HD650, HD800S and Momentum Wireless models to trial for a week. The company says this will allow customers to experience product features to help them decide which model to buy.

    Sennheiser also offers a pick-up and drop-off  point for customers who want to have their products checked and/or repaired. This saves them having to go to the company’s service center at Alexandra Technopark.

    Compared to the previous outlet run by a distributor, the new Sennheiser brand store offers a wider range of products. As well as headphones there are microphones – models mainly used by musicians and video journalists – as well as enterprise audio products.

    “Singapore is a key market for us, and this is an integral part of our regional go-to-market strategy,” says Sennheiser Asia sales and marketing VP Martin Low.

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