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Tag: life

  • Ariana Grande perfume launched, named after her anthem

    Ariana Grande perfume launched, named after her anthem

    An Ariana Grande perfume has gone on sale, named after her hit song Thank U Next.

    The fragrance, released in partnership with Luxe Brands, will launch exclusively on Ulta.com on August 18 before going on shelf in Ulta Beauty retail stores US-wide and at Shoppers Drug Mart in Canada on September 1.

    Grande’s hit song debuted at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and went on to break the record for the most-watched music video with 55 million YouTube views in under 24 hours. Thank U, Next has been regarded as the phrase of the year, symbolising moving on and taking control in a self-affirming way.

    Following her 2019 Fragrance of the Year win for Cloud, Grande has moved to build a stronger platform for her brand by extending the Thank U, Next franchise into a fragrance.

    “For the Thank U, Next fragrance campaign, Grande and Luxe Brands partnered with Hannah Lux Davis to seamlessly weave Grande’s newest fragrance creation into the Thank U, Next world,” said Luxe CMO Noreen Dodge. “Ariana’s creative vision for Thank U, Next perfectly communicates the combination of sexiness and sweetness, while cleverly conveying the details of Ariana’s latest fragrance in a fresh, modern way that is both authentic to Ari and unique to the category.”

    “I wanted to make a fragrance that smells related to my first fragrance Ari but more summery,” said Grande. “So I revisited Ari’s fruity pear and raspberry notes and changed it up by adding some coconut. I was inspired to design a bottle that represented the message of my song – the emergence of the perfume from the broken heart represents moving forward from a challenging chapter.”

    Crafted by Robertet’s Jerome Epinette, the perfumer and artisan behind Byredo and Atelier Cologne, Jerome was inspired to develop new territory with the new fragrance.

    “Each of Ariana’s fragrances surpasses the last and Thank U, Next will be no exception,” said Luxe CEO Tony Bajaj. “The scent, packaging and campaign are all a perfect representation of Ariana’s globally embraced message. It is remarkable how Ariana connects with her fans and shares her incredible passion through everything she does.”

    “Building on the global appeal and success of Ariana Grande, we have strategically grown the international footprint of her fragrance franchise,” said Designer Parfums CEO Dilesh Mehta. “Our success is in partnership with Luxe Brands and our key retail partners Boots and Superdrug in the UK and exclusively with Douglas in over 12 countries.”

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  • Spotify for Podcasters officially introduced

    Spotify for Podcasters officially introduced

    After a long period of testing, Spotify for Podcasters is finally out of beta. Described as a discovery and analytics dashboard, Spotify for Podcasters allows content creators to track many things like average listening times, episode streams, and total listeners.

    Long story short, if you’d like to obtain more details about the audience listening to your podcasts, as well as grow it based on the data received, Spotify’s new tool is the best thing it can happen to you.

    Besides demographic data and insight related to the audience, podcasters will also receive information about gender, music tastes, country data, as well as listening patterns, and more.

    With so many podcasts out there, it’s more important than ever that you have the data you need to help you understand and grow your audience. That’s exactly what your dashboard is designed to provide.
    The ultimate goal of Spotify’s new tool is to deepen the engagement between customers, as well as allow podcasters to grow their audiences and careers. Spotify for Podcasters is available for all content creators for free starting today.
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  • South Korean Beauty chains stop selling DHC products after Youtube commercial

    South Korean Beauty chains stop selling DHC products after Youtube commercial

    South Korean health-and-beauty stores have suspended sales of products from Japanese beauty firm DHC Corp, after the company made offensive remarks about Koreans.

    The products are being withdrawn from shelves of retailers in yet another chapter of a growing diplomatic row between the two countries.

    Since entering South Korea in 2002, DHC has gained popularity with cleansing oils and other products and has entered local H&B stores and online malls.

    However, DHC has been embroiled in controversy after saying on its television network subsidiary that “South Korea is a hot-tempered country, and the boycott will not last long”’, and using the word ‘Joseonjing’, a disparaging expression for Korean people, saying that South Koreans were not able to text Chinese characters.

    Olive Young, a leading health-and-beauty chain, said it stopped selling DHC Corp products at its online store on Monday morning.

    Olive Young also ordered its 1200 brick-and-mortar branches to move the display locations of DHC products, following guidelines to minimize consumer exposure to the Japanese company’s wares.

    As DHC’s subsidiary, “DHC Television,” was found to have aired YouTube content with hateful comments on South Korea, the move is attributed to worsening public sentiment, including a boycott among Korean consumers.

    “Because of realistic problems such as contract relations with partners, we are first giving guidelines such as changing the location of displays in the store and temporarily suspending sales at online malls and reviewing various measures,” an official at Olive Young said.

    Lalavla, South Korea’s second-largest health-and-beauty chain, operated by GS Retail Co, has also decided to stop selling some 20 DHC products at online malls and 150 offline stores.

    The location of the remaining stock will be relocated to a less visible location.

    LOHB’s, run by retail giant Lotte Group, also suspended sales of DHC products at its online mall on Monday and stopped stocking DHC products at about 130 offline stores nationwide.

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  • Apple’s mobile devices can help diagnose a serious health issue

    Apple’s mobile devices can help diagnose a serious health issue

    With Apple working hard to come up with more health-related features for its products, drugmaker Eli Lilly announced last week that certain Apple products can help spot people with dementia. Early results from a test showed that devices including the iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch, in combination with certain apps and the Beddit sleep monitoring device, can reveal whether a person has “mild Alzheimer’s disease dementia” and “mild cognitive impairment” (MCI). The study was conducted by Apple, Lilly and health care company Evidation Health on 113 people age 60 to 75 over a period of 12 weeks.

    Those participating in the study were asked to answer a pair of one-question surveys each day. They also were asked to perform certain tasks on an app such as tapping on a circle as fast as possible and dragging on screen an object with a certain shape to another object. Other tests were performed on the participant’s ability to type and read. The results of the study were presented at the Association for Computing Machinery’s KDD conference in Anchorage and found that those with symptoms of dementia tended to type at a slower rate of speed than others, and sent fewer text messages over a set period time.

    16TB of data were collected from the participants, and the study showed that Apple devices and certain apps can help monitor symptoms of those diagnosed with MCI or mild Alzheimer’s disease dementia; detect cognitive changes that could point to MCI; test the effectiveness of treatment and therapies; and speed up the development of therapies to produce more accurate diagnostic tools.

    Over the past few years, we’ve seen how data and insights derived from wearables and mobile consumer devices have enabled people living with health conditions, along with their clinicians, to better monitor their health. We know that insight from smart devices and digital applications can lead to improved health outcomes, but we don’t yet know how those resources can be used to identify and accelerate diagnoses. The results of the trial set the groundwork for future research that may be able to help identify people with neurodegenerative conditions earlier than ever before.”-Nikki Marinsek, Ph.D., first author and data scientist, Evidation Health

    “Lilly has been leading the fight against Alzheimer’s disease for more than 30 years, and we’re broadening the application of digital health to identify tools that may improve the lives of people with chronic conditions and diseases. While further research is needed, the study findings provide important insight into the potential benefits of wearable devices in identifying chronic health conditions such as MCI, Alzheimer’s disease, and dementia. These findings could inform subsequent research that may eventually lead to early screening or detection tools for neurodegenerative conditions.”-Divakar Ramakrishnan, Ph.D., chief digital officer, Eli Lilly ”

    Apple has already demonstrated that it can integrate life-saving health tools in the Apple Watch; the heart-rate monitor has already saved a number of lives and the breakout feature on the Apple Watch series 4 is the electrocardiogram (ECG) sensor. The latter detects abnormal heartbeats indicative of Atrial fibrillation, which can lead to blood clots, heart failure, strokes, and death. This life-saving feature has become so popular that Samsung is including it on the Galaxy Active Watch 2. However, as it did with Apple’s ECG sensor, the FDA needs to greenlight the one on Sammy’s phone. As a result, the ECG sensor will be disabled on the new Tizen-powered timepiece until sometime during the first half of next year.

    Apple released a very brief statement related to the release of the study. Myoung Cha, Apple’s Head of Health Strategic Partnerships, said, “We are excited to work alongside Lilly and Evidation in supporting the research community, as they seek to discover digital biomarkers of cognitive impairment.”

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  • Shiseido to create Tory Burch beauty products

    Shiseido to create Tory Burch beauty products

    Global beauty firm Shiseido has entered into a long-term partnership to create and sell a range of Tory Burch beauty products.

    Shiseido will have an exclusive worldwide license to develop, market, and distribute Tory Burch beauty products.

    The agreement goes into effect on January 1 next year. The Tory Burch beauty products license will be managed by Shiseido Group’s Americas region headquartered in New York City. Through the partnership, Shiseido will provide Tory Burch with a global platform and dedicated resources to elevate its beauty business, cultivating opportunities as a multi-platform, global lifestyle beauty brand.

    For Shiseido, this partnership will expand its global fragrance portfolio and create further opportunities for collaboration.

    “Shiseido is on an exciting journey to achieve its long-term mission of ‘Beauty Innovations For A Better World’,” said Shiseido president and CEO Masahiko Uotani, “and we are honored to welcome Tory and the Tory Burch brand to the Shiseido family and pursue this mission together as partners.

    “Shiseido is dedicated to creating value for all of its partners and we are excited to share the benefits of Shiseido’s platform, R&D resources, technology portfolio and Centers of Excellence with the Tory Burch brand to help maximize its significant potential and opportunities for growth and development.”

    “There are great synergies between our companies,” said Tory Burch, the eponymous brand’s executive chairman and chief creative officer, “including a deep respect and connection to our customers, a passion to support women’s empowerment and an aligned long-term strategic vision.

    “We could not be more excited to build a global lifestyle fragrance and beauty concept in partnership with Shiseido, a realization of a long-time dream.”

  • King Living launches showroom in Canada

    King Living launches showroom in Canada

    Australian furniture business King Living has opened its first showroom in Canada, continuing the brand’s global roll-out which has seen stores open in Shanghai, Singapore, Malaysia and New Zealand.

    Located in a newly renovated 1000sqm heritage building in shopping district South Granville, Vancouver, the showroom will offer sofa designs, dining ranges, contemporary bed and mattress ranges and outdoor collections.

    King Living chief executive Anna Carrabs said the Canadian launch is a key component to the furniture retailer’s global growth strategy – with Vancouver being the first of many more showrooms in the American region.

    “King Living has already expanded into the Asian market with showrooms in Singapore, Malaysia and Shanghai, which have proven to be very successful in the roll-out of King Living internationally,” Carrabs said.

    “Showrooms will always be a huge part of the King DNA. We want customers to see, feel, test, and get to know the pieces in the flesh. All our designs are investment pieces made to last, so the tactile experience a showroom offers will always be incredibly important.”

    According to Carrabs, the Australian reputation for quality goods has set them apart from international competitors and has been the driving force behind its global expansion.

    “One of our biggest challenges has been challenges has been ensuring we find the right location for our King Living showrooms,” Carrabs said.

    “It is so important that our stores reflect our core values and Australian way of life. It took a considerable amount of time to find our showroom in Vancouver.

    “We wanted to be part of the vibrant shopping district which features around great galleries and gourmet restaurants so now, King Living is right at home.”

  • Sonos just the start of Ikea’s investment in smart home

    Sonos just the start of Ikea’s investment in smart home

    Ikea Australia is previewing its highly anticipated collaboration with Sonos in its Tempe store, ahead of the national launch of the Symfonisk range in September.

    The range, which includes a table lamp and bookshelf with built-in connected speakers, is just the start of Ikea’s push into the smart home space, the retailer said in a statement circulated on Friday.

    “Ikea sees great potential in the smart home business,” Ikea Australia spokesperson Mark Mitchinson said in a statement.

    “We strive to make solutions for life at home by integrating technology into our home furnishing offer that is easy to use and affordable, thereby making smart home technology accessible to many people.”

    Mitchinson said there will be additional launches, enabling people to build onto their smart home solution in the years to come.

    The Symfonisk range, which Ikea first announced in a video in January, will be available in-store and online from September 27.

    Designed in collaboration with US smart speaker company Sonos, the range aims to “democratize music and sound in the home”, the retailer said in a statement.

    “Sound enhances our life at home and the collaboration will enable many more people to create an atmosphere in the home with great design and sound,” Mitchinson said.

    The range includes a table lamp with a built-in speaker, which Ikea said will help de-clutter homes by eliminating cords. Priced at $269, the lamp-speaker partly springs from the idea of a fireplace, the retailer said – one single piece that spreads warm light as well as sound.

    It also includes a wi-fi bookshelf speaker priced at $149, which can double as a shelf that holds up to 3kg with the bracket. It can also be attached to almost any kitchen rail, the retailer said.

    Both products are compatible with Sonos’ own product range and can be steered through the Sonos app.

    They can also be steered via the Ikea Home Smart app, which is part of the retailer’s range of connected products, from speakers and charging pads to bulbs and light panels. The products are newly categorized under the collective name ‘Home Smart’, and share the common goal of saving customers time, money and energy.

    Customers can experience Ikea’s new Symfonisk range and take part in immersive experiences at the retailer’s Tempe store in Sydney from yesterday, July 25, through to August 4.

  • Maybank Debuts Wealth Offering in Philippines

    Maybank Debuts Wealth Offering in Philippines

    Maybank launches its first a private wealth management arm in the Philippines, in the midst of trending interest from financial institutions to tap into the nation’s business potential. The bank will open the branch in Makati City in Manilla, which will add to the 67 centers it has in the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) bloc. The «Maybank Premier» brand will be deployed to target high net worth individuals with wealth advisory solutions.

    The bank is projecting continued growth in the region and expects its clients to benefit from the bank’s robust ASEAN connectivity according to its group chief strategy officer and chief executive of the international business Michael Foong.

    The Philippines has been in the spotlight in recent times due to growing interest from others to tap into its market for its financial sector potential across various segments.

    Earlier this week, Pru Life UK was reportedly expected to launch a standalone asset management firm in the country. And also in the same week, the nation completed its first blockchain-based remittance from Singapore’s OCBC.

    This wealth management launch is in line with the bank’s focus to continue to develop our group wealth management franchise to capitalize on the region’s growth trajectory, and the Philippines is one of the fastest-growing economies in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) with a burgeoning middle class, said John Chong, group chief executive of Maybank.

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  • LVMH sales up despite global tensions

    LVMH sales up despite global tensions

    Luxury brand owner LVMH has reported a solid 15 percent increase in sales in the first half of this year, shrugging off gloomy consumer sentiment in many markets.

    The parent of Louis Vuitton, Christian Dior, Bulgari, Sephora, DFS, Moet and a raft of other brands recorded sales of €25.1 billion. Organic growth was 12 percent ahead of the same period a year earlier.

    Second-quarter growth was also up by 15 percent of the beginning of the year, with the US, Asia and Europe all showing good growth and an obvious rebound in France in the second quarter.

    While the company noted a slowdown in demand in Hong Kong and Macau over the past few months, its DFS department-store subsidiary recorded “good” performance during the first half of the year.

    Profit from recurring operations was €5.295 billion for the first half, up by 14 percent, with operating margin reaching 21.1 percent – about the same as last year.

    “These results once again illustrate the effectiveness of our strategy and the exceptional desirability of our Maisons, whose products transcend time,” said chairman and CEO Bernard Arnault.

    “Their constant demand for quality and their consistently refreshed creativity are key to LVMH’s success, always guided by a long-term vision, combining exemplarity and responsibility in all the company’s actions. Despite buoyant demand, we will continue to manage costs and remain vigilant into the second half of the year. We are therefore entering the second half of the year with confidence and count on the talent of our teams and their shared entrepreneurial passion to further increase, once again in 2019, our leadership in the world of high-quality products.”

    The company’s fashion and leather goods business group recorded organic sales growth of 18 percent and profit from recurring operations was up 17 percent. The Louis Vuitton brand business achieved growth in all businesses and regions. Christian Dior had “a remarkable performance during the first half,” the company said, with its new 30 Montaigne line a standout.

    The selective retailing business group achieved organic revenue growth of 8 percent, with profit from recurring operations up 17 percent. Within that group, Sephora recorded strong revenue growth and gained market share in all of its locations, LVMH reported.

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  • Starbucks China launches world-first Starbucks Now store

    Starbucks China launches world-first Starbucks Now store

    Starbucks China has opened its first Starbucks Now store – an express retail experience that integrates Starbucks physical and digital customer touch points.

    Centered in Beijing’s financial district, the Starbucks Now store is the company’s first express-retail format location. The service combines the signature Starbucks cafe environment with mobile order and pay and Starbucks Delivers customer experiences.

    “The Starbucks Now store is a testament to our unwavering commitment to delivering innovative customer experiences through new retail formats,” said Starbucks China Retail president and COO Leo Tsoi. “This new retail format and design approach provides us with a platform to offer customers a fast and convenient retail experience to suit their on-the-go lifestyle.”

    Customers entering the store are greeted by a Starbucks barista at an elevated concierge counter to assist with ordering or order pickup. They can choose from a menu of handcrafted beverage options tailored for the on-the-go customer along with an assortment of popular food items. Limited seating is available for customers who choose to stay and relax with their favorite food and beverages in the store.

    For delivery riders, a dedicated area for Starbucks Delivers orders enables fast pickup supported by baristas. Fulfilled Starbucks Now and Starbucks Delivers online orders will be placed in a secure in-wall system with a designated pickup portal associated with each order.

    The store will also have the ability to serve as a centralised dispatch centre for delivery orders within a certain radius, so Starbucks baristas at neighbouring cafes can focus on delivering service to in-store customers at those locations. During peak times, Starbucks Delivers beverage orders will be prepared by baristas from a central kitchen that is part of the Starbucks Now store.

    The company plans to open new Starbucks Now stores across high-traffic areas including business and transportation hubs as well as to new cities in China.

  • Watsons Singapore launches store-in-store Retail concept

    Watsons Singapore launches store-in-store Retail concept

    Watsons Singapore has launched a premium store concept at Takashimaya. The 7000sqft store hosts distinct zones encompassing skincare, hair care, health and personal care, with new brands such as Milani, Pony Effect, and Utena.

    “To keep pace with the innovative, trendy brand image that Watsons is known for, we are very excited to refresh and make a statement with our Watsons Takashimaya store in a new generation premium store format which offers more experiential zones and shopability,” said Irene Lau, Watsons Singapore GM.

    “The expanse of the store allows us to offer more exciting and exclusive brands across skincare, cosmetics, health and wellness for our discerning consumers. In addition, as we continue to evolve in this digital age, we have incorporated smart technologies and gadgets to enhance the shopping experience and increase engagement with our consumers.”

    The refreshed Watsons store also hosts store-in-store (SIS) concepts at its cosmetics, skincare and health zones.

    The L’Oreal Paris SIS offers a comprehensive range of cosmetics, from foundations, eye make-up colours to lipsticks. Maybelline’s SIS offers the Alice+Olivia Maybelline collection, the first-ever fashion make-up collaboration from the company, that is exclusively sold at Watsons Singapore.

    In support of Small Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Singapore, Watsons is introducing two independent homegrown brands, Botanica Culture and Hush Candle, that focus on wellness.

    A seven-metre length Mask Bay allows consumers to find a mask or two that cater to their skin type, beauty concerns or daily needs across 22 brands.

    The Real Techniques wall contains make-up tools and accessories, including performance brushes and expert sponges.

    The new Watsons store will have four full-time pharmacists, led by principal clinical pharmacist, Chung Wing Lam, who was named 2018 Excellence Service SuperStar by Singapore Retailers Association.

    Watsons Singapore’s membership will be automatically upgraded to “Watsons One Pass” which allows members to enjoy benefits when they shop at Watsons stores in China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, Taiwan and Thailand.

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  • Tokopedia expands delivery promise Same Day Delivery

    Tokopedia expands delivery promise Same Day Delivery

    Indonesian e-commerce company Tokopedia is expanding its one-day delivery guarantee to almost all of its products as it prepares to battle Amazon and other foreign rivals.

    Backed by Alibaba Group and SoftBank, Tokopedia’s greatest strength might lie in the fact it is a 100-per-cent Indonesian focused company, unlike its rivals – and shareholder – which are simultaneously trying to build share in many different markets simultaneously.

    “We focus on Indonesia,” Tokopedia founder and CEO William Tanuwijaya said in an interview in Tokyo. “Our mission is really to solve the Indonesian customer problem. And we see the room for growth is still tremendous.”

    Online shopping in Indonesia is expected to grow by more than 400 percent within the next five or so years, to US$53 billion. That sort of growth is attracting Amazon, which opened in Singapore two years ago and subsequently launched in Australia, along with existing Indonesian rivals including Alibaba-backed Lazada and Shopee.

    Tokopedia already offers same-day or one-day delivery for about 65 percent of the products it sells. Expanding that to almost its entire catalog would be made possible by alliances with 11 logistics companies covering the most populous of the country’s 17,000 islands.

    The company is a marketplace, linking more than 5 million sellers with the nation’s largest database of online shoppers. It has no inventory of its own.

    Tanuwijaya admitted getting more than 90 per cent of goods delivered within 24 hours was a goal that might take two years or more to achieve.

  • Whittard of Chelsea launched in Taiwan

    Whittard of Chelsea launched in Taiwan

    Fine beverages retailer Whittard of Chelsea has partnered with Ruentex Group to launch its first stores in Taiwan. The new venues, located in Breeze Nanshan department store and Mitsui Mall in Taichung, are early steps in the firm’s emerging international expansion. The firm chose Taiwan following considerable interest in the brand among Taiwanese tourists in the UK.

    Three more outlets are expected to open in the territory later this year.

    “After seeing evidence of the appeal of our brand to the Taiwanese consumer in our home market, we became very excited by the opportunity to introduce the brand to Taiwan and started looking for the right partner,” said Whittard of Chelsea’s CEO Mark Dunhill.

    “We are delighted to have secured a partnership with Ruentex Group; they have an excellent record in bringing international brands to Taiwan and we share the same passion and ambition for Whittard. Together with my colleagues in England, I look forward to working closely with them to build a successful business in the years to come.”

    Whittard recently opened on China’s Tmall platform and has also made entries into Japan and Southeast Asia.

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  • BSH opens Asia’s first UnserHaus

    BSH opens Asia’s first UnserHaus

    BSH Home Appliances has opened Singapore’s first UnserHaus Customer Care Centre and a UnserHaus Experience Centre.

    Meaning “our house” in German, the UnserHaus centre is a lifestyle concept featuring Bosch and Gaggenau appliances in a home-like environment.

    “UnserHaus is an exciting new proposition that gives BSH’s home appliance brands, business partners and collaborators a chance to flourish,” said Hendrik Kretzer, CEO and head of BSH Home Appliances Asia Pacific Region.

    “Our philosophy and core ethos are focused on building long lasting trust with all of our customers and partners. We provide a platform to learn and experience unique ideas, future thinking, and real passion and understanding of the products that could benefit the way we live.”

    Located next to the Bosch building, the 1350sqft UnserHaus Customer Care Centre resembles a modern-day home, with a repair room that allows customers to watch technicians through a glass divide.

    While waiting for their appliances to be repaired, customers can visit either the dining room, which provides a hands-on experience with built-in appliances like dishwashers, coffee machines and ovens; or the living room, where they can sit down, unwind and relax with music or a wide-screen television. There is a children’s playing space as well.

    All products at UnserHaus come tagged with a QR code that allows visitors to purchase and pay for them online.

    UnserHaus Experience Centre

    Previously known as the Bosch Experience Centre, the UnserHaus Experience Centre is a functional open-concept home that allows customers to experience the latest Bosch and Gaggenau appliances.

    Located in the Bosch Building, the centre is divided into adjacent Bosch and Gaggenau brand zones. Visitors can try and choose Bosch- or Gaggenau-themed kitchens for their own kitchen planning. Hands-on experiences are available for appliances from six product categories: laundry, dishcare, cooking and baking, refrigeration, food preparation and indoor cleaning.

    Customers can also join cooking classes, held with partner chefs in live kitchens.

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  • Caltex profit falls amid rising competition

    Caltex profit falls amid rising competition

    Increased competition and the rising price of crude oil had a negative impact on convenience and petrol station owner Caltex’s first quarter earnings.

    The retailer announced that earnings from both its fuels and infrastructure business and its convenience business were down in Q1 on the same period in 2018, which contributed to a net profit of $94 million, a 42.7 per cent drop on the $164 million in net profit it saw last year.

    Fuel earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) fell to $109 million, down from $156 million last year, while convenience retailing fell by over 50 per cent to $40 million, compared to an EBIT of $90 million in the three months to March 31, 2018.

    “Our result shows the impact of both lower refiner margins and a challenging retail environment this quarter,” said Caltex chief executive and managing director Julian Segal.

    “Our businesses’ strengths, including a strong balance sheet and our extensive network, as well as our steady focus on the execution of our strategy provide the foundation for delivery of our strategy in 2019.”

    Caltex said it will move ahead with the transition of franchise sites into company-owned operations, with over 70 per cent of the retail network now owned internally. The retailer also noted that agreements are in place for it to operate 99 per cent of sites by 2020, allowing the business to “better standardise and optimise the site’s performance.”

    Segal laid out the retailer’s growth plans for the remainder of 2019 for shareholders at its annual general meeting on Thursday, May 9, stating a focus on execution and discipline would assist both facets of its business deliver a stronger result in a challenging retail environment.

    “Fuels and infrastructure will continue to grow its earnings through its international business, [and] we will continue to run Australia’s largest transport fuel network safely and reliably,” Segal said.

    “Convenience retail is refocusing on our core fuel offer and will improve the in-store experience across our network to ensure we attract and retain more customers in a competitive fuels market.”

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