Retail News CRM

Tag: lifestyle

  • Malaysia’s October vehicle sales up 0.5% to 47,273 units in Oct

    Malaysia’s October vehicle sales up 0.5% to 47,273 units in Oct

    Vehicle sales in October 2018 were up marginally 0.5% to 47,273 units from 47,041 units in the same month a year ago, according to the Malaysian Automotive Association (MAA). However, MAA said the sales volume in October 2018 was 51% higher than September 2018, due to availability of stocks replacing the depleted post-zero Goods and Services Tax (GST) period.

    In addition, it said year-to-date, the total industry volume (TIV) was 6% higher than the similar corresponding period in 2017.

    The sales volume for November 2018 is expected to be slightly better than October 2018 on the back of new model launches and aggressive year-end promotional campaigns, it added.

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  • Hugo Boss growth relies on Asia sales

    Hugo Boss growth relies on Asia sales

    German fashion retailer Hugo Boss sees Asia as a cornerstone of its growth strategy, saying while it already enjoys above-average growth in the region, there is potential for more. In a briefing to investors in London, the company’s managing board said it expects Asia will account for 20 per cent of its global sales by 2022, up one third from the current 15 per cent.

    “The board is convinced the group still has considerable growth potential particularly in Asia. Sales in the region are expected to increase on average at a double-digit percentage rate per year by 2022, with China playing a key role,” the company said in a statement.

    “In addition to the optimisation and expansion of the local retail network, the online business, also in cooperation with various multi-brand platforms, should contribute to above-average sales growth in particular.”

    Globally, Hugo Boss will focus on personalisation and speed to boost brand desirability between now and 2022. The company plans to increase currency-adjusted sales by between 5 per cent and 7 per cent annually for the next four years and grow its operating margin to 15 per cent. Operating profit will grow “significantly faster than sales,” the company said.

    “We have set ourselves high targets for the coming years”, said CEO Mark Langer.

    “We want to grow faster than the market, and expect our operating profit to develop significantly better than our sales. The successful realignment of our brands Boss and Hugo has laid the foundation for this. We will further increase the personalisation of our offerings in the future and speed up central processes in the course of further developing our strategy. Our overall aim is clear: We want to be the most desirable premium fashion and lifestyle brand globally.”

    Personalisation will be developed by adopting a more individualised customer approach, a personalised product range, “a unique shopping experience” and by building on its extensive experience in made-to-measure clothing.
    On the speed front, Hugo Boss plans to make its business processes “considerably more agile”.

    “This will enable the company to react to customer needs and to new market trends even more quickly and flexibly in the future. The existing skills of Hugo Boss in product design and development, our modern logistics and IT infrastructure and the use of digital showrooms will be the key levers,” the company said.

    It also plans to quadruple its own online sales by 2022.

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  • Naganuma Ice to make Singapore debut

    Naganuma Ice to make Singapore debut

    Hokkaido soft serve ice cream franchise Naganuma Ice Co is opening in Singapore. The brand is distinguished as the sole Hokkaido firm certified by the prefecture’s authorities for using raw Hokkaido milk in their ice cream products. The milk is sourced from ranch cows near Naganuma town before being transported immediately to the brand’s factory for low-temperature pasteurisation.

    Naganuma’s three stores in Hokkaido and three in Taiwan regularly see hour-long queues for the ice creams, produced with the raw milk and eggs.

    The new outlet launches November 25 at Carlton City Hotel.

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  • Bamboo Airways plans a year-end take off

    Bamboo Airways plans a year-end take off

    Bamboo Airways, Vietnam’s newest airline, is expected to make its maiden flight on Dec. 29, its founder said Friday. The first routes of the country’s fifth carrier would connect Hanoi and HCMC, and from Hanoi and HCMC to central Quy Nhon City, said Trinh Van Quyet, chairman of Vietnamese private firm FLC, the airline’s founder.

    Dang Tat Thang, Bamboo Airways general director, said the carrier has basically got itself ready for the first flight, and aircraft that it is hiring is due to arrive in Vietnam on Dec. 12.

    “It is possible that flight tickets will be on sale a month before the initial takeoff,” he said.

    Bamboo Airways finally got its long-awaited aviation license early this week.

    It is allowed to operate 10 aircraft on both domestic and international routes and to carry passengers and cargo.

    The airline plans to fly on 100 routes, connecting Vietnam’s major cities with popular domestic and international tourist destinations.

    After licensing, it needs to obtain an aircraft operator certificate and obtain permission for parking and selling tickets, which are expected to take 30-45 days from the date of license issuance.

    Bamboo Airways was founded in mid-2017 with a charter capital of VND700 billion ($30 million), which it increased to VND1.3 trillion ($55.68 million) recently.

    The airline has signed deals to buy 24 Airbus A320neo and 20 Boeing B787-9 Dreamliner aircraft worth a total of about $8.6 billion.

    The other four carriers in Vietnam currently are Vietnam Airlines, Vietjet Air, Jetstar Pacific and VASCO.

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  • India’s Jabong merges with Myntra

    India’s Jabong merges with Myntra

    Myntra has announced the integration of Jabong with the brand and Ananth Narayanan will continue to lead the team.“Since Myntra’s purchase of Jabong in mid-2016, the two brands have been steadily integrating key business functions and streamlining processes. This has resulted in revenue growth and a significant improvement in the customer experience. As the next step in this process, Myntra and Jabong will now fully integrate all the remaining functions including technology, marketing, category, revenue, finance and creative teams,” said company spokesperson.

    “The closer integration of Myntra and Jabong is a necessary step in our continuing development. To remain the leader in fashion eCommerce in India, we have to find ways to operate more effectively and innovate more quickly. By better aligning our resources with our long-term plans, we can put the best structure in place to serve our sellers and brand partners and ultimately benefit our customers.” it added.

    According to the company, Myntra’s independence as a business will be preserved. Myntra team will continue to operate independently to achieve even greater success.

    “We will continue to lead the market, serve our customers, and do what we do best,” according to the company.

    From a consumer perspective, the well-loved Jabong brand will remain.

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  • WHSmith ventures into Hong Kong with new franchise

    WHSmith ventures into Hong Kong with new franchise

    UK bookchain WH Smith is to open stores in Hong Kong after securing a franchise agreement with King Power Group (Hong Kong). The WH Smith Hong Kong outlets will open in travel retail locations such as railway stations – there is no mention in the announcement of the airport.

    “We are currently present in six countries in the region: Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, India and China, with excellent business partners and we are delighted to welcome King Power Group as a new franchise partner,” WH Smith chairman Louis de Bourgoing said.

    “We very much look forward to working together to grow our presence across Asia and bring the WH Smith offer to travelling customers in Hong Kong.”

    King Power Group operates more than 1000 stores in Asia-Pacific, Europe, the Middle East, North America and India. King Power Group travel retail MD Sunil Tuli described WH Smith as “an esteemed and leading news, books and convenience brand and operator globally.”

    “We have seen their international travel retail businesses grow over the past years and we trust that our collaboration will see good successes in Hong Kong.”

    WH Smith’s travel retail stores combine its core books and stationery offer, with convenience foods and travel accessories.

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  • India’s Tata food to focus on healthy range

    India’s Tata food to focus on healthy range

    With consumers increasingly becoming health conscious, health and wellness will drive the growth for the food and beverage segment, Tata Sons brand custodian Harish Bhat said Friday. “My belief is, as far as the food and beverages segment in the country is concerned, one of the key drivers for the future will be the consumers’ need for health, wellness and fitness,” he said.

    According to a, Tata Global Beverages has presence in green tea with its Tetley brand, while its other firm Tata Chemicals offers unpolished pulses and low sodium salt.

    Bhat said the salt-to-software conglomerate’s brand is synonymous with trust as its companies offer quality products and services at a reasonable price, adding that in a country which has strong trust deficit, the brand works very well.

    He elaborated that inferior quality products, products which are overpriced, or products or services which don’t live up to world class standards, can create a trust deficit. He further said if there is a segment of trade which is not fair with its consumers that can create a trust deficit.

    “I believe that the Tata brand has earned trust over a long period of time through the behaviours that it has exhibited, through the products and services it has provided to our customers. All our companies believe in providing our customers with products and services of impeccable quality at very good value and it is that combination of quality and value which has made 650 million Indian customers trust the Tata brand,” he further said.

    Trust also comes because the Tata Group has been functioning in harmony with the community…Those are the factors which has made the Tata Group brand synonymous with trust in the country, he added.

    On the impact of the controversial removal of Cyrus Mistry as the group chairman in 2016, on the brand, Bhat parried a direct reply but said the Tata brand is synonymous with trust and continues to remain strong with all stakeholders.

    “All our internal and external researches keep throwing that up all the time,” he said.

  • Fung Retailing boosts stake in reborn Toys R Us Asia

    Fung Retailing boosts stake in reborn Toys R Us Asia

    Fung Retailing has finally secured a deal to continue to operate the profitable Toys R Us Asia business. The privately owned Hong Kong business, which is separate to the listed Li & Fung, will boost its stake in Toys R Us Asia from 15 per cent to about 21 per cent, making it the retailer’s largest shareholder.

    The balance will be owned by Taj Noteholders representing a mixture of investment funds and financial institutions who have a stake in the collapsed parent company Toys R Us US.

    Toys R Us Asia has never been affected by the liquidation of the US business – it has been trading profitably under Fung Retailing direction and has even been expanding its store network while shops bearing the iconic banner have been closing in post part of the world. Last week it relaunched its store in Brunei.

    The new partnership between Fung Retailing and Taj Noteholders values the company at US$900 million.

    “This transaction is a significant step in separating the valuable and growing Toys “R” Us Asia operation from the rest of the business,” said an unidentified spokesman for Taj Noteholders in a statement.

    “The company’s growth prospects in Greater China, Japan and Southeast Asia are bright and we are excited about investing in and owning the company in partnership with Fung Retailing”.

    Pieter Schats, executive director of Fung Retailing, said that since introducing Toys R Us to Hong Kong in 1986, Fung Retailing has played an integral role in the successful growth and development of the business across Asia.

    “As a sign of the confidence we have in the management team and future success of Toys R Us in the region, we are pleased to increase our shareholding in the company, reflecting our commitment to support Toys R Us Asia in reaching new heights.”

    The company will continue to be led by its current president & CEO Andre Javes and his management team.

    Technology boost

    The new owners of Toys R Us Asia plan a “significant investment in technology” to boost the company’s infrastructure.

    “We are committed to remaining the leading specialty retailer of toy, education and baby products in Asia by driving innovation and quality through our products and services,” said Javes. “The conclusion of the sale process brings clarity to the company’s ownership and we look forward to strengthening and leveraging our partnerships with our vendors and commercial stakeholders. Our shareholders’ investment is a huge vote of confidence in our vision, our team and our winning model.”

    Toys R Us Asia operates more than 450 stores in Japan, Greater China and Southeast Asia, including Brunei, China, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan and Thailand. It also licenses more than 85 stores in the Philippines and Macau.

  • Foreign names dominate Vietnam’s high-end home interiors market

    Foreign names dominate Vietnam’s high-end home interiors market

    Foreign home interior brands and designers are present in force and dominating the increasingly affluent Vietnamese market. Brands like Cassina, Badari Lighting, Cantori, Diemme Cucine, Formitalia, and Versace Home have entered the high-end interior market in recent years.

    According to the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI), some 80 percent of luxury woodwork and interior decoration items is imported from Europe, with local players making up the small remaining portion. The market is valued at $2.5 billion.

    Ly Qui Trung, general director of AKA Furniture Group, said the expansion of the “middle and affluent class” has boosted demand for luxury interior items.

    “It is no wonder that many high-end international interior brands have started rushing into the Vietnamese market.”

    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, the Nikkei Asian Review reported recently citing a study by the Boston Consulting Group.

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

    Paolo Lemma, Italian trade commissioner to Vietnam, believes there will be higher demand for interior design items in future due to the booming real estate market.

    According to the HCMC Handicraft and Wood Industry Association (HAWA), woodwork furniture consumption last year was estimated at over $3.2 billion and that number is expected to reach $4 billion this year.

    Huynh Van Hanh, vice chairman of HAWA, said the industry’s average growth rate has been 8 percent in the last seven years, and his association encouraged domestic manufactures to enter this growing market.

    Trung said his company would seek to tap the growing high-end segment in future, and expected fierce competition between domestic and foreign brands.

    Last year Vietnam exported $8 billion worth of wood and forestry products and has a target of $9 billion this year.

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  • Nutella Cafe Opens in Union Square, NY

    Nutella Cafe Opens in Union Square, NY

    Confectionery giant Ferrero opened a permanent Nutella Cafe in the heart of New York City this week. The cafe, the brand’s second in the US after its debut in Chicago last year, is designed to create “an authentic Nutella experience all year-round” with a menu of Nutella-centric foods and specialty espresso beverages.

    “We are thrilled to celebrate the grand opening of Nutella Cafe New York in one of the greatest culinary cities in the world,” said Rick Fossali, VP of operations at Nutella Cafe. “The response to our first Nutella Cafe in Chicago has been outstanding, and we cannot wait to treat New Yorkers and tourists alike to a wonderfully delicious Nutella experience showcasing the uniqueness and versatility of this beloved product.”

    The menu at the Nutella Cafe New York will include all-day dishes such as freshly baked breads, pastries, breakfast specials, desserts and gelato – all featuring Nutella hazelnut spread.

    Highlights include Chicago favourites like the Pound Cake Panzanella and Grilled Baguette, along with several items which are exclusive to the New York location: Hazelnut Blondies with Nutella hazelnut spread; multi-grain Piccolino (“little one” in Italian) freshly baked croissants; Grilled Banana Bread with Nutella, warmed and topped with fresh banana slices and toasted hazelnuts; Chia and Hemp seed pudding, topped with Nutella and fresh banana slices; Frozen Nutella Pops and a “Create Your Own” station that allows customers to pick their favourite base with Nutella and customise it with their own choice of fillings and toppings.

    Nutella Cafe New York is located at 116 University Place, a stone’s-throw from Union Square.

    Nutella was created in 1964 by Michele Ferrero, based on the recipe for Giandujot developed in 1946 by his father, Pietro Ferrero – a confectioner and the founder of Ferrero – in Italy’s Piedmont area. These days it is sold in more than 170 countries.

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  • Full service eateries threaten fast food in Vietnam

    Full service eateries threaten fast food in Vietnam

    A survey has found full service restaurants outshining the quick service segment in Vietnam since 2017’s third quarter. Full service restaurants (FSR) or sit down eateries where food is served directly to the customers’ table, have been far better patronized than quick service restaurants (QSR), where table service is minimal and the typical fare is fast food.

    In fact, the QSR segment has been dropping quarter after quarter, according to a report released this week by the HCMC-based market research firm Decision Lab.

    It found that the growth of full service restaurants has been fueled mostly by women, and consumers above 35 years of age.

    The FSRs and QSR are the two most important channels for manufacturers of various product categories, with the other five channels being street food, bars, convenience stores, hotels, and canteens.

    Together, they currently account for the majority of out-of-home visits by consumers across all demographic groups in Vietnam.

    The falling of QSR

    Quick service outlets have been suffering from declining visits from all consumer groups, male and female of all ages from 15 upwards in all the three major cities, the report said.

    Among various types of quick service outlets, cafes, bakeries and juice, smoothie shops are those that have witnessed the biggest drop in visits, by 29 percent, 22 percent and 30 percent respectively.

    They have switched to other channels to consume these daily products likes street food, full service restaurants and convenience stores.

    But this does not mean Vietnamese are cutting down on these products. Vietnamese consumption of coffee, juice and smoothies actually increased in the past year.

    Since April 2016, Decision Lab had tracked the out-of-home eating and drinking market in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang, Vietnam’s three biggest cities of Vietnam.

    It tracked all food and drink consumed out of home on a daily basis with an annual sample size of 15,000 completed interviews.

    The respondents were Vietnamese consumers aged above 15, who also reported on consumption by children (under 15 years) present when eating out.

    Nghiem Vu Huong Linh, head of Foodservice at Decision Lab, said the findings suggest that consumers have become very selective in their choice of outlets to visit and that not all outlets can benefit from the increasing demand without making significant efforts to become attractive and worth trying.

  • Naver says its Green Dot is the future of searching

    Naver says its Green Dot is the future of searching

    Naver’s iconic green search bar may one day be a thing of the past – at least in the mobile app.

    Korea’s most popular portal site is experimenting with a new tool called the Green Dot that allows users to search for information not only by text, but also by voice, location and photos.

    The Green Dot was first unveiled last month. It is what the company calls an “interactive search” button located at the bottom of Naver’s app.

    When touched, the button opens a small window that offers various search functions like voice recognition, music recognition and recommendation on trending restaurants and bars nearby. The user can also add short-cuts to frequently used Naver services, from blogs to shopping.

    “Naver’s green search bar was developed at a time when searching online through PCs was about keywords and being linked to [web pages with] text information,” said Kim Seung-eon, the portal giant’s design head, at the Naver Design Colloquium held Friday in Dongdaemun, central Seoul. The annual event invites Naver designers to share their strategies and design insight.

    “But now with mobile, [portals] aren’t just about new information; we listen to music, reserve restaurants and use services that are closely linked to our daily lives. There are so many usages now and ways to input information. The Green Dot integrates all these; it’s the start of a new way to search and connect.”

    Kim added that the Green Dot will be the new design identity of Naver and a core function related to services coming in the future.

    The portal giant also shared the results of its first page overhaul on its mobile app.

    Last month, Naver introduced a new first page of its mobile app that left out news and trending keywords, leaving nothing but the search bar, weather information and the Green Dot.

    Its explanation was that the change was purposed to put a larger emphasis on searching, which accounts for 60 percent of why users turn on the Naver app. The change was available as a beta service.

    According to Naver, some users felt that the blank space was awkward, but the beta service had also showed meaningful results: the amount of time users spent on the app increased 15 percent and the number of searches rose 20 percent.

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  • Gentle Monster opens second store in Singapore

    Gentle Monster opens second store in Singapore

    South Korean eyewear brand Gentle Monster has opened a second store in Singapore at Marina Bay Sands. The launch, coming more than a year since the opening of Gentle Monster’s first store in Southeast Asia at Ion Orchard, is part of the brand’s “13” project. According to the brand, the project is “based on a story of an extreme ecological change the Earth would have to endure in the future due to a tilt of its axis, caused by the Moon being pushed farther away from planet Earth.”

    The concept serves as a metaphor to describe modern-day people who seem “obsessed and overwhelmed by the invalid information they receive daily.”

    To celebrate the opening of the new location, Gentle Monster has teamed up with fashion blogger Yoyo Cao to come up with a special edition of the brand’s popular Cobalt sunglasses model. The limited edition eyewear features a trendy tear drop-shaped frame along with details such as a twisted bridge and an inner template engraved with the word “Yoyokulala”.

    The Gentle Monster x Yoyokulala eyewear will retail at S$368.

    Find out the interior of the store below (5 images) :

  • High tech Nike NYC store opens

    High tech Nike NYC store opens

    Nike opened its newest Nike House of Innovation overnight, a 68,000sqft, six-storey store on Fifth Avenue.

    Nike NYC is described by the sportswear brand as a cross-category premium store, “the pinnacle expression of modern retail, representing the best of Nike global product, experiences and sport innovation”.

    “Nike NYC is designed to be a dynamic store environment, that is just as personal and responsive as digital,” said Heidi O’Neill, Nike Direct president. “This premium destination gives consumers an authentic, immersive and human connection to the Nike Brand.”

    The store is packed with technology, interactive experiential features and zones for both professional athletes and amateurs.

    Nike NYC uses the Nike App to create digitally connected journeys for consumers to discover, learn about and find the products they want quickly and easily. New and expanded Nike App in-store features include Shop the Look, Instant Checkout and updated functionalities with Scan to Try which the company says will give consumers greater opportunity to shop in-store displays, checkout in-store or request to try-on items throughout the store.

    The store is planned as something of a testbed for Nike’s digital service offerings which will “continue to evolve … giving NikePlus members even more choice in their shopping journey”.

    “Powered by digital commerce data and inspired by Nike’s newest retail concept, Nike Live, the ground floor of Nike NYC features the new Speed Shop – offering on-the-go access to the products local members know and love most,” the company said.

    Consumers can shop these curated New York City favourites alongside seasonal picks, visit the Nike Sneaker Bar or reserve items in the Nike App and pick them up in the Speed Shop digital lockers.

    On the fifth-floor is the Nike Expert Studio – the company’s first dedicated floor to provide even more personal service to NikePlus members, including bookable sessions with Nike Experts and the Nike by You Studio, offering members-only exclusive seasonal products, one-on-one styling sessions and even create personalised products.

    Nike NYC features separate product floors for men, women and kids. On the fourth floor is the Nike Sneaker Lab, billed as home to the largest concentration of seasonally current Nike footwear anywhere in the world.

    The entrance to the store – dubbed the Nike Arena – showcases the most immersive seasonal and sport-inspired storytelling moments from the brand.

    The store’s exterior features slumped and carved glass designed to “reflect and create motion that mirrors the movement of athletes”, elevates the Nike Swoosh logo and reflects “the iconic aesthetic of Nike Air”.

    Technology at Nike NYC

    Here’s a quick rundown of the new and existing technology featuring in the new flagship:

    Shop the Look: By scanning a QR code on an in-store mannequin, consumers can browse every single item on the mannequin, check to see if their size is available in-store or online and see available colours. Then with just a tap, they can request for select products to be sent to a fitting room of their choice or receive the items from a store athlete at a designated pick-up spot.

    Nike Instant Checkout: Using Nike Scan, NikePlus members can skip the line and easily checkout from within their Nike App using stored or new payment methods. Members can scan the product(s) of their choice, check out like a traditional Nike App purchase and receive their payment receipt within the app. Nike Instant Checkout stations are positioned throughout Nike NYC so that shoppers can fold and bag products if they choose before leaving the store.

    Nike Scan to Try: While this technology was released earlier this year it has now been refined and expanded. After discovering any product in the store and scanning the item to learn more, shoppers can now simply tap “request to try-on” for various items. Requested products can then be collected at designated pick-up areas in Nike NYC, or they can be reserved to a fitting room location of the consumer’s choice.

    Nike Reserve: Using the Nike App, NikePlus members can reserve product at home to pick up in store. They can shop the product they want in the Nike App and then complete their purchase with an in-store athlete or with Nike Instant Checkout.

    Retail Home: When entering Nike NYC, members will gain access to an array of new features and content via their Nike App homepage.

    NikePlus Unlocks: NikePlus Member Unlocks are delivered through the Nike App to reward the best of Nike product, to deliver immersive brand experiences, to award activity achievements and to share partner rewards with members. Member Unlocks can be given directly from a Nike Expert in-store or targeted to consumers based on their sport and style interests. Select Member Unlocks may also be delivered to consumers outside of Nike NYC, which they can redeem in-store with an athlete.

    Product Concierge: If a product is unavailable in Nike NYC, an in-store staff member can search inventory across the entire marketplace – online or offline in Nike-owned stores, as well as its reseller network. If found, and available to ship or reserve, customers can have the item held at a local store or have it delivered. This service will be exclusively available on the fifth floor Nike Expert Studio Service Desk.

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  • E-commerce to contribute 11 pc of FMCG sales by 2030: Nielsen

    E-commerce to contribute 11 pc of FMCG sales by 2030: Nielsen

    E-commerce’s contribution to the total FMCG sales is expected to be 11 percent by 2030, according to market research firm Nielsen. E-commerce contributed 0.4 percent to FMCG sales in 2016 and in 2018 it is expected to be around 1.3 percent of the branded packaged FMCG sales.

    “Over the next 12 years, we expect e-commerce itself to be 11 percent of FMCG sales, an 8X growth from its current size, Sameer Shukla, Executive Director – Retail Measurement Services, South Asia, Nielsen (India) said.

    E-commerce is around 10 percent of modern trade, while modern trade at present is 10 percent of FMCG sales.

    “E-commerce channel contribution to India FMCG sales now stands at over 1 percent and has grown at over 101 percent since last year. In specific product categories and markets the contribution is already touching double digits of total category value sales,” he said.

    He added that in categories like diaper there has been an upsurge in e-commerce from 4 percent to 9 percent since July 2016 to September 2018.

    Modern trade itself has seen a growth over the last few years from growing at one-third of traditional trade in 2015 to 2X at present.

    From the third quarter in 2016 to third quarter of 2018, traditional trade grew at 2 percent while modern trade at 23 per cent.

    The growth in modern trade has been classified as 18 percent from metros, 32 to percent from 5-10 lakh towns, 33 per cent from 1-5 lakh towns and 58 percent from less than 1 lakh towns.

    Nielsen also noted that salary weeks witness 15-20 percent higher sales compared to regular weeks in a given month and the tactical play adopted by modern trade retailers around big days or weeks (Republic Day, Independence Day, Diwali etc) is an essential ingredient for success in the fast growing modern trade channel.

    In the third quarter of calendar year 2018, FMCG had a growth of 16 percent largely led by volumes, with 81 per cent share or 13 percentage points and the remaining 3 percentage points from price changes.

    It also noted that north and east have contributed to the 16 percent growth in the third quarter. Rural consumption is growing at a faster pace than urban with an index of 1.4X.

    The market research firm also noted that the FMCG companies in the top 50 contributed 60 percent in value terms, however the smaller manufacturers are driving the growth.

    It noted that companies in the bracket of top 101 to 300 contributed 11 percent in terms of value however their growth was 12.8 percent and in terms of the tail-end companies beyond the top 300, the contribution was 21 percent while the growth was 18.5 percent.

    Regional players are growing at a faster clip at 27.7 percent compared to national players at 11.7 percent.

    The presence of regional players is predominantly in packaged food categories where they clocked 31 percent growth in September 2018 on year. This was nearly 3X times growth witnessed among national players.

    However for the last quarter of 2018, it expects the growth in FMCG to come down to 12-13 percent.