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Tag: robinson

  • Dairy Farm sells Rose Pharmacy chain to Robinson Retail

    Dairy Farm sells Rose Pharmacy chain to Robinson Retail

    Listed Robinsons Retail Holdings reported on Friday that it acquired local drugstore chain Rose Pharmacy Inc. through its subsidiary South Star Drug Inc.

    In a disclosure, the Gokongwei-led retailer said South Star Drug and Dairy Farm International Holdings Inc. subsidiary Mulgrave Corp. B.V. (MCBV) signed a share purchase agreement to buy Rose Pharmacy.

    Dairy Farm acquired a 49-percent share in Rose Pharmacy in 2015 before increasing it to 100 percent in November 2018.

    “I am delighted that Rose Pharmacy will be part of our portfolio as it takes us back to our hometown in Cebu, where my father and JG Summit Holdings and RRHI founder John Gokongwei Jr. started as an entrepreneur. Mr. John also admired Rose Pharmacy for its strong brand reputation in the Visayas and Mindanao,” Robinsons Retail President and Chief Executive Officer Robina Gokongwei-Pe said in the disclosure.

    “The deal also further bolsters our strategic partnership with Dairy Farm to strengthen our position in Philippine multiformat retailing. We first worked with Dairy Farm for the acquisition of Rustan Supercenters Inc. in 2018, which deepened our footprint in the premium supermarket space. Our acquisition of Rose Pharmacy yet again offers ripe opportunities for innovation through strategic synergies,” she added.

    Rose Pharmacy was established as a family-run drugstore in Cebu City in 1952. It generated P9 billion in net sales last year and has over 300 branches in the Visayas and Mindanao.

    “Rose Pharmacy is a very strategic addition to our drugstore portfolio with its highly regarded brand in VisMin and complementary network to South Star Drug’s strong presence in Luzon and Metro Manila,” South Star Drug Managing Director David Goh said.

    “Together, we can leverage our scale and synergies to drive wider product assortment, better customer service and offer greater value to our customers across Philippines when they need it most,” he added.

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  • AEON together with Robinson make this summer cool ! The “Robinson Summer Holiday” campaign

    AEON together with Robinson make this summer cool ! The “Robinson Summer Holiday” campaign

    Mr. Praphan Rangsiyopas (2nd from left), Executive Vice President of AEON Thana Sinsap (Thailand) Public Co., Ltd. together with Mr. Anawat Sangkhasap (Left), Senior Vice President – Customer Strategy, Robinson Public Co., Ltd. welcome summer by launched a special promotion campaign “ROBINSON SUMMER HOLIDAY”. Exclusive for AEON credit cardholders, get up to 8,000 Baht cash back when spend through AEON credit cards at Robinson department store, and get 10 exclusive chances to win 1 Baht gold necklace 45 prizes, with a total value of 1 million Baht. The campaign start from now on until 23rd May, 2018 at 46 Robinson department store locations across the country.

  • Dubai-based group behind Robinsons and Zara to refresh retail offerings

    Dubai-based group behind Robinsons and Zara to refresh retail offerings

    Dubai-based conglomerate Al-Futtaim Group is embarking on a slate of moves to refresh the offerings at its stable of retail brands here, such as household names Robinsons department store and the Marks & Spencer chain.

    The multi-faceted efforts to draw more shoppers are part of a drive by its Asia group chief executive, Mr Christophe Cann, who was appointed to the role in January to grow the company’s business in the region.

    “The strategy is to build a profitable long-term business, to bring new brands to the market and to keep the strength of the group which is quite diversified,” said Mr Cann, at the Robinsons store at The Heeren.

    The group’s diversified retail portfolio also includes sports brands such as Royal Sporting House, Reebok, and fashion labels such as Zara, Pull and Bear, and Massimo Dutti.

    For a start, it will inject $12 million to renovate Robinsons at Raffles City in phases over one year, starting in July. Upgrading plans are also afoot for Marks & Spencer stores at shopping malls – Parkway Parade, Paragon and Raffles City.

    Shoppers will also be able to take a pit stop at a new 1,000 sq ft cafe at the Marks & Spencer outlet at Wheelock Place in Orchard Road, set to open in the third quarter.

    “Having new concepts and new brands are ways to keep customers’ money in Singapore… We need to give more reasons for customers to visit us, to stay longer in the store,” said Singapore-based Mr Cann.

    The group is also adding more food and beverage offerings at Robinsons at The Heeren, with a new restaurant by chef and TV personality Angela May due to open on level two of the store next month.

    Mr Cann also flagged an upcoming outdoor F&B area at The Heeren – where T.G.I. Friday’s outlet used to be – to be connected to level two of Robinsons via a bridge. The F&B area will be up and running in the third quarter.

    Apart from culinary offerings, Al-Futtaim will be trying out new retail concepts, with the opening of a “sneakers bar” at Orchard Central later this year. The new store, spanning about 1,000 sq ft, will carry limited-edition footwear.

    Mr Cann added that the Royal Sporting House outlet at VivoCity will also be given a makeover and will open next month.

    “Sports is not just about products these days, it is about lifestyle. The new shop will look more fashionable and appeal to a younger crowd. We will also downsize on the number of brands, carrying only the best performing ones,” he said.

    This big revamp of its stores across various brands is expected to boost profitability.

    For example, Mr Cann said Robinsons, which has three outlets here – at The Heeren, Raffles City and Jem mall – booked a loss of “a few million dollars” last year, but is likely to break even this year; while its Marks & Spencer chain here is already profitable.

    Singapore is Al-Futtaim’s second- largest market in the region after Malaysia, followed by Thailand and Indonesia.

    Mr Cann said the company expects to invest around $80 million a year across the four markets to enhance its offerings.

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  • Thailand’s Robinson makes online push

    Thailand’s Robinson makes online push

    Major department store operator Robinson said it was turning its focus to online sales and enhancing in-store services — offering anything from ear-piercing to eye tests — rather than opening new stores this year as the economy remained sluggish.

    President Alan George Thomson said that sales from its online platform will contribute 5-7% of overall sales by 2020, from the current 1%. In that time, its online business will become Robinson’s largest segment in terms of sales, exceeding its flagship Rama 9 store in Bangkok.

    Adding to the conventional online shopping service, special kiosks will be set up in stores where customers can make orders online. Items will be delivered to the shop as soon as the next day. Customers in rural areas can thus buy items that would otherwise only be found in the cities.

    “We are transforming Robinson from a department store to a retail company,” Thomson told reporters on Wednesday. By 2017, the company will have spent 2.5 billion baht to renovate 20 of its major department stores.

    Robinson will introduce services such as ear-piercing, eye tests, smartphone-charging stations, coffee stands and even fitness centers. “We want to make retail more than just shopping,” Thomson said.

    But sluggish domestic consumption has meant that the company will open just two stores this year, down from the four or five in the past few years.

    “The economy is definitely much slower now,” Thomson said. Sales in 2015 increased a mere 5% on the year to 2.15 billion baht, underperforming its initial target of a 15% growth. “Getting sales in Thailand is not easy,” Thomson said. “We will slow down our expansion but get better profits from existing shops.”

    To improve efficiency, it will introduce centralized cashiers in its stores.

    Robinson is a part of retail giant Central Group. While Central’s flagship Central department stores target the mid- to high-income customer, Robinson’s focus is on the mass market and a younger customer base. Many of the Robinson department stores are in the Central Plaza shopping malls operated by the group’s development arm Central Pattana.

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  • Thai Robinson to invest $479 mln on new stores over 5 years

    Thai Robinson to invest $479 mln on new stores over 5 years

    Thailand’s Robinson Department Store PCL said on Tuesday it aimed to invest about 16.8 billion baht ($479 million) over the next five years on opening new stores in a move to boost average sales growth by 5-7 percent a year.

    Speaking at a news conference, President Alan Thomson said Robinson, majority-owned by Thailand’s largest retail conglomerate Central Group, planned to boost the number of stores to 56 by 2020 from 42 now, pinning its hopes on government economic stimulus measures stoking a pickup in the country’s now-depressed consumer spending.

    Growth at that pace would be equivalent to an average of 2.8 new stores a year. But Robinson’s rate of expansion has slowed recently, dropping to two new stores this year, versus four in 2015 and five two years earlier, a deceleration that reflects Thailand’s current economic weakness, Thomson said. This year, the company will spend 1.6 billion baht on opening two branches. It’s aiming for sales growth of 7 percent from 2015’s 25 billion baht, and expects sales to reach 35 billion baht by 2020, Thomson said.

    He also said Robinson planned to spend 2.5 billion baht to renovate 20 existing stores in an effort to respond to changing retail patterns and attract more customers despite the spread of online shopping.

    Robinson also operates two stores in Vietnam, and aims to double that by 2020, Thomson said. “We are trying to identify challenges before we expand in Vietnam,” he said, adding the company would likely invest more in Vietnam next year after a pause in 2016.

    After being hit in recent years by weak spending in the slowing economy, like other Thai retailers, Robinson has seen signs of improvement in demand, thanks to the government’s stimulus measures, Thomson said.

    The company’s same-store sales rose 3.1 percent in the fourth quarter of 2015, versus a drop of 2.1 percent for the
    full year, according to company data.

     

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  • Al-Futtaim and Chalhoub Group sign deal to bring Robinson across Middle East

    Al-Futtaim and Chalhoub Group sign deal to bring Robinson across Middle East

    Al-Futtaim, a business houses headquartered in Dubai, has signed a joint venture agreement with the Chalhoub Group to bring Singapore’s leading fashion department store Robinsons to the GCC and the Middle East region.

    The first Robinsons department store will open in spring 2017 at Dubai Festival City Mall, which is currently undergoing a major expansion programme.

    Spanning a total of 18,000sqm across three levels, the store will be the first of many to follow in the GCC.

    Paul Delaoutre, President – Retail, Al-Futtaim said: “Al-Futtaim has already been operating four Robinsons department stores in Singapore and Malaysia and through our partnership with the Chalhoub Group we will bring this unique format department store to the Middle East expanding the brand’s footprint and strengthening its international appeal.

    “Robinsons department stores in the GCC will be offering contemporary fashion covering the full spectrum, from accessible to luxury in a relaxing environment where fashion is alive. We will focus on novelty and style, a large part of the offer will be completely new to the Middle East.

    In 2008, Al-Futtaim acquired the Robinsons Group, regarded as Singapore’s legacy retailer. The Group is currently operating three Robinsons stores in Singapore and one in Malaysia. Over its 150 years of operation, Robinsons department store has become synonymous to Singapore and its fashion retail industry.

    Patrick Chalhoub, Chief Executive, Chalhoub Group said: “We are excited about this partnership as we will be combining Al Futtaim’s vast experience of operating over 200 companies with our intimate knowledge of the Middle-East luxury market and consumers, in order to deliver the most relevant offer of the Department Store adapted to the Middle East customer who is now knowledgeable and assertive.”

    Thierry Prevost, Managing Director – Fashion and Department store, Al-Futtaim Retail said: “The Robinsons department store in Dubai Festival City Mall will offer customers exclusive fashion brands across categories for  women, men, kids, beauty, home and lifestyle, food and beverages in addition to unique services.”

    The store will also feature a number of restaurants and views overlooking the Dubai Creek and the emirate’s skyline.

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  • Aeropostale unveils more expansion in Asia and EMEA region

    Aeropostale unveils more expansion in Asia and EMEA region

    Aeropostale, Inc., an American mall-based specialty retailer of casual apparel for young women and men, has announced additional expansion plans in Asia and the EMEA region. Through two new licensing agreements, Aeropostale will launch in Thailand and Egypt over the next five years, it said in a press release.

    Julian R. Geiger, CEO of Aeropostale, said, “Aeropostale’s international expansion began in Asia and the Middle East and it is with great pleasure that we announce further expansion across these key regions. Thailand and Egypt will be important markets as we continue to expand globally across Asia, the Middle East and Africa. We are confident that our partnerships with Robinson Department Store and Q and A Retail Company will ensure that the Aeropostale brand will continue to thrive and prosper internationally.”

    The company has signed a licensing agreement with Robinson Department Store Public Company Limited to open approximately 40 standalone and shop-in-shop locations over the next five years in Thailand. The first Aeropostale location in Thailand will open in the Robinson Department Store in Sriracha.

    Paresh Chauhan, Executive Vice President of International Brands at Robinson Department Store, said, “Robinson Department Store is very excited to bring Aeropostale to the Thailand market place, with the brand’s strong combination of trend-right merchandise at compelling prices. We hope to emulate Aeropostale’s success and be the leaders in teen fashion in our market.”

    Aeropostale has also signed a licensing agreement with Q and A Retail Company to open approximately 10 standalone stores over the next five years in Egypt.

    “We are eager to partner with Aeropostale to bring this iconic brand to North Africa for the first time. We are confident that the strength of the Aeropostale brand will resonate with the consumers of Egypt and we look forward to continuing our expansion throughout the region over the next several years,” said Ayman Seoudy, Director of Q&A Retail Company.

    Aeropostale’s expansion plans in Thailand and Egypt are planned to begin in early 2016, the release said. (SH)

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  • Robinson Thailand plans more border stores

    Robinson Thailand plans more border stores

    Thai department store chain Robinson says it will open outlets in planned special economic zones to encourage cross-border trading.

    The Central Retail Corporation subsidiary says it will open a new Lifestyle Centre at Mae Sot in the Tak province, on the border with Myanmar. It follows a similar store which opened in Mukdahan, on the border with Laos, last year.

    “These stores are being built to take greater advantage of cross-border trade,” CRC international business director, and Robinson president Alan Thomson said in an interview published in The Nation.

    “SEZ projects are good initiatives but will take time to develop and for us to realise any opportunities,” he said.

    CRC operates 42 department stores in Thailand; and two more in Vietnam – one in each of Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi – which trade under the Robins brand name. Its 15 Lifestyle Centres are additional to those.

    In the interview, Thomson talks about the company’s performance in Vietnam to date, its plan to add a well known US apparel brand to its store-in-store brand portfolio next year and how the company is coping with the stagnant Thai economy.

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  • Revamp plan for Robinsons Singapore

    Revamp plan for Robinsons Singapore

    Store closures lie ahead as the parent of Robinsons Singapore and the local M&S franchise refocuses on its key flagships.

    Dubai-based Al-Futtaim Group will close several stores in the city state and revamp others.

    The Marks & Spencer store at Centrepoint will close on March 29 to allow resources to be focused on the Wheelock Place flagship.

    The John Little store at Marina Square will close on April 26 and the Tiong Bahru Plaza store will close in the last quarter of this year. The closures would allow the company to “focus manpower and resources on enhancing the Plaza Singapura and Jurong Point stores”.

    In a statement, Kesri Kapur, head of business in Asia, said the moves were intended as a response to the fast evolving retail scene.

    “This consolidation move is part of our group’s ongoing business strategy to ensure the long-term sustainability of our businesses.”

    A “major upgrade” will be undertaken of the Robinsons and Marks & Spencer stores at Raffles City and the Paragon store, the group said, with work commencing early next year.

    A Marks & Spencer’s food hall will be added to the Robinsons The Heeren store towards the end of this year.

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  • Philippines’ Robinsons to put up 7 new malls

    Philippines’ Robinsons to put up 7 new malls

    Robinsons Land Corp. (RLC), the property development arm of tycoon John Gokongwei, is opening more shopping centers over the next two years as it intends to retain its foothold as among the top mall developers in the country.

    RLC said it intends to put up seven new shopping centers and expand three existing malls in the next two years.