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Tag: Vietnam

  • Lazada promises ‘biggest ever’ online sale

    Lazada promises ‘biggest ever’ online sale

    eCommerce giant Lazada plans a month-long mega sale in six Southeast Asian countries under its now annual promotion ‘Online Revolution’.

    Lazada, part of Germany’s Rocket Internet group, says more than 10 million products will be offered to 550 million consumers in six countries, in partnership with a raft of international and local brands.

    The Online Revolution will launch in full scale in Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines,Thailand and Vietnam on November 11 and culminate in a three-day finale ending on December 12.

    Brands and merchants in Southeast Asia and other international markets such as China, Hong Kong, the US and the UK will join the sale to offer goods across 13 categories. These categories include new additions such as groceries, liquor and automotive in some markets as well as current favorites such as electronics, home & living, health & beauty, fashion, kids & toys, and travel. Brands that have signed up include Microsoft, Xiaomi, Philips, Tefal, Pierre Balmain, Desigual, Spektre Sunglasses, Date Sneakers and Gas Jeans.

    “We are going to bring the most exciting selling month of 2015 to Southeast Asia. With flash sales, best deals, exclusive promotions and app-only incentives, Online Revolution will give plenty of reasons for consumers to tune in and stay engaged,” said Maximilian Bittner, CEO of Lazada Group.

    “It is a unique opportunity for brands and merchants to reach a large audience and accelerate their growth. We are thrilled to have the strong endorsement from thousands of partners – from sellers and service partners, to banks, and telecoms companies. And, we welcome more to join us in spreading the benefits of online shopping to consumers through Online Revolution,”  said Bittner.

    During the month-long Online Revolution campaign, Lazada will feature weekly product category highlights, a curated brands’ showcase and exclusive promotions with partner banks, on top of daily deals. Beyond online, it will run a TV advertising campaign to keep the Online Revolution branding on top of consumers’ minds.

    To help sellers maximise revenue, Lazada says it has been introducing new and improved services. Its ‘Fulfillment by Lazada’ (FBL) is a network of fulfillment centers, hubs, delivery fleet and service specialists that takes care of the fulfillment of a customer’s order through to delivery, efficiently. This lowers cost for the sellers and allows them to focus on marketing and boosting their business. Lazada, recently, also rolled out a Seller Center Android app. The app comes with enhanced search, notifications and language support, on top of all the Seller Center features to help marketplace sellers manage their business on-the-go.

    Small and medium business owners will also receive support through training, such as in stock planning and packaging capacity, to prepare them for a smooth operation with the expected spike in orders. Last year, sales from Lazada’s Online Revolution on December 12 alone hit more than 10 times that of a normal day.

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  • Vietnam e-commerce market growth to be led by online retail market

    Vietnam e-commerce market growth to be led by online retail market

    According to the Research’s recently issued report “Vietnam E-Commerce Market Outlook to 2019 – Driven by Internet Penetration and Smartphone Usage”, e-commerce managed to gain some attention in Vietnam only after 2011. The retail market in Vietnam is considered one of the most dynamic markets in the South East Asia with such a high growth rate. Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City are ranked in the top 10 cities in the entire Asia for retail expansion. Hanoi ranked third after Beijing and Shanghai as the city with liveliest retail market.

    Vietnam is one of the top three countries with the highest rate of growth of internet and mobile phone subscribers in Vietnam, with more than four million people using the internet a day, offering great potential for online shopping development.

    In 2014, Vietnam had a total population of 90.7 million out of which 35.4 million people have access to internet, making the internet penetration rate of 39%, amongst the highest in the region. Though the E-commerce market is not very old, the country has many big players such as Lazada, Hotdeals, Vatgia and others which are driving E-commerce in Vietnam.

    Vietnam E-Commerce is one of the fastest-growing E-commerce markets in South East Asia. Cash on Delivery in Vietnam is the most preferred mode of making payments online.

    Vietnam has great potential to grow its E-commerce, especially after investors shifted attention from China towards Vietnam for the next manufacturing hub in the east. Vietnamese are digitally attuned, especially in urban parts of the country which is the main target audience for  E-commerce players, at least in their initial and growing phase.

    The online retail market of Vietnam is driven by major players such as Lazada and Amazon along with local players such as tiki, Vatiga, Zalora and others due to their focus on localized content.

    In 2014, the online retailing market contributed more than 65% in the overall B2C market of Vietnam. Constant innovation, launch of newer brands online, proliferation of affordable smartphones coupled with rise in broadband access have largely propelled market growth.

    The online retail market has been segmented into clothes, shoes & cosmetics, technology Kitchen and home appliances, books and stationery, CD’s & DVD’s, mother & baby products and others.

    The Vietnam gaming industry is the biggest in the entire South East Asia which gives its online gaming market an edge. Vietnam Online Entertainment & Services booking market has attained small but significant growth in overall e-commerce market.

    The concept of online entertainment has become prevalent since the rise in internet penetration in Vietnam, owing to the emergence of websites offering online booking of movie and event tickets as well as professional services.

    The rising share of online entertainment and services booking is supported by the fact that more players are entering the market with different business models to tap the customer base.

    Ken Research is a research and information service company operating with a network of partner firms across the US, Asia and Europe.

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  • KAfe Group wins funding for Vietnam store rollout

    KAfe Group wins funding for Vietnam store rollout

    KAfe Group, which describes itself as Vietnam’s “first urban fusion cafe chain” has secured US$5.5 million financing from institutional investors in London and Hong Kong.

    The Series A financing, led by Cassia Investments, will be used to fund rapid expansion of KAfe Group’s network beyond Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City and other cities throughout the Vietnam. KAfe Group is eyeing an overseas public listing at a later stage for further expansion in the country.

    Founded in 2013 by Chi Anh Dao, a Vietnamese home chef, cookbook author and TV cooking personality, KAfe Group is the first urban fusion cafe chain in Vietnam. Targeting young, affluent and trendy customers, it offers “a fresh, affordable and quality casual dining experience”, with culinary inspirations from Vietnam and across the globe.

    KAfe Group offers a healthy and balanced, fresh and seasonal menu featuring quality ingredients served at modern, stylish outlets for “a delightful all-day dining experience”.

    The group has developed and operates four brands – The KAfe, KAfe Village, KAfe Box, and The Burger Box – and is currently developing its own branded coffee and tea range (The KAfe Cup), as well as a pressed juice range (The KAfe Pressed). Dao leads a young, international management team with the skills and experience to manage the expansion.

    the KAfe

    In just two years, the group has built a chain of 12 outlets in Hanoi and four in Ho Chi Minh City. It plans to have 26 by the end of the year.

    Dao said KAfe Group has undergone phenomenal growth in a very short period, which validates its unique positioning and the associated first-mover advantages gained as a result.

    “Our highly-focused vision is to utilise KAfe Group’s multi-national background, multi-brand, uniquely positioned strategy with a ‘quality-first’ principle as the primary vehicle for bringing a safe and healthy local farm-to-table food revolution countrywide.

    “In the future, we plan to expand our network aggressively, roll out multi-channel online and offline marketing promotions and delivery service, and expand our chef team. It is also our main goal to improve our operational efficiency. One of our key strategies to achieve that is to enhance our logistics and supply chain, building a KAfe Group ecosystem by acquiring local organic farms in Vietnam to build our own stable and quality supply chain of fresh, clean produce from farm to table,” she said.

    “All these initiatives will help us carry out our mission to make KAfe Group the country’s leading cafe-restaurant chain within five years, to deliver our value in high quality food and service to more and more customers nationwide and beyond.”

    the KAfe menu

     

    “We are very impressed by the vision and energy of Chi Anh Dao, her success in introducing a new dining experience to Vietnam, the unique positioning of KAfe Group, and the quality of the management and operations team,” said Faris Ayoub, managing partner of Cassia Investments, a consumer-focused private equity firm investing in companies across Greater China and Southeast Asia.

    “We see strong potential in the company and are looking forward to working closely with Chi Anh and Dennis (Nguyen, KAfe’s chairman) to help ensure the continued success of KAfe Group.”

    Vietnam is one of the fastest-growing economies in Asia, with average GDP growth of 6.15 per cent from 2000 to 2015Q3. Its annual per capita income is tipped to grow at an estimated CAGR of 7.6 per cent between 2009 and 2019. Growing disposable income has resulted in a huge demand for a higher quality of living. This translates to demand for a higher quality of dining, in terms of novelty, taste and diversity of food, environment and service, and an emphasis on health.

    the KAfe inside

  • European cosmetics chain heads to Asia

    European cosmetics chain heads to Asia

    European cosmetics brand Stenders is about to open its first store in Singapore as part of a concerted push into new international markets.

    Stenders Singapore will open in Plaza Singapura shopping centre on Orchard Rd this month.

    Stenders Singapore 1

    The opening will be followed in November by debuts in Vietnam and Portugal and London is also on its radar..

    Stenders Singapore 2

    Stenders “a cosmetics brand inspired by northern nature” sells a range of about 350 products from more than 230 shops in 22 countries. In Asia it has so far only reached China and Japan.

    The Latvian-founded company’s market positioning is “high quality products and special packaging” sold from attractively designed stores where the staff have a strong service culture. “We pay special attention to feelings and shopping experience, including design, fragrance, the way of presenting products and customer care culture,” the company says.

    The brand’s product range includes bath, body, face and hair care products.

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  • Caffe Bene Vietnam starts franchising

    Caffe Bene Vietnam starts franchising

    Korean coffee chain Caffe Bene has opened its first franchised store in Vietnam.

    Caffe Bene Vietnam’s third store – its first franchised outlet – is located in the recently opened SSC VivoCity shopping centre in Ho Chi Minh City’s District 7, a popular expat residential area.

    While coffee is at its core, Caffe Bene has attracted a large customer base of Vietnamese due to its shaved ice desserts, bagels and ice cream.

    The first Caffe Bene store opened in Ho Chi Minh City last year in a prime two-storey corner site on the city’s main shopping street Dung Khoi, in premises vacated by apparel chain Esprit. Queues formed from day one.

    Now that it has refined its offer and gained market experience through its two company-owned stores, the company is launching its franchise program. It plans to have 50 stores trading in Vietnam by the end of next year.

    Caffe Bene Korea is focusing on international expansion after reaching saturation point in its own market with a network of 810 stores. It has more than 500 stores in China and two in the US. It will also take its brand to the Middle East after signing a franchise agreement with Saudi Arabia-based Keden Group.

  • 40% of Indian food retailers to grow by 10% or more this year

    40% of Indian food retailers to grow by 10% or more this year

    Almost four in 10 Indian food retailers are expected to grow by 10 per cent or more this year, according to research commissioned by DHL Supply Chain, the global market leader for contract logistics solutions.

    Based on interviews with more than 300 industry decision-makers in India, Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam, the study titled, Hungry for Growth: Logistics Trends in Asia’s High-Growth Food Retail Markets, found that more than one in four food retailers in some of Asia’s fastest-growing economies expect to grow by 10 per cent or more this year, as a result of expanding populations and rising income levels.

    However, the report also found that while 86 per cent of Indian food retailers understand their supply chain costs, six in 10 are struggling to maintain adequate levels of shipment accuracy in fulfilling growing demand – potentially impacting their ability to keep shelves stocked and orders filled as demand and competitive factors grow increasingly complex.

    “Rapid increases in purchasing power, coupled with surges in demand driven by population growth, will yield obvious expansionary benefits to food retailers,” said Dean Eichorn, Vice-President – Retail, DHL Supply Chain Asia Pacific. “However, any food retailer’s success is ultimately dependent on the agility of their supply chains when faced with demand volatility, seasonal fluctuations, and other complex market factors. Asia’s food retail industry looks set to undergo significant growth in the next year, and only with greater understanding and control of their logistics processes will companies be able to take advantage of new opportunities.”

     

  • Rice prices up in Vietnam, Thailand on Indonesian demand

    Rice prices up in Vietnam, Thailand on Indonesian demand

    Vietnamese rice prices rose around 3 percent to an 11-week high following news of a major deal with Indonesia, while prices in Thailand also edged up as the market monitored Indonesian import demand, traders said on Wednesday. Vietnam, the world’s third-largest rice exporter after India and Thailand, has won a tender to supply nearly 1 million tonnes to Indonesia, a Vietnamese government report said, as the archipelago nation struggles with a prolonged drought.

    On Wednesday, Vietnam’s 5-percent broken rice advanced about 3 percent to $350-$355 a tonne, free-on-board (FOB) Saigon Port, from $340-$345 a week ago, and 15-percent broken rice stood at $345 a tonne, or about $10 above last week. At $355, the price is the highest since July 22, Reuters data show.

    The 25-percent broken variety narrowed to $330-$335 a tonne, FOB basis, from a range of $325-$340 a tonne a week ago. “As prices rise, some buyers have turned to Thailand,” a trader in Ho Chi Minh City said. Pakistani rice has also become very competitive, with the 5-percent broken grain standing at $310 a tonne, FOB basis, said a dealer at a regional trading firm.

    “Given the price rise, African buyers are not in the market while (Vietnamese) sellers don’t want to sell now,” he said. Traders said they expected more purchases, including from Vietnam’s biggest rice buyer China, given the price rise. Rice imports in 2015 by China, the world’s largest producer of the grain, could rise 6.7 percent from 2014 to 3.2 million tonnes, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization has said.

    China has bought 1.5 million tonnes of Vietnamese rice in January-August, or a third of Vietnam’s total shipments in the period, based on Hanoi’s agriculture ministry data. China has set the rice import quota for 2016 at 5.32 million tonnes. In Thailand, prices edged up in anticipation of a contract with Indonesia, traders said.

    “We already increased our prices last week to anticipate it,” a Thai trader said. “If it ends up not happening, prices will absolutely weaken.” Thai 5-percent broken grain rose to $360 a tonne, FOB Bangkok, from $350-$357 on Tuesday, but is still below the $350-$362 level a week ago. Prices have recovered from an eight-year low hit last month. Indonesia said late last month it planned to import up to 1.5 million tonnes of rice from Thailand and Vietnam in October to avert a price spike.

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  • Asia mCommerce shopping soars

    Asia mCommerce shopping soars

    Asia Pacific consumers are increasingly likely to make their online purchases and bill payments through mobile devices (mobile phone or tablet), rather than via desktops, according to Visa’s 2015 Regional eCommerce Monitor Survey.

    The survey, which polled 11,760 respondents from 13 markets in Asia Pacific, found respondents reported an average 22 per cent increase from 2014 in Asia mCommerce shopping.

    Respondents from Indonesia (36 per cent), Mainland China (34 per cent) and Taiwan (28 per cent) reported the greatest growth in mCommerce during the year.

    The rising popularity of mCommerce among Asia Pacific consumers is narrowing the gap with traditional eCommerce channels such as laptops or desktop computers across the region. In Thailand, consumers are as likely to purchase using their mobile devices as through desktops, while the mCommerce-eCommerce gap in markets such as Mainland China (eight per cent), Korea (nine per cent) and Indonesia (nine per cent) is decreasing.

    Visa’s regional director for eCommerce, Conor Lynch said the results show that making purchases on the go through mobile devices is becoming the norm in Asia Pacific.

    “As consumers get more comfortable using their smart devices to research, browse and purchase, mCommerce should soon overtake traditional eCommerce habits, strengthening this channel of engagement between consumers and retailers.”

    The survey also found travel, bill payments and movies were the top spending categories for eCommerce in general across Asia.

    For mCommerce, the top three categories are also fashion, bills and movies at 27 per cent each.

    “Across Asia Pacific, we are seeing that ticket-size, as well as the nature of the purchase, impacts how consumers purchase goods and services online. Consumers in this part of the world, are already comfortable purchasing smaller ticket-sized, everyday items by clicking the purchase button on an app or checkout button on a mobile device,” Lynch said.

    Another continuing trend revealed by the survey is the tendency for consumers to engage in cross-border online shopping. In particular, consumers from Singapore (77 per cent), Australia and Hong Kong (75 per cent) and New Zealand (74 per cent), are the most likely to make online purchases from retailers abroad, well above the regional average of 55 per cent. On the other hand, consumers from Japan (81 per cent), Taiwan (61 per cent) and Vietnam (57 per cent) are more likely to shop at domestic online stores.

    When shopping online with an overseas retailer, price (68 per cent), access to products (60 per cent), paying and delivery processes (40 per cent) and reputation of products (29 per cent) are key motivations for Asia Pacific consumers.

    The Visa eCommerce Monitor Survey 2015 was conducted by ORC International Singapore with 11,760 consumers, aged 15 to 55 years and across 13 countries and markets – Australia, Mainland China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam in May and June 2015.

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  • Hamleys Vietnam sets opening date

    Hamleys Vietnam sets opening date

    Hamleys Vietnam will stage a mobile roadshow around the shopping centres and schools of downtown Ho Chi Minh to help build brand awareness ahead of the store’s Vietnam debut.

    Hamleys Vietnam will open its doors on October 21 in the recently opened SC Vivo City mall in District 7, a popular expat enclave.

    Hamleys, the world’s oldest toy shop established in 1760, announced in June it would open its first store in Vietnam. It promises to be the largest toy shop in Vietnam when it opens its doors to the general public, with a character parade and ceremony at 7pm.

    In the lead up to the opening, Hamley Bear will be touring the city in a specially marked red minibus, visiting international schools, shopping malls, and other areas. The tour will be held from October 9 to 10, and 16 to 17.

    In addition to the Hamley Bear visits, there will be a competition on social media to a win prize and exclusive tickets to the VIP and media event, taking place from 5.30pm on October 21 at SC VivoCity.

    Nina Komolova, Hamleys’ PR and marketing manager says the London Bus Tour will bring excitement to families in advance of the store’s opening.

    Hamleys Vietnam

    Wee Keng, general director of SC VivoCity said with Hamleys’ tradition internationally of lively store demonstrators, strong brand identity and immersive environment, the new store will take VivoCity’s concept of a one-stop family lifestyle destination mall to a new level.

    In Hamleys Vietnam, shoppers will step into a magical toy wonderland that is stocked with thousands of safe, quality approved toys ranging from the traditional to the high-tech, games and puzzles to arts and crafts, magic, the Luvley Boutique – where children will find a selection of hair and nail products to dress themselves up with – and of course the iconic Hamleys Teddy Bears.

    Hamleys’ unique approach focuses on ‘bringing toys to life’ for children and families by actively encouraging children to play with the toys in store or by engaging with toy demonstrators.

    Hamleys Vivo city

    Memories underpin the essence of the Hamleys brand – customers will be able to meet the Hamleys Bear, characters from television and film on special occasions and participate in interactive workshops and events.

    The Hamleys Vietnam franchise is owner by Maison Joint Stock Company, founded in 2002 by Richard Trinh and Mai Son Pham. The company operates 61 stores in Vietnam selling brands including Christian Louboutin, Topshop/Topman, Miss Selfridge, Dorothy Perkins, Max Mara, Max & Co, Mango, Karen Millen, Coast, Warehouse, Oasis, Bebe, Charles & Keith, Pedro, Accessorize, Monsoon Children, Havaianas and NYS Sunglasses. It will soon open the nation’s first CH by Carolina Herrera and Santoni stores.

  • Vietnam retail sales strengthen

    Vietnam retail sales strengthen

    Vietnam retail sales rose 9.8 per cent in the first nine months of this calendar year, underpinning a raft of healthy economic data for the nation released this week.

    Inflation reached zero in August, for the first time ever, which encouraged retail sales growth.

    Gross domestic product rose 6.81 per cent in the third quarter, slightly higher than the second quarter’s revised figure of 6.47 per cent, according to data released by the General Statistics Office in Hanoi.

    Analysts say the both sets of data show signs the overall economy is generally picking up.

    “Vietnam is the only country with strong export growth amid contracting exports among its regional peers,” according to an ANZ Bank research note published this week.

    The nation’s economic growth rate hit 6.5 per cent in the first nine months. Exports rose 9.6 per cent, imports climbed 15.9 per cent and there was a trade deficit of $100 million in September compared with a surplus of $347 million in August.

    The Asian Development Bank forecasts Vietnam’s growth to accelerate during the second half of this year due to rising private consumption, export-oriented manufacturing, and Foreign Direct Investment.

    However, it’s not entirely good news. Huynh The Du, a lecturer at the Fulbright Economics Teaching Program in Ho Chi Minh City warned of the dangers of zero inflation: “It’ll become a challenge for economic expansion later if inflation continues to stay at this slow pace,” he said.

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  • Epinion’s Asia presence strengthened with new FMCG & Research Director

    Epinion’s Asia presence strengthened with new FMCG & Research Director

    Market research and insights company, Epinion is delighted to welcome Katrin Roscher who will join the Vietnam office as Epinion’s Research Director, FMCG and Retail.

    Katrin will join us from Ghana where she held the position of Group Director at MRC, an African market research agency, where she was responsible for clients such as Samsung, Heineken, FrieslandCampina and the World Bank.

     A German national with vast FMCG experience, Katrin also has more than 12 years’ managerial and client handling experience and will play a large role in enforcing Epinion’s position as bold researchers solving the problems of tomorrow.

     During her time in Ghana Katrin also held the senior position of Deputy MD at TNS, prior to her MRC role.

    Her experience has primarily focused on the FMCG sector and throughout her career; she has worked with a number of prestigious clients including Nestlé, Unilever, Diageo, Coca-Cola, Premier Foods and Mondelez.

    Prior to her time in Africa, Katrin also gained a decade of market research experience in London, firstly as Senior Account Manager at The NPD Group and then as Consumer Insight Director at Kantar Worldpanel.

    On top of this her insight into branding in West Africa has also been featured in top publications.

    With more than 150 applicants for the position it was a long and competitive process, but it was clear that Katrin outperformed the rest of the candidates. She will start on October 1.

    Katrin said: “I am really looking forward to working with the Epinion team and their clients, and brands that are unique to the South East Asia region.  I consider Epinion to be a very progressive market research company that makes full use of the latest research technologies so joining Epinion will bring me closer to the technology revolution in market research and I’m very excited about this.”

    Katrin said she was also was excited about moving to yet another new country.

    She added: “I’m very much looking forward to getting immersed in Vietnam’s rich culture. Having lived in Cologne, New York City, London and Accra with a husband of Russian and Nigerian origins, I would say that I’m fairly multi-cultural!

    “I am a big fan of good food and quite adventurous, so I’m very excited about the varied street food on offer in HCMC. I enjoy tropical climes and spending time close to water so I hope to spend some time walking along the Saigon river bank and snorkeling in the South China Sea.”

    Aske Østergard, Epinion’s Managing Director, Asia, said: “We are thrilled to have Katrin come on board. Epinion is growing rapidly and having someone as experienced and talented as Katrin will only help grow and strengthen our business within the FMCG and Retail vertical. 

    “Katrin’s international experience in the market research industry will be hugely beneficial to both the partnerships we already hold, as well as those we hope to develop in the future. We look forward to her starting.”

    Epinion currently has offices in Singapore, Saigon and various European locations including London and Copenhagen. The market research company has more than 16 years’ global experience and looks forward to Katrin helping us expand even further.

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  • Indonesia to Overtake Vietnam as Asia’s Largest Cement Producer

    Indonesia to Overtake Vietnam as Asia’s Largest Cement Producer

    The Indonesian Cement Association is optimistic that Indonesia could grow into Asia’s largest cement producer by 2017, as eight new production plants with a combined capacity of 24 million tonnes are set to begin operations in the next two years.

    After meeting with President Joko Widodo, the Chairman of the Indonesian Cement Association, Widodo Santoso, explained that sales of cement is expected to grow by two percent to 61,08 million tonnes in 2015 – up from 2014 sales figures that stood at 59,9 million tonnes.

    “I am sure that demand will continue to rise as many of the government’s large-scale infrastructure projects are set to commence in February next year – as such, a five percent increase is easily within reach,” said Santoso at the President’s Office on Monday, September 28.

    Santoso said that the growth in demand is accompanied by the increase of Indonesia’s national production output – it is known that Indonesia currently produces around 65 million tonnes of cement annually. In 2015, four new production plants are slated to commence their operations, while four others are set to begin churning out cement in 2016. Combined, all eight plants could produce an additional 24 million tonnes of cement per year.

    “By 2017, we are set to become Asia’s largest cement producer. Previously, the industry was dominated by Vietnam and Thailand – by next year, we should be able to cement Indonesia’s position as an industry leader,” said Santoso.

    The four plants that will begin operations in 2015 are owned by Bosowa Cement, Holcim, Merah Putih Cement, and Pan Asia Cement – all of these plants combined will add some 11-12 million tonnes of cement per year to the market.

    “This additional capacity will allow us to export a minimum of five million tonnes – quite a significant addition that could help Indonesia boost its’ trade balance,” said Santoso.

  • France’s AuchanSuper to open 15 stores in Ho Chi Minh City in 2016

    France’s AuchanSuper to open 15 stores in Ho Chi Minh City in 2016

    While it currently runs only one outlet in Ho Chi Minh City, French supermarket chain operator AuchanSuper has plans to increase the number to 17 in 2016, a top executive said.

    The maiden AuchanSuper-run Simply Mart in the southern Vietnamese metropolis is located in District 5, and two more stores are scheduled for opening by the end of this year, chief financial officer Philippe Delalande said at a meeting with the city’s deputy chairman Le Thanh Liem on Thursday.

    One of the two coming Simply Mart stores is expected to open at the Le Thanh Apartment in Binh Tan District in November, according to newswire The Saigon Times Online.

    In 2016 15 more such outlets, spanning from 2,000 to 3,000 square meters each, are expected to add to the list, according to the CFO.

    AuchanSuper is expected to spend a total of 35 million – 40 million euros (US$38.9 million – $44.5 million) on the expansion plan in Vietnam in 2015 and 2016, Delalande told the Ho Chi Minh City official.

    The French firm will need around 1,000 employees for its Ho Chi Minh City operations.

    AuchanSuper has decided to expand its presence thanks to the potential for growth of the Vietnamese retail market, according to Delalande.

    The Ho Chi Minh City deputy chairman said he believes AuchanSuper, as a major experienced European retailer, will achieve success in Vietnam.

    Ho Chi Minh City currently accounts for 30 percent of the total retail sales, which Liem said will create favor condition for AuchanSuper to boost business.

    The Simply Mart in District 5 was previously known as S.Mart, which was inaugurated by C.T Group in 2012.

    AuchanSuper currently operates supermarkets and hypermarkets in 15 countries, but will only focus on the supermarket segment in Vietnam, according to The Saigon Times Online.

    In Ho Chi Minh City, the French company will face completion from strong players such as Big C, Lotte Mart, Aeon Mall, Metro, or Giant.

    AuchanSuper is a subsidiary of Groupe Auchan SA, a French international retail group and multinational corporation headquartered in Croix, France.

    It is one of the world’s principal distribution groups with a presence in 15 countries and 269,000 employees.

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  • Nojima commences Vietnam rollout

    Nojima commences Vietnam rollout

    Japanese consumer electronics retailer Nojima is about to commence its store rollout program in Vietnam, following its acquisition of an additional  21 per cent of local chain Tran Anh Digital Worldlast June.

    The first of the new stores will carry both retailer’s brands when it opens in October inside the new Aeon shopping centre, currently under completion on the outskirts of the capital city Hanoi.

    Like the Nojima stores in Japan, the Hanoi shop will feature wide aisles and LED lighting, and stock a range of Japanese brand appliances. It will also stock Nojima’s house brand Elsonic.

    Tran Anh is based in Hanoi and has 15 stores in the northern regions of Vietnam. It is on track to open as many as nine more stores this year.

    Research house GfK reports home electronics sales in Vietnam exceeded US$5.5 billion last year, the second year in a row growth in the category has exceeded 20 per cent year on year.

    Nojima had held 10 per cent of the shares in Tran Anh before June and now owns about 31 per cent of the business.

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  • Facebook driving Vietnam eCommerce

    Facebook driving Vietnam eCommerce

    Once blocked in Vietnam, Facebook is now the basis of a thriving eCommerce industry there.

    Although Vietnam was ranked as the smallest B2C eCommerce market in Southeast Asia in terms of sales two years ago, it is now growing at one of the fastest rates in the region, according to a report by Hamburg-based secondary market research company yStats.com, titled “Vietnam B2C eCommerce Market 2015”.

    The report says close to 90 per cent of online buyers of fashion products in Vietnam made at least one online purchase via Facebook. The shopping orders of items displayed via this social network are accepted via Facebook messages and phone calls, and paid for mostly by cash on delivery.

    “Growing internet and online shopper penetration, as well as increasing online spending per shopper, are driving up online retail sales in Vietnam,” said a spokesperson for yStats.com.

    “In the next five years, the Vietnamese B2C eCommerce market is expected to experience strong double-digit growth rates.”

    Improvement in the two important infrastructure factors, payment and delivery, could give a further boost to B2C eCommerce in Vietnam, says yStats.com.

    “Last year, close to two thirds of eCommerce websites in Vietnam received complaints from online shoppers regarding delivery times. Furthermore, nearly half of internet users who do not yet shop online admitted to not having a credit card to pay in online stores, while cash on delivery was by far the leading payment method among current online shoppers.”

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