Retail

Hungry in Ho Chi Minh? Annam Gourmet teases the hearts and loosens the wallets of wealthy Vietnamese shoppers

I have been to Vietnam many times on work assignments. However I’ve only been to Ho Chi Minh, in the south, the city which straddles the Saigon river. Two weeks ago I visited again for a client workshop and in between sandwiched some other engagements. One was with an ex-Nestlé colleague who now works for …

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Brand teams! Discover Korean culture and shopper behaviour in the convenience store! GS25 is a must-see and must-list retail destination 

Last week I spent 3 days in Seoul. Although I have been to Korea many times, this was my first visit since the COVID pandemic eased. Seoul was very busy and even though it was November, and hardly peak season, bustling with visitors. I have done quite a few projects in Korea over the years. …

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Birkenstock IPO

Hippy style Birkenstock speed marches into an IPO. What does its flagship Tokyo store reveal about its growth strategy?

According to Bloomberg, bohemian German shoe brand Birkenstock will IPO shortly for around $8b.  If all goes to plan it’s almost double what PE Group L Catterton, LVMH and Groupe Arnault shelled out when acquiring the business just over 2 years ago. What’s driving such a rapid rise in Birkenstock’s fortunes? To start with Birkenstocks …

Hippy style Birkenstock speed marches into an IPO. What does its flagship Tokyo store reveal about its growth strategy? Read More »

7-Eleven Japan

7-Eleven is a top 100 global brand yet its footprint is spotty. No wonder activist investors smell a bargain

7-Elevens can be found in Japan, Korea, Singapore, Australia, the Middle East, the US and Canada. However there are many countries where the brand has no presence, like the UK, France and Germany, nor is it present in Latin America either. Japanese retail giant Seven & I holdings owns the 7-Eleven brand as well as …

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Tokyu Hands flagship store

Tokyu Hands changes hands; enter stage left Home Centre giant Cainz

Tokyu Hands was one of the first stores I visited when I came to Japan. I vividly recall their store in Tokyo with many more floors (and staircases) than I can remember; and then there’s the eclectic range of premium merchandise. Want something you can’t find elsewhere? Go to Tokyu Hands, said my colleagues. Founded …

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Grocery Price negotiation

First Heinz, now Whiskas face off against Tesco in price battle. The implications are global

Executives across the consumer products and grocery industries globally are watching closely the emerging battle between Heinz and now Mars petcare with Tesco. On the surface the issue is just about price increases. Underneath, the issues are deeper: the profitability of doing business with large grocers who can account for over 30% revenue; brand strength …

First Heinz, now Whiskas face off against Tesco in price battle. The implications are global Read More »

Seijo Ishii is the jewel in Lawson’s crown. Where next for the gourmet retailer?

Lawson is one of the big guns in the Japanese convenience store channel. It boasts close to 15,000 outlets domestically, second only to 7-Eleven. Lawson has not sailed untarnished through the pandemic. Its shopper traffic dropped, it sold fewer impulse items and as a consequence the profitability in its core CVS business declined. In 2014 …

Seijo Ishii is the jewel in Lawson’s crown. Where next for the gourmet retailer? Read More »

Japan’s CVS sales still struggle from Covid; low shopper traffic to blame

Last year, the Japanese convenience store industry suffered from a slump in sales due to Corona. The pandemic drove away shoppers, particularly in city centres. 2021 interim results show the pace of recovery has been somewhat sluggish with none of the major chains able to increase sales on 2020.  Although basket size has grown due …

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