Wacoal lingerie

From Triumph to Trial: Will Wacoal’s Struggles Lead to Ultimate Reinvention?

Other / By

Famous Japanese lingerie maker Wacoal was founded in 1946 by a former soldier. Headquartered in Kyoto (where textile production dates back to the 5th century), Wacoal first rose to prominence selling its brassieres in Takashimaya department store. Wacoal is a signpost fashion brand and it’s a business that has created other marques including b.tempted, Elomi […]

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Korea’s Queen of Beauty Olive Young bets big on Japan. Will this K-Drama have a dramatic twist?

Cosmetics, Korea, Market entry / By

Olive Young is an icon in Korea’s beauty industry. It operates over 1300 stores and sells both manufacturer brands plus in house developed marques. Founded in 1999, Olive Young now has a commanding 15% of Korea’s beauty market.  K-Beauty has extraordinary global influence. One reason is innovation, think sheet masks or cushion compacts, another the

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Donkihote

Behind the scenes of Donki (ドンキホーテ）, now Japan’s 4th biggest retail chain

Japan, Media, Retail / By

I’ve always struggled to describe Donki Hote (Don Quijote). Some say it’s a discounter with cut throat pricing, what discounters sell an eclectic range encompassing fresh sushi, car accessories, fashion and more besides? The chain is famous for its Aladdin’s range of merchandise including many import items. It’s fun to visit (unlike many European discounters)

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Monash Uni’s global study tour immerses students in a new country & culture. I was honoured to be a guest speaker

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It’s a long time since I graduated from University. I studied economics with some business and law classes. I remember the course being high on theory with very little practical sessions. Unfortunately there were no opportunities to study overseas. So I arranged that myself and worked in the US and France during the summers. Fast

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First Sushi, then Manga and Anime. What next? Is Japanese literature the next global publishing phenomenon?

Japan, Marketing / By

The export of Japanese food started in earnest with sushi in the 1980s at the zenith of Japan’s postwar boom. Today the export of ‘washoku’ (food, agriculture and fishery products) exceeds $8.7b. It’s a number that is climbing every year. Animé is even bigger worth $29.4b in exports in 2022 thanks to the likes of

First Sushi, then Manga and Anime. What next? Is Japanese literature the next global publishing phenomenon? Read More »

Kirin beer thirsts for health today buying famous skincare and dietary supplement brand Fancl. 

Alcohol, Japan, M&A / By

Most people associate Kirin with beer. That may be changing. Today Kirin revealed it is buying health and wellness company Fancl for JPY 220 billion (US$ 1.3b ) According to Bloomberg the purchase price is a 43% premium to the stock’s closing price. This is not Kirin’s first foray into health. It has a pharma and

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Love delicious Japanese sozai? 7&i bets in house Peace Deli is the saviour to its superstore woes!

food, Japan / By

Can retailers excel at food manufacturing? Japanese retail giant 7&i believes so. I’ve updated this blog post on 23rd May to include the above video Whilst 7&i’s CVS business is well known, and a key driver of profitability, the opposite is true for its superstore division, internally branded SST. SST accounts for 31% of group

Love delicious Japanese sozai? 7&i bets in house Peace Deli is the saviour to its superstore woes! Read More »

Fruit brands squeezed financially and creatively as the price of OJ soars 

Agriculture, Marketing / By

For many in Asia oranges are a symbol of courage, health and happiness. In China for example oranges are associated with longevity, whilst in Malaysia and Vietnam they are often given as gifts in the lunar new year. However these are challenging times for fruit businesses and promoting oranges in particular. The spot price of

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