Burberry CFO Says Asia Has Compelling Prospects but Faces Increased Competition
Burberry’s chief financial officer, Kate Ferry, told investors at the HSBC Global Investment Summit that Asia offers compelling long‑term growth opportunities for the luxury brand, but competition is set to intensify. The company reported a 6% comparable sales increase in mainland China for the quarter ending December 2025, driven by strong demand from Gen Z shoppers. Burberry has been deepening its presence with a Lunar New Year campaign celebrating the Year of the Horse, emphasizing localized product relevance. Ferry stressed that a clear brand identity and deep local understanding will be critical to succeed.
Kering Sees Sequential Improvement in Revenue as Recovery Progresses
Kering reported a sequential revenue lift in Q1, posting €3.568 billion (about $4.2 billion), a 6% year‑on‑year decline but flat on a comparable basis. The fashion and leather goods segment fell 9% reported, yet several houses—Saint Laurent, Bottega Veneta, Balenciaga and Brioni—showed growth, led...
Bonia Unveils New Store Concept in Kuala Lumpur
Malaysian lifestyle brand Bonia opened a flagship store in Kuala Lumpur that showcases a new retail concept blending immersive design with customer engagement. The boutique features a colonnade‑style red‑brick façade and four interconnected rooms—library, lounge, dressing area, and a central...
Green Packaging Finally Takes Off as Iran War Causes Plastic Prices Rises
South Korean packaging firm Yonwoo reports a three‑fold surge in inquiries for its paper tubes and pouches as the Iran war drives plastic feedstock prices to four‑year highs. The conflict has choked oil‑based raw materials, forcing Asian manufacturers to seek...
Metro Retail Sales Rise, Fuelling Double-Digit Earnings Growth
Metro Retail Stores Group (MRSGI) posted FY25 revenue above PhP 40 billion (≈US$662.8 million) and total sales of PhP 41.56 billion (≈US$742 million), marking a new scale milestone. Net income climbed 12% year‑on‑year to PhP 682.64 million (≈US$12.2 million) as operating efficiency improved. Same‑store sales rose modestly 0.6% while...
Bangkok-Based Coffee Startup Ve/La Expands Into Singapore
Bangkok‑born specialty coffee brand Ve/la is set to launch its first airport café at Changi Airport’s Terminal 1, slated for late summer 2026. The 24‑hour location will be the chain’s third international market after Thailand and London and will feature a...
Partners Group Exits Green Tea Group Following Hong Kong IPO
Swiss private equity firm Partners Group is exiting its nearly nine‑year investment in Hong Kong casual‑dining chain Green Tea Group by selling its entire 15.96% stake, more than 106 million shares. The disposal includes a block trade of over 60 million shares...
Vietnam’s Vegan Brand Cocoon Lands in Europe with Paris Pop-Up
Vietnamese vegan beauty brand Cocoon has entered Europe with a pop‑up store in Paris, partnering with French distributor Orien Trade. The temporary shop at Westfield Forum runs until April 21 and showcases products made from pomelo, coffee, lotus and turmeric. Cocoon...
Ray-Ban Taps BlackPink’s Jennie as Global Brand Ambassador
Ray‑Ban has appointed Blackpink’s Jennie Kim as its global brand ambassador, pairing the partnership with a six‑piece capsule collection. The line blends iconic silhouettes like the Daddy‑O and Alix with pieces from the brand’s Asian Design collection, featuring low‑bridge fits...
Link Sells Thomson Plaza Retail Space for $196 Million
Link Real Estate Investment Trust sold the Swing By @ Thomson Plaza retail space in Singapore for S$250 million (US$196 million), a 45% premium over its 2022 purchase price. The transaction, slated for completion in Q2 2026, was bought by Jack Investment and Pangjwee Development. Link’s CIO...
How a Rumour Led to the Masters’ Iconic Gnomes Selling for US$40k
The Masters’ ceramic gnome, a limited‑edition souvenir sold for $49.50 at Augusta National, has become a collector’s obsession. Rumors that 2026 could be the final year for the gnome have pushed resale prices to nearly $1,000 for the current edition...
Burger King Misses the Mark in Vietnam
Burger King has shuttered all three of its Hanoi outlets and trimmed its footprint in Ho Chi Minh City to just three non‑airport locations, leaving only an airport store in the capital. The closures follow a decade‑long struggle to meet...
Maje Opens First Thailand Concept Store Inside Takashimaya at IconSiam
French fashion label Maje launched its inaugural concept store in Thailand, situated on the M Floor of Takashimaya within Bangkok’s IconSiam complex. The boutique’s interior, crafted with designer Valeriane Lazard, merges Parisian elegance with Mediterranean-inspired natural materials such as pink terracotta...
Foodpanda Malaysia Taps Former Propertyguru Exec Kenneth Soh as MD
Foodpanda Malaysia announced Kenneth Soh as its new Managing Director, succeeding Tan Ming Luk who led the unit since October 2024. Soh brings experience as former country manager of Propertyguru and Shopee, two of Southeast Asia’s leading digital platforms. In his first statement, he...
The Secret Behind Cult Gaia’s Cult Following
Cult Gaia, founded in 2012 as a flower‑crown label, has become a multimillion‑dollar fashion house anchored by a strong direct‑to‑consumer (DTC) model. CFO Asal Nazi reports 48% sales growth in 2024, building on 66% growth the year before, as the...
Korea Seven Names New CEO to Drive 7-Eleven’s Local Revival
Korea Seven, the operator of 7‑Eleven in South Korea, appointed Daeil Kim as CEO on April 1, 2026. Kim brings 28 years of experience in fintech, digital services, and marketing technology, most recently leading SPC Group’s Secta9ine. He pledged to rebuild and...
Starbucks Closes China Business Sale, Eyes 20,000 Stores
Starbucks has finalized a transaction with Boyu Capital, transferring a 60% controlling interest in its China business while retaining a 40% stake and licensing the brand. The partnership aims to accelerate expansion from roughly 8,000 stores to 20,000 across China,...
Marimekko Targets Southeast Asia with Indonesia and Philippines Debut
Finnish design label Marimekko is set to enter Indonesia and the Philippines this summer, using a franchise model for both markets. The first Indonesian store will open at Jakarta’s Plaza Senayan in partnership with PT Panen Lestari Indonesia, while the...
Why Retail Media Is Your Secret Weapon Against Inflation
An energy‑driven inflation cycle is compressing consumer baskets, forcing shoppers to drop items and focus on price. Retailers face shrinking margins as freight, fertilizer and packaging costs cascade to shelves. The article argues that retail media—screens, digital shelves and sponsored...
ZKong to Showcase Smarter, Greener Retail at NRF Apac 2026
At NRF Retail’s Big Show APAC 2026, ZKong will demonstrate its “One Step Smarter, One Step Greener” vision, showcasing a full suite of electronic shelf labels, LCD displays and cloud management tools. The Quantum Series ESL features an ultra‑narrow bezel...
Why Are Businesses in Japan Preparing to Raise Prices?
Japan’s March Tankan survey shows a modest rebound in business sentiment, with the manufacturers' index rising to +17 – the strongest since 2021 – while corporate inflation expectations have climbed to 2.6% for the coming year. The surge in expectations...
Visitor Growth Fuels 19 per Cent Rebound in Hong Kong Retail Sales
Hong Kong’s retail sales by value surged 19.3% year‑on‑year in February, marking the tenth consecutive month of growth and the strongest rise since June 2023. The rebound was driven by a 40.2% jump in visitor arrivals to 5.14 million, with Mainland...
Shell Thailand Launches First Convenience+ Store with Tops Daily
Shell Thailand has opened its first Convenience+ store in Nonthaburi, partnering with Tops Daily of Central Food Retail. The pilot introduces Shell’s next‑generation Mobility & Convenience format to Southeast Asia, aiming to enhance in‑store experience and create a scalable growth...
Tiffany & Co Expands Thailand Footprint with New IconSiam Store
Tiffany & Co opened its third Bangkok boutique inside the IconSiam mixed‑use development, adding a 256 sqm flagship to the Thai capital. The store showcases Southeast Asia’s first façade inspired by the brand’s historic Favrile glass, while interior finishes feature plaster...
Singapore-Based Brand Castlery to Open Its First Store in the US
Singapore‑based furniture brand Castlery is opening its first U.S. storefront, a 3,000‑sqft showroom in Manhattan’s Chelsea neighbourhood, slated for May 15. The space showcases 17 room sets designed for compact city living and blends Eastern and Western design cues. Backed...
Levi Strauss & Co Appoints New MD to Lead Greater China Business
Levi Strauss & Co has named Anita Fung as managing director of its Levi’s brand in Greater China, a market the company deems strategically vital. Fung, who brings over 20 years of luxury fashion experience from Burberry and Alexander McQueen, will...
Ikea Veteran Martin Lindstrom to Exit After Three Decades
Martin Lindstrom, the long‑time CEO of IKEA under DFI Retail Group, will step down at the end of May, ending a 36‑year career that began in 1993 as an operations manager in Poland. He later led IKEA’s Hong Kong and Taiwan...
Misto Holdings Expands K-Fashion Presence in Greater China
Misto Holdings is accelerating its Korean fashion footprint in Greater China, targeting more than 100 retail outlets by mid‑2026. Early performance shows Mardi Mercredi’s sales jumped 190% in its second year and Raive posted 200% growth in its first year....
Freitag Expands Retail Strategy with Dover Street Market Partnership
Swiss accessories label Freitag is deepening its retail footprint through a multi‑layered partnership with Dover Street Market. The collaboration launches a permanent Freitag Space in DSM’s Ginza flagship and a pop‑up installation in DSM London, both debuting on March 28...
Domino’s China Fires up Growth with Rapid Network Expansion
Domino’s China franchise DPC Dash posted a 24.8% year‑over‑year revenue jump to RMB 5.38 billion (about $778 million) in FY25. The chain opened 307 net new stores, bringing its footprint to 1,315 outlets across 60 cities and adding 21 new markets. Its loyalty program...
Food Delivery Wars Continue to Bite Meituan, Which Posts Another Quarterly Loss
Meituan reported a second consecutive quarterly loss, with revenue of 92.1 billion yuan ($13.3 bn) rising 4.1% year‑over‑year but falling just short of analyst expectations. Adjusted net loss narrowed to 15.1 billion yuan ($2.2 bn) from 16 billion yuan a quarter earlier, after posting a...
From Cosmetics to Beer, Asia Feels Full Force of War-Fuelled Energy Crisis
The war between Iran and Israel is choking the Strait of Hormuz, cutting off about 20% of global oil and LNG flows and triggering a cascade of raw‑material shortages across Asia. Companies from South Korean plastic film producers to Chinese...
Quality or Price? Asia’s US$7tn Consumption Growth Hinges on Changing Priorities
Asia is projected to generate an additional US$7 trillion in private consumption over the next ten years, a 40% rise comparable to adding today’s entire Chinese consumer market. A new Roland Berger report finds quality is the primary driver in fast‑growing economies...
Puma Trademark Challenge Against Tiger Woods’ Sun Day Red Fails
Singapore’s Intellectual Property Office has dismissed Puma’s opposition to Tiger Woods’ Sun Day Red trademark, finding no likelihood of consumer confusion. The decision follows Puma’s challenge to the new brand’s tiger‑inspired logo, which IPOS deemed visually dissimilar from Puma’s puma...
Miniso Debuts First Miniso Friends Concept in Malaysia
Miniso launched its first Miniso Friends concept store in Malaysia, occupying roughly 14,000 sq ft at LaLaport BBCC. The outlet showcases about 6,500 SKUs, with 62 % tied to licensed or in‑house characters such as Stitch and Miniso’s YoYo. Interactive installations and photo zones...
Human Made Eyes Growth with Tokyo Flagship and Bangkok Debut
Japanese streetwear label Human Made is accelerating its Asian expansion, unveiling its largest flagship in Tokyo’s Harajuku district and debuting its first Thai store in Bangkok. The Bangkok outlet opens on March 28 at Central Embassy, featuring exclusive elephant‑graphic apparel, Muay Thai...
AliExpress Says It Is Working to Comply with EU Laws
Alibaba-owned AliExpress announced it is tightening product‑listing controls to meet the European Union’s Digital Services Act after a formal investigation that began in March 2024. The platform, which ships low‑value parcels duty‑free to the EU, faced criticism following a Reuters...
Grab to Acquire Delivery Hero’s Foodpanda Delivery Business in Taiwan
Grab will acquire Delivery Hero’s Foodpanda Taiwan for $600 million in cash, marking its first move beyond Southeast Asia. The deal, cash‑free and debt‑free, is slated to close in the second half of 2026 pending regulatory sign‑off. Foodpanda Taiwan posted roughly...
Subway Enters New Master Franchise Partnership in Taiwan
Subway has named Yellowstone Investment as its master franchise partner for Taiwan, granting the firm full control over restaurant management and development. The agreement aims to accelerate store openings across urban and suburban areas over the next ten years. Yellowstone...
Aigner Taps Melchers to Navigate China’s Crowded Luxury Market
German leather‑goods label Aigner has signed a distribution deal with Melchers China to accelerate its expansion across Mainland China. The agreement gives Melchers control of Aigner’s retail and e‑commerce channels, beginning with a flagship store on Alibaba’s Tmall Luxury Pavilion....
Why SM Believes There’s Big Opportunity Outside Metro Manila
SM Investments reported 2025 revenues of 681.7 billion pesos (≈US$11.4 billion), driven largely by a 5.4% rise in retail sales. The conglomerate is accelerating expansion beyond Metro Manila, with 82% of its 490 new stores and two new malls opened in provincial...
Convenience Retail Asia’s Annual Sales Slide, but Profit Soars
Convenience Retail Asia (CRA) posted a 2.8% decline in FY25 revenue to HK$1.4 billion, reflecting weaker consumer travel and price competition. Despite the sales dip, operating profit rose 19% to HK$40.9 million and attributable profit surged 41% to HK$33.8 million. The gain stemmed...
Blue Bottle Coffee Opens Flagship Store in Japan’s Harajuku
Blue Bottle Coffee launched a new flagship store in Harajuku, Tokyo, covering roughly 83 sqm with seating for 26 patrons. Designed by Teki Design, the venue features a stainless‑steel façade and reflective interiors that echo the district’s visual retail culture. Unlike...
Paris Appeals Court Blocks Bid to Suspend Shein’s Marketplace
Paris’ Court of Appeal rejected France’s request to suspend Shein’s marketplace, upholding a December ruling that the platform must enforce stricter age‑verification for sensitive items. The decision follows a scandal where child‑like sex dolls and prohibited weapons were found on...
Alibaba Profit Dives as Retail Promotions Fall Short
Alibaba reported a modest 1.7% rise in third‑quarter revenue to 284.84 billion yuan, but net income plunged 66.3%, missing analysts’ expectations. Heavy spending on one‑hour delivery, deep discounts and an extended Singles’ Day promotion failed to lift consumer demand amid a...
Thai Boat Noodle Chain ThongSmith Makes Hong Kong Debut
Thai boat‑noodle chain ThongSmith opened its first overseas store in Wan Chai, Hong Kong, bringing a premium take on the classic street‑food dish. The outlet features slow‑simmered broths and upscale proteins such as Wagyu beef and Kurobuta pork, mirroring the Bangkok...
Boucheron Opens Its First Flagship in China
Boucheron has opened its first Chinese flagship in Shanghai’s Xintiandi district, occupying a 278 sqm space in a restored 19th‑century shikumen building. The store is the brand’s third global flagship after Paris and Tokyo, blending Chinese and Western design cues. Its...
How Baroma Is Building a Market for Culturally Rich Asian Fragrance Brands
Baroma, an editorial‑driven retailer, is creating a dedicated platform for under‑represented Asian niche fragrance brands, especially from China. By curating collections that embed authentic cultural narratives, raw‑material provenance, and small‑batch craftsmanship, it offers export‑ready packaging and storytelling infrastructure. The company...
Lanvin Group Steps on the Gas in Luxury Reset
Lanvin Group is accelerating its multi‑year transformation as global luxury demand softens, reporting FY25 revenue of €240.5 million—a 17.6% year‑on‑year decline. After divesting the Caruso label, the group is concentrating on four core brands—Lanvin, Wolford, Sergio Rossi and St John—while tightening its...
How Governments Globally Are Shielding Consumers From War Fuel Shocks
Governments across Asia and Europe are rolling out fuel subsidies, price caps, and emergency stock releases to blunt the surge in energy and food costs triggered by the US‑Israeli war on Iran. The conflict has cut roughly one‑fifth of global...