Retail

Japan's Maruzen Tea grows tea in partnership with a Singha affiliate in Thailand, where matcha milk tea is an increasingly popular drink. (Photo by Yohei Muramatsu)
Agriculture

Japanese farm firms tap Thai market with locally grown products

Affordable green tea and strawberries are winning over consumers

20 August 2022
Central Group's investment over the next five year is aimed fulfilling its ambition of becoming Vietnam's biggest food and property retail platform. (Photo by Akira Kodaka)
Retail

Central to spend $1.4bn on expanding further in Thailand, Vietnam

Thai retail empire sees robust demand in post-COVID economies

19 August 2022
The Apple Store is expected to occupy over half the building's floors. (Photo by Yoshihiro Hara)
Consumer

Apple Store in Tokyo's Ginza moves to groundbreaking wood building

iPhone shop will be anchor tenant in sustainability showpiece

18 August 2022
The eastern Chinese city of Yiwu, the world's biggest wholesale market for small goods, is a major producer of balls, jerseys, key chains and other items for the World Cup in Qatar.
Sports

China export hub virus shutdown threatens World Cup orders

Nervous buyers around world are canceling purchases of balls, jerseys

17 August 2022
Chinese consumers and high-profile celebrities boycotted H&M and other international clothing brands after they refused to use Xinjiang-produced cotton in their garments. (Source photo by Getty Images) 
Retail

H&M back on Alibaba's Tmall after Xinjiang controversy

Swedish retailer yanked from Chinese shopping platform for rights-abuse comments

16 August 2022
Esprit Holdings is offering a free tram ride on Aug 20 to commemorate its return to Hong Kong, where it has been listed for almost 30 years. (Photos by Kenji Kawase)
Retail

Esprit plots comeback on ritzy Asian high streets

After long restructuring, California casual fashion brand to reopen in Hong Kong

16 August 2022
FamilyMart's restocking robot takes a drink from the inventory shelves on the left and replenishes a retail case on the right. (Photo courtesy of FamilyMart)
Technology

FamilyMart deploys restocking robots to ease staffing crunch

Japanese convenience chain to roll out automation tech at 300 outlets by 2025

10 August 2022
People walk past a GU store in Tokyo's Ginza district. The brand has about 450 outlets across Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong and mainland China. (Photo by Keiichi Furukawa)
Retail

Uniqlo sister brand GU makes New York debut this fall with pop-up store

SoHo shop will mark first step outside Asia for chain with about 450 locations

5 August 2022
Alibaba’s Hong Kong and U.S.-listed shares have lost about half their value over the past year.
China tech

Alibaba revenue growth slows to zero on weak Chinese economy

Ant Group's net profit falls 17.3% in March quarter under regulatory pressure

5 August 2022
Shigeaki Wada, one of the most influential Japanese retail bosses, was involved with department store brand Seibu for five decades.
Obituaries

Shigeaki Wada, Japan's master of department store turnarounds, dead at 88

Retail boss made Sogo and Seibu profitable and led way for sector's consolidation

4 August 2022
Low prices are a main selling point for Honeys, which operates 871 stores in Japan. (Photo courtesy of Honeys)
Retail

Myanmar garment industry draws fresh investment from Japan's Honeys

Fast-fashion chain aims to source over half of products from Southeast Asian nation

2 August 2022
Central Group teaches farmers in northern Thailand to raise their yield and profit with modern business methods. (Photo courtesy of Central Group)
Retail

Thailand's Central learns sustainability lessons from European expansion

Family-led mall developer sets emissions targets, pushes farming reforms

28 July 2022
Amazon Japan delivery stations are concentrated mainly in urban centers like Tokyo. (Photo by Shoko Saiki)
Retail

Amazon builds out Japan logistics network to expand next-day service

E-commerce giant to add 60% more delivery stations with focus on regional hubs

27 July 2022
Foodpanda CEO Jakob Angele aims to strengthen the company's engineering and business team as it faces stiffer regional competition. (Source photos by Tsubasa Suruga and Getty Images)
Technology

Foodpanda will not follow 'superapp' rivals in ASEAN: CEO

10 years on, food delivery service to focus on core business for profitability

20 July 2022
The black-and-white design of the MS01 reflects the simplicity for which Muji has become known. (Source photos by courtesy of Honda, AP and Reuters) 
Transportation

A bicycle made by two: Honda and Muji tie up for China e-bike

Japan automaker enlists minimalist design chain to capture share of growing market

17 July 2022
Fast Retailing now estimates its net profit for this fiscal year will jump 47% from the previous year. (Photo by Shihoko Nakaoka)
Retail

Uniqlo owner raises profit forecast despite China woes

Casualwear brand pushing ahead with aggressive store expansion

14 July 2022
Credit card transaction fees in Japan are high by international standards.
Retail

Casio, Worldline team up to cut credit card fees for Japan retailers

Exclusive: New payment service takes aim at widespread 3%-plus charge

14 July 2022
Mr DIY Plus stores feature 20,000 products. (Photo by Takashi Nakano)
Retail

Malaysian retailer Mr DIY fuels growth with cheap, diverse offerings

Balancing online sales and physical store traffic key to expansion

9 July 2022
Gap is taking another stab at the Indian market via a franchise agreement with Reliance Retail, the country's biggest brick-and-mortar retailer.
Retail

Ambani's Reliance Retail lures Gap to India with franchise deal

Retailer adds U.S. fashion brand to portfolio after nabbing U.K.'s Pret A Manger

7 July 2022
Yahoo! Shopping will take over PayPay Mall services in October to facilitate the speedier trade and delivery of a predicted 400 million items the following year. (Photo by Ken Kobayashi)
Retail

Yahoo Japan, PayPay merge malls against Amazon, Rakuten

Merger of online shopping platforms in October to trade 400 million items

6 July 2022
The university is located in Icheon, a city 60 kilometers from the central section of Seoul, and has a cooking room on the first floor of its new annex, which looks like a large homemaking education room. (Photo by Kotaro Hosokawa)
Food & Beverage

South Korea's Genesis BBQ sends its global ambitions to Chicken University

COVID delays fried chicken chain's determination to overtake McDonald's

6 July 2022
The reed diffuser of The Fullerton scent might be available at the hotel's retail store in the future. (Photo by Mayuko Tani)
Business trends

Why scent marketing is in the air at Singapore hotels, stores

The Fullerton, Ion Orchard try signature scents to keep customers coming back

4 July 2022
The Miki House Gold Label will be made with luxury materials and target an upscale audience, especially overseas. (Photo courtesy of Miki Shoko)
Retail

Japan's Miki House goes upscale with $1,600 children's coat

Popular clothier enters luxury market with eye on wealthy overseas parents

3 July 2022
Sources say Fortress has offered more than $1.47 billion to buy department store unit Sogo & Seibu.
Business deals

SoftBank-backed fund advances to buy Sogo & Seibu from Seven & i

Fortress Investment in talks with Yodobashi to revamp struggling department stores

3 July 2022
The Chengdu Isetan store in China's Sichuan Province will close for good at the end of December. (Photo by Shunsuke Tabeta)
Retail

Isetan Mitsukoshi's overseas retreat quickens with China closure

No plans to relocate Chengdu emporium as landlord decides to sell property

29 June 2022