Lazada Indonesia shares Eid Al-Fitr shopping picks

E-commerce has become a practical option for Indonesian consumers to identify and purchase products that support their their mudik (homecoming) journeys ahead of Eid al-Fitr.   

Erika Agustine, Commercial Director of Lazada Indonesia, said that demand across several categories—including automotive, home appliances, and electronics—typically peaks ahead of Eid. This is driven by two key moments: the mudik journey and the Eid celebration spent with family at home. 

"Consumers are looking for products that support smoother travel while also meeting household needs during family gatherings. E-commerce has become a preferred shopping destination as consumers can easily access a wide selection of authentic, high-quality products from trusted brands. Lazada Indonesia is supporting this demand through a range of attractive offers, including discounts of up to 95%," she said.

To help consumers prepare for Eid more conveniently, Agustine provided some recommendations: 

Source: Lazada via Canva. Top left: a family dressed for Eid. Top right: a reliable motorcycle for the homecoming journey. Bottom left: a portable blender for fresh juice anywhere. Bottom right: A washing machine to save time and effort.

A reliable motorcycle 

Motorcycles remain a popular transportation choice for many mudik travellers as they are more agile in navigating traffic along busy routes. 

Newer models such as the New Honda Beat Deluxe come equipped with technologies like smart keyless systems with anti-theft and immobiliser features. Purchasing vehicles through e-commerce platforms can also provide additional benefits such as special promotions and flexible payment options, including through a combination of cash and credit cards.

A portable blender 

During long mudik trips, maintaining healthy food and drink intake is important. A portable blender can be a practical tool for preparing fresh juice anytime. Blenders such as the Ninja Blast Portable Blender feature a compact design, leak-proof functionality, and rechargeable battery power. In addition to preparing juice, portable blenders can also be used to blend baby food while travelling, or when staying in one's hometown.

A washing machine

For some families, the Eid holiday also means managing household tasks without the help of domestic assistants who have returned home. With a large capacity that can handle laundry for the whole family at once and relatively low electricity consumption, twin-tub washing machines such as those from Sanken help save both time and energy costs. A built-in spin dryer also helps clothes dry faster, even during the rainy season. 

Staying active 

For fitness enthusiasts, a sports smartwatch can help maintain workout routines even during vacation. Smartwatches such as the Garmin Forerunner typically feature GPS and activity tracking capabilities that monitor distance, time, speed, and pace during runs or workouts.  

Entertainment on the go

Homecoming journeys on public transportation such as trains or airplanes are often accompanied by crowded and noisy environments. Headphones such as Sony Noise-Cancelling Headphones can help reduce surrounding noise. 

Polished looks

For many people, Eid is a moment to look their best. Hair stylers such as the Dyson Airwrap can be used to dry, straighten, or curl hair. Those that come with a carry case travel well. 

Augustine reminded consumers to plan their purchases ahead of time so that products can arrive when needed.

"Consumers can now take advantage of instant or same-day delivery options to ensure their orders arrive on time. With the wide delivery network of e-commerce platforms, products can even be shipped directly to one's hometown. This approach is also more convenient as travelers do not have to carry gifts themselves during the journey," she concluded.

10 tips to seizing the opportunity with WhatsApp this Ramadhan

Souq concept art generated by Bing Image Creator.

 

Ramadhan represents a significant opportunity for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) in Singapore, according to WhatsApp. With 65% of Singaporeans now messaging a business every week, messaging is the best way for people and businesses to get business done—from asking and answering questions to discussing products and finalising a purchase, the company said. 

Ten WhatsApp Business features to leverage include: 

- A full business profile

A complete WhatsApp Business profile with your description, category, address, and contact information instantly establishes credibility.

- Updated Ramadhan hours  

 Operating hours can change to accommodate iftar or prayer times. Updating business hours prevents frustration when customers send messages during non-operational times. 

- Automatic greetings  

An instant response ensures a customer’s message is acknowledged immediately, making customers feel valued even before you have had a chance to reply. To set up an automatic greeting message, go to the Tools tab and select Greeting message. Turn on Send greeting message to activate the feature. 

SMBs can also choose who receives the greeting by selecting Recipients and setting it to be sent to all customers or specific contacts.

- Sort the surge

Use Labels to instantly categorise chats by status (e.g., Paid - Ready for Shipping, Raya Hamper Enquiry, Iftar Menu) and add different colours to prioritise and manage increased volumes efficiently. Note that some businesses may now see Lists instead of Labels.

- Quick replies  

Stop typing the same answer repeatedly for frequently-asked questions like those related to pricing or delivery times. Create message shortcuts with Quick replies to maintain lightning-fast response times.

- Ramadhan catalogues  

Display all iftar packages, Raya hampers and limited-time bundles directly in the chat. A clear, visual catalogue lets customers shop and choose without leaving WhatsApp, leading to faster sales. And keep your products organised with Collections, so it’s easier for your customers to browse. 

- Flash sales

Customers love Status. Use it to create urgency and excitement by sharing limited-time discounts or last-minute iftar bundles.

- Click-to-WhatsApp ads  

Don't just generate chats—drive revenue. Utilise ads that click to WhatsApp to find high-potential customers on Facebook and Instagram.

- Meta Verified  

 Build confidence and authority with new audiences with a Meta Verified subscription. It not only safeguards brands against impersonation but also unlocks advertising and engagement tools. The verified badge can be prominently displayed across call tabs, business profile and context cards. 

- Business Broadcasts  

Send messages to multiple customers simultaneously. This capability can improve message response rates and strengthen customer relationships.

Nakheel Malls' Souk Al Marfa to fill wholesale trade market gap

Source: Nakheel. Artist's impression of Souk Al Marfa with cargo dhows in front of it. Souk Al Marfa is located at Deira Islands and stretches 1.9 km along the waterfront.

Nakheel Malls, the retail arm of master developer Nakheel, has launched Souk Al Marfa in partnership with DP World, the smart trade enabler and provider of global end-to-end supply chain logistics. Due to open in April 2021, the retail and trading hub in Dubai will operate 7x365. UAE citizens, residents and tourists are welcome to visit.

Souk Al Marfa enables inbound investment and could increase trade from surrounding countries. Agreements with small and medium sized enterprise (SME) traders will feature 100% foreign ownership, repatriation of capital and profit, no restrictions on currency movement, logistical ease and ancillary amenities such as warehousing, office space, showrooms, ancillary retail and F&B facilities; all with minimal paperwork.

Omar Khoory, Chief Hospitality and Assets Officer, Nakheel, said: "Dubai excels in the movement of goods globally through its port facilities, but we uncovered an opportunity for SME traders at a wholesale level. Souk Al Marfa will bridge this gap and provide a vibrant centralised trader experience and a new stream of economic activity. Nakheel Malls' partnership with DP World further cements our longstanding commitment to drive the retail industry in Dubai."

Mahmood Al Bastaki, Chief Operating Officer, Dubai Trade World said: "The launch of Souk Al Marfa will further enhance the wholesale trade capabilities in Dubai. By partnering with Nakheel Malls, the leading retail developer in Dubai, we reaffirm our commitment to provide global supply chain solutions and enhance cargo logistics in the region. Additionally, we hope this project leverages from our recently-launched NAU application that connects dhow owners with traders allowing them to search, negotiate and book shipments, and utilise the strategic location of Mina Rashid, Mina Al Hamriya and Deira Wharfage that are managed by DP World."

Located at at Deira, Dubai's oldest and most traditional trading hub, Souk Al Marfa is near Mina (Port) Rashid, Mina Al Hamriya and Deira Wharfage, with the potential to ship and import directly to its 2,500 shops and pavilions.

Souk Al Marfa is the second collaboration between Nakheel Malls and DP World to be announced in the last five months. The first, dragonmart.ae, was launched in September 2020.

Quill Retail Malls' sukuk has a negative outlook: RAM Ratings

RAM Ratings has reaffirmed the respective ratings of Quill Retail Malls’ (QRMSB) RM350 million sukuk murabahah (2017/2024), with a negative outlook. The transaction is secured against Quill City Mall (QCM), a 777,967 sq ft shopping mall in Malaysia with accessibility from Medan Tuanku Monorail Station.

Ratings ranged from AA₁/Negative to A₃/Negative. The negative outlook reflects concerns over potential liquidity stress on the transaction in view of the interruptions to QCM’s turnaround plans, that have now been exacerbated by the Movement Control Order (MCO) to halt the spread of COVID-19. While the RM50 million bank guarantee (BG) facility and six-month coupon reserve can at present adequately support the transaction up to its legal maturity date, weaker-than-expected cashflow and/or collections owing to curtailed businesses during various phases of the MCO, in the absence of further funding injections from the shareholder, will deplete the liquidity facility.

The reaffirmation of the ratings is premised on the available collateral support provided by the property that remains commensurate with the respective ratings.

The property’s occupancy rate is expected to improve to 72% by end-2020, from 61% as at end-December 2019. New anchor tenants include JDX Presto Concept Store, the largest cashless concept store in the ASEAN region – the outlet is JDX Presto’s first online-to-offline store in Malaysia, Orange Esports and UniKL.

RAM Ratings stressed on the market uncertainties and unprecedented events and said hings could change. "Going forward, the property’s performance is envisaged to stay uncertain and volatile in view of the potential variation of newly committed leases, due to the MCO. QCM’s financial performance will also be affected by planned rental relief for tenants in 'non-essential' sectors, although the actual quantum and duration of relief is still in the works," the company said.

"Additionally, 11% of QCM’s total gross rental income is derived from turnover rent, which is vulnerable to weak retail sales post-MCO, given subdued consumer sentiment. Based on our sensitivity analysis, the property’s NPI is likely to fall into negative territory in FY December 2020, assuming two months of rental relief is provided to all tenants, which will necessitate further shareholder support."

NPI stands for net property income.

BinDawood Holding chooses store operations tech from Reflexis

KSA supermarket and hypermarket retailer BinDawood Holding has chosen store operations technology from Reflexis Systems, a provider of intelligent workforce management and execution solutions for multi-site businesses in retail, food service, hospitality and banking.

BinDawood Holding will implement three key Reflexis systems across its store operations: Real-Time Task Manager, Q-Audit and Q-Forms. The introduction of these systems will improve BinDawood Holding's operational efficiency by enhancing management control and increasing visibility around tasks and reporting.

BinDawood Holding, part of BinDawood Group, is a major supermarket and hypermarket group in KSA managing 70 stores in 15 cities through its two retail brands, BinDawood and Danube. The company was the first retail grocery operator in KSA to offer online sales through Danube Online and the Danube App in 2017. The BinDawood App and online platform followed in 2019. It employs more than 10,000 people.

"We are excited to be working with such a well-respected retailer with more than 35 years in the industry," said OP Choudhary, Managing MD EMEA, Reflexis. "BinDawood Holding is a leading private retail brand in Saudi Arabia with clear strategic growth initiatives that we are excited to support with our intelligent store operations solutions."

"BinDawood Holding is committed to superior customer experience, and that is enabled by operational excellence," said Ahmad BinDawood, CEO, Danube & BinDawood, BinDawood Holding.

"The partnership with Reflexis will help us function even better and continue to meet the high standards of quality and service which our customers have come to expect."

MCI, KSA tamps down on fraud at retail level pre-Eid

Source: MCI. Pre-Eid al Fitr inspections by the MCI.

As part of the ministry’s plan for Eid al Fitr, inspectors from the Ministry of Commerce and Investment (MCI), KSA have checked shops and outlets selling Zakat al Fitr items, clothing, Eid accessories and sweets, which are in demand during Eid.

In late May, MCI announced 252 violations in 5,079 shops were detected during its second inspection campaign for the Ramadhan season.

The ministry's reports showed an abundant supply of foodstuffs and consumer goods, which are typically in demand during the month, and the availability of alternatives for each item, enabling competition and price stability.

This Ramadhan campaign is part of the ministry's existing inspection rounds, and is aimed at ensuring the availability of Ramadhan commodities in markets and shops across KSA besides verifying the validity of these goods and the absence of any commercial fraud, such as that sales and promotions offered during Ramadhan are genuine.

MCI inspections generally verify the commitment of placing price tags on goods, and ensure that the price on the item matches the one at the cashier as well.

Interested?

Consumers may lodge complaints and feedback through MCI Consumer Call Center (1900), by applying for a Commercial Violation Report, or via smartphones.

Marks & Spencer celebrates Ramadhan

Marks & Spencer's Ramadhan pages online are filled with fashion, dining and beauty items.

The exclusive Ramadhan collection for women is imbued with festive silver and gold, while iftar outfits for him are classic and subdued. Kids' formals are presented in the Ramadhan kids section.

The Ramadhan home collection comprises crockery in white as well as bath and bedlinen in pastels, neutrals and the occasional bright print.

Fragrance highlights include the Opulence OUD Eau de parfum. Other scents recommended for Ramadhan include the Butterfly Garden series and the heliotrope-gingembre (ginger), jasmin-perle de the (jasmine tea) and tilleul-cidrat (lime-citron) perfumes.

Source: Al-Futtaim Group. Marks & Spencer has sweets galore for Ramadhan.

Marks & Spencer also has a range of gifts and hampers for Ramadhan. Look out for baskets filled with Belgian chocolate biscuits and truffles, salted caramelised nuts, Swiss chocolate discs and nut and fruit mendiants*.

*Mendiants are chocolate discs with fruits and nuts on top.

*Products are available in the Middle East. Availability in other countries is not guaranteed. Facebook pages for Marks & Spencer default to the visitor's country of origin. 

Aladdin Street celebrates Ramadhan and Raya

Source: Aladdin Street website. Banner for the dream trip draw at Aladdin Street.

Halal and premium quality e-marketplace Aladdin Street is celebrating Ramadhan and Raya (Eid) with several promotions.

Raya Specials are available till 2 July, and come with free shipping for all food and beverage (F&B) products. The marketplace has sections for F&B, beauty & health, home & living, fashion & accessories, mum & kids, lifestyle & sports, electronics, luxury and services.

Shoppers can also enjoy S$10 off with a minimum spend of S$100 with the promo code ASRaya10, if they are the first 1,000 to request the redemption over the promotion period ending 2 July.

Aladdin Street has also extended the opportunity to win a trip for two to Manchester in the UK with a spend of S$50, till 30 June. The company is the online marketplace partner of Manchester United for Singapore.

Interested?

Read the terms and conditions for the dream trip promotion

Aladdin Street has dedicated Singapore and Malaysia sites, as well as a global site. Dedicated sites for more countries are coming in 2017 and 2018.

Ramadhan represents uptick in e-commerce sales in SEA

+Online sales and website traffic start increasing three weeks before Ramadhan in Southeast Asia (SEA)

+E-commerce sales spiked by 110% during the third week of Ramadhan

+Shoppers spend less time browsing and shopping online during sunset

+Mobile continues to be a key driver for discovery and sales with an increase of 126% during Ramadhan

Source: Criteo infographic. Fashion sells best during Ramadhan.

Criteo, the performance marketing technology company, has released seasonal data to help e-commerce businesses better engage consumers during the festive season.

It revealed that online sales and traffic increased in the lead up to and during Ramadhan, but declined during Eid el-Fitr (Hari Raya), the holiday that marks the end of Ramadhan. Based on consumers’ online browsing and buying activity, the three weeks leading up to Ramadhan, and also the third week of Ramadhan represent the biggest opportunity for retailers to engage consumers when they are actively browsing and purchasing items for upcoming celebrations. During this period, there was an average of 67% uplift in online retail sales and 14% uplift in online travel sales.

Criteo’s data also revealed that Ramadhan traditions influence shoppers’ behaviour throughout the day. To engage with shoppers, retailers need to know when they are most active online. During the fasting period between sunrise and sunset, e-commerce transactions were lower at 71%, compared to 76% for the period prior to Ramadhan. However, after breaking fast, there is an increase in e-commerce sales to 29%, from 24% pre-Ramadhan, representing a timely opportunity for retailers to reach out to shoppers.

Understanding how and what shoppers are buying is also crucial. With 37% of onsite retail conversions happening on the mobile app, retailers need to be investing beyond just a mobile-friendly site to an intuitive app. Fashion-related items are the most popular during this period, followed by home and living products and electronics, toys and games.

“Ramadhan is an important festive season in this region. Rapidly rising disposable incomes, a growing appetite for modest fashion, halal products and services mean that retailers need to enlist smart solutions to engage shoppers across all touchpoints and deliver the most impactful content at every point in the customer journey. As shoppers spend time with their friends and families after sundown and on Eid, they are less likely to browse and shop online. Retailers must pick the right time of the week and time of day to increase their digital marketing efforts, so they can achieve an uptick in online transactions,” said Alban Villani, GM, Southeast Asia, Criteo.

Criteo analysed more than 8 million online transactions from 143 retailers based in Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore. Other key findings from the report include:

+Website traffic and e-commerce sales increased from three weeks before Ramadhan and spiked during weeks three and four, with an increase of 110% and 77% respectively.

+During the start of Eid el-Fitr, there was a decline of 44% in online sales and 20% in website traffic. However, in the week post-Eid, online sales rebounded, increasing 35%.

+During weeks three and four of Ramadan, online mass merchants were the biggest growth driver – with an increase of 87% and 52% respectively.

+The cross-device journey was evident – 46% of shoppers were found to be viewing products across multiple devices, with one in four shoppers switching devices at least three times during their purchasing journey.

“In addition, retailers need to embrace omni-channel marketing – as we continue to see the rise of offline-to-online and online-to-offline (O2O) shopping habits. Our data shows that during the period of Ramadhan, shoppers are browsing in stores and purchasing online, and vice-versa. However, whichever way you look, mobile will still be the foundational building block and key driver in O2O retail. Half of the retail transactions in Southeast Asia are already taking place on mobile,” said Villani.

Ramadhan 2017 begins around May 25, 2017. The date varies in different countries depending on the sighting of the moon. 

Interested?

Download the infographic on Ramadhan 2016

posted from Bloggeroid

Ladies' Mall opens in Oman

"Ladies Mall" Complex is Oman's first shopping mall fully dedicated for women and children. The mall is in Salalah in the business district of Awqad.

"Ladies Mall" Complex is designed to provide an opportunity for women to work in commercial, economic and cultural activities, besides supporting entrepreneurs.

Services and activities for women at the mall include a special section for children, a theatre, restaurants, shops and a nursery, along with ATM and electronic payment services, and the services of some government institutions.

While the concept of a mall for ladies is new, Oman has had a traditional souk (market) for ladies in Ibra for many years. The walled ladies' souk is open from 6am to 1pm on Wednesdays.

A booth at the ladies' souk in Ibra, 2009.

Food retail market in KSA to pass US$54 billion by 2020

Technavio analysts expect the food retail market in Saudi Arabia to exceed US$54 billion from 2016 to 2020, a CAGR of around 5% by 2020. KSA accounts for around 51% of the total food retail sales in the GCC region.

The report lists cereals, dairy, fruits and vegetables, meat, and other foods as the five major product segments for the food retail market in Saudi Arabia, and outlines four driving factors:

Increasing urbanisation

Urbanisation has led to busier lifestyles, driving people to seek convenience, especially with regard to foods and beverages. The cereals segment will continue its dominance in the market during the forecast period and is expected to occupy more than 49% of the total market revenue by 2020, Technavio said. The growing population and surge in urbanisation are driving the demand for cereals, especially breakfast cereals, among consumers. Factors such as demand for convenient products that can be consumed on-the-go are expected to boost the growth of this segment during the forecast period.

It is estimated that by 2025 the rate of urbanisation in Saudi Arabia will be about 88%. In 2014, supermarkets and hypermarkets had a market share of 56.5% in food retail sales, as compared to 45% in 2013, as consumers can provide an outing for families at the same time. An increasing number of entertainment facilities in hypermarkets are improving the shopping experience of customers.


Technavio also shared that there is increasing use of private-label brands, often seen in Saudi supermarkets. Saudi Arabian supermarkets and hypermarkets chains import their products such as cheese products, nuts, fresh fruit, condiments and sauces, cereals, ketchup, fruit juices, and vegetables from the North American and European countries. Saudi importers then repackage products locally using their label. Private-label brands with Arabic brand names attract more Saudis and other Arabs in the country, Technavio said. For instance, one of the largest importers in Saudi Arabia uses the brand name Al-Alali for its products to appeal to Saudi nationals.
 
Visitors to Makkah also indicate that demand for packaged food will see tremendous growth, Technavio adds.

Increasing disposable income

With the recent economic growth of the country, the per capita disposable income of consumers has increased, as a result of which consumers are able to spend more money on high-quality food products at retail outlets. Disposable income has increased from US$20,267 in 2008 to US$25,400 in 2014, leading to a rise in consumer spending on food. It is estimated that consumers in Saudi Arabia spend about 27% of their income on food products.

Increase in number of retail outlets

The number of food retail outlets in Saudi Arabia is expected to increase to 50,000 by 2020. Food retailers are trying to increase their store numbers so as to gain a larger market share and also access more consumer segments. Food retail outlets in Saudi Arabia carry a wide range of options for consumers such as domestically processed foods, imported specialty food products, and organic food products. The Panda supermarket chain plans to add 10 stores by 2020, to a total of 250. Al Sadhan Supermarkets also plans to increase its number of stores by 18 over the next 10 years.

Foreign direct investment (FDI)

Another important growth driver for food retail in Saudi Arabia is the move by the Saudi Arabia General Investment Authority (SAGIA) to allow foreign investors to have 100% ownership in Saudi retail and wholesale sectors from the present 75%. In September 2015, SAGIA announced that it will lay out the rules and regulations that the foreign investors need to follow in order to invest in the retail and wholesale sector in the country starting in 2016.

“This move will attract foreign players such as Walmart, Tesco, and Sainsbury's to the retail market in Saudi Arabia. It will also help in increasing productivity, efficiency, and economic growth as well as providing training and employment opportunities for young Saudis,” says Arushi Thakur, one of Technavio's lead analysts for food research.

Besides Panda, key vendors in the report include Carrefour, NESTO, Othaim, and Tamimi. Other prominent vendors in the food retail market in Saudi Arabia include Al Raya Supermarkets, Al Sadhan, Balsharaf Supermarkets, Bin Dawood Supermarkets, Farm Supermarkets, Lulu Hypermarket, Manual Hypermarket, Marhaba Supermarkets, Sarawat Supermarkets, and Star Hypermarkets.Vendors in the market are aiming for better market positions through competitive pricing, weekly promotional offers, and by offering advertisement support to the customers, Technavio said.

Interested?

Buy Food Retail Market in Saudi Arabia 2016-2020

Bloomingdale's in Dubai unveils Ramadhan window displays

Source: Al Tayer Group.

The Ramadhan window unveiling at Bloomingdale’s in Dubai on 2 June brought together students from Mawaheb, their family, friends and the Bloomingdale’s Dubai Creative Services team. Mawaheb from Beautiful People is an art studio for people with special needs aged 16 years and above.

Mentored by the Al Tayer Group Creative Services team, 24 students visually interpreted what Ramadhan means to them with each window. Matteo Magnanini, Head of Creative Services for Al Tayer Group said at the launch, “Al Tayer Group has been an involved patron with causes and charities that support the access to and quality of education, well-being and future opportunities for children in the community. Therefore our partnership with Mawaheb was a natural extension to this.
Our aim was simply to offer the students a 360-degree approach to showcase their talents. Working in a process-led environment, each artist has experienced all the stages of a window design process from its inception at sketch on paper, to the actual unveiling we are all here for today,” said Matteo.

The windows feature the following themes:

In One Vase, We Bloom Together
A beautiful bouquet is created when various individual blooms are combined together.

Give, Give, Give
Give with joy, and give with kindness. Here the artists interpret giving the best of ourselves and bringing out the best in the world around us.

Gift List
The theme revolves around making Ramadhan a time for giving and sharing. Being rich in our human values and sharing wealth with the world around us.

Say Yes to All
The artists visually outline how we must learn to accept people for who they are and not who we want them to be.





Bloomingdale's in Dubai is the first Bloomingdale's store to open outside of the US, made possible as part of a strategic relationship with the Al Tayer Group. Macy's announced in January 2016 that a Bloomingdale's will open in Kuwait in 2017 in conjunction with Al Tayer.

Interested?

Mawaheb’s eight dedicated Ramadan-themed windows at Bloomingdale’s-Dubai will remain on display through Eid al-Fitr. Bloomingdale's-Dubai is in the Dubai Mall.

Watch the associated video

Halal 2016 offers wide range of halal goods and services

The Halal 2016: incorporating Food & Lifestyle exhibition in Singapore, held from 24 to 27 March 2016 at Singapore Expo, featured a great deal of food-related enterprises, but also lifestyle and event-related enterprises focused on the halal economy.

Organised by MegaXpress International, the event promised to be the "biggest halal event ever organised under one roof", showcasing the latest in the market, from frozen foods, canned products, cuisines from around the world, desserts, health supplements, kitchenware, dairy products, fresh produce, and local favourites among others.

In a sense it was similar to the Geylang Serai night market during Ramadhan, but much more manageable and with a great deal more variety when it came to food and other products.

The event started off crowded over the weekend and became steadily more crowded as the day went by.

A selection of the booths are featured below:

A number of food-related businesses were clearly there for exposure, offering a taste of the wares and brochures for catering services, or just to drum up awareness of their outlets.

Opah Satay is a caterer, available for events. The standard package includes 1,000 sticks each of beef, mutton and chicken satay, as well as the rice, cucumber, and onion. Gravy, paper, tissue, are also provided, together with a pop-up cart and satay chef. Call +65 6742 8483 for reservations.

Opah Satay's takeaway containers featured plastic handles.

Food vendors were there for extra exposure. Chulop by the Syarifs makes churros. Hashtag: #chulopsg.

Watsub offers beef and chicken subs. 

Olivye Cafe is offering gelato for banquets and parties. Its menu is divided into classic and premium flavours. Small and medium sized cups of gelato are available, with a small fee for dry ice and delivery for orders of under 100 cups. The gelato is also available by the pan in 3l or 5l volumes, together with freezer rental, setup and delivery charges. A minimum order of four pans, one flavour per pan, applies.

Thai to go at Guillemard Road offers dine-in, takeaways and deliveries in Singapore. The menu is extensive and includes lunch box sets ranging from S$9.90 to S$12.90. Lunch box A at S$12.90, offers a choice of peppery beef or chicken, as well as two spring rolls, green mango salad, stir fried glass noodles, and steamed sweet tapioca with coconut cream.

Coyoro, short for 'cool yoghurt roll' makes pan-fried ice cream rolls as well as soft-serve ice cream and yoghurt. The flavours include PapaO!, papaya and honey oats; LitchiCitrus, a mix of lychee and tangerine, and attap with corn. It has three outlets, in Bugis Street, at East Village in Upper Changi and at Sun Plaza in Sembawang.  

Nigel Herbs is introducing pulled (flaked) salmon, a food ingredient which will retail at the chilled food sections at supermarkets. The Norwegian salmon is available smoked or salted and smoked. The company sells a variety of foods online, including cookies, confectionery, coffee, and tea.

Spicy sauces and snacks galore. Sikom sambal kicap at the top left is based in Muar, Malaysia and quite spicy.

Al-Sunnah Health Food & Products sells dried figs, dates, and olive oil among other foods.

On the food ingredient front, Bakers Farm, a halal bakery ingredients supplier, was looking for distributors.

Foods and other products which promote health were there in abundance. Enertime eggless apricot butter cookies (background), 3 in 1 coffee made with arabica and robusta beans (middle), and Enerbest, a soy powder mixed with barley that can be used as a meal replacement (foreground). 

OJ honeys from Dabzee Singapore are from Pakistan or Thailand. The Pakistani blends include acacia with habb e sauda (black seed, or kalonji), and an acacia with garlic flavour.

Isagenix is a membership-only brand that offers health supplements, including energy drinks and meal replacements. Many contain raspberry and pomegranate. WME, for instance, at the bottom left, is an energy and recovery drink that contains vitamins A, C and the B complex in addition to electrolytes. E+, next to WME, is an energy drink that contains green tea and yerba mate, and does not contain artificial colours or flavours.  Snacks! in the middle contain whey protein, fats and carbohydrates to help curb appetite.

Other neutraceuticals included Sultan Drinks' power drinks and colas, which include black seeds (nigella sativa). According to literature from the Austrian company, every 250ml can of cola contains an average of 10g of content from black seeds. Besides Sultan Cola Classic, the company has Sultan Cola De-Light, made with stevia, and Sultan Power Drink, which includes black seed, ginger, honey, royal jelly, mint, lemon, stevia and naturally extracted caffeine.

This booth, named The Perfume Factory, offered to create personalised fragrances from an array of essential oils in glass bottles.

Wardah Cosmetics is one of the major halal cosmetics providers worldwide. In Singapore, Wardah products are available at Jannah Muslimah Salon in Tristar Complex, Geylang and at D'Fatiin at Wisma Indah, Changi. There are also agents in Seng Kang, Punggol, Bedok and Woodlands. 

Dyara Solutions makes a vanishing cream containing aloe vera, pomegranate and seaweed which promises to improve skin blemishes. Tubes of the cream were on sale at the event for S$20, and for RM20 on Facebook. The company's website does not work. Hashtag: ‪#‎dyarasolutions‬.

Other companies at the event include fashion firms such as Malaysia's Naelofar Hijab, which is known for its instant shawls or hijabs, available in Malaysia, Brunei and Singapore, and Ebben Singapore, which also has instant hijab variants.

Interested?

Read the Suroor Asia blog post introducing Halal 2016: incorporating Food & Lifestyle
Browse the Suroor Asia posts about black seeds (see footnotes), the Geylang Serai Hari Raya Bazaar in 2015 and what Wardah Cosmetics recently launched

Hashtags: #‎megaxpress2016‬, ‪#‎halal2016‬, #sghalal

Al Sunnah Health Foods & Products in Ang Mo Kio sells these soft figs which are kinda addictive

A photo posted by J Tang (@shimmertje) on Mar 26, 2016 at 2:42am PDT

posted from Bloggeroid

11street and KWC Fashion Mall ink e-commerce deal

Source: 11street.

11street, one of the largest online marketplaces in Malaysia, and KWC Fashion Mall, one of Kuala Lumpur's 'Must Visit Tourist Destinations', have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to allow shoppers on 11street's marketplace portal to enjoy wholesale shopping online.

Some 2,000 products from KWC Fashion Mall will progressively go on sale on 11street in a move to create an omni-channel presence for KWC.

“Being a culture-rich country, Malaysia is known for its vibrant choices of fashion apparel. The partnership between 11street and KWC significantly reinforces our ongoing commitment to enable our consumers to find what they love at 11street with the expanded range of trendy offerings – what’s better than having the best variety of items at wholesale prices!” said Hoseok Kim, Chief Executive Officer of 11street.

Fiona Bong, Centre Manager of KWC added that the collaboration will benefit KWC tenants at the physical mall by providing them with exposure to raise awareness whilst offering a positive boost in sales.

"11street is a gateway to new target audiences for the various merchants that we have under our roof. In today's fast-paced, cost-conscious and competitive environment, it is no longer enough to rely on just one single go-to-market channel. As such, integrating e-commerce into the mix will definitely help our merchants to grow and achieve better sales, and the same time, it also help bringing awareness to their shops in the physical mall," she said.

Source: 11street.

In conjunction with the Raya festive season, 11street is running promotions such as discounts of up to 70% as well as free shipping on selected items.

“Our broadly collaborative-curated content via a mobile app enables consumers to access hot items and products quicker, especially on the ‘Shocking Deals’ Section where we provide the lowest price guarantee giving consumers better value for their purchases. Coupled with our Hari Raya promotions, consumers can navigate and shop for what they love at 11street effortlessly for themselves, friends and family during this festive season,” Kim said.

Interested?

Get directly to the KWC Fashion House products on 11street

IKEA offers Ramadhan promotions across ME

Source: IKEA Jordan website.
Ramadhan kareem.

IKEA is offering dining-related promotions over Ramadhan across various countries in the Middle East.

IKEA Kuwait has announced Ramadhan hours: 10:30am to 3:30pm, followed by 8pm to 1am. The restaurant will open from 6:30pm to midnight. There is a Ramadhan offer on tables and chairs as well – a KD10 voucher for every KD50 spent on dining tables and chairs.

IKEA Kuwait is also featuring the Doftrik collection for Ramadhan. The collection is inspired by geometric designs. 

Source: IKEA Kuwait website. Doftrik eyelet-style curtains for KD13 (sold in a pair).

IKEA Jordan is open from 11am to 2am for the month of Ramadhan. It has a special offer on 10% off dining tables and chairs all the way to 31 July. Shoppers at IKEA Jordan can also enjoy items from the Doftrik collection for Ramadhan.

Source: IKEA Kuwait website.
These Doftrik pot holders cost
KD1.500 per pair.

IKEA Qatar and UAE do not highlight any Ramadhan specials on their home pages. In Qatar the opening hours remain Sundays to Wednesdays, 10am-11pm, and Thursdays from 10am to midnight. Fridays, opening hours are 9am to 11am, followed by 1pm to midnight, while IKEA Qatar is open on Saturdays from 9am to midnight.

In the UAE the opening hours remain: 10am to 11pm from Sundays to Wednesdays in Dubai, and 10am to midnight from Thursdays to Saturdays; while in Abu Dhabi it is 10am to 11pm from Saturdays to Wednesdays, and 10am to midnight on Thursdays and Fridays.

Source: IKEA Kuwait website. These Doftrik floor cushions have the same pattern on both sides. Sold individually for KD5.900 each.

Source: IKEA KSA.

In Saudi Arabia, IKEA invites visitors to a meal set with a choice of main, plus soup or salad and cake for SR29.

Want context?

Read the Suroor Asia blog post about the IKEA promotions for Singapore and Malaysia.

IKEA Singapore, Malaysia go with 'Bling glamour for Raya' campaign

Source: IKEA Malaysia website.

Source: IKEA Singapore website.

In keeping with a tradition of going tongue-in-cheek, the IKEA Eid promotion is about bling* in Malaysia and Singapore, with advertisements inspired by hip hop fashion. The pun This Raya, bling glamour home is used to encourage shoppers to refresh their homes, an Eid tradition in Southeast Asia.

Source: IKEA Malaysia page. The Raya collections for both Singapore and Malaysia are identical and seems to be mostly blacks and whites, although the advertisement theme was 'bling'.

Source: IKEA Singapore website. IKEA Singapore lists weekly specials from the Raya collection on its website.

The Doftrik collection, based on "Arabic patterns with an IKEA twist", is partially available in Malaysia.

The sales will continue till 19 July.

*The advertisements received negative comments in Singapore as not reflecting the spirit of Ramadhan. Some have also questioned why footwear is allowed in the house, and why the male models are wearing gold, for instance. There were no comments of this nature on the IKEA Malaysia Facebook page.

IKEA Singapore responded on its Facebook page on 20 July with the messages: "IKEA Singapore Hej guys, thanks for reaching out to us. At IKEA, we always aim to inspire people with home decor ideas through campaigns that bring a smile and are inimitably IKEA. Our intention is to give people ideas to have their homes ready with our Raya range. We assure you that it is not our aim to offend and we value all feedback provided.", and "IKEA Singapore Hej everyone, we have taken the time to read through your feedback and you might have noticed we’ve taken down our cover photo. As we mentioned our intention wasn’t to offend anyone and we are sorry if we did. We hope we can continue to give you home decor ideas and will be back with a new inspiration soon."

Buy at Home Centre during Ramadhan and save with vouchers

Source: Home Centre website.

Home Centre is offering Ramadhan gift vouchers* with a minimum sum spent on purchases.

The Ramadan Gift Voucher Promotion in the UAE involves getting a voucher worth AED1,000 for every AED3,000 spent. The offer is valid in Abu Dhabi, Ajman, Al Ain, Dubai, Fujairah, Ras Al Khaimah and Sharjah, and expires 15 August.

In Bahrain, BHD10 vouchers will be given out for every BHD35 spent, while in Oman RO10 vouchers are gifted for every RO35 spent. The Kuwait arrangement is similar, with KD10 vouchers offered for every KD35 spent. The Bahrain offer is honoured at the Manama and Riffa outlets, while the Omani branches in Muscat, Sohar and Salalah are running the voucher promotion. In Kuwait, the promotion is running in Al Rai, Fahaheel, Kuwait City and Shuwaikh. Vouchers expire 18 July.

Source: Home Centre website.
The offer for UAE.

For Jordan, the vouchers of JD10 are handed out for every JD50 spent. The offer is valid in Amman, and vouchers also expire 18 July.

Home Centre has also launched its Ramadan Catalog 2015**.

Interested?

View the Ramadan Catalog 2015 in Bahrain

View the Ramadan Catalog 2015 in KSA

View the Ramadan Catalog 2015 in Kuwait

View the Ramadan Catalog 2015 in Oman

View the Ramadan Catalog 2015 in Qatar

View the Ramadan Catalog 2015 in UAE

*KSA does not have a voucher promotion for Ramadhan

**Jordan does not have a Ramadan Catalog.