| |
Recent Expansion
In 2000, A.S. Watson Group (ASW) acquired Savers health and beauty retail chain in the UK. From 177 stores, the chain has expanded to more than 400 today.
In November 2001, the Group’s wine operation also expanded with the acquisition of Badaracco in Switzerland, one of the world’s leading fine wine trading companies which specialises in the trading of prestigious international wines.
The year 2002 marked a major milestone for the ASW’s retail operation when it acquired Europe’s leading health and beauty retail group Kruidvat, adding over 1,900 stores to its store portfolio.
In November 2004, the Group established a 50:50 joint venture with leading Korean retail company GS Retail (formerly LG Mart Co.), and the first Watsons Your Personal Store was opened in Seoul in March 2005. March 2005 also saw the Group’s entry into Turkey with the acquisition of Cosmo Shop, a local health and beauty retail chain.
In April 2005, ASW announced the successful acquisition of Marionnaud, a leading perfumeries and cosmetics chain in Europe, making it the world’s largest health & beauty retailer. The Group continued to expand in the luxury perfumeries & cosmetics business by acquiring The Perfume Shop, the largest perfumery chain in the UK, in August.
In October, ASW acquired Spektr, a market-leading health and beauty retail chain in St. Petersburg, Russia. In the same month, Watsons Your Personal Store entered Eastern Europe by opening its first store in Estonia.
In January 2006, Watsons Your Personal Store expanded into Indonesia by opening its first store in Jarkata which features a new and unique health and beauty retail concept in the Indonesia market.
In February, ASW expanded further in Eastern Europe by opening the first Watsons Your Personal Store in Slovenia.
In July, ASW acquired DC, the largest health & beauty retail chain in Ukraine.
In September, Marionnaud expanded into Asia by opening its first Marionnaud store in Philippines.
Overall in Asia and Europe, the Group now operates three luxury perfumeries and cosmetics chains including Marionnaud (France, Italy, Germany, Spain, Austria, Switzerland, Poland, Hungary, Portugal, Israel, Morocco, Romania, Slovakia and Philippines), ICI PARIS XL (Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg) and The Perfume Shop (UK and Ireland), as well as nine health & beauty formulas including Kruidvat (Netherlands, Belgium), Superdrug (UK, Netherlands), Rossmann (Poland, Hungary, Czech Republic and Germany), Savers (UK), Trekpleister (Netherlands), Drogas (Latvia and Lithuania), Spektr (Russia), Watsons Your Personal Store (Estonia and Slovenia) and DC (Ukraine).
|
