Convenience Retail Asia Expands into West Pearl River Delta
Circle K is the first international convenience store chain to open in Macau
Hong Kong, 15 March 2005 - Convenience Retail Asia Limited ("CRA" or "the Group"; HKEx: 8052), operator of Circle K convenience stores in Hong Kong and on the Chinese Mainland, announced the opening of the first Circle K store in Macau. The launch signifies the first international convenience store chain in Macau and the beginning of CRA's aggressive expansion into the western part of the Pearl River Delta region.
CRA established Circle K Convenience Stores (Macau) Limited to take advantage of Macau's flourishing economy and rising consumer spending. The new company is a joint venture with Macau Industrial Limitada and will oversee Circle K operations in Macau.
"We are delighted to open the first Circle K store in Macau and to be able to provide Macau with the international convenience store shopping experience," said Mr Richard Yeung, Chief Executive Officer of CRA. "The Group will continue to grow its business by capitalizing on the buoyancy of the Macau economy."
The grand opening of the Circle K store in Macau on 15 March 2005 was marked by a ribbon-cutting ceremony officiated by Dr Victor K Fung, Chairman of the Li & Fung Group; Mr Alain Bouchard, Chairman of Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc., the holding company of The Circle K Corporation in Canada; Mr Lee Peng Hong, President of Macau Trade & Investment Promotion Institute; Mr Hugh Li, Managing Director of Macau Industrial Limitada; and Mr Richard Yeung, Chief Executive Officer of CRA.
Circle K Macau will ride on CRA's industry experience to deliver customer-oriented service to the Macau consumer market.
CRA's Core Competencies for Building Brand Preference
Quality Customer
Service
Providing customers with quick checkout, clean stores and friendly
service.
Strategy-Driven
Marketing
Adding value, fun and uniqueness to the Circle K shopping experience,
and creating a contemporary and vibrant brand image.
Category
Management Excellence
Making sure the right products are available to customers at the
right prices.
Synchronised
Supply Chain Management and Logistics Processes
Optimising speed and efficiency at every level, thus ensuring smooth
product flow, consistent availability of products and best prices
for customers.
Integrated
Information System
Ensuring effective flow of information throughout the supply chain.
New Store
Development Model
Establishing new stores in convenient locations with optimum pedestrian
traffic.
A New Experience of Convenience for Circle K Macau Customers:
1. "Hot
& In" in-store bakery and selected drinks
"Hot & In", the private label for Circle K's exclusive
food services, features a whole range of in-store freshly baked
bread and select freshly made drinks including authentic "tai-pai-dong"
milk tea, offering the perfect combination for a quick and convenient
breakfast.
2. Fish balls
available 12 hours a day
Mouthwatering fish balls in hot and tantalizing curry sauce are
available from 7am to 8pm every day.
3. Cold drink
storage at 4 oC
Circle K offers a wide variety of drinks and maintains its cold
storage at 4„aC to ensure all our beverages taste their best.
4. "Post
Mix" self-serve soft drink machine
Customers mix their own paper-cup drinks by picking their choices
of flavours and quantity of ice cubes. Available at value price.
5. "Twister"
hi-calcium soft ice cream cone
Available exclusively from Circle K for only $2 each. A smoother
and better taste than any others in the market.
6. Confectionaries
and snacks imported from Japan and Korea
A whole range of popular confectionaries and snacks imported from
Japan and Korea offer great taste and fun.
7. Other
product categories
| - Cigarettes | - Ice cream | - Grocery products |
| - Beverages | - Dairy products | - Other convenient services |
| - Microwave food | - Newspapers and magazines |
Convenience Retail Asia Limited ("CRA") brings to the consumers in Macau a new experience of shopping convenience as the first Circle K store and the first of an international convenience store chain in Macau.
Officiating at the opening ceremony are (from left to right) Mr Richard Yeung, Chief Executive Officer of CRA; Mr Alain Bouchard, Chairman of Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc., the holding company of The Circle K Corporation in Canada; Dr Victor K Fung, Chairman of the Li & Fung Group; Mr Hugh Lee, Managing Director of Macau Industrial Limitada; and Mr Lee Peng Hong, President of Macau Trade & Investment Promotion Institute.
About Macau
Industrial Limitada
Macau Industrial Limitada was first established in 1949. In 1951
founder Mr Timothy Lee became the sole proprietor of the company,
which has since developed into the leading beverage manufacturer
of the Macau Special Administrative Region.
After more than 50 years of growth and expansion, the geographic reach of Macau Industrial Limitada now covers Macau, Zhuhai in Guangdong Province, PRC, and Saipan Mariana Island. The company dominates the beverage market in terms of coverage and market share in all three territories. As of 2003, Macau Industrial Limitada managed more than 28 brands and 320 product categories including four of the world's top five carbonated soft drink brands.
Macau Industrial Limitada wholly owns a five-story plant with a warehousing space of 8,050 square metres, including 50 square metres of cold storage, and operates a 24-hour distribution team with a fleet of 11 delivery trucks, thereby providing the best support for Circle K Macau.
About CRA
Convenience Retail Asia Limited (CRA, HKEx stock code: 8052),
a member of Li & Fung Retailing Group, is engaged in the operation
of one of the leading convenience store chains in Hong Kong under
the brand name of Circle K. The Circle K store chain in Hong Kong
comprises 210 company-owned-and-managed stores as of 15 February
2005.
In October 2002, CRA established Convenience Retail Southern China Limited in joint venture with Guangzhou Grain Group Limited and Shanghai Shenhong Corporation to develop the South China market. As of 15 February 2005, 21 Circle K stores were in operation in Guangzhou.
CRA corporate Website: www.cr-asia.com
About Li
& Fung Retailing
Li & Fung (Retailing) Limited, the holding company of Convenience
Retail Asia, was formed in 1985 as a company wholly owned by Li
& Fung (1937) Limited. Under the retailing group, there are two
specialty chains: Circle K and Toys "R" Us; fashion retailing
business Branded Lifestyle which manages retail sales of Ferragamo,
Country Road, Mango and Calvin Klein Jeans in key markets in Asia;
and also a brand licensing unit that specialises in licensed products.
The retailing group's business extends from Hong Kong to Taiwan,
Singapore, Malaysia and South Korea, with plans for expansion into
the Chinese Mainland and other South East Asian countries.
For media inquiry, please contact:
| Convenience Retail Asia Limited / Macau Circle K | Telephone: (852) 2991 6000 |
| Mrs. Louisa Kwan | Direct line: (852) 2991 6229 |
