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Hutchison owns the A
S Watson Group (ASW), one of the best-known retail
groups in Asia and the world’s leading health
and beauty retailer. Its retail division has a portfolio
of 20 retail brands, including some of the most famous
high street names in Europe and Asia. The A S Watson
Group operates over 10,000 outlets worldwide. Following
the acquisition of Marionnaud, the largest perfumery
and cosmetic retailer in France, the A S Watson Group
has acquired the UK-based perfumery chain The Perfume
Shop and the health & beauty chain Spektr in Russia.
In 2006, ASW has acquired DC (rebranded as Watsons in
March 2011), the largest health & beauty retail
chain in Ukraine.
A S Watson also manufactures and distributes a wide
range of water and beverage brands in Asia and Europe.
EUROPEAN INVESTMENT HIGHLIGHTS
Health and Beauty Chains
| Luxury Perfumeries and Cosmetics
Retail Brands
In Europe, the A S Watson Group operates over 6,400
health and beauty retail stores and over 1,600 luxury
perfumeries and cosmetics stores under 11 brands covering
21 countries.
Health and Beauty Chains
Kruidvat (Netherlands, Belgium)
Kruidvat
is a distinct market leader in the health and
beauty sector in the Netherlands and one of the
largest health and beauty retail chains in Belgium.
Operating 990 stores, Kruidvat is known for its
unrivalled product range which combines high quality
with highly competitive pricing. Kruidvat is also
an industry innovator in retailing fast-moving
non-cosmetic articles such as low-priced CDs,
toys, decorative household items and photo services.
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Trekpleister (Netherlands)
With over 130 stores, Trekpleister
has a very strong position in the Dutch market.
Trekpleister caters to the traditional health
and beauty segment and combines a friendly store
atmosphere with successful promotions. The chain's
formula for success also includes an attractive
range of general merchandise and private labels. |
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Rossmann (Germany, Poland,
Czech Republic and Hungary)
Rossmann
was founded in 1972 by Dirk Rossmann who opened
the first health and beauty shop in Hannover,
Germany. After the borders between East and West
Europe were opened in the early 1990s, Rossmann
started the Central Europe operation in Poland
and thereafter expanded into Hungary and the Czech
Republic. To date, the chain has a store network
of over 2,400 stores. A S Watson has a joint venture
partnership with Rossmann for its operation in
four countries. |
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Superdrug (United Kingdom
and Ireland)
Superdrug,
one of the UK's leading health and beauty retailers,
joined A S Watson in 2002.
Operating 900 stores in England,
Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Southern
Ireland, Superdrug has a high potential of growth
and is expected to surge in the coming years.
Superdrug in the UK is known as a value retailer
through a mix of unbeatable offers and deals on
a wide range of everyday essentials, branded products
and Christmas gifts. |
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Savers (United Kingdom)
The Savers
chain was founded in the United Kingdom in 1988
and was acquired by A S Watson in 2000 following
its strong initial success. The chain operates
on a mega discount format accentuated with simple
store design, strong logistics and low operating
cost. Savers' focus on fast-moving toiletries
products has hit a chord within the marketplace,
spurring a significant growth in store number
over the past two years. Currently, it operates
over 230 stores in the UK. |
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Watsons (Ukraine)
DC, recently rebranded as Watsons,
is the largest and the only nationwide health
and beauty retail chain in Ukraine. Established
in 1997, DC has grown quickly to the current
network of over 230 stores throughout the country.
It is operated under the format of a convenience
drugstore, offering a comprehensive mix of personal
care and toiletry products.
With the introduction of Watsons in the market,
the brand aims to deliver more quality products,
greater value and superior customer service
to consumers across the Ukraine.
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Drogas (Latvia and Lithuania)
Drogas,
Drogas, acquired by A S Watson in June 2004, operates
over 120 stores in Latvia and Lithuania, with
a 30 per cent share of the Latvian market. In
2001, the company was named "Best Retailer
in Latvia" by the leading business newspaper
Dienas Bizness.
Drogas opened its first store
in Lithuania in 2001, it is one of the fastest
growing companies in the country.
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Spektr (Russia)
Spektr
Group, established in 1990, is the market-leading
health and beauty retail chain in St Petersburg,
Russia. With over 50 stores, Spektr offers a comprehensive
range of personal care, skincare, perfumery and
cosmetics, and household products of local and
international brands.
A S Watson's acquisition of Spektr
in October 2005 marks an extension of the Group's
retail network to Russia, the sixth largest economy
in the world in terms of PPP (Purchase Power Parity). |
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Luxury Perfumeries and Cosmetics Retail Brands
Marionnaud (Austria, Czech Republic, France,
Hungary, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia,
Spain and Switzerland)
Marionnaud,
acquired by A S Watson in April 2005, is Europe's
largest perfumeries and cosmetics retailer. Its
reputation is built upon trust, which has driven
it to become the leading perfumery chain in France,
the home of fragrances, with an extensive coverage
of 1,200 stores in 11 European countries, and
it is the market leader in 10 of them. |
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ICI PARIS XL (Belgium, Netherlands and Luxembourg)
ICI
PARIS XL was founded in Belgium in the late
1960's. It has become a leading perfumery chain
in Belgium. ICI PARIS XL was established in the
Netherlands in late 1997. The brand then entered
Luxembourg in 2003. It is now the leading chain
in the Benelux market with 250 stores. |
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The Perfume Shop (United Kingdom and Ireland)
Founded in 1991, The
Perfume Shop has developed a highly successful
format in the UK fragrances sector. Since A S
Watson acquired it in August 2005, the business
has grown consistently from 55 stores to 250.
The Perfume Shop is located in both shopping
centres and malls throughout the UK and Ireland,
and sells over 300 different fragrance brands
for men and women at affordable prices, online
and at prime shopping locations.
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