Tag Archives: Retail

London Heathrow Terminal 2 (The Queen’s Terminal) focus on retail… Caviar House & Prunier

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VIS_9556  Thirty years ago, Caviar House & Prunier established their first store at Heathrow selling packaged salmon and caviar products. Following a chance encounter with Count Basie, who delighted in eating the packaged caviar at the airport, the team were inspired to develop a seafood bar concept.

The world’s first Caviar House Seafood Bar opened at Terminal 4 and is now a feature in more than 80 locations around the world, including Sydney and Dubai.Prunier[1]
Opening on 4 June, the new £1.6m restaurant has been designed to put the loved and renowned Caviar House & Prunier menu centre-stage to an international audience. Caviar House & Prunier is the only manufacturer of fine caviar and smoked salmon in the world to serve its products within its own restaurants and at LHR Terminal 2, passengers will be able to enjoy the products along with a speVIS_9593cially curated champagne menu. The restaurant will also feature a unique wine collection from Chateau Lafite Rothschild, a collection made up of 336 bottles, 28 vintages in original sealed cases of 12, retailing at €449,00 (price correct at time of print).
The restaurant, which overlooks the airfield, will have iPads at each of the 51 seats displaying multi-language menus, as well as content exploring the heritage of caviar and salmon around the world. It will also feature a phenomenal light structure simulating the movement of a school of fish, designed and commissioned by London-based lighting specialists, Cinimod Studio, the structure is 13 metres tall with a unique, unlimited animated sequence incorporating 350,000 LEDs… you will never see the same sequence within a 10 year period!
Caviar House & Prunier spend ten years bringing their sturgeons to maturity, ensuring their welfare and well-being every day of the year. The caviar is processed and salted to the highest standards possible using recipes that are several hundred years old, from a time when farmed caviar was the closely-guarded secret of a few caviar masters in the caviar city of Astrakhan in Russia.
I sampled Qiandao, the fruit of the hybridisation of two sturgeons indigenous to the Amur River on the northern border between China and Russia and now raised in the crystalline waters of Lake Qiandao, ‘the thousand island lake’ in the heart of the Huangshan Mountains. A firm-grained and delicate caviar with a smooth flavour and beautiful, yet subtle aroma.
The values of the company are impressive, with the whole focus on absolute sustainability and ecological responsibility, which is extremely important in today’s marketplace where the race to be the premium brand sometimes is achieved at the expense of poor environmental standards. The quality bar has most certainly been raised with Caviar House & Prunier.
https://www.caviarhouse-prunier.co.uk
@CaviarHouseP
Photographic credits: Visual Devotion and Caviar House & Prunier

 

London Heathrow Terminal 2 (The Queen’s Terminal) focus on retail… The Plaza Premium Lounge

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The world’s leading airport lounge provider, Plaza Premium Lounge, will be opening at London Heathrow T2 in June 2014. Priding themselves on a quality of service which is trusted and welcomed by travellers across the globe, Plaza Premium Lounge is the industry leader in Premium Airport Services. Business travel is constantly evolving and with the current economic climate the centre of attention when budgeting for expenses, today’s business traveller is faced with fewer environments to rest, refresh and re-charge not only one’s own batteries but the energy cells of technological gadgetry used in everyday communication. But this concept is innovative, the company is the world’s first commercial VIP lounge for all travellers, irrespective of their airline or class of travel.
With 16 years’ experience in caring for travellers, Plaza Premium Lounge sets the benchmark for a luxurious and accessible airport experience. The Plaza Premium Lounge at London Heathrow T2 will be the Hong Kong-based company’s first venture in Europe and the only independent lounge at Terminal 2. There will be three phases to the opening strategy. In summer 2014, Plaza Premium Lounge will open in Departures, Lounge A3 (next to the terminal transfer desks) on Level 4. In Autumn 2014, a Lounge will open in Terminal 2 Arrivals and offer day hotel facilities for travellers, completing the phases with another Lounge opening in Terminal 4 in winter 2014.
Mr Song Hoi-see, the company founder and CEO of Plaza Premium Lounge told me “I’ve been a business traveller for many years and it was becoming increasingly difficult to find an environment where I could take time to relax before my connecting flight, perhaps re-charge my cell, take a shower… I realised this was a problem for all travellers, business or pleasure, so I researched the requirements and came up with the concept of Plaza Premium Lounge.”
Open daily from 5am to 11pm, the £38 charge per person allows access for up to two hours which includes a complimentary selection of food and drink including tapas and freshly baked artisanal breads, showering facilities (five luxury shower rooms with full amenities), use of the lounge facilities and business facilities (computer workstations, high speed Wi-Fi, charging sockets and full flight information), and entertainment in the form of TV channels, international magazine and newspapers. Also available at extra cost is a selection of vintage and non-vintage Champagnes at the Champagne Bar, an exclusive treatment menu by British organic spa brand, ILA, in the Wellness Spa and five private en-suite relaxation rooms.
With 110 locations in 29 international airports throughout the world and a development pipeline of 50 more lounges by 2015, Plaza Premium Lounge will become synonymous with luxury service at an affordable price.
To book, email uk@plaza-network.com
Website: www.plaza-network.com

WORLD’S FIRST ‘TWEET’ SHOP OPENS IN LONDON

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– Shoppers told to put money away and pay by social currency –

The world’s first high-street shop where customers pay by Tweet instead of money has opened in central London today.

The Tweet Shop is a standalone retail outlet from Special K and is being used to mark the famous cereal maker’s move into the savoury crisps market.

Customers are encouraged to put away their money and pay for a packet of new Special K Cracker Crisps by simply Tweeting a message about the low calorie snack range and sharing the news with the wider Twittersphere.

As well as the company’s first move into crisps, the shop is also Kellogg’s first venture into the retail arena with its very first dedicated physical space in the UK.

The shop is staffed by a number of iconic Special K girls in red dresses who will check each customer’s Tweet before handing over the crisps.

Kim Murray, 28 from London, was the first person to pay for the product with a Tweet.

Sarah Case from Special K comments: “The value of positive endorsements on social media sites is beyond compare so we’re excited to be the first company to literally use social currency instead of financial currency to launch this new product in our bespoke Special K shop.

“This is big news for Special K and we are hoping the brand’s move into crisps and the high street will create a major buzz on and offline.”

The Tweet Shop on Soho’s Meard Street, London is open from 9am to 5pm on Tuesday 25th September to Friday 28th September. It is lined with hundreds of packs of crisps, a ‘try before you buy’ snacking area and a ‘community noticeboard’ that captures social media reaction to the unique retail space.

Investment capital firm set to salvage Game

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Following on from Junior Smart’s articles on Game Group going into administration, an announcement is expected from the investment group, Opcapita, that it is buying a large part of the troubled Game Group out of administration.

However many experts believe that the Game Group needs to change its approach in order to survive in this tough retail landscape.

Danny Jatania, a consumer champion and CEO and Chairman of Pockit, says, “If a company like Game is to survive, it’s imperative for it to adapt and innovate to consumer spending patterns. Currently the high street is going through a major evolution as a result of consumers using the huge savings offered by the online retailers to purchase goods. Game will have to completely rethink its strategy and will need to work in harmony with this growing trend.”

Danny concludes, “More and more retailers are using deals, vouchers, in-store and online cashback, in the face of a fiercely competitive retail environment. It is important for retailers to extend these deals to the high street to increase foot fall as part of their growth plans.”

Black Friday needs to have an effect in the UK

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The US Retail sector enthusiastically braces itself for a horde of bargain hunters

Today, Black Friday, so-called as it is the day when a vast swathe of the retail sector head out of the red and into the black, may make an economic turning point in the run up to Christmas. With half of the entire US population, some 152 million people, expected to hit the shops over the course of this weekend, up 10% on last year- the spike in trade could mean good news across the economy.

Black Friday usually sees shopping chains throw open their doors in the early hours. But this year that rush has crept into Thanksgiving Day itself. The effect isn’t limited to the US however, as Britain’s biggest and most well-known retailers have started “mega sales” early this year in an attempt to boost Christmas shopping amongst cash strapped shoppers. Amazon, in the run up to Black Friday is offering bargains for its ‘Black Friday Deals Week’ and Comet are offering a 5day Frenzy super sale. In effect this has turned black Friday into one of the biggest online shopping days of the year.

In the run up to Christmas consumers are expected to spend a whopping £7.75 billion on online shopping according to e-tailing trade association IMRG. An estimated £13 billion will be spent across all sectors online, however figures on the high street are expected to fall by 2.1 per cent in spite of so many sales starting early. It is clear that this year’s success stories will be told with a distinctly online lilt.

Kevin Flood, CEO of the leading social shopping website Shopow said, “Retailers that were desperately in need of a reversal of their fortunes have found that they now have an encouraging platform on which to build in the run up to Christmas. High street stores have had to pull out all the stops to make their shops attractive by reducing prices early and creating imaginative promotions to increase footfall and more activity at the tills. It is still far from plain sailing and there is still a lot of pressure on retailers and as long as business and consumer confidence remains low, the battle will continue to persuade shoppers to return in their droves.

“Online activity has emerged as a vital area that will only continue to grow in importance over Christmas. We are expecting a significant amount of Christmas activity online and those who have introduced innovative shopping tools that make shopping easier and more cost effective will take capitalise.”

For the past six years, a combination of increasingly early opening times and an array of discounts have helped make the day after Thanksgiving the biggest shopping day – and cement the term “black Friday.” It will be nonetheless difficult for chains that have struggled with sales declines lately, including the likes of Topshop, to see a benefit from thoroughly deep discounting. Many have opted instead to move into the social shopping environment in order to drive sales through peer to peer reviewing and sustainable discounting.

Social shopping has emerged as an exciting trend in online retailing as many of these high street stores look to engage consumers. It involves the use of social networking to share recommendations, share discounts, post reviews and ask for advice on products before purchase.

Mike Harty COO of Shopow (www.shopow.co.uk) said “Regular web shoppers are now empowered to talk about their purchases in an honest way. Social shopping enables shoppers to use their trusted networks to make informed decisions but also makes online shopping more interactive, enjoyable and indeed sustainable.”

Lanvin to Design for H&M {Fashion}

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H&M have announced their next designer collaboration and the rumors were true…its next designer collaboration will be with Lanvin, one of the most influential brands of the 21st century. Designed by Lanvin’s artistic director Alber Elbaz, and menswear designer Lucas Ossendrijver, the collection will go on sale on November 23 in around 200 H&M stores worldwide. The collection of both womenswear and menswear will be revealed to the world on November 2, just three weeks before the clothes hit the store.

Alber Elbaz, artistic director of Lanvin says:
“H&M approached us to collaborate, and see if we could translate the dream we created at Lanvin to a wider audience, not just a dress for less. I have said in the past that I would never do a mass-market collection, but what intrigued me was the idea of H&M going luxury rather than Lanvin going public. This has been an exceptional exercise, where two companies at opposite poles can work together because we share the same philosophy of bringing joy and beauty to men and women around the world.” .

Since joining Lanvin as artistic director in 2001, Alber Elbaz has transformed the Paris-based label, founded in 1889 by Jeanne Lanvin, into a fashion powerhouse bursting with ideas and creativity. Alber Elbaz has pioneered there some of the biggest trends of the past decade – ribbon, bows, pearls, raw edges, sumptuous colour and metallic embellishment among many others. Alber Elbaz has a mastery of cut and an instinct for cloth which leaves a very personal signature on his work, ensuring that all Lanvin clothes are instantly recognizable. Since the introduction of a new menswear line in 2006, Alber Elbaz has also transformed the male wardrobe, bringing a relaxed elegance to men’s clothing which is as special as the womenswear.

“We are thrilled about Lanvin’s collection for H&M, it is such an exciting moment. Lanvin will bring to H&M a luxurious French tradition that is also modern and playful. It is very much a Lanvin collection, using their cut and tailoring, with lots of focus on form and details for both women and men. The launch in November is going to be full of wonderful surprises.” Says Margareta van den Bosch, creative advisor at H&M.

Lanvin is the latest brand to collaborate with H&M, with previous collections designed by the likes of Karl Lagerfeld, Stella McCartney, Comme des Garçons and Sonia Rykiel. In a new twist, the Lanvin for H&M collection will be revealed to the world through a special film which will be launched on November 2. The film will be available for all to see online at www.hm.com. Following the film’s debut, it will be just three weeks before customers have the chance to get their hands on a covetable piece of Lanvin for H&M.