An international retailer’s perspective

Retailers and wholesalers today are investing the major share of their development funds into the Asian marketplace to bring modern retail and wholesale concepts to the Asian consumer. With a large growth in urbanisation across Asia, the region represents huge opportunities as well as big challenges to international players. At the same time there is a growing demand in Asia for high quality and safe goods, which presents a great opportunity for modern retail and wholesale formats. Many companies have recognised the need to promote sustainable production and consumption models in order to be successful also in the next 20–50 years. In the fast-developing markets in Asia international companies thus have the opportunity to leapfrog international best practices and to install sustainable concepts right from the start. They are also challenged by population growth and the demand and supply of food to supply their customers into the future. Modern retailers and wholesalers are working closely with farmers and co-ops to improve food standards and quality, to employ sustainable farming and processing methods and to create savings in the supply chain, which also leads to improvements in the incomes and living standards of the farmers. By doing so they are making opportunities for farming and processing industries to serve the global procurement needs of their chains, which are developing Trading Offices within the region. With rising incomes and a rapid growth of the middle class we see a greater demand for imported goods for home consumption and also for the food-service industry. This creates great opportunities for countries like Australia to become the source of ultra fresh and processed products. It is important that the mindsets of Australian farmers, exporters and producers change to recognise that brands need to be built in these markets. Brands like Sunkist, Dole, Cape, Anchor, Zespri are well known in Asia and globally recognised. Global retailers are changing the face of retail and wholesale in Asia and developing markets and will invest in the future. The challenges are not just with them but with the willingness of others to change.