ASIA PACIFIC. HDS Retail Asia Pacific today advised that the acquisition of the A&R Whitcoulls Group travel retail businesses in Hong Kong and Australia, from A&R Whitcoulls Group Holdings has been completed, following the original announcement on 8 September 2005.
The A&R Whitcoulls acquisition includes 10 stores in Hong Kong and five in Australia. This acquisition will increase the number of stores operated by HDS Retail Asia Pacific to 75 in the Asia Pacific region.
Eight of the stores in Hong Kong will be re-branded Relay and two will be re-branded NewsLink. All five stores in Australia are to be re-branded NewsLink.
The Moodie Report Backgrounder
HDS Retail Asia Pacific is part of Hachette Distribution Services, operators of the largest international network of travel retail outlets devoted to cultural and entertainment products.
Retail brands of the Asia Pacific group already in the region include:
Books and press: NewsLink, TimesNewsLink and Relay
Convenience: Hub
Australian gourmet food and wine: Discover
Music, dvds and books: Virgin
Children’s toys: Kaboom
Fixed price fashion accessory concept: Bijoux Terner
MORE STORIES ON HDS RETAIL
HDS adds fresh concepts to new Adelaide terminal – 29/04/05
HF Phénix wins Paris tender with HDS and set to open stores in Paris and Nice airports – 22/02/05
HDS Retail explores more Virgin territory in Canada – 24/08/04
