DFI has been very active in recent years, with new strategies for its four major star brands to respond to the online shopping and consumption trend in the north

According to reports, Wellcome, which is proposed to merge with ParknShop, is owned by DFI, a retail group under Jardine Matheson. Last year, it turned a profit of USD 270 million, an increase of 17.4% year-on-year. The DFI group operates Mannings, 7-Eleven, Wellcome, and IKEA in Hong Kong. Earlier, the group announced business strategies for its four major brands, with Mannings and 7-Eleven focusing on enhancing customer experience, while Wellcome and IKEA attract customers with low-price strategies. Mannings' Same-Store Sales Increased by 5% Last Year; 7-Eleven Promotes Fresh Concept Stores This Year In recent years, Mannings has positioned itself as a "comprehensive health consultant," introducing over 600 new products in the wellness category last year. Its same-store sales increased by 5% year-on-year, with the health and wellness category performing the best. Liu Jiachang, Executive Director of Mannings Hong Kong, Macau, and China, stated that Hong Kong retailers find it difficult to compete with mainland counterparts, so Mannings focuses on enhancing services to attract customers back to shopping. Liu Jiachang pointed out that the "Wellness Category" recorded double-digit growth. Mannings not only increased the variety of health products on its shelves but also introduced exclusive products, with sales of Mannings' exclusive SKUs rising by 20% last year. Mannings exited the mainland physical market last year and shifted to cross-border e-commerce platforms, with Liu Jiachang noting that growth on these platforms reached double digits last year, and the growth trend continues. As for store openings, Mannings will continue to add stores in Hong Kong based on different regional demands, having already opened two new stores this year. Related article: Mannings explains its strategy to abandon physical stores in mainland China and transform into a health consultant to resist the trend of moving north; smart traditional Chinese medicine consumption increased threefold. 7-Eleven has established three core strategies: fresh food, digital transformation, and store experience. Ray Lee, Executive Director of 7-Eleven Hong Kong and Macau, revealed that the fresh food concept store in Causeway Bay, which opened last July, saw fresh food sales increase by over 35% in the first half of the year. The fresh food concept store model has now been expanded to Kwun Tong and Tin Shui Wai, with plans to add over 20 fresh food concept stores this year and renovate 20 existing stores. Ray Lee also mentioned that they hope to incorporate the concept store model into smaller stores to inject an exploratory shopping experience. To celebrate its 45th anniversary, 7-Eleven transformed its Happy Valley store into an 80s design, bringing customers the convenience store shopping experience from when 7-Eleven first entered Hong Kong. 7-Eleven has also collaborated with GRS and BeCandle to launch a special edition clothing series, including caps, workwear, and tees, available on the 7-Eleven online store. Wellcome's "Online Shopping Pickup" Sales Increased Fourfold; IKEA's "Low Price Again" Attracts Customers, Creating Buzz in Tuen Mun Wellcome Supermarket launched the "Fixed Price" campaign last year, which has become a new driving force for continuous business growth. The "Fixed Price" campaign covers over 400 products and offers discounts of 15% to 40% during specified periods. Since the launch of the campaign, sales of "Fixed Price" products have increased by 50%. As for Wellcome's "Online Shopping Pickup" service, as of December 1 last year, the number of stores offering pickup services expanded from 42 to 202, covering a range from single groceries to a full category of fresh food and groceries, with sales from "Online Shopping Pickup" also more than doubling compared to last year DFI Retail Food (Hong Kong and Macau) Executive Director Darren Chan stated that Wellcome aims to cultivate customers' habit of "click and collect," making online shopping a convenient experience that does not require waiting at home or rushing to the store. He also mentioned that most in-store employees, including cashiers, can assist in picking up packages, alleviating the hassle of customers queuing during peak times. Related article: Wellcome's "click and collect" welcomes a new retail battle, expanding services to over 200 stores with a price promise of up to 40% cheaper. IKEA has been actively opening four small stores, each about 10,000 square feet, and setting up Pop-Up limited-time stores in shopping malls. The Tuen Mun limited store, which opened on December 13 last year, is the first IKEA branch in the northwestern New Territories and quickly became a hot topic after its opening. The Tuen Mun store sells living room, kitchen, and bedroom products. IKEA North Asia Managing Director Li Chaocheng stated that IKEA has reduced costs in packaging and logistics, launching "new low prices" on best-selling products to attract customers in response to the price war among retailers. He also revealed that IKEA's online business continues to expand, currently accounting for 22% to 23% of total retail sales. DFI turned a profit of $270 million last year, an increase of 17.4% year-on-year DFI's revenue last year was $8.869 billion, an increase of 0.5% year-on-year, with a core profit of $270 million, an increase of 17.4% year-on-year. During the year, profits from the health and beauty business were $228 million, convenience store profits were $96.7 million, food business profits were $61.5 million, and furniture business operating profits were $25.9 million. DFI pointed out that the improvement in performance was due to strong sales and profit growth in the health and beauty business, and the convenience store business also resumed profit growth in the second half of the year. The DFI Chairman noted that although the retail environment was challenging last year, the performance reflects that the strategy is being effectively implemented. Related article: Jardine Matheson plans to acquire ParknShop under CK Hutchison, reportedly to form a supermarket giant with Wellcome. Analysis: The rise of online shopping drives supermarkets to change their strategies