https://www.scmp.com/rss/326718/feed From Tiger Balm and Po Chai Pills to Vitasoy and Camel flasks, many of the region's most famous brands have become symbols of Asia to the rest of the world. We chart the fascinating histories of Asia's top brands - their often humble beginnings, their ups and downs, and the ways they are facing the challenges of the future. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Sumnima Kandangwa Sumnima Kandangwa Last month’s papal conclave may have drawn global attention, but elsewhere, another vote stirred near-religious fervour: Sanrio’s annual popularity contest. Millions of fans cast ballots not for a pope, but for the crown of cutest Sanrio pup. On one side, the reigning champ for five straight years: Cinnamoroll. On the other: Pompompurin. Online, the passion can verge on the unhinged. “I swear to f***ing God if you troglodytes let that greedy f***ing capitalist Dog win for the seventh year in a... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3315476/cinnamoroll-vs-pompompurin-whos-winning-2025-sanrio-character-ranking?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3315476/cinnamoroll-vs-pompompurin-whos-winning-2025-sanrio-character-ranking?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Jun 2025 09:00:15 +0000 1. White truffle sells for US$154,000 at record-breaking auction in Hong Kong A near-1kg Alba white truffle set a new record price at the 25th World Alba White Truffle Auction which raised HK$3 million for charity. The premium lot included an Italian trip and exclusive dining experience, and went to a Hong Kong bidder. 2. ‘Bourdain of China’ launches YouTube series on amazing Chinese cuisine stories Shanghai-based food writer Christopher St. Cavish, renowned for his expertise on Chinese cuisine,... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3286346/meet-bourdain-china-why-jeff-goldblum-loves-pocky-what-record-breaking-white-truffle-sells-and-more?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3286346/meet-bourdain-china-why-jeff-goldblum-loves-pocky-what-record-breaking-white-truffle-sells-and-more?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 13 Nov 2024 05:00:58 +0000 Jeff Goldblum once described his first experience of eating Pocky as “almost religious ecstasy”. The actor, trying the Japanese snack on a Rolling Stone live stream back in 2022, was visibly mind-blown by the two sticks he tried (matcha and strawberry cream). “Wow,” he gasped, hand clasped to his chest. “It’s like you’ve reverted to a five-year-old kid all of a sudden,” laughed his co-host Jon Weigell. Likewise, in 2019, pastry chef Claire Saffitz stunned her fellow Test Kitchen colleagues at US... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3286001/what-pocky-day-how-annual-celebration-japanese-chocolate-coated-biscuit-began?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3286001/what-pocky-day-how-annual-celebration-japanese-chocolate-coated-biscuit-began?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 11 Nov 2024 03:47:07 +0000 Lee Kum Kee, known for its wide range of sauces, has partnered with ramen restaurant chain Kyuramen to launch three new menu items to bring the flavours of Hong Kong to the United States. Kyuramen, known for its pan-Asian approach to Japanese ramen, sees the collaboration as part of its vision of preserving Asian cultural heritage in the US. The new menu items blend the flavours of Lee Kum Kee condiments, such as its oyster sauce, black pepper sauce and Sriracha mayo, into Kyuramen’s menu. Pork... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3263915/lee-kum-kee-sauces-add-hong-kong-taste-us-ramen-chain-kyuramens-new-dishes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3263915/lee-kum-kee-sauces-add-hong-kong-taste-us-ramen-chain-kyuramens-new-dishes?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 24 May 2024 10:15:08 +0000 Founded in the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou in the late 19th century before moving to Macau in 1923 and then Hong Kong in 1950, Leung So Kee Umbrella Factory is one of the oldest handmade umbrella manufacturers in China, with a history spanning close to 140 years. A common thread runs through both the Leung So Kee story and much of Hong Kong’s cultural history, as the humble family business has had to adapt to changes over the past century and more. Leung So Kee’s evolution traces the... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts-culture/article/3260189/how-139-year-old-hong-kong-umbrella-maker-weathered-storms-political-instability-japanese-not-jet-li?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts-culture/article/3260189/how-139-year-old-hong-kong-umbrella-maker-weathered-storms-political-instability-japanese-not-jet-li?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 27 Apr 2024 03:15:15 +0000 Japanese furniture and home accessories retailer Nitori Holdings, which opened its first outlet in Hong Kong on Wednesday, plans to gradually expand its footprint to 20 across the city in the coming years, a top executive said. The company’s flagship store in MegaBox, Kowloon Bay, is spread over 20,000 sq ft and features 5,500 items, about 40 per cent of the products the retailer offers in Japan. Nitori is the latest Asian brand to foray into Hong Kong and it comes amid an exodus of Western... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3235264/japans-nitori-opens-first-hong-kong-store-joins-slew-asian-retailers-expanding-city-western-brands?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3235264/japans-nitori-opens-first-hong-kong-store-joins-slew-asian-retailers-expanding-city-western-brands?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 21 Sep 2023 05:00:11 +0000 If you grew up in Asia, you have probably eaten a Koala’s March biscuit. In its original iteration, this crunchy bite-sized snack is filled with chocolate, with each piece featuring a line drawing of a koala. With their smooth, bevelled edges and excellent biscuit-to-filling ratio – not to mention the surprisingly ergonomic shape that fits snugly between a thumb and forefinger – Koala’s March biscuits are truly a treat. The snack was created by Lotte, a South Korean food conglomerate founded in... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/food-drink/article/3224351/lottes-koalas-march-biscuit-hundreds-designs-and-fans-instagram-recording-their-hunt-elusive-eyebrow?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/food-drink/article/3224351/lottes-koalas-march-biscuit-hundreds-designs-and-fans-instagram-recording-their-hunt-elusive-eyebrow?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 19 Jun 2023 20:15:11 +0000 If you’ve ever sipped on a refreshing Ribena or Orangina, enjoyed a glass of Chateau Lagrange, or maybe had a pick-me-up with a Boss coffee, then you have the Japanese company Suntory to thank. The drinks giant was founded in Osaka in 1899 and today is a global leader, with its 2022 annual revenue at over US$22 billion. The company’s founder, a former drugstore worker called Shinjiro Torii, always dreamed big, but never more so than when it came to building another of the brand’s iconic... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3218282/how-japanese-whisky-giant-suntorys-yamazaki-single-malt-became-so-coveted-and-story-behind-drinks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3218282/how-japanese-whisky-giant-suntorys-yamazaki-single-malt-became-so-coveted-and-story-behind-drinks?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 25 Apr 2023 23:15:14 +0000 Andrew Leung Tze-wung vividly remembers his favourite childhood dishes from Diamond Restaurant: steamed mangosteen beef balls, sago soufflé with sweet lotus paste, and shark fin soup. Opened in 1947, the popular dining spot was owned by his grandfather Kam Shui-fai, who was better known for his Michelin-starred Yung Kee Restaurant – famous for its roast goose – on Wellington Street in Central, on Hong Kong Island. The original Diamond Restaurant, on 88 Queen’s Road Central, went on to open four... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3217542/how-iconic-chinese-restaurant-hong-kong-full-childhood-memories-lives-family-have-reinvented-it?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3217542/how-iconic-chinese-restaurant-hong-kong-full-childhood-memories-lives-family-have-reinvented-it?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 19 Apr 2023 05:27:28 +0000 With the Lunar New Year approaching, rabbits are popping up all over, as companies feature the fluffy animals in marketing materials and limited-edition products to capitalise on fervour for the creature that symbolises the coming year in the Chinese zodiac. But for a handful of companies, the Year of the Rabbit aligns with their very identity: the hare-based names and logos they use at all times. By far the most recognised rabbit logo internationally is that of PLBY Group, best known for its... https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3207209/year-white-rabbit-5-chinese-and-asian-companies-bunny-logos-sweets-pharmaceuticals-flooring?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3207209/year-white-rabbit-5-chinese-and-asian-companies-bunny-logos-sweets-pharmaceuticals-flooring?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 22 Jan 2023 02:00:11 +0000 For many people, White Rabbit Creamy Candy hits the sentimental sweet spot, transporting them back to childhood. Agung Prabowo has fond memories of the milky delights. “The sweet, creamy milkiness that melts in your mouth is memorable,” says Prabowo, co-founder of award-winning bar Penicillin, in Hong Kong’s Central district. “The thin piece of edible rice paper that the candy is wrapped around makes it very special,” he says, referring to the translucent rice paper that prevents the candy from... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/food-drink/article/3205807/white-rabbit-ice-cream-handbags-cocktail-everyones-favourite-chinese-candy-lunar-new-year-staple?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/food-drink/article/3205807/white-rabbit-ice-cream-handbags-cocktail-everyones-favourite-chinese-candy-lunar-new-year-staple?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 07 Jan 2023 23:45:09 +0000 If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. That’s Adrian Yan Ka-chun’s approach to preserving the 107-year-old coconut candy recipe passed down through his family for generations. After all, this is what has made Yan Chim Kee a household name in Hong Kong and beyond. Adrian’s great grandfather Yan Lun-lap founded the Yan Chim Kee confectionery company in 1915, after finding success selling his home-made sweets – produced from fresh coconuts imported from Malaya (in modern-day Malaysia) – on the street in... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3202368/if-it-aint-broke-dont-fix-it-how-staying-original-has-helped-hong-kong-coconut-sweet-brand-yan-chim?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3202368/if-it-aint-broke-dont-fix-it-how-staying-original-has-helped-hong-kong-coconut-sweet-brand-yan-chim?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 07 Dec 2022 23:15:08 +0000 The origins of Hong Kong’s ubiquitous pharmacy Watsons date back to 1828, to a clinic in the Pearl River Delta. In the port city of Canton (Guangzhou), a simple clinic was established by Dr James H. Braford to provide free eye surgery for locals. It expanded to become the Canton Dispensary in 1832 – the first retail chemist and druggist to install a soda fountain in China – and later that decade, Alexander Anderson and Peter Young, both naval surgeons in the British military as well as the East... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/long-reads/article/3175923/story-watsons-how-guangdong-eye-clinic-became?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/long-reads/article/3175923/story-watsons-how-guangdong-eye-clinic-became?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 30 Apr 2022 05:15:13 +0000 Oyster sauce tycoon Lee Man-tat, chairman of Lee Kum Kee Group, has died. He was 91. The company said in a statement that Lee died on Monday, surrounded by family members. “Mr. Lee was an inspirational leader with a unique and forward-looking vision. He constantly brought new insight and momentum to the group and successfully transformed Lee Kum Kee into a world-renowned sauce and condiment brand,” the statement added. Lee, whose wealth propelled him to as high as third on the Forbes list of... https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3142742/lee-man-tat-head-lee-kum-kee-sauce-empire-dies-91?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3142742/lee-man-tat-head-lee-kum-kee-sauce-empire-dies-91?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 27 Jul 2021 11:11:23 +0000 Vitasoy International, one of Hong Kong‘s largest non-carbonated beverage manufacturers, is facing possibly its biggest corporate crisis in recent decades following a consumer boycott in mainland China over a leaked internal memo. That memo, penned by a now-dismissed employee, was sympathetic to the family of a manager whom police described as a lone-wolf terrorist, who attacked a policeman, before fatally turning it on himself. Vitasoy shares plunged 10 per cent to HK$26.45 in Hong Kong last... https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3140617/heres-why-vitasoy-needs-overcome-get-out-mainland-china-boycott?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3140617/heres-why-vitasoy-needs-overcome-get-out-mainland-china-boycott?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 11 Jul 2021 02:08:04 +0000 For the past 72 years, Star Industrial’s Red A Plastic has furnished Hong Kong homes, companies and restaurants with daily necessities. It has made everything from buckets to cups to stools to the iconic red lamps found in the city’s wet markets. Although many a Hongkonger has used a Star Industrial product, they might not know about the company’s roots in the city.  Based in San Po Kong in East Kowloon, Star Industrial has a showroom featuring some of the Red A Plastic products it has made over... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/article/3137233/red-plastic-family-run-company-thats-household-name-hong-kong-its-buckets?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/article/3137233/red-plastic-family-run-company-thats-household-name-hong-kong-its-buckets?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 16 Jun 2021 04:45:00 +0000 The Goyogura is where soy sauce exclusively for the Japanese imperial household is made, brewed in processes that have been handed down through generations. Whitewashed and with the gateway, tiled roofs and foundation stones of a traditional Japanese structure, it was originally built on the banks of the Edo River in 1939, but Kikkoman Corp dismantled and rebuilt the ageing facility in the town of Noda, in Chiba Prefecture, just north of Tokyo. The pristine building, which can be reached by... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3132991/kikkoman-soy-sauce-story-how-its-made-why-chefs-love-it-and?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3132991/kikkoman-soy-sauce-story-how-its-made-why-chefs-love-it-and?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 13 May 2021 04:15:17 +0000 The postman who delivers to Lucy Fowler is bemused – and amused – at the sheer amount of mail bearing exotic foreign stamps that she receives virtually every day of the week. Sometimes the package is small and only contains a pen or a key ring, Fowler says, but on other days the postman has to ring the doorbell as the parcel is too big to fit through the letterbox. A rolled-up rug. A kettle. A full set of tea cups and saucers. Pillows. Everything that the postman brings has one thing in common.... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/article/3131357/hello-kitty-story-how-sanrio-went-silk-sandals-global-superstar?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/article/3131357/hello-kitty-story-how-sanrio-went-silk-sandals-global-superstar?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 28 Apr 2021 23:15:09 +0000 Forest sprites and witches, a pilot who is a pig, mythical princes, gods, dragons and children struggling against insurmountable odds – a cast of the good, the bad and the odd inhabit the movies produced by Studio Ghibli, and have helped make a relatively small animation studio famous around the world.  Titles such as My Neighbor Totoro, Spirited Away and The Wind Rises are also synonymous with Hayao Miyazaki, the creative force behind the much-loved Japanese film company.  Studio Ghibli was... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3125121/story-studio-ghibli-and-hayao-miyazaki-beautiful-art-and?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3125121/story-studio-ghibli-and-hayao-miyazaki-beautiful-art-and?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 14 Mar 2021 01:15:15 +0000 1. Where and how was Tiger Balm invented? Tiger Balm's classic analgesic ointment in a hexagonal jar, launched in Rangoon in 1924, was a staple of Chinese families’ medicine cabinets for a generation. Today, Tiger Balm products have fans around the world, including Lady Gaga. We visited the Tiger Balm factory in Singapore. Learn more 2. What was the original product served by fast-food giant Jollibee? Ice-cream. Learn more 3. What are Ayam famous for? Canned goods that are affordable for... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts-culture/article/3124811/11-things-you-may-not-know-about-historic-asian-brands?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts-culture/article/3124811/11-things-you-may-not-know-about-historic-asian-brands?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 13 Mar 2021 04:11:02 +0000 1. When were Po Chai Pills originally launched? Po Chai Pills, a gastrointestinal remedy with an authentic Chinese medicinal formula, which contains 14 herbs, has become a household brand in Hong Kong. It is regarded as an antidote to diarrhoea, vomiting, abdominal pain, indigestion and cold symptoms. Learn more 2. What's the secret to Vitasoy’s unchanged taste? Vitasoy has become a quintessential Hong Kong brand since its introduction in 1940. SCMP.com visited the Vitasoy factory in Tuen Mun,... https://www.scmp.com/culture/article/3124802/15-things-you-may-not-know-about-historic-hong-kong-brands?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/culture/article/3124802/15-things-you-may-not-know-about-historic-hong-kong-brands?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 12 Mar 2021 09:00:10 +0000 In the Victoria Dockside development on Hong Kong’s harbourfront are two very different iterations of the Chow Tai Fook brand. Down in the basement of the K11 Musea mall is one of the jewellery retailer’s many stores – a reassuring, somewhat predictable sight at malls in Hong Kong and across China. On an upper floor, meanwhile, is a VIP showroom, all airlock doors, sensational harbour views, five-star hotel decor and lavish display cases. It’s an illustration of the range of customers the... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/fashion-beauty/article/3117846/how-chow-tai-fook-became-one-biggest-gold-and-jewellery?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/fashion-beauty/article/3117846/how-chow-tai-fook-became-one-biggest-gold-and-jewellery?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 16 Jan 2021 04:15:21 +0000 From a corner of Casio Computer’s cluttered research and development facility comes a constant tap, tap, tap. Behind boxes of components, desks heaped with technical readouts and dismembered electronics, an experiment is taking place. The arms of a home-made testing contraption are rising and falling, dropping two G-Shock wristwatches over and over again onto a concrete slab. The machine was devised by Casio’s engineers because previously the company had no equipment at the Hamura research and... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/gadgets/article/3113220/story-casio-g-shock-watch-came-calculators-musical-instruments?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/gadgets/article/3113220/story-casio-g-shock-watch-came-calculators-musical-instruments?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 11 Dec 2020 21:15:18 +0000 As part of the celebrations to mark this year’s 120th anniversary of Yeo Hiap Seng – better known as Yeo’s – around 1.2 million cans of the brand’s popular chrysanthemum tea were distributed to residents of Singapore in National Day “fun packs”. Although coronavirus restrictions put a stop to more gregarious festivities for Singapore’s 55th national day in August, citizens were still able to indulge in local treats – such as Yeo’s products – while watching televised celebrations. The company’s... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3105429/story-yeos-singapore-food-and-beverage-company-grew-soy-sauce?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3105429/story-yeos-singapore-food-and-beverage-company-grew-soy-sauce?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 17 Oct 2020 00:45:11 +0000 Established in 1988, Karex is the world’s biggest condom manufacturer, producing prophylactics for some of the largest brands in the world, including Durex. It may come as a surprise to some that a maker of condoms is based in Malaysia, given its conservative, mainly Muslim society, but the company has made its products easier to talk about by making them fun and accessible. The Karex story began when the first generation of the Goh family landed in Malaysia (then Malaya) from China in the... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3101733/story-karex-how-rubber-company-conservative-malaysia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3101733/story-karex-how-rubber-company-conservative-malaysia?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 19 Sep 2020 04:45:06 +0000 The first motorcycle that Frenchman Patrick Coste bought was a Yamaha XJ600 Diversion, because it was relatively cheap and easy to drive. He immediately became hooked on Yamaha and has owned five of their motorbikes. Each has its own characteristics and story, he says, but his fondest memories are from a four-week solo journey he made in the autumn of 2012 astride a 1200 Super Ténéré. Starting out from his home in the village of Renaison, just outside the city of Lyons in central France, he... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts-culture/article/3099054/story-yamaha-watchmaker-branched-out-organs-motorbikes-and?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts-culture/article/3099054/story-yamaha-watchmaker-branched-out-organs-motorbikes-and?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 30 Aug 2020 05:15:06 +0000 For a business, going global usually means one of two things. Either your citizens have flocked to different countries so you expand to continue to serve them, or spreading awareness of your brand abroad provokes demand from locals. From the moreish pour of San Miguel lager to Jollibee spreading the famous “chickenjoy”, these home-grown brands from the Philippines have made a mark internationally, often for both reasons. 5 Filipino fashionistas who are making a splash on social media San... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/news-trends/article/3092878/san-miguel-jollibee-how-philippines-finest-brands-took?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/news-trends/article/3092878/san-miguel-jollibee-how-philippines-finest-brands-took?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 12 Jul 2020 23:00:12 +0000 In 1941, during World War II, a young Korean man decided his ambitions were bigger than the family pig farm. After finishing high school, Shin Kyuk-ho boarded a ship from the Korean port city of Busan to Japan with dreams of becoming a novelist. Instead he would build one of South Korea’s largest conglomerates, the Lotte brand, and become known as Asia’s “chewing gum tycoon”. Today, Lotte has a global chain of fast food restaurants, hotels and theme parks. Its 123-storey headquarters in Seoul is... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3078991/story-lotte-how-chewing-gum-maker-japan-became-one-south?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3078991/story-lotte-how-chewing-gum-maker-japan-became-one-south?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 11 Apr 2020 05:00:10 +0000 Razer may now be one of the world’s sexiest technology companies, but it wants to be known as more than just a hardware manufacturer. Its products are ubiquitous at e-sports tournaments and gaming stations around the world, and some fans of the 22-year-old company are so devoted that they get tattoos of the Razer logo. Some hard-core devotees even have the face of its CEO, Tan Min-liang, inked on their bodies. With more and more babies being named “Razer” and fans changing their official... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3075879/cult-razer-story-tech-giant-took-pc-gaming-next-level?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3075879/cult-razer-story-tech-giant-took-pc-gaming-next-level?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 21 Mar 2020 06:00:08 +0000 Aya Yoshikawa works in the marketing department of a leading Japanese cosmetics firm, meaning she gets plenty of the latest personal care products for free or at heavily discounted prices. But she is reluctant to identify her employers because every so often, she just can’t stop herself buying products made by a rival cosmetics company. “I see a new Shiseido release and I just have to have it. I know I work for a rival firm and their products are expensive, but it’s worth paying more because of... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/fashion-beauty/article/3050201/shiseido-story-tokyo-pharmacy-global-provider-must-have?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/fashion-beauty/article/3050201/shiseido-story-tokyo-pharmacy-global-provider-must-have?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 15 Feb 2020 05:00:14 +0000 Malia Verniolle was almost eight years old when her father gave her a gadget she says changed her life in a number of ways. She also recalls that the earliest incarnation of the Sony Walkman had a nasty habit of trapping her fingers in its spring-loaded door for cassette tapes. “My father gave it to me as a joint present for Christmas and my birthday, which is in early January,” said Verniolle, who grew up and still lives in southern France. “I remember being stunned and delighted to receive... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3043611/story-sony-repair-shop-revolution-how-walkman-inventor?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3043611/story-sony-repair-shop-revolution-how-walkman-inventor?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 28 Dec 2019 02:00:16 +0000 For a drinks brand with a name that borders on the unappetising, Pocari Sweat has fared well. An argument could even be made that this Japanese sports drink owes some of its success to the head-turning name on the brand’s distinctive blue-and-white bottles. Jeffrey Gilbert, head of public relations for the pharmaceuticals division of Pocari manufacturer Otsuka Pharmaceutical, insists there was a completely different motivation behind the naming of one of the firm’s mainstay products. “‘Pocari’... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3039792/pocari-sweat-how-iconic-sports-drink-huge-asia-became-one?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3039792/pocari-sweat-how-iconic-sports-drink-huge-asia-became-one?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 30 Nov 2019 05:00:06 +0000 Inspiration can come from the most unlikely of places. Take the curious case of Kihachiro Onitsuka. One hot evening in the summer of 1951, Onitsuka was enjoying a salad of pickled cucumber and cold octopus. It is very possible he was pondering the future of a company that he had set up two years previously, but which was struggling. Born in 1918 in Japan’s Tottori prefecture, Onitsuka had fought in the World War II and, in 1949, set up a firm that made shoes for youngsters. In later interviews... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/fashion-beauty/article/3035606/onitsuka-tiger-how-bruce-lee-and-actress-uma-thurman?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/fashion-beauty/article/3035606/onitsuka-tiger-how-bruce-lee-and-actress-uma-thurman?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 01 Nov 2019 21:00:09 +0000 Everything about the photograph taken to mark the opening of the store screams out the 1980s. Its name – Unique Clothing Warehouse – is in a square font beloved of science-fiction movies of the time; hairstyles take us to the same decade; customers peering through the windows are wearing baggy jeans with turned-up bottoms or pleated skirts; and everyone is wearing white shoes, trainers for the men and flat slip-ons for the women. The photo was taken on June 2, 1984, in the Fukuromachi district... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/fashion-beauty/article/3029602/uniqlo-story-single-store-global-fashion-empire-ambitions?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/fashion-beauty/article/3029602/uniqlo-story-single-store-global-fashion-empire-ambitions?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 22 Sep 2019 01:15:11 +0000 Like the vast range of everyday household items it stocks – from pens to beds to clothing to suitcases and countless others – the Muji logo on every store is simplicity itself. Four block capital letters in the most uncomplicated font imaginable, followed by the four kanji characters that make up its Japanese name. No glitz, no bling, no fuss. At at a time when bling is king, Muji’s approach has been hugely successful in Japan and abroad. Today the Muji name adorns some of the world’s best-known... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/fashion-beauty/article/3022940/story-muji-how-minimalist-ethos-focused-quality-and?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/fashion-beauty/article/3022940/story-muji-how-minimalist-ethos-focused-quality-and?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 17 Aug 2019 06:30:09 +0000 You only need to spend about 20 minutes in the Philippines to realise that Filipinos really love to eat. The country has a dazzling profusion of dining outlets, in particular at the casual end of the market, but one brand is seen more than others. And it’s a brand that also seems to induce warm, fuzzy feelings in more or less everyone in the country: Jollibee. The fast food company has 1,150 outlets in the Philippines, and a bigger share of the Philippine market than its two biggest competitors... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3019240/story-jollibee-how-philippine-fast-food-franchise-took-world?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3019240/story-jollibee-how-philippine-fast-food-franchise-took-world?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 21 Jul 2019 00:15:05 +0000 Before Snapchat, Instagram and YouTube, television was the main source of entertainment for children of the 1980s and ’90s. After-school specials and weekend cartoons containing catchy commercials for snacks and toys kept children glued to their television screens. One character in particular captured the imagination of young Malaysians – a large, blue monster. Far from being scary, the furry Mamee noodle monster burrowed its way into the hearts of many youngsters thanks to the unusual... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3015482/mamee-monster-noodles-story-malaysian-childhood-snack-was-no?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3015482/mamee-monster-noodles-story-malaysian-childhood-snack-was-no?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 22 Jun 2019 04:00:09 +0000 Even four years after being devastated by the atomic bomb, very little of the Japanese city of Hiroshima had been rebuilt. The main thoroughfares had been cleared and some basic infrastructure repaired, but most of the survivors – the orphans, elderly, repatriated soldiers – were living in little more than shacks built from debris and getting by on food handouts. Takashi Matsuo was born in Hiroshima in 1912, and he was understandably horrified at what had become of his hometown and its... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3012553/calbee-how-snack-foods-company-post-nuclear-hiroshima-became?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3012553/calbee-how-snack-foods-company-post-nuclear-hiroshima-became?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 01 Jun 2019 04:45:07 +0000 In almost every Malaysian home there is bound to be a Dutch Lady product in the cupboard or refrigerator. Whether it’s pasteurised whole milk, baby milk formula or yogurt, the brand has become a household name in the country and is known for its initiatives to promote public health. “We would get a tin of their condensed milk as a treat to have with Milo,” says housewife Lee Sook Ling, 61, from the capital, Kuala Lumpur. “It’s probably why I’m still fond of condensed milk even though they don’t... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3010479/dutch-lady-story-malaysian-milk-brand-roots-half-world-away?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3010479/dutch-lady-story-malaysian-milk-brand-roots-half-world-away?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 18 May 2019 05:00:15 +0000 Realisation can dawn slowly or arrive with a thunderclap. For me, I instantly understood I had made a life-changing error in returning to Britain as I stood in a Japanese supermarket in North London. As Japanese expat housewives busied themselves by emptying the shelves of packets of “dashi” cooking stock, dried seaweed, noodles and countless other ingredients critical to the Japanese kitchen, I stood transfixed. Against one wall stood an eight-case-tall stack of familiar silver cans with... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3009479/story-asahi-how-japans-favourite-beer-survived-two-world-wars?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3009479/story-asahi-how-japans-favourite-beer-survived-two-world-wars?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 11 May 2019 03:00:13 +0000 For many families throughout Asia, Chinese New Year would not be complete without a few servings of barbecued preserved pork. A snack that is particularly popular in southern China and Southeast Asia, these flat slices of sweet, barbecued meat are called yuk gon in Cantonese and rou gan in Mandarin, but they’re best known as bak kwa, which comes from the southern Chinese dialect of Hokkien. Arguably the best-known bak kwa brand is Singapore’s Bee Cheng Hiang, which traces its history back to... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3001683/how-singapores-bee-cheng-hiang-its-famous-dried-meat-grew-one?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3001683/how-singapores-bee-cheng-hiang-its-famous-dried-meat-grew-one?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 16 Mar 2019 08:00:11 +0000 Shoppers in the United States are spoiled for choice when it comes to grocery options. Massive supermarkets, discount outlets, mom and pop stores, high-end “yuppy marts” and ethnic markets of all stripes proliferate in even the smallest towns. But for many of the country’s 21 million Asian-Americans, grocery shopping has always meant one thing: a trip to 99 Ranch Market. The grocery store chain is ubiquitous in America’s largest Asian communities. Other markets tend to cater to the needs of... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/2189231/story-99-ranch-market-largest-asian-supermarket-chain-us?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/2189231/story-99-ranch-market-largest-asian-supermarket-chain-us?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 10 Mar 2019 22:00:15 +0000 In centuries past Japanese entrepreneurs, engineers and adventurers looked overseas for inspiration. They recognised the potential in early rail and shipping technology, the degree to which automobiles, modern medicine, a police force and army modelled on those of the European powers could help to build and shape the nation. They took these concepts, returned to Japan and refined, enhanced and improved upon the original. The result was companies that led the world in car technology, electronics... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/2188027/story-nikka-japanese-man-who-brought-scotch-whisky-home-and-its?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/2188027/story-nikka-japanese-man-who-brought-scotch-whisky-home-and-its?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 02 Mar 2019 09:00:26 +0000 Singapore Airlines was never supposed to conquer the world. When the carrier was established, in 1972, its prospects appeared to mirror those of Singapore itself: to remain a small, regional player with little global influence. But it has improbably risen to become an instantly recognisable aviation powerhouse, and has won more awards than any other airline. Last year marked the 60th anniversary of the company operating in Hong Kong. This might sound somewhat curious, given that the airline is... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/2182618/history-singapore-airlines-planes-service-awards-and?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/2182618/history-singapore-airlines-planes-service-awards-and?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 19 Jan 2019 05:45:19 +0000 Now 32 years old, Sho Ueda remembers the thrill he felt as a nine-year-old when his father bought him his first model from the Mobile Suit Gundam anime series. With massive red-and-white shoulder protectors, powerful robotic legs and headgear reminiscent of a samurai warrior’s helmet, Ueda says he was hooked after building his first “Burning Gundam” model. A confessed otaku, or geek, with an abiding passion for animated science-fiction series, Ueda estimates he has now built about 50 models from... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/article/2178825/astro-boy-gundam-ultraman-how-bandai-became-japans-top-toy-company?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/article/2178825/astro-boy-gundam-ultraman-how-bandai-became-japans-top-toy-company?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 22 Dec 2018 22:00:00 +0000 When US television host Megyn Kelly defended blackface Halloween costumes on her new daytime NBC show, the backlash was swift and strong. She was fired within a week. For many, blackface is a reminder of how black people around the world have been oppressed and marginalised for centuries. You don’t need to look far to find examples. Walk into any supermarket in Hong Kong, Bangkok or Shanghai – although it may not be obvious at first, one of the Asia’s bestselling brands of toothpaste has deep... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/2176817/how-darkie-now-darlie-became-east-asias-favourite?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/2176817/how-darkie-now-darlie-became-east-asias-favourite?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 09 Dec 2018 17:00:45 +0000 Annie Wu Suk-ching remembers vividly what she saw in the Jinjiang Hotel in Chengdu, capital of Sichuan Province, during an investment tour in 1978. “The hotel workers cleaned the carpets with wet mops because they didn’t have vacuum cleaners,” she said. “I learned first-hand about China’s planned economy and realised mainlanders had to find their way out.” She was with 11 Hong Kong businesspeople visiting Chengdu, Chongqing and Wuhan at the invitation of the Hong Kong branch of the Xinhua News... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/2174182/deng-xiaoping-asked-can-he-make-croissants-how-maxims-hong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/2174182/deng-xiaoping-asked-can-he-make-croissants-how-maxims-hong?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 22 Nov 2018 23:32:35 +0000 While walking down a street in Rio de Janeiro, or taking a lift in Singapore, or crossing a plaza in Mexico City, there is a good chance you will come across a Yakult Lady. Kitted out in a smart uniform and carrying a box full of the famous probiotic milk drink on one shoulder, the Yakult Lady has proved to be an inspired tool for putting a smiling face on the Japanese product. The Sasa story: from tiny basement store to Asian cosmetics empire Yakult only introduced its smartly attired Yakult... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/2172303/yakult-story-japanese-health-drink-conquered-world?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/2172303/yakult-story-japanese-health-drink-conquered-world?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 10 Nov 2018 06:30:30 +0000 In the opening pages of Competing with Giants, Phuong Uyen Tran describes the scene at the Coca-Cola Company headquarters in Atlanta, in the US state of Georgia, in 2012, where its CEO ­offered to pay US$2.5 billion to take over the family drinks ­business her father had built – only to be snubbed. Coca-Cola executives were stunned at her father Tran Qui Thanh’s decision to walk away from the deal, she writes. Tran ­recalls her father’s words in the lift as they were leaving: “A partnership... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/family-relationships/article/2170310/vietnamese-family-drinks-firm-turned-down-coca-colas?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/family-relationships/article/2170310/vietnamese-family-drinks-firm-turned-down-coca-colas?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 27 Oct 2018 13:15:30 +0000 In 1858, a British pharmacist was given a job as manager of the Hong Kong Dispensary, a pharmacy that had already been in business for 30 years. Thirteen years later, the company took his name. It was the launch pad for what would become a retail behemoth ubiquitous in Hong Kong and, as time went on, overseas. The pharmacist’s name was Alexander Skirving Watson. Why Hong Kong’s bars were the Europeans’ domain That single Hong Kong dispensary has taken over the world. A.S. Watson is not only the... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/article/2170198/story-watson-hong-kong-pharmacy-worlds-largest-health-and-beauty-group?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/article/2170198/story-watson-hong-kong-pharmacy-worlds-largest-health-and-beauty-group?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 27 Oct 2018 07:04:27 +0000