That is the sharing of UNIQLO Vietnam General Director Nishida Hideki in the context that this fashion brand is reaching the milestone of celebrating 5 years of official presence in Vietnam.
Mr. Nishida Hideki - General Director of UNIQLO Vietnam - Photo: UNIQLO
In just 5 years, the brand has grown dramatically, opening 26 retail stores and an online store, becoming a well-recognized foreign brand.
On this occasion, Mr. Nishida Hideki shared about the past journey and upcoming orientation of the brand in the market of hundreds of millions of people.
"Present - Connected - Dedicated"
* Can you tell us how Uniqlo came to Vietnam?
- UNIQLO officially entered Vietnam at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. This was followed by a period of global economic downturn. However, in the Vietnamese market alone, the brand continued to grow. Meanwhile, in the global market, operating profit this year reached 500 billion yen (about 3.55 billion USD), up 31% compared to the previous year.
* Overcoming difficulties and still achieving success, what is the secret, sir?
- The past 5 years have been full of ups and downs for us. The main reason why the brand has achieved the above achievements in the Vietnamese market is thanks to the support of customers and the long-term companionship of partners.
In 2021, we launched our online store to provide customers with a seamless experience from offline to online. This makes shopping more convenient and helps us gain more customer satisfaction. Currently, the online shopping channel has a 140% year-over-year subscriber growth rate.
In addition, when it comes to success, we do not only share through numbers but also demonstrate our efforts to connect with the surrounding community, by listening, absorbing and acting. Therefore, it can be said that "presence - connection - dedication" are the core values that we have maintained for the past 5 years and will steadfastly pursue for many years to come.
Since 2020, the Hope Foundation has accompanied UNIQLO in many initiatives and projects aiming at sustainable development and contributing to Vietnamese society - Photo: DNCC
* In addition to LifeWear products that are loved for their sustainability, can you tell us what other contributions the UNIQLO brand makes to the sustainability of Vietnam's environment and society?
- Our sustainable development orientation is demonstrated through the RE.UNIQLO program - an initiative that brings a new life to used products. Up to now, more than 39,000 outfits from RE.UNIQLO have been donated by us and the Hope Foundation to people in difficult circumstances in Dien Bien, Son La, Yen Bai, Thanh Hoa...
On the occasion of opening a store in Hoan Kiem (Hanoi) in 2023, we introduced the UTme! collection with designs inspired by Vietnamese - Japanese culture and contributed all revenue to the construction of a new kindergarten in Mu Cang Chai (Yen Bai) earlier this year.
From 2023, we also launched the "Clean Water Support" project in the Western provinces, then expanded to the Can Gio area, Ho Chi Minh City. After more than two years of implementation, the project has so far accompanied and provided clean water filtration systems for more than 20 schools in saline water areas.
Recently, we donated 1 billion VND to the Hope Fund to help overcome the consequences of Typhoon Yagi in the Northern provinces.
On this 5th anniversary, we will continue to introduce the new UTme! collection called Folklore Chronicles and the UT Mickey Mouse in Vietnam collection. The revenue from the sale of these two collections until the end of December this year will be used to build schools in Son La and Yen Bai provinces in early 2025.
In addition, our global project "The Heart of LifeWear" has just been launched, with a commitment to donate 1 million new HEATTECH thermal products. Of which, in Vietnam, we will donate 10,000 shirts - equivalent to nearly 3 billion VND - to disadvantaged children in Son La and Yen Bai provinces.
Finally, nurturing talent is also one of our strategic development focuses in Vietnam, not only creating job opportunities but also focusing on maximizing the capacity of local labor resources.
We wish to continue to contribute and bring new, more practical values to the Vietnamese people. Not simply expanding the number of stores, we want to build deep connections with people, expanding the influence of the brand through activities that contribute to the common development of society.
Mr. Nishida Hideki (General Director of UNIQLO Vietnam)
Aiming for a comfortable, positive lifestyle
* You just mentioned human resources. Over the past 5 years, have Vietnamese staff and workers met UNIQLO's job requirements?
- 5 years ago, we started our journey with only a few dozen employees. Now that number is over 1,000. Some of our employees were former sales people and are now store managers. Currently, 74% of store managers in Vietnam are Vietnamese, and 45% of the company's leadership team are women.
Through the UNIQLO Manager Candidate program, or the Global Management Program, we provide practical recruitment and training opportunities for young people in Vietnam. In particular, we will focus on recruiting and providing an equal and inclusive working environment for people with disabilities.
* After 5 years of operating and developing in Vietnam, what experiences and lessons has UNIQLO accumulated? Compared to the global strategies at the beginning and at present, how important are these lessons?
- What we learned during this process is the ability to adapt and promptly bring products that are both highly functional and versatile, such as HEATTECH thermal clothing for cold weather or AIRism cool clothing on hot days, while also helping customers express their own personality.
UNIQLO celebrates 5-year milestone in Vietnam
We not only provide quality products but also guide people to a comfortable and positive lifestyle.
Another important lesson for us was to recognize the importance of understanding local culture. Thanks to this, UNIQLO learned that Vietnamese customers are very interested in and appreciate brands with quality products, reasonable prices and good customer service.
These experiences will be applied to our global innovation activities, especially in Southeast Asian countries.
* What is UNIQLO's goal in Vietnam after 5 years, sir?
- The brand's desire remains unchanged, which is to create high-quality, functional clothing to support everyone's life to be more comfortable and happier.
We wish to continue to contribute and bring new, more practical values to the Vietnamese people. Not simply expanding the number of stores, we want to build deep connections with people, expanding the influence of the brand through activities that contribute to the common development of society.
In the near future, UNIQLO will also apply many new technologies to help customers have more enjoyable shopping experiences, especially seamless experiences between direct sales channels and online channels.
In addition, we will also focus on the story of sustainable development, from improvements in recycled materials as well as business methods in our stores to keep Vietnamese people and the environment healthy. Only when customers are healthy can the brand develop sustainably.
UNIQLO's 'Timeless Style'Source: https://tuoitre.vn/5-nam-tai-viet-nam-la-hanh-trinh-thanh-cong-trong-dong-bao-20241129095924358.htm
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