ABSTRACT
This chapter aims at how Western consumer products reach markets in Asia. The focus is on food, grocery and fashion brands in the 'emerging' economies. Most Western-branded consumer goods, from fashion through to perishable foods, are fully available in Hong Kong and Singapore, and at the luxury end have tended to outperform per capita sales in the West. Market entry for the West hinges upon access to the major retailers. In Asia, this is true only for Hong Kong, Singapore and, to a lesser extent, Taiwan. Elsewhere, the major retailers fall far short of forming a critical mass for food and grocery brands, and are only just workable for high-end fashion goods or hypermarket formats in a small handful of major urban areas. The route-to-market in most of Asia is heavily dependent upon assistance from third parties, with the first decision being whether to manufacture in the country or the region, or to import.
