The results of the sixth annual survey reveal a consumer industry at the point of radical change and that CEOs need to make changes on a similar scale to stay competitive. “Today’s consumer and retail market is beyond disruption – we are disrupted – and CEOs need to listen to the market, look outward and focus on changing their business,” said Willy Kruh, KPMG Global Chair, Consumer & Retail. “It’s an increasingly difficult tightrope to walk between dealing with both internal and external continuous disruption, but both are key to creating customer centric organisations. Those companies that cannot authentically connect to customers will get left behind.”

In Asia Pacific, the top three Consumer & Retail challenges are shifting demographics and expectations (34 per cent), competitors with disruptive models (31 per cent) and retailers creating own products (26 per cent).

According to Anson Bailey, Head of Consumer & Retail, Asia Pacific, KPMG in China, 58 per cent of the world’s millennials live in Asia Pacific and, on current trends that proportion is only going to increase.

This marks the first time that the company is offering fresh roast and ground coffee, known locally as kafe sod, to Thai coffee lovers.

As part of Nescafé’s new out-of-home business model, Nescafé HUB will be followed by many more Nescafé out-of-home cafés in a variety of models.

At Nescafé HUB, BTS commuters will be able to enjoy a kafe sod experience with café and signature menus made from 100-per cent specially imported Colombian Arabica beans, the company said.

Customers can also enjoy a co-created menu item resulting from an exclusive collaboration with Japan’s Sawada Hiroshi, the first “Asian World Latte Art Champion”.

Thailand’s out-of-home coffee market has evolved rapidly over the past few years, reaching an approximate market value of Bt26.7 billion, with 8-per-cent growth last year.

Specialty coffee shops and cafés are highly popular with Thai consumers, with a market value of Bt17 billion and 15.7-per-cent annual growth.

Coffee sales at Thailand’s transit hubs account for over Bt1 billion per year.

Vladislav Andreev, business executive officer – Coffee and Creamer Business Unit, Nestle (Thai), said: “Today, Nescafé is changing the game for Thailand’s coffee market with the launch of the Nescafé HUB at BTS Chidlom station to offer fresh roast and ground coffee, or kafe sod, to delight Thai consumers with superior coffee on the go as part of our new out-of-home business model.”

“It’s a hub for coffee lovers; it’s a place where people can connect for an indulgent sensorial coffee experience, and it represents the first of many out-of-home business models to come. Nescafé HUB reflects our business development vision of driving Nescafé to be the solution brand, offering a ‘loved and innovative coffee experience’ for both in-home and out-of-home occasions.

“We are confident it will become a magnet for coffee lovers who take the BTS to the trendy Chidlom area, and we expect to reach 15,000 commuters daily, with target sales of over 300 cups per day for the Nescafé HUB,” he added.

Space has been provided to sell more than 100 tonnes of pineapple at four stores in Bangkok, with combined sales at the events expected to exceed Bt1 million.

Under the project, growers can sell their high-quality produce to consumers and generate revenue for themselves directly.

Pichai Chirathivat, executive director of Central Group, said on Tuesday: “We heard the news that from last May to June, pineapple growers faced a severe crisis due to pineapple fruiting in large numbers, while the number of growers has also increased. This has caused pineapple prices to soften from Bt14-Bt15 to only Bt7-Bt8.

“The main problem is that growers do not have adequate distribution channels to sell their produce. So, Central Group joined with Pracharat Raksamakkai of Ratchaburi to assist this group of growers by hosting ‘Pineapples in the City’. This will help sell pineapples from the Ban Kha group in Ratchaburi, who number 3,076 growers and produce 273,000 tonnes per year.

“We have provided space for growers to sell their pineapple at a price of Bt15 per kilo at four stores: from July 3-9 at Square A, Central World; July 3-10 at Promotion Hall, Central Plaza Ramindra; and July 3-15 in front of PowerBuy Floor G, Central Plaza Pinklao and at the Balcony zone, Floor 1, Central Plaza Westgate.”

Pineapples from Ban Kha are of the Batavia variety, a famous cultivar of Ratchaburi province with a registered standard Geographic Indicator.

Production and management systems are laid out by growers using the same methods in order to save costs and increase production efficiency.

The specialty of this variety is that the eyes are rather shallow, with a fragrant aroma and a refreshing sweet taste, as well as delicate, soft flesh with no acid effect on the tongue.

“We hope that this project can help sell over 100 tonnes of pineapple from Ban Kha in Ratchaburi, with a total value of over Bt1 million. We hope to assist Thai growers in creating jobs, creating careers, helping building community and improving the quality of life, which aligned to Central Group’s core CSV project ‘Central Tham’.

“Our assistance to growers is continuous through business units in our group such as Tops, Central Food Hall and Thai Wasadu, which provides all branches with parking space to be the channel to present quality products to our customers. This has created emotional connections of growers with consumers,” Pichai explained.

One Bangkok is a Bt120-billion landmark development, a joint venture between TCC Assets and Frasers Property.

It is the largest private-sector property development initiative ever undertaken in Thailand and will set new benchmarks in design, quality and sustainability.

“With decades of experience, Thai Bauer and SEAFCO have outstanding track records in complex special foundation works in Thailand,” said Burin Kunatippapong, construction director at Frasers.

“We have appointed two foundation contractors due to the large size of the first phase of One Bangkok, ensuring that this development is of the highest-quality construction from inception, shaped with utmost care for the city, the environment and people.”

Ricult had previously raised $600,000, including a $100,000 grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

This brings the company’s total funding to date close to $2.5 million.

Ricult is a digital platform to increase the efficiency of the agricultural value chain in developing countries, helping lift smallholder farmers out of poverty.

Ricult has already launched in Thailand and Pakistan, providing farmers with tools that employ machine learning to analyse satellite imagery and microclimate weather data.

The data allow farmers to better predict crop yields, pest prevention, proper fertilisation, key harvesting times and optimal crop rotations.

Ricult was established at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and began pilots in 2016 as part of the prestigious MIT Delta V accelerator programme.

Ricult was founded by four MIT alumni coming in from Microsoft, Google, Accenture and Telenor, a major shareholder of Dtac.

Nopadol will work closely with Punnee Chaiyakul to strengthen the agency’s position as Thailand’s leading creative network and enhance its competitiveness in the digital age.

Nopadol previously held the position of vice chairman, playing a key role in content development in response to rapid changes to the media landscape and consumer behaviour, as well as the highly competitive advertising industry.

The compensation plan “Velocity”, which is flexible, fast and fulfilling, is targeted at the generation with the gig economy lifestyle, aiming to generate better income opportunity for Thai people and to create 35 per cent of generation M members.

Vipada Tangpakorn, General Manager of Nu Skin Enterprises (Thailand) Limited, said it is following its parent company’s policy to push the organisation forward with a 3P strategy.

The company has already approached the market under the adjusted marketing plan with the launch of new products, the continued marketing support of daily use products and the expansion of online marketing platform to boost up the customer base and introduce new products online.

During the second half of this year, the company will place great emphasis on the latest sales performance programme, which is one of the key elements of the 3P strategy to strengthen and expand the business.

Compared to the old compensation plan, the newly released sales compensation plan, called Velocity, is faster and more flexible. It is expected that the plan will help attract the target group to the business.

The main reason for the sales compensation plan adjustment is that as the world has entered the digital era and trends and lifestyles of customers have changed, social media has played a key role in people’s daily lives and the number of social media users has increased continuously.

According to Brand Buffet, members of the millennial generation (Gen M), who are now 18-34 years old, are influential in propelling the world forward since they are familiar with technology and capable of adjusting to new surroundings.

For millennials, the gig economy has become a dominant working style in which a worker, who either works as a freelancer, part-timer or full-timer, has multiple channels of income.

In the Asia-Pacific region, 34 per cent of the population is gig economy workers, which is relatively high compared to other regions. Considering this information, Nu Skin has revised its sales compensation plan to attract millennials.

The Velocity plan can be designed and adjusted to fit the lifestyle of each member. It allows each member to receive higher income in a shorter period of time. In addition, it provides each member with financial freedom and steady income.

The structure of the Velocity plan consists of three practices: Share, Build and Lead.

First, by becoming a member and introducing products to customers, one can make immediate income.

Second, by building a group of sales gurus and working together to achieve sales targets, one can earn steady income.

Third, by leading and mentoring a group of sales leaders to work in team and reaching major sales milestones, one can receive an increase in income.

“Velocity is a new sales compensation plan designed in response to the lifestyle of the new generation as well as those who are looking for part-time jobs or extra income. It will help with the current economic situation in which people have to be responsible for their cost of living and other expenses.

“Meanwhile, Nu Skin offers another option to generate income without having to wait for the perfect time. The plan will fulfil the needs of this group of members,” said Tangpakorn.

The plan is suitable for both those who are seeking long-term financial freedom and those who want to become business owners without having to invest a large among of money.

Without holding any position, they can be certain that the products are quality certified and there is a complete supporting system to facilitate selling products and generating income.

The objectives of the newly formulated sales compensation plan are to support the integrated working system for new generation members and to generate higher income which helps motivate the sales force.

“Currently, 25 per cent of the members are millennials. After the launch of Velocity on July 1, it is expected that the number of Generation M members will reach 35 per cent and the customer base will be increased by 10 per cent,” said Tangpakorn.

The company said it expected its domestic revenue to reach Bt200 million in the next three years and hoped to become Thailand’s largest bedding manufacturer by market share.

The Thai brand debuted the products in China in 2016 and has seen exponential growth in sales in China along with heightened brand recognition.

Teeratat Rangsivoraroj, Executive Director of Treasure Products Marketing Co., Ltd, the manufacturer and distributor of luxury rubber mattress of the Restier brand, said: “In 2016, the company debuted its rubber mattresses under the Restier brand in China. Restier products have been widely recognised by Chinese consumers with high discretionary spending power. We have seen continuous growth in sales.

“With the brand’s greater strength, the company has decided to make its first foray into the Thai mattress market this year with the goal of establishing a dominant presence in the market.”

With Restier, the company plans to establish the brand’s visible presence in the domestic market and expects to ramp up sales growth in the country to reach Bt200 million in three years.

In terms of Restier’s marketing strategy, the company places importance on marketing high-quality rubber mattresses by investing in research and development in physiology in collaboration with some of Thailand’s leading research institutes.

The company said it is striving for 50 per cent Thai customers and 50 per cent foreign customers, including foreign tourists with high spending power.

Restier has named popular Thai actress and fashion icon Araya “Chompoo” A Hargate and famous Thai singer and a member of the K-Pop band Got7 Kunpimook “Bambam” Bhuwakul as brand ambassadors.

The company has allocated a budget of Bt22 million for increasing distribution channels. The sum is divided into Bt15 million for business investment in China and Bt7 million for opening Restier’s second store at the Anantara Siam Bangkok.

The 55 square metre store will house a showroom to attract target Thai and foreign customers among the hotel’s guests.