Sun & Sand Sports (SSS), which operates under global well-being company GMG, announced Monday its plans to open 11 stores under the flagship brand across the Southeast Asian market. This includes Singapore and Malaysia.
The stores will run operations over the course of the next 36 months, the company said in an emailed statement.
“Over the years, Asia has become the world’s consumption growth engine. At GMG, we saw an opportunity to leverage our retail expertise from the moment we entered the SEA market. Through brands such as Sun & Sand Sports, we have constantly challenged ourselves to look at innovative ways to bring added value and best-in-class shopping experiences to our customers. The brand’s resounding success in the Middle East has been inspiring and we are thrilled to extend the SSS experience to Asian customers now,” GMG deputy chairman and chief executive officer Mohammad A. Baker said.
Sun & Sand Sports targets growth
SSS, which is known for its portfolio of global sports, fitness and lifestyle brands, is targeting an expansion in Southeast Asia, especially as it is “currently witnessing a retail boom,” the statement said.
Its growth is driven and sustained by young demographics, increasing spending power and digitally savvy consumer, the company statement read.
Moreover, in terms of Sports and Outdoor, the segment is projected to reach $38.75 billion in 2023, according to data by Statista.
“For GMG, the new SSS store is reflective of these consumer trends and therefore fits perfectly within the company’s aggressive growth plans across the region,” the company added.
The new SSS store in downtown Singapore’s Raffles City complex is dedicated to providing a fun and engaging experience for athletes, encouraging them to strive for their best.
Spanning 11,000 sq. feet, the store features “phygital” zones where shoppers can test the products. The store offers a wide range of global sports brands for various sports and intensity levels.
With digital LED plinths, levitating shoes, pickup sensors, and more, the store creates an immersive environment. Shoppers can customise products at a dedicated zone and enjoy easy shoe shopping with an in-store digital foot scanner. The ever-changing ‘Trend Edit’ zone showcases the store’s most stylish product, the statement said.
“We take pride in our position as a UAE-born global success story. This triumph is built upon setting new benchmarks for customer experience. In Singapore, we have done it again with the city’s most modern and interactive retail concept, establishing a new standard for sports retail,” GMG president – Sports, Carl Masterman said.
The company plans to expand its presence in Southeast Asia by opening 100 new stores by 2025. To manage its operations in the region, GMG has set up its Asian headquarters in Malaysia.
Since entering the Southeast Asian market in 2020, the company has already launched 31 stores in Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia. In a significant move in December 2020, GMG acquired RSH, a major multi-brand sports retailer in Southeast Asia.
This acquisition allows GMG to establish itself in important international markets and potentially reach a customer base of up to 700 million people, the statement added.
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