The Brief

ZoomSystems, a global leader in automated retail (unmanned stores), appointed Intralink to develop and execute its go-to-market strategy for Japan.

The Approach

Intralink engaged local realtors, shopping mall operators, brand owners, service providers and system integrators to gauge interest and to establish the critical success factors. From that, we developed a business plan which included a short-list of target customers and partners.

The Result

Within three months the company was able to conclude agreements with partners to locate shops in high-traffic locations such as airports, railway stations and shopping malls, underpinning a longer-term investment in a local team and entity. It has since expanded its business throughout Japan.

The Brief

Hamleys, the oldest toy store in the world, which was already established in 19 countries, identified Japan as an important strategic market but needed an immediate on-the-ground presence to understand the local dynamics and engage potential partners.

Hamleys appointed Intralink to assess the opportunity and develop its strategy in Japan, including the identification of suitable franchise partners to build the business and grow the brand.

The Approach

Intralink’s Tokyo team met with a broad range of local retailers, brand owners and mall operators, generating a shortlist of prospective partners. These included Bandai Namco Amusement - a renowned arcade game developer and theme park operator, who presented the most compelling business plan and demonstrated a deep appreciation of Hamleys core brand values and heritage.

The Outcome

The result was a franchise agreement and a plan to open the first two stores by December 2018, with more to come in the following years.

The Brief

WaterWipes are the ground-breaking 100% chemical-free wet wipes produced by the Ireland-based company Irish Breeze. After fast growth in Europe and the US, Irish Breeze identified Japan and Korea as important markets, and tasked us with understanding the size/nature of the opportunity, and identifying the right distribution partners.

The Approach

Operating as “WaterWipes Japan” and “WaterWipes Korea” we first generated a long list of all potential partners based on our network, desk research and conversations with industry insiders. Through a series of calls and face to face meetings we gradually honed into a shortlist of five candidate partners that met the key criteria and arranged for Irish Breeze executives to come to Asia and meet the candidates.

The Outcome

We quickly honed in on one partner in each of Japan and Korea, and supported the negotiations between Irish Breeze and the partner. The result was a Distribution Agreement that committed to an initial bulk order, ongoing sales targets and minimum marketing spend.