PORTER Establishes Dual-Brand Strategic Alliance To Target Overseas Markets – Y.P.I. STORE Grand Opening At Tiger City, Taichung

2 July 2010, Taichung – PORTER INTERNATIONAL and YOSHIDA & CO., LTD., two independently operating brands, announce today they will join forces to establish a dual-brand strategic alliance in 2010.  This July, Y.P.I. (Yoshida Porter International) STORE, will debut at Tiger City, Taichung, showcasing high quality products by YOSHIDA & CO., LTD., and fashion forward products by PORTER INTERNATIONAL.

The Y.P.I. STORE, integrating product and marketing resources from PORTER INTERNATIONAL and YOSHIDA & CO., LTD., is the new retail collaboration model between Taiwan and Japan PORTER brand owners.  Selecting Taiwan as its debuting market, the dual-brand strategic alliance will pave way for future expansions into overseas markets.

Integrating Strengths To Develop A Global Vision And A New Market Format

In 2008, PORTER INTERNATIONAL opened KURA CHIKA, the first YOSHIDA & CO., LTD. retail store in Taiwan, as an initial step to actualize the partnership between Taiwan and Japan PORTER brand owners.  The understated yet elegant interior design effectively positions YOSHIDA & CO., LTD. as a sophisticated brand featuring high quality Japanese products, differentiating the brand, and its product offerings, from the fashion forward PORTER INTERNATIONAL.

Since its opening, KURA CHIKA has been a tremendous success. YOSHIDA & CO., LTD. Chairman Teruyuki Yoshida personally visited Taiwan many times to express his support and recognition for proficient brand and retail management exhibited by PORTER INTERNATIONAL.

Mr. Andy Lin, General Manager of PORTER INTERNATIONAL, recalls: “Following our meeting, Chairman Teruyuki Yoshida and I went out for dinner.  During the course of our meal, the chairman spoke of his vision for PORTER.  As we exchanged our thoughts on brand management and overseas expansion plans, we realized we share similar philosophies.  Since both brands were utilizing respective marketing resources to develop overseas markets, working together to achieve greater results seemed to be the natural next step.”

Following additional communication, we discovered even more common grounds on goals and visions for overseas markets, and this fostered our decision for a dual-brand collaboration.  After thorough assessment for more than six months, PORTER INTERNATIONAL and YOSHIDA & CO., LTD. decided to proceed with the establishment of a dual-brand strategic alliance.  The Y.P.I. STORE will realize the philosophy of “harmony in the differences” by unifying both brands’ strengths and resources to expand to overseas markets.

In the future, market management for PORTER will no longer be a single-fought battle.  Instead, the dual-brand strategic alliance will utilize competitive strengths from both brands to target selective markets outside of Taiwan and Japan.  The team will be in its best position to venture into the future.

Y.P.I. STORE Grand Opening At Tiger City, Taichung – An Important Milestone For The Taiwan-Japan Strategic Alliance

After considerable evaluation, PORTER selected Taichung, the birthplace of PORTER INTERNATIONAL, and a city rapidly developing into an international metropolis, as the location for the Y.P.I. STORE.  The three-story architecture is located at the prime shopping mall Tiger City, and the Y.P.I. STORE is the first store actualizing the dual-brand collaboration, preparing the team for global expansion.

With a modern ambience and design, the sophistication of the Y.P.I. STORE rings true in every facet of its look, feel, and décor.  The exterior of the unparalleled three-story architecture emerges from the concept of “green-conscience”, along with an underlying weaving motif.  Interwoven greenery, atop an outdoor patio with refined wooden floors, is designed to evoke a warm and relaxed ambience.  The urban interior design compliments an exclusive offering of bag designs executed with grace and perfection by PORTER INTERNATIONAL and YOSHIDA & CO., LTD.  And the central column, adorned with Infinity logo, stands out against the minimalist interior, encapsulating the philosophy of “harmony in the differences”.  With a handsome line-up of products to satisfy the needs and desires of PORTER fans, the Y.P.I. STORE is sure to be an unrivaled landmark for selective shopping in Taichung.

Based In Taiwan, Envisioning The Global Market With Endless Market Potential

Mr. Andy Lin further comments on the significance of the dual-brand strategic alliance, “The key for PORTER to step up from “A” to “A+” depends on how well both brands integrate their resources during the collaboration process.  In addition to sustaining positive experiences from the past, both brands need to walk forward with the notion of sharing resources, co-existing in the market, prospering and winning together.  In addition, both brands need to show flexibility in adapting to the ever-changing market.  By recognizing and staying on top of these conditions, we can then rapidly develop overseas markets together.”

Chairman Teruyuki Yoshida adds: “The dual-brand strategic alliance will replace competition with collaboration, monopoly with co-existence, and will use quality to attain and provide superior value to our customers – this is the concept of Infinity.” At this time, the dual-brand strategic alliance will start in Taiwan.  Following, this partnership will be used to venture into overseas markets.  Based on mutual-trust and solid foundation, the dual-brand strategic alliance will continue to expand to global markets in the future in the spirit of “Infinity”.

Moving forward, PORTER INTERNATIONAL will adopt a more diversified approach to managing the market in Taiwan.  And the dual-brand strategic alliance?  It will herald a brand new era filled with excitement and possibilities, starting out with a special focus on Asia, further expanding to global markets.

Check out the Porter Japan Facebook page here.

Check out the Porter Singapore Facebook page here.

In Singapore, the Porter store is located at WISMA ATRIA #03-06.  In mid July this year, a limited range of the Y.P.I. bags will be available in Singapore.

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