Suyen Corporation

SWOT ANALYSIS

Strengths

Quality - The clothes are being offered are still have a great quality even if it is being sold at a reasonable price.

Brand - Bench already has a strong brand and a name for itself.

Diversification - The company is not only limited to selling local branded clothes. They also franchised international brands and has expanded to different industries such as cosmetics, salon, restaurants and lifestyle.

Weaknesses

Products - Bench specializes more in casual wear. They should have more variety with the products they sold especially now that they are putting up stores around the globe.

Marketing - Bench should have more marketing strategies to make their brand be known by other countries.

Opportunities

New market share - Customers of Bench will increase due to other countries' locals and tourist.

More loyal customers - Since technology is in today, with online shops booming, Bench has also put up there own making them more accessible to those that don't have time to go to the mall. In relation to accessibility, Filipinos who reside in other countries can get their hands on Bench' products since they already have global stores.

Threats

Global competitors - Now that Bench put up stores in other countries, international brands may still get the lime light since they are well-known brands already.

Fashion trends - Trends come and go. They must keep up in order to survive.

Bench started as an all men’s t-shirt retailing shop in 1987, but after a year, Bench expands investing more branches in the country with thousands of retail outlet in the Philippines, reaching as far as Middle East, United States and Mainland China.

Bench also features its top endorsers such as Jessy Mendiola, Jake Cuenca and other well known celebrities which continues to endorsed Bench products even on magazines.

“Thank you for supporting our first store in the island state. Hope you continue patronizing our Filipino pride,” Ben Chan founder of Bench in Singapore said in an Instagram post.

BENCH OPENS IN SG!

by BLINKREMZ on JANUARY 9, 2014

Story from: http://philnews.ph/2014/01/09/first-bench-store-in-singapore-opens/#sthash.qk0i61hf.dpuf

Bench, the Philippines finest clothing line welcomed 2014 after opening another retail outlet in Singapore.The first branch of Bench in Singapore is located at the Metro City Square Mall, which also houses several imported brands such as Accessorize, Birkenstock, Monsoon, NICI and among others.The Filipino clothing line will feature celebrity endorsers such as Kim Chiu, Kathryn Bernardo and Coco Martin.

Bench also markets affordable products which includes jeans, shirts and other clothing. Meanwhile, Bench open up an online store for customers who wants to purchase their products online.

Somehow, the alternative means to purchase their product though their website is not yet applicable for the newest branch in Singapore after which the Filipino clothing line still adjusting its market demands in the area.

Suyen Corporation

History

• Dimensione – After studying interior design in San Francisco, Ben worked for his brother as an accessories designer. After gaining experience, the bench story began with this concept store of office furnitures, 28 years ago.

• Suyen – Ben’s sister, Nenita Lim, opened their first apparel store, a children’s boutique, named after her daughter, at Harrison Plaza. Suyen is the name Bench’ umbrella corporation.

• Bench – With the success of Suyen, Ben and Nenita decided to open a concession store at SM Makati offering t-shirts and jeans for men in 1987. Richard Gomez was its first celebrity endorser.

• Her Bench – Launched in 1993, Bench’ counterpart, a clothing line for female. Actress Agot Isidro was its image model.

• Kipling – A bag brand from Belgium that Ben brought in 1995 then later gave up when the original owners of Kipling sold the company.

• Human - This local brand is an edgy clothing line opened in 1999. Now it already has 66 branches nationwide and 14 concessionaire shops.

• Celio – A French clothing brand for men with European style.

• Kashieca – Brought from an exporter specializing in knitwear. This local brand now has 27 branches nationwide.

• PCX – This a shop for Filipinos who is into vanity and personal care.

• Bench Fix – Ben decided to enter the beauty industry by offering professional salon services at affordable rates. Bench fix has now 58 branches nationwide.

• Studio Fix by Alex Carbonelle - An upscale version of Bench Fix Salon.

• Be Connected – An internet café business.

• Charles & Keith – A shoes and bag line from Singapore. It now has 24 branches in the country.

• Aldo – Bag, shoes and accessories line from Canada with 19 branches nationwide.

• The Face Shop – A cosmetics brand from Korea. It now has 27 branches.

• La Senza – A Canadian lingerie shop owned by Victoria’s Secret that is reasonably priced. It can be found in 13 malls in the country.

• F&X – A clothing brand from Israel.

• Lyn Shoes and Bags, CC-OO and CPS Chaps – All brands from Thailand.

• Mothercare – A UK brand for babies and toddlers.

• Patchi – For the chocolate lovers and chocoholics.

• ELC or Early Learning Center – Educational toys and gadgets that enrich your children’s minds.

• Call It Spring – A Canadian shoes, bags and accessories brand.

• Repetto – A shoe brand from Paris.

• Cotton On – A clothing line from Australia.

• Karen Millen - A British brand that offers glamorous party clothes.

• Paul – A famous café from Paris.

information from: http://www.philstar.com/sunday-life/2012/07/22/830217/bench-25-years-28-brands-and-counting

Man behind "Bench"

Ben Chan

Mr. Ben Chan is a renowned Chinese-Filipino entrepreneur. He is the brain behind the Philippines' largest clothing brand, Bench, under Suyen Corporation.

With his great passion and hardwork, Bench has already expanded into different local clothing brands like Human and Kashieca and lifestyle brands such as Bench Fix Salon and Bench Skin Experts. Also, he brought to the country some of the well-known clothing brands like, Cotton On and American Eagle Outfitters; footwear and accessories brand such as, Aldo, Charles and Keith and Call It Spring; Cosmetics brand, The Face Shop; food and restaurants like, Paul Boulangerie Cafe and Patchi Chocolates. Bench has also gone global, with its stores opening in different parts of the world like US, China and recently in Singapore. He is labeled as one of the most prominent people in the Philippines.

About

Beginning in 1987 with a small store selling men’s t-shirts, Bench grew at an unparalleled rate by being the pioneer in the use of celebrity endorsers, television and giant billboards to propel a fashion brand that offers premium quality products at affordable prices.

To date, Bench has grown to include a ladies’ line, underwear, fragrances, housewares, snacks, and a wide array of other lifestyle products, with the distinction of being present in virtually every retail space in the Philippines, and with a worldwide network of stores and outlets, reaching as far as the United States, the Middle East, and China.

As it sliced through demographic divisions -- age, gender, socioeconomic status -- a stirring slogan, “Bench is forever”, became the company’s abiding creed.

information from: http://www.bench.com.ph/

Brands