Facebook looks East

As Facebook's global growth decelerates, it is looking to expand in markets such as China, South Korea, Japan and Russia, where it is currently overshadowed by strong local competitors. To succeed in these markets, Facebook faces various challenges. In the case of China, these include regulatory restrictions and well established players which understand what the local market wants.

Published By Datamonitor

New drinks review: sniffing around for new wine possibilities

Wine drinking often has an elitist air, but one launch noted by Datamonitor this month could help to erase that association. The i-Wine scratch and sniff wine tasting game could have educational value, as it is designed to encourage people to learn how to recognize wine qualities. Meanwhile, the marble topped soda bottle is making a comeback, and could prove popular given its heritage appeal.

Published By Datamonitor

PLA Innovation of the Week: two flavors are better than one for unique new juice bottle

Published By Datamonitor

Tesco: raising the bar in Asia

Tesco is set to challenge South Korea's largest retailer, E-Mart, for market leadership with the purchase of 36 Homever stores for GBP958 million - the retailer's biggest ever acquisition. Marking an unusual move for Tesco, which has typically preferred organic means of foreign expansion, the current economic climate could bring new opportunities.

Published By Datamonitor

Wal-Mart: exiting South Korea

Wal-Mart has announced the sale of its South Korean business to Shinsegae for around $882 million, in a move reflective of recent developments as global retailers have struggled to impact upon this difficult Asian market. Wal-Mart's withdrawal from the region also signals that joint ventures are perhaps a better option for those looking to invest in certain Asian markets, as illustrated by Tesco.

Published By Datamonitor