Kao opens first Molton Brown store in Malaysia

Kao Corporation has launched Molton Brown, its British luxury fragrance brand, in the Malaysia market.

The Molton Brown flagship store opened on December 22, 2023, in partnership with Valiram, Southeast Asia’s leading luxury and lifestyle group, in the Exchange TRX Mall, a shopping centre located in Kuala Lumpur.

The company said in a statement that Molton Brown plans to expand its presence in Malaysia through various channels. “The next steps for brand expansion will be the launch of a Molton Brown e-commerce site and the acceleration of its luxury hotel amenities business, in order to create various touch points to send customers to the store and e-commerce,” it said.

This strategy aims to enhance the brand’s visibility in Malaysia based on the idea of a “Molton Brown Village,” a brand promotion concept that has already been implemented in Japan.

Following the expansion into Malaysia, Molton Brown plans to move into B-to-C businesses in Singapore, Thailand, and Hong Kong in 2024, and then in Indonesia and Macau.