USA Kmart expanded into Australia decades ago in a 50% joint venture with the Australian supermarket chain Coles. US companies have a habit of divesting their assets here in tough times. Australian retail giant Wesfarmers purchased Kmart and made massive changes. Wesfarmers also owns the Target brand here but that was always just a brand, no US involvement. KMart just about wiped out Target and Wesfarmers seems to focus on developing Kmart and their Anko in store brand (Chinese manufactured stuff built to a price like everyone else).
Outside Australia they brand themselves as Anko. They had a small US trial in 2018-2020 where I think they were testing different concepts, not going for an expansion into the US market. They may be more interested in higher growth SE Asia as they apparently have stores in Manila.
Fair point. The clothing tends to be Bangladesh/Vietnam etc like a lot of other retailers. Hardly anything locally manufactured or made in a country with equivalent wages or labour rights including some sources which have been accused of modern slavery practices (eg China Uyghyer camps).
I would prefer higher quality and ethical labour practices but I couldn’t afford higher prices so I shop there anyway. We have to keep the share holders happy.
USA Kmart expanded into Australia decades ago in a 50% joint venture with the Australian supermarket chain Coles. US companies have a habit of divesting their assets here in tough times. Australian retail giant Wesfarmers purchased Kmart and made massive changes. Wesfarmers also owns the Target brand here but that was always just a brand, no US involvement. KMart just about wiped out Target and Wesfarmers seems to focus on developing Kmart and their Anko in store brand (Chinese manufactured stuff built to a price like everyone else).
Outside Australia they brand themselves as Anko. They had a small US trial in 2018-2020 where I think they were testing different concepts, not going for an expansion into the US market. They may be more interested in higher growth SE Asia as they apparently have stores in Manila.
https://ankoglobal.com/about-us.html
Fair point. The clothing tends to be Bangladesh/Vietnam etc like a lot of other retailers. Hardly anything locally manufactured or made in a country with equivalent wages or labour rights including some sources which have been accused of modern slavery practices (eg China Uyghyer camps).
I would prefer higher quality and ethical labour practices but I couldn’t afford higher prices so I shop there anyway. We have to keep the share holders happy.