ANKO, the house brand of Kmart Australia, opened its first store in the Philippines in Makati’s Glorietta 2 on Nov. 7.

The brand was introduced in 2019 in Kmart-branded stores in Australia and New Zealand. On the day before the opening, Anko Global Chief Executive Officer Arjun Puri explained to BusinessWorld that Kmart (a US company) exists in Australia through a franchising agreement. “We design everything, we chose everything. We have nothing to do with the US Kmart. It’s just that we’ve used the name for the stores,” he said.

Anko, according to him, stands for “a new kind of,” and the letters also pay homage to Australia, New Zealand, and Kmart.

As for its product range, Mr. Puri said, “That is where we see a gap in the market, between what is available and what we are really good at,” he said. “This is a confluence of three things happening: there’s design, there’s pricing, and there’s quality,” he said. Items in the store can range from P60 to the low thousands. “We’re trying to make an offer for the Filipino customer where there is no compromise.

“It’s the same range which is available in Australia and New Zealand,” he added.

During BusinessWorld’s visit during the Nov. 7 opening, we saw home goods, electronics, pet products, toys, furniture, and even makeup and skincare products.

Anko also unveiled an exclusive Christmas bag designed by Filipino artist Jamie Bauza during the opening. The festive bag, featuring a unique blend of Anko’s signature style and Filipino artistry, showcases its dedication to bringing local flavor into its global brand.

Today, Anko is present in France, Canada, the US, Mexico, India, and the UK, among others.

Asked what makes the Philippines an attractive market for them, Mr. Puri said, “So many things. [It is] one of Asia’s fastest-growing economies. [It has a] growing middle class. Rising affluence. The Filipino customer is very home-proud. They want the best products.”

There are many stores which offer Anko’s price point in the country, with almost the same categories —some of them in the same mall. However, Australian design and its way of life lends an edge, he said: “Australia’s a really interesting place. It is very multicultural. You have people from all nationalities who are immigrants there. A lot of the brands also draw inspiration from the Australian lifestyle, which is very coastal.”

While Anko opened its first store on Glorietta 2’s ground floor, they’re slated to open two more stores next year. — Joseph L. Garcia