plant-based innovations are now available in more than 140 countries including France, the US, Canada, Mainland China, India, Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong and Singapore. Korean department stores diversify into food delivery services South Korea department stores are introducing near-distance delivery services to get food and beverage from food courts and restaurants into the hands of consumers. The ‘dawn delivery’ and ‘free return’ services have been expanded in collaboration with affiliated online shopping malls. Shinsegae Department Store now offers an exclusive parking zone and pick up station for riders in Gangnam and rolled out a food and beverage delivery service last month. Meanwhile, Lotte Department Store unveiled a delivery service for residential apartments nearby last year and partnered with ebike delivery app, Kimzipsa. Last year, the Trade Center outlet of Hyundai Department Store launched a delivery service for prepared meals to residents living within six kilometres. E-mart to quit Vietnam South Korean supermarket chain E-mart has announced plans to exit Vietnam, according to The Korea Times. The report suggested local car manufacturer Truong Hai Auto Corporation (Thaco Group) is acquiring the brand. However, Thaco’s spokesperson said the group has not signed any deals with the car company. E-mart established its footprint in Southeast Asia over the past five years, but it only has one store in Vietnam with a second suspended due to local licensing issues.  “Our strategic alliance with Thaco will not only pay us royalties for using the E-mart brand in Vietnam, but also give us the opportunity to export our private-brand products,” an E-mart employee told The Korea Times.  E-mart currently has stores in Yangon Myanmar Center Complex in Myanmar and is constructing the Socar Sala mixed-used complex in Ho Chi Minh City. Valentino scraps fur Italian luxury brand Valentino is halting the use of fur in its collections starting next year. Other luxury brands including Prada, Versace, Gucci and Armani have banned the use of fur due to the growing customer sensitivity to animal rights and environmental issues. Valentino said it is rolling out its latest collection including fur during the Fall/Winter 2021-22 season. Valentino chief executive Jacopo Venturini has also stopped using fur in its collections for REDValentino. “The concentration on one, and only one brand, will better support a more organic growth of the Maison,” said Venturini in a statement. The company also announced that it is dropping its second, younger line from 2024 to focus on its main brand. Google to open first physical store in New York Tech giant Google has unveiled plans to open its first physical store in New York City this summer. The store will be at Chelsea near its New York City campus which currently employs 11,000 staff. Previously the company launched pop-up stores selling its product range but this will be the first permanent bricks-and-mortar store.  Google plans to offer Pixel smartphones, Pixelbooks, Fitbit and Nest smart home devices at the new store. There will be a customer service centre at the store where shoppers can have their devices fixed and pick up after placing online orders. The tech giant’s rival Apple first opened physical stores in Virginia in 2001 and currently there are 270 stores in the US and other countries.