Walking On Sunshine by Avenue K Pte. Ltd. bags Beauty & Cosmetics trophy at the 2022 SBR National Business Awards

The innovative salon café refined consumer services and opened job opportunities amidst trying times.

Avenue K Pte. Ltd., a leading multi-concept store in Singapore, earned its Beauty & Cosmetics trophy at the SBR National Business Awards. 

The company was recognised for its fresh business approach, combining both its hair salon and café businesses to introduce its new lifestyle brand, Walking On Sunshine. It ushered a new concept into the beauty and wellness industry, enhancing customer experience by serving good food and drinks.

This breakthrough idea was born out of necessity, as the company remained proactive in light of the restrictions brought about by the pandemic.

“Just when our business started to pick up and grow, COVID-19 hit in March 2020, thus affecting our progression. F&B establishments were made to close, and hair salons could only provide haircutting services,” the company spokesperson said.

“When restrictions were slightly lifted, we quickly identified a few issues: The lack of manpower, the lack of new hair products or services to entice customers, and the lack of new and innovative food menu. After identifying the problems, we immediately took action,” the company spokesperson added.

Avenue K Pte. Ltd. revamped its workforce by employing the brightest young prospects, with the goal of preparing them for future leadership roles. This goal was realised when the company decided to set up an HR Recruitment Team, followed by the creation of its Management Trainee Programme.

According to the company, their virtual recruitment efforts greatly increased the number of job applicants and newly hired employees over the past 24 months. Furthermore, the recruitment initiative helped provide job opportunities to talented individuals in the middle of the crisis. 

“This is a two-year fast track programme that drives trainees to become our company's future managers of tomorrow. From front line operations to advanced management concepts and strategies, and everything else in between, trainees will experience the full spectrum of the different sectors of the company such as operations management, marketing and procurement,” the company spokesperson explained.

Aside from these efforts, the company also introduced new salon hair services and products based on the feedback given by both its customers and its staff members. According to the company, their customers are constantly on the lookout for upcoming beauty trends that they try to answer.

“We have managed to bring in two hair care brands into our salons. The first is NO3 (Number 3), hailing from Japan. This brand specialises in hair colour, hair treatments and hair retail products that are certified Vegan, Halal, Organic and Cruelty-Free. The other one is Mowan, an Italian hair brand, that specialises in 10-minute hair colouring that leverages innovative developments that focus on the health of the clients,” the company spokesperson said.

Additionally, an initiative which made Walking On Sunshine a unique beauty centre was the combination of its salon services paired with the food and beverages available at the cafe. The company took notice of the food trends that appeared on social media and incorporated them into its menu. 

Some of the new food items they serve include the famous Dalgona Coffee and their Croffles launched in a very affordable buffet. Aside from these, the company also catered to health-conscious customers as they developed their very own Ginseng series, consisting of drinks such as Ginseng Smoothie, Ginseng Americano, Ginseng Latte, and Honey Ginseng Tea, and food like Fried Korean Ginseng and Grilled Ginseng.