Hong Kong’s beauty chain Sasa is set to re-launch in Singapore, three years after withdrawing from the market, according to Bloomberg sources. 

Sasa International Holdings CFO Danny Ho, told the site the company plans to open one or two stores in Singapore this year, however their location has yet to be disclosed. The chain shut all of its 22 stores in Singapore early in 2020 after experiencing six consecutive years of losses in the market. The closure led to the loss of 170 jobs and a series of negotiations with property owners over lease-exit penalties. 

Besides making its Singapore comeback, the Hong Kong retailer also eyes expanding its presence in Malaysia – its only current market outside Greater China – where it currently has 71 stores. Sasa reported sales growth of 28.1 per cent in Malaysia during the third quarter, to December 31, on the back of the country’s strong recovery. 

Ho added the business is concentrating on turning a profit in its current Mainland China operations, which reported a 42.4 per cent decrease in sales in the third quarter due to Covid-19 restrictions and weak consumption. Its store network there halved from 77 in 2021 to 38 by the end of last year.