Capi, the Dutch electronics retailer – which attended the TFWA Asia Pacific Exhibition for the second time as an exhibitor, last week – has made its ambitions for 2014 clear, stating that it will focus on franchising.

Peter Wiggers, Managing Director Royal Capi-Lux, explains: “Our extensive experience in airport retailing combined with our know-how of the business-to-business industry in consumer electronics makes Capi the ideal partner for retailers looking to add this difficult product group to their assortment. We have developed a franchise formula designed to make electronics retailing a carefree experience so that retailers can focus on the traditional categories. We are looking forward to explaining to retailers how Capi Global can help them make electronics retailing a success.”

Capi’s retail concept is available to other retailers through close cooperation with Capi Global Franchising, which provides a franchise formula to other retailers. “Our trendsetting retail concept has been successfully implemented in our own shops around Europe and in South Africa,” says Capi.

Capi says it Franchising concpet is distinctive in that it brings the retail know-how and marketing experience as well as the purchasing power of the Capi retail division.

The electronics retailer also reveals that it has entered into a new partnership with Dutch social enterprise WakaWaka. WakaWakas are solar-powered devices that charge mobile phones and provide light and power.

The ‘WakaWaka Power’ mobile phone charger is already available at Capi’s flagship store in Lounge 1 at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol and retails at €69. The partnership with WakaWaka means that for every WakaWaka sold at Capi’s store, one identical product is donated to ‘Solar for Syria’, a joint effort by WakaWaka and the global leader in emergency relief, the International Rescue Committee.

Capi says that its WakaWaka Power partnership is a natural extension its existing assortment of power banks – its Portable Power Solutions.

“These popular and handy batteries provide back-up power without the need for a mains current,” says Capi. “By using solar power to charge any mobile phone, WakaWaka Power products offer these same advantages and have a torch mode to provide light as well.”

After 12 hours of sunlight the WakaWaka Power is fully charged and can charge any (smart) phone in just two hours or provide up to 150 hours of light.

Peter Wiggers, managing director of Royal Capi-Lux says: “This is an exciting new partnership for us – a handy new product and a worthwhile cause. International travellers not only acquire a very practical, must-have device but also help to power the less fortunate.”

WakaWaka brings energy solutions to places in the world where there is no electricity for people in the West as well as in the developing world. The company aims to ‘abolish energy poverty throughout the world.’

The founders of WakaWaka launched ‘Buy One, Give One’ campaigns to help victims in areas without electricity because of poverty or disaster such as Haiti and now Syria. Travellers to Capi shops who buy a WakaWaka Power automatically give one to a refugee in Syria.

Camille van Gestel, CEO of WakaWaka Power explains: “We are committed to our sustainable business model that makes the distribution of renewable energy-based lighting easy and cost-effective. In essence we operate as any other business, but proceeds made from selling WakaWaka products at competitive prices are used to make them available to off-grid communities around the world at an affordable rate. We are delighted to be able to work with Capi and profit from the international platform they provide.”