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Category: Food

Retail News Asia is committed to providing both local and global retailers with the latest Food and Food & Beverage news throughout the Asian market. This on a daily base.

  • Delgados Tequila Soda teams up with UFC

    Delgados Tequila Soda teams up with UFC

    UFC, the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization, today announced Delgados Tequila Soda as the Official Tequila Soda of UFC in Australia and New Zealand.

    The partnership will comprise of year-round activity across Australia and New Zealand, including live event integration at two UFC events in the region and VIP Sweepstakes featuring highly in-demand tickets to UFC 284: MAKHACHEV vs. VOLKANOVSKI as well as UFC event viewing parties.

    “We are absolutely delighted to welcome Australia’s Tequila Soda pioneers Delgados into the UFC fold as the Official Tequila Soda of UFC across Australia and New Zealand,” said Nick Smith, Vice President of Global Partnerships, UFC. “This partnership has culture and lifestyle at its core, and we cannot wait to introduce our fans to this refreshing drop and the ‘Sin Problemas’ ethos.”

    Brought to you by Superdrop, Delgados Tequila Soda has pioneered the Tequila Soda category in Australia. It combines Mexico’s finest blue agave tequila, soda water, and natural ingredients.

    The young tequila brand aims to transport tequila lovers to the ultimate Mexican getaway, bringing the 60s retro vacation vibes right into the palm of your hand.

    “We are thrilled to partner with the cultural juggernaut that is UFC, and we’re beyond excited to introduce their loyal fans to our delicious and refreshing tequila ready-to-drink beverage, Delgados Tequila Soda,” said Ewen Pettit, Director, Superdrop.

    “Just like our product, UFC is as real as it gets. We have a full calendar of events, activations and promotions that will truly connect with our drinkers and UFC fans. We can’t wait to get started, as all roads lead to Perth in February for UFC 284.”

    UFC fans can get their hands on a Delgados Tequila Soda in three flavours: Grapefruit & Jalapeno; Lime & Basil; and Pineapple & Ginger… all a perfect match up for your UFC Sundays over the coming months.

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  • Ugly Vodka seeks to tackle Australia’s fruit waste one bottle at a time

    Ugly Vodka seeks to tackle Australia’s fruit waste one bottle at a time

    This latest venture was created in collaboration with independent Australian music and events company, Untitled Group, and has sustainability at its core, seeking to help address food wastage, support local farmers and reduce carbon emissions.

    Ugly Vodka is made using apples that are rejected from sale at supermarkets simply because of their ‘ugly’ look. According to Horticulture Australia, this problem impacts around a quarter of all produce – 25 per cent of crops don’t leave the farm due to aesthetic reasons. Ugly Vodka has been making an impact in this issue already, with its first batch alone saving approximately 20 tonnes of ‘ugly’ apples from going to landfill where they would produce methane emissions.

    “Thanks to campaigning from eco-groups in Australia, food waste is an issue that is top of mind – people understand what ugly produce is, and what impact it has on our environment,” says Shane Barrington, Director at 80Proof.

    “Our vodka directly supports Aussie farmers at a time when drought, hail storms and extreme weather events are hitting them hard. On top of all that, we are climate negative and are actively trying to reduce wastage in every area of our supply chain from product to bottles.”

    In an effort to minimise the brand’s carbon footprint, all parts of Ugly Vodka, except the glass bottle, are produced and sourced within 80Proof’s home state of Victoria.

    Apples are sourced from the Goulburn Valley, with the juice five-times distilled with premium grain vodka then passed through an activated coconut carbon filter to maximise smoothness. The end result is a premium spirit perfect for mixed drinks and cocktails.

    The process to creating this high quality vodka was not a short one though. One of the founding partners of 80Proof grew up in the Goulburn Valley and saw the issue surrounding ‘ugly’ produce first hand, noting that up to 40 per cent of fruit was not deemed sellable solely due to aesthetics. After years in the industry, he revisited the area to discuss the idea to turn this fruit into alcohol.

    “Technically the idea has been in fruition and development for five years. However, we’ve only been full-time on the project for 18 months. There has been plenty of trial and error as no one has tried making traditional vodka from Australian ugly apples before,” said Jess Conti, Co-founder of 80Proof.

    Ugly Vodka launched to consumers online this week, and will be available to the trade in late January. In the meantime it will see a major event launch, being poured at Untitled Group’s Beyond The Valley Festival later this month to a whopping 35,000 attendees.

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  • Barilla takes the plastic out of its blue-box range

    Barilla takes the plastic out of its blue-box range

    We decided to get rid of the plastic window we had on our boxes to move towards a more sustainable solution and reduce the number of materials used for our packaging. This allowed us to avoid placing unnecessary plastic on the market, amounting to around 126.000 kg of plastic per year*.

    Although the window on our boxes wasn’t limiting the recyclability of our packs—as modern recycling systems can differentiate—we opted for a more sustainable one: as we will always look at how we can become even more sustainable at Barilla.

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  • Thai coffee chain Café Amazon struggles to expand in Vietnam

    Thai coffee chain Café Amazon struggles to expand in Vietnam

    Thai coffee chain Café Amazon, which entered Vietnam two years ago, has been slow in expanding due to intense competition and the Covid-19 pandemic stymieing its plans.

    With 15 outlets mostly in Ho Chi Minh City and some southern localities, it remains a world away from its biggest competitor, Highlands Coffee, which has 573 across the country.

    Café Amazon hopes to have 20 stores by the end of this year, none in the north.

    Other competitors The Coffee House has 153 stores, Phuc Long has 118 stores and 1,062 kiosks and small outlets and Trung Nguyen Legend has 95 stores and 572 E-Coffee outlets.

    In contrast, in Thailand, Café Amazon had over 3,400 stores as of mid-2021.

    “Everyone knows the Vietnam food and beverage market is difficult and so we are in the process of opening new stores while researching into Vietnamese consumption habits,” A-Tathak Srinon, marketing director of Café Amazon Vietnam, said.

    The Vietnam operation is 60% owned by Thai state-owned oil and gas firm PTT Public Company Ltd and 40% by retail giant Central Group.

    Its first store opened in the southern province of Ben Tre in October 2020, followed soon after in two other southern localities.

    But with Covid raging in 2021, restrictions were in place year-long, which included F&B businesses having to close for months.

    Besides, it has been unable to open coffee shops at gas stations, a strategy that has underpinned its success in Thailand, where most of its outlets are in PTT Oil fuel stations.

    Srinon said Vietnamese gas stations are smaller than in Thailand and not suitable for setting up coffee shops.

    The chain is therefore is focusing on its menu to distinguish itself from other competitors, he said.

    Last week it launched three new drinks with a distinctly Thai taste, including one called Tom Yum Ice Tea.

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  • Grey Goose launches new botanically-infused spritz range

    Grey Goose launches new botanically-infused spritz range

    GREY GOOSE, the vodka most recommended by bartenders and the leader in the super-premium category, is proud to introduce GREY GOOSE Essences, made with GREY GOOSE Vodka infused with real fruit essences and cold-distilled botanicals. As the brand’s most expansive innovation to date, the range is crafted with natural flavours and was meticulously developed with the highest-quality craftsmanship and attention to detail that have become synonymous with GREY GOOSE. Following the successful launch in the US, the range will make its debut in the UK this April. Available in three fresh and distinct flavours, GREY GOOSE Essences are not simply tasted, but experienced. GREY GOOSE Essences Vodka spritz, ready to drink versions will also be launching in June – historically becoming the first ready to drink range released for the brand.

    With increasing demand for fresh tasting flavours and natural ingredients, GREY GOOSE Essences is born out of a heightened desire for simple cocktails that are brimming with vibrant flavour. Designed for those who sip mindfully, each Essences expression offers an ABV of 30%, 82 calories per 50ml, and contains no artificial ingredients. The Ready to Drink version is carefully crafted with GREY GOOSE Vodka, sparkling water, a touch of juice, and natural flavours. They are 4.5% ABV, and 250ml cans are 79 calories.  Like all GREY GOOSE products, Essences is gluten-free and made without compromise, fusing a light, smooth taste with an immersive fruit and botanical flavour palate. The trio of expressions include the bright and citrusy Strawberry & Lemongrass, the floral, yet savoury White Peach & Rosemary, and the fresh-tasting and peppery Watermelon & Basil.

    Crafted with delicious flavours at the heart of the drink, the new range allows consumers to create great tasting cocktails with ease and convenience.  Simply add with soda over ice for a refreshing yet flavourful taste of summer.

    “We’re beyond thrilled to debut GREY GOOSE Essences,” said GREY GOOSE vice president global marketing, Martin de Dreuille. “Spritzes and drinks featuring botanicals have been growing trends, and with consumers increasingly trying their hand at mixology, we knew there was an exciting opportunity to create a distinctive drink using real fruit essences that would take the guesswork out of mixing light tasting and delicious cocktails at home.”

    The flavours in each Essences expression are derived from some of the freshest fruits and highest quality botanicals from around the world—in locations such as France, Spain, Thailand, and Sri Lanka—all carefully selected by GREY GOOSE Cellar Master François Thibault. These fruits are picked at the peak of their ripeness and blended with the cold distilled botanicals and GREY GOOSE Vodka. Each batch is created using the same soft winter wheat from Picardie and water from a dedicated well in Gensac-La-Pallue that gives GREY GOOSE its signature smooth taste.

    “GREY GOOSE Essences has been a labour of love for both myself and the brand,” said Thibault. “The freshest ingredients were meticulously searched for and a unique distillation process is used for each fruit and each botanical to ensure we captured the purest flavour in every bottle. We’re so excited to bring this new drink to market and all three Essences flavours reveal the most perfect expression of the ingredients they contain.

    Essences will be available from April with a RRP of £39 for a 700ml bottle. The full range can be purchased nation-wide at Waitrose, Tesco, Majestic Wine, Costco and other leading retailers this Spring along with select on-trade accounts.

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  • ANZ Pharma becomes Fiji Kava’s distributor in New Zealand

    ANZ Pharma becomes Fiji Kava’s distributor in New Zealand

    Fiji Kava (FIJ) has appointed healthcare wholesale company ANZ Pharma as its exclusive distributor in New Zealand.

    As part of the agreement, ANZ Pharma will launch the Fiji Kava range of capsules and drinking kava in the New Zealand market.

    The products will be stocked through retail channels such as supermarkets, tourism retail outlooks and petrol, route and convenience stops.

    The contract includes a sales performance requirement of $1.1 which, if met, could extend the deal by another three years.

    “Alongside the Australian market, the New Zealand market has seen a big increase in demand for kava products over the last year,” Fiji Kava CEO Anthony Noble said.

    “The team has worked hard to find the right partner, and working with a strong company like ANZ Pharma, who have a stable of national and multinational clients including Bondi Sands, Herbs of Gold, Unilever, Red Bull and Reckitt, gives us great confidence to re-enter this important market.”

    ANZ Pharma Director Nitin Patel said the partnership was in alignment with the company’s long-term strategic goal of bringing high-quality products at great value to New Zealand consumers.

  • Coopers to sell craft beers across India

    Coopers to sell craft beers across India

    Coopers craft beers are available across India after the Australian brewery secured a new distributor. This follows an introduction by Austrade to VBev, one of India’s largest importers and distributors of wine, spirits and beer.

    ‘Coopers is the only Australian craft beer in the Indian market,’ says John Southwell, Trade and Investment Commissioner, Austrade India. ‘VBev’s nationwide network means Coopers’ craft beers will become more widely available to Indian consumers.

    ‘There are not many imported craft beers as many international beer brands have set up their own breweries in India. We expect Coopers beers to do well in India, especially in states with less tax on beer.’

    Founded in 1862, Coopers Brewery is the largest Australian-owned brewery. It makes ales, stouts and lagers and has been brewing its signature Pale Ale for 6 generations. Coopers uses only natural ingredients including malt, hops, sugar, water and a special yeast strain that’s over 90 years old.

    Beer accounts for a third of the Indian alcoholic beverages market, in volume terms. Euromonitor projects the total volume of beer will increase at a 6% CAGR to reach 2.9 billion litres in 2025.

    India is home to around 440 million millennials. This demographic is driving an increase in craft beer sales as they seek fresh flavours including from India’s growing list of microbreweries, particularly in urban areas. This has contributed to continued growth of India’s craft beer industry.

    Health-conscious consumers are also switching from strong beer to lighter brews, and craft beer with different flavours, including customised and tropical flavours, including peach, strawberry, apple, lime and pineapple.

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  • Fonterra reports strong sales, eyes higher earnings

    Fonterra reports strong sales, eyes higher earnings

    The company attributed its strong earnings growth to the performance of its protein portfolio, particularly in medical nutrition. It has forecast farmgate milk price of between $8.50 to $9.50 per kg of milk solids, with a midpoint of $9.

    Mike Hurrell, Fonterra CEO, said it was a positive start for the company given the current global situation.

    “We continue to feel the impact of geopolitical and macroeconomic events, with higher costs at every point in our supply chain,” he said. “It’s a similar story behind the farm gate with our farmer shareholders managing significantly higher input costs.”

    Hurrell explained that milk supply from key exporting regions – Europe, Australia, and the US – has been down over the past year and production in New Zealand is down 2.9 per cent against the same point of last season.

    In China, market volatility has prompted a “softening of demand” for whole milk powder.

    “We’ve seen increased participation from other regions, which has partially offset the drop in demand from Greater China,” he added. “While it’s still early in the financial year, we are happy with our sales contract rate.”

    Hurrell said the ingredients segment of the company continues to see strong margins in its protein portfolio – particularly for casein and caseinate – used in medical nutrition. Underlying earnings were up 94 per cent to $368 million versus last year, while normalised profit after tax rose 84 per cent to $214 million.

    “The sustained strong margins in our protein portfolio give us the confidence to upgrade our earnings guidance, although the wider range reflects the volatility in the market, which we expect to continue in the short to medium term.

    “If these conditions continue for extended periods, it could have an additional positive impact on forecast earnings.”

    The dairy cooperative’s performance in the food service channel was said to have improved versus the same period last year. Still, the high milk costs continue to put significant pressure on margins in both consumer and food service channels.

    Hurrel said the company had made progress on shipping the additional inventory at the end of the company’s fiscal year, and the stock has returned to normal levels.

    “There’s no doubt we’re in a period of increased global uncertainty. Inflationary pressures are being felt both on-farm and across our business, but looking further out, the fundamentals for dairy remain positive,” he concluded.

  • Kono NZ Announces Closure Of Annies

    Kono NZ Announces Closure Of Annies

    Food and beverage business Kono NZ, an associated business of Wakatū Incorporation, has today announced it will be closing its Blenheim-based business Annies at the end of February 2023.

    Kono NZ Chief Operating Officer Andy Wotton said the closure of Annies, a well-loved local brand, was a difficult decision for the Board to take, but was part of a wider strategic reset to return to Kono NZ’s core purpose – operating sustainable, high-performing businesses that generate a strong financial return to owners.

    He said Annies hadn’t met performance requirements over a number of years, and wasn’t sustainable long term.

    “Kono NZ purchased Annies in 2014 after it had gone into voluntary receivership. Despite our very best efforts to rebuild the business over the last seven or eight years, Annies has, with the exception of a couple of outlier results, operated at a loss. As a business we need to be able to adapt and, though hard, the decision to close Annies is right, rather than continuing to operate unsustainably into the future.”

    Annies employs 39 people within the Marlborough region. Mr Wotton said Kono NZ hoped to offer staff redeployment options within the Kono business as an alternative to redundancy and was actively exploring opportunities.

    “Manaakitanga is central to how we operate and this process will be managed as carefully and thoughtfully as possible. We will work closely with our affected people over the coming weeks to explore every opportunity available.”

    Annies last day of production is expected to be 24 February 2023, with its lease ending at the end of April 2023. It is expected that normal business operations will continue until then and all open sales orders will be fulfilled.

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  • Fonterra reports strong sales, eyes higher earnings

    Fonterra reports strong sales, eyes higher earnings

    Fonterra’s first-quarter profit jumped 84% as it benefits from strong margins in its protein and cheese products.

    The country’s largest dairy processor said normalized after-tax profit increased to $214 million in the three months to October 31, from $116m last year. Sales rose 32% to $5.79 billion.

    Under chief executive Miles Hurrell’s leadership, Fonterra has been selling overseas assets, pulling the co-operative’s focus back to New Zealand where he is looking to eke out more value from the milk produced by its 9,000 farmer shareholders.

    Hurrell said Fonterra was making good progress, and the long-term outlook for dairy remained strong. Fonterra raised its forecast for full-year earnings to 50-70 cents per share from 45-60cps.

    “It’s a very strong upgrade to guidance,” said Jeremy Sullivan, an investment adviser at Hamilton Hindin Greene. “They’re making progress, and it’s flowing through into a very strong operational performance for the first quarter.”

    In the latest quarter, Fonterra’s ingredients business benefited from favorable margins in its protein portfolio, particularly for casein and caseinate products used in medical nutrition, and whey protein concentrate used in products such as high-protein beverages.

    “The sustained strong margins in our protein portfolio give us the confidence to upgrade our earnings guidance, although the wider range reflects the volatility in the market, which we expect to continue in short to medium term,” Hurrell said.

    “If these conditions continue for extended periods, it could have an additional positive impact on forecast earnings.”

    Units in the Fonterra Shareholders’ Fund, which gives investors outside the co-operative access to its dividends, jumped 4.3% to $3.13 in midday trading on the NZX on Thursday.

    The co-operative’s food service business improved relative to the same period last year, but the high milk price put significant pressure on margins in both its food service and consumer divisions, Hurrell said.

    While higher milk prices benefit farmers, they can squeeze profit margins for milk processors like Fonterra unless they can also sell their products at higher prices.

    The group’s profit margin lifted to 16.3% from 15.1% due to strong product prices, partially offset by higher milk prices to farmers.

    The co-operative lowered and narrowed its farmgate milk price forecast for the 2022/23 season to $8.50 to $9.50 per kilogram of milk solids, from its previous forecast of $8.50 to $10 per kgMS. That suggests a payment of $9 per kgMS for the season, down from last season’s record $9.30 per kgMS payment.

    “Global market volatility has prompted some softening of demand for whole milk powder, particularly in Greater China and this is reflected in our forecast farmgate milk price range,” Hurrell said.

    “We continue to feel the impact of geopolitical and macroeconomic events, with higher costs at every point in our supply chain,” he said. “It’s a similar story behind the farm gate with our farmer shareholders managing significantly higher input costs.”

    In the first quarter, Fonterra’s operating expenses increased 13% to $581m.

    Hurrell noted global milk supply from key exporting regions had fallen over the past year, to 268 billion litres in the year to September, from 271 billion litres the previous year.

    In New Zealand, milk supply so far this season was down 2.9% compared with the same point last season.

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  • Capi expands sparkling water range with 7-Eleven exclusive

    Capi expands sparkling water range with 7-Eleven exclusive

    Australian-owned premium water and mixer brand CAPI is rolling out through 7-Eleven stores nationwide with its 500ml still and sparkling waters.

    To support the launch, CAPI has partnered with media agency Hatched and designer Thomas Williams to create an outdoor and digital advertising campaign that champions its Australian roots.

    The campaign brings CAPI’s heritage to the fore of being wholly Australian owned and locally produced.

    CAPI CEO Emma Evans says the brand is excited to be launching through 7-Eleven as it will enable them to bring their locally produced premium water brand to more Australians.

    “We are beyond thrilled about our roll out with 7-Eleven Australia and grateful for the 7-Eleven team’s support with CAPI.

    “With increased visibility of the brand in fridges across Australia we are excited about increasing awareness of supporting local beverage brands and driving further innovation.”

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  • Australia’s The Coffee Club to make India debut in 2023

    Australia’s The Coffee Club to make India debut in 2023

    Australian coffee chain The Coffee Club will debut in India next year with new franchise partner CK Israni Group.

    New Delhi-based conglomerate CK Israni said it will start opening stores next year and is targeting 100 The Coffee Club outlets in India by 2028.

    “We are still figuring out whether it is going to start from Delhi or Mumbai. The Coffee Club is a mass market brand, and we will start rolling out stores from next year,” said Chandni Nath Israni, Co-Founder, CK Israni.

    India has become a key growth market for many international coffee chains seeking to capture a share of increasing consumer demand for premium coffee and café experiences.

    Starbucks and Costa Coffee have both achieved further outlet growth in India this year while Dunkin’ has commenced revamping its coffee menu and store design to attract younger consumers.

    Additionally, Canadian coffee chain Tim Hortons will invest $37m to open 120 stores in the next three years with Indian licensee AG Café.

    The Coffee Club opened its first store in Brisbane in 1989 and now operates over 400 stores across nine markets, including New Zealand, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

    The Coffee Club is owned by Australian retail food brand franchisor Minor DKL Food Group, which also operates the Australian roaster and café brand Coffee Hit and specialty coffee roaster Veneziano.

    CK Israni Group has predominantly operated in the real estate and infrastructure industries. However, the company also signed a franchise agreement with French bakery and confectionery brand Laduree in November 2020. It currently operates two Laduree outlets, with plans to reach 20 by 2025.

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  • Philippines’ Jollibee in talks to sell a stake in Vietnam’s Highlands Coffee

    Philippines’ Jollibee in talks to sell a stake in Vietnam’s Highlands Coffee

    Jollibee Foods Corp, the biggest fast-food operator in the Philippines, is in advanced discussions to sell a minority stake in its Vietnamese coffee chain Highlands Coffee, two sources with knowledge of the matter told Reuters.

    Jollibee, controlled by Philippine billionaire Tony Tan Caktiong, is considering a sale that could value the fast growing coffee chain at roughly $800 million, one of the sources said, declining to be named as the information is confidential.

    The group is looking to sell 10% to 15% of its stake in Highlands Coffee to an investor, the source added, declining to name the party.

    Jollibee declined to comment. Highlands Coffee did not respond to requests seeking comment on Tuesday.

    Jollibee initially bought a small stake in Highlands Coffee a decade ago and then took a controlling interest. Highlands Coffee, which was established in 1999, began as a coffee products packager in Hanoi and has since grown to become a chain with more than 500 stores in Vietnam and the Philippines.

    The sources said the stake sale, if successful, could eventually pave the way for an IPO of Highlands Coffee, a move that Jollibee has been considering since many years.

    Vietnam, with a population of 99 million, is Asia’s fastest growing economy with gross domestic product seen expanding 8% this year and 6.5% next year, the government said last month.

    A boom in coffee drinking has spawned big domestic brands in Southeast Asia. Last year, Indonesian coffee chain Kopi Kenangan was valued at more than $1 billion in a funding exercise.

    Jollibee has been rapidly expanding overseas and especially across Southeast Asia, aiming to capture growing consumer spending in the region of some 680 million people.

    Jollibee operates the largest food service network in the Philippines with more than 1,500 stores in 17 countries, including U.S. brand Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf and its own fast-food chain with the ubiquitous smiling bee logo.

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  • Chinese tea chain Mixue expands into South Korea and Japan

    Chinese tea chain Mixue expands into South Korea and Japan

    Mixue, a Chinese tea-based beverages brand that is set to list on the main board of the Shenzhen Stock Exchange, has recently entered the South Korean and Japanese markets.

    In the beginning of November, an account named “MIXUE.Japa” became active on Xiaohongshu, a lifestyle-sharing Chinese social media platform, where it released a brief opening notice and site selection of its first store in Japan. The location is Omotesandō, Tokyo, a business district as popular as Harajuku and Shibuya, focusing on high-end fashion and creative clothing.

    According to Chinese web users living in Omotesandō, this high-end location isn’t concentrated with Chinese people, and it seems to be inconsistent with the low-cost style of Mixue. However, MIXUE.Japan quickly said in the comment area that besides Tokyo, it will expand to Kyoto and other places in the future.

    The first store in South Korea of Mixue officially opened at the end of October. It is located near Chung-Ang University, where local students and Chinese students often gather. In the first three days of opening, attracted by free ice cream, the store was crowded with customers.

    Many Chinese students posted pictures of products from the store on social media. The types of drinks are basically the same as those in China, but the prices are slightly higher. Lemonade is around 8 yuan ($1.14), which is similar to the price of a bottle of water in Korea, and the most expensive drink costs less than 16 yuan. The store was opened by Chinese people, and most of the employees in the store are also Chinese, so ordering in Mandarin is possible.

    Another Chinese milk tea brand called Gongcha has opened over 700 stores in South Korea, with a price range between 23 yuan and 42 yuan. Other milk tea brands, such as COCO, Tiger Sugar and Guming, have also expanded their stores to South Korea, and their product prices are much higher than those in China.

    Entering the Japanese and South Korean markets for the first time, Mixue has experienced imperfections in its operations. Due to the long journey to purchase raw materials from China and inconvenient logistics, Mixue was often out of stock after opening, and a large number of packages in the stores are still in Chinese. MIXUE.Japan’s short promotional video was also criticized by social media users because the translation was not in place.

    Established in 1997, Mixue opened its first overseas store in Hanoi, Vietnam in 2018. By the end of March, 2022, Mixue had opened 249 stores in the country, with a total revenue of 9,290,400 yuan and a net profit of -322,000 yuan. The brand runs 317 stores in Indonesia, with an operating income of 25.4108 million yuan and a net profit of 2,235,500 yuan.

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  • Starbucks introduces first signing store in Indonesia

    Starbucks introduces first signing store in Indonesia

    Tomorrow, Starbucks Indonesia will open its first Signing Store dedicated to the Deaf, hard of hearing, and sign language communities in Jakarta, Indonesia. Designed with inclusivity and accessibility at its core, customers at the Starbucks Tata Puri Community Store will be served by Deaf and hard-of-hearing baristas who proudly wear the green apron. The store is located on Jl. Tanjung Karang No.3 Kebon Melati in Central Jakarta.

    The Starbucks Tata Puri Community Store provides a third place where all customers, including the Deaf and hard-of-hearing community can gather, socialize, and nurture human connections. Deaf baristas will wear green aprons embroidered in sign language with the company’s name, Starbucks. Partners (employees) who can use Bisindo sign language will wear an “I Sign” pin. Customers also will be able to order beverages and food using a writing tablet.

    The store also offers a community area for members of the Deaf community to support and conduct programs from Gerkatin (Gerakan untuk Kesejahteraan Tunarungu Indonesia) and Pusbisindo (Pusat Bahasa Isyarat Indonesia) – two organizations Starbucks has partnered with in Indonesia to support sign language education for the broader community. To encourage a culture of human connections through the celebration of Deaf culture and sign language, the store will also host sign language lessons and coffee workshops in sign language.

    “The inauguration of the Signing Store is a major achievement for Starbucks Indonesia as it celebrates its 20th anniversary in the market,” said Anthony McEvoy, leader of PT Sari Coffee Indonesia, Starbucks licensee partner in Indonesia. “The Signing Store demonstrates our commitment to creating a more inclusive and diverse work environment and to widening access to all communities.”

    “We were delighted to see the enthusiasm from the Deaf and hard-of-hearing community when we opened applications. More than 150 people applied from across the country. The baristas selected are a diverse group, including a former swimming para-athlete and fashion models,” said Anastasia Dwiyani, senior general manager of Human Capital at PT Sari Coffee Indonesia. “As with all our partners, we are excited to help nurture their talent and advance career opportunities.”

    United by the culture of sign language, this store is filled with design elements that bring communities together. The signature siren logo with Bisindo is immediately visible as customers pass the busy main road, Sudirman Street. With the Starbucks® logo with Bisindo above the main door, customers are greeted by a mural wall as soon as they enter the store and a collection of exclusive merchandise – clear cup tumblers, stainless-steel tumblers and mugs. The elongated oval shape community table, and circle details on the floor, also symbolize the store that unites the community. The most notable feature is a 4m high mural painting by Deaf artist, Indira Natalia, which extends more than 11m outside the store, depicting the warm and welcoming Starbucks experience. The signature artwork can be seen by passersby in the street.

    “As a Deaf artist, I am so proud to share my art with customers and partners at Indonesia’s first Signing Store. While brainstorming, I realized that Starbucks has always strived to create an environment where everyone feels welcome and belongs – and the inspiration for my work came from that, by presenting many different figures (communities) united by sign language and Starbucks,” says Indira. “Art can break boundaries and unite people, just like the connection people share when they drink coffee. There are many ways to communicate and connect people from diverse backgrounds, and at Starbucks, coffee makes this happen.”

    Since opening its first store in Plaza Indonesia 20 years ago, Starbucks has expanded to 44 cities in Indonesia, with more than 4,300 partners now proudly wearing the green apron. In its mission to make a difference in the lives of those connected with Starbucks, the company strives to create a positive impact in the communities it serves. In 2020, Starbucks opened the first Community Store in the Tanah Abang neighborhood.

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