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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.

  • Fore to ramps up network in Indonesia

    Fore to ramps up network in Indonesia

    Indonesian coffee chain Fore Coffee is plotting an aggressive expansion plan that will make it the largest coffee operator in the country.

    Fore Coffee says it has partnered with hotel operator Airy to open 1000 new locations at the latter’s hotels across Indonesia.

    The new outlets will add to its current network of more than 100, making it the largest player in Indonesia’s coffee chain market, currently dominated by Starbucks, which has around 450 outlets.

    The expansion comes after Fore Coffee secured fresh funding from venture capital firm East Ventures earlier this year.

    Launched in August 2018, Fore Coffee offers a seamless customer experience with its mobile app allowing customers to order coffee via the app and have it delivered to them or pick it up in-store. It says it is inspired by Chinese coffee chain Luckin, which embraced digital commerce by offering in-app purchases.

    Indonesian coffee chain Fore’s app has added 70,000 registered users since its launch in December last year. It has collaborated with digital wallet companies Ovo and Go-Pay, and plans to team up with many more to expand its mobile payment options.

    Fore is not the only coffee chain vying for the biggest slice of Indonesia ́s coffee chain market. Rival Kopi Kenangan plans to grow its network from around 80 outlets currently to 1000 by 2021, having raised US$20 million from Sequoia India.

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  • Nam Dae Mun to open its first global flagship store in Singapore

    Nam Dae Mun to open its first global flagship store in Singapore

    The world’s first Nam Dae Mun flagship store will open in Singapore on Saturday, November 30 at 313@Somerset.

    The Shanghai-born brand now has more than 300 stores across China, and is famous for the hour-long queues it attracted when it was first launched in 2016. Consumers still queue for its traditional glutinous and osmanthus rice cakes.

    Named after one of the Eight Gates in the fortress wall of Seoul in South Korea, the Korean-style rice cakes are chopped into small pieces after the dough is rolled out. The local flagship store also offers Maoshan durian glutinous mochi.

    “We are honored and excited to open the first Nam Dae Mun global flagship store in Singapore,” said Herme executive director Freya Wang, which has brought the brand to the Lion City “Besides the popular varied selection of Korean-style rice cakes, consumers here will also be able to get their first taste of Herme’s signature drinks and desserts.”

  • Pork price hikes drive up related food costs

    Pork price hikes drive up related food costs

    Pork prices have surged following the African swine flu outbreak in Vietnam, driving up prices of related food in supermarkets and restaurants.

    Over the last two months, the prices of pork products at many supermarkets and food stores in Ho Chi Minh City rose 5-25 percent.

    For instance, the price of pork sausages has risen from around VND120,000 ($5.2) to VND150,000 ($6.5) per kilogram, and that of higher-end sausages from VND150,000 ($6.5) to VND210,000 ($9.1).

    Hoa, the owner of a food store in HCMC, said that over the past week, all suppliers have announced price increases of VND3,000-20,000 (13-86 cents) on each kilogram of pork, forcing her to adjust prices accordingly.

    “Many merchants have advised me to buy in bulk now and store the pork because prices will rise even further as demand rises and supply dries up,” Hoa said.

    Similarly, restaurant owners in HCMC have raised the prices of rice and noodles dishes with pork as an ingredient, which on average cost around VND30,000 ($1.3), by VND2,000-5,000 (9-22 cents) each.

    “I can’t raise prices too much or it will shock my guests, so I have to do a balancing act of cutting smaller portions of pork, finding cheaper suppliers,” said Hue, a restaurant owner in Go Vap District, HCMC.

    Vietnam has had to cull 5.9 million pigs infected with African swine fever since the beginning of the year, equivalent to 337,000 tons of pork, according to Phung Duc Tien, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development.

    This has resulted in pork prices rising by 19 percent since last November, and could rise by a further 10-15 percent by the end of this year with an expected shortage of 200,000 tons, according to the General Statistics Office (GSO).

    While the consumer price index in November is forecast to reach 0.8-1 percent, pork alone is expected to contribute 0.75 percentage points to this increase, GSO officials said at a government meeting urgently called Monday to find ways to limit the surge in pork prices.

    At the meeting, the government assigned the Ministry of Industry and Trade to monitor and forecast upcoming pork shortages every month, so that the government could import enough quantities to ensure balance in demand and supply and control prices.

  • KFC expands delivery offer with Menulog

    KFC expands delivery offer with Menulog

    QSR chain KFC has extended its partnership with Menulog for three more years after seeing a strong response to its offer on the food delivery platform over the past 12 months.

    The agreement will see the chicken chain offering delivery in more suburban and regional areas as it brings more restaurants onto the platform. More than 360 KFC restaurants currently offer delivery through Menulog, and that figure is set to rise by almost 10 per cent by the end of this year. KFC also offers delivery through rival platform Deliveroo.

    Competition in Australia’s food delivery space is intense, and the key players – Menulog, Deliveroo and Uber Eats, the market leader – all see restaurant chains with national footprints and sizeable marketing budgets, such as KFC, McDonald’s and Hungry Jack’s, as an important path to expansion.

    Since US delivery giant DoorDash entered the local market in September, the race to strike deals with QSR brands has only heated up. DoorDash recently offered free Oporto burgers as part of a promotion to mark its launch into Sydney. And Menulog’s managing director Ben Carter said the platform will continue to take advantage of co-marketing opportunities with KFC.

    “Kentucky Fried Chicken is a favourite with our customers and so there is a very compelling co-marketing opportunity that we will continue to take advantage of over the next three years,” Carter said in a statement.

    “Customers can expect to see some very exciting, creative and truly integrated work that will add value and enjoyment to the KFC and Menulog delivery experience.”

    Menulog recently announced it had signed its 16,000th restaurant in Australia. The platform is owned by UK-based company Just Eat, which is in the middle of a merger with the Dutch Takeaway.com.

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  • Malaysian KFC, Pizza Hut operator QSR Brands revives IPO plan

    Malaysian KFC, Pizza Hut operator QSR Brands revives IPO plan

    Southeast Asian KFC and Pizza Hut operator QSR Brands is seeking to reboot its IPO in the fourth financial quarter this year.

    The firm was previously in talks to sell its Malaysia shares, but has since backtracked on the plan and returned to its initial IPO agenda, with its financial performance over the next two quarters crucial to the timing. The firm potentially stands to raise US$600 million in listing.

    QSR Brand’s MD Mohamed Azahari Kamil told Bloomberg the firm will make the necessary announcement at the appropriate time without further comment.

    The company has been assessing investor demand since March.

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  • Starbucks store opening in Penang

    Starbucks store opening in Penang

    A second Starbucks signing store has opened in Malaysia, this one in the heart of Penang’s historical deaf community.

    The world’s fourth Starbucks signing store it is part of the company’s ongoing commitment to inclusion, accessibility and diversity. It employs six deaf and seven hearing employees fluent in Malaysian Sign Language, expanding career advancement opportunities for the deaf and hard-of-hearing community in Malaysia.

    Starbucks’ first signing store globally opened in 2016 in Kuala Lumpur. The outlet’s success has inspired Starbucks to open signing stores in Washington DC in the US and in Guangzhou, China.

    In partnership with the Penang Deaf Association, Starbucks will support the professional training and development of the store’s employees, including internship opportunities and sign language classes.

    The three-story, 4600sqft store showcases how digital innovation enhances inclusive design. The store has been designed specifically to meet the needs of the deaf and hard of hearing employees and customers, including visual alarms, digital trays, and point-of-sale systems with an attached customer display.

    The Starbucks signing store also features a unique wall mural created by local deaf artist Lim Anuar, along with unique merchandise featuring sign language to raise awareness of the deaf community.

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  • One percent Vinamilk stake out of reach for Singaporean investors

    One percent Vinamilk stake out of reach for Singaporean investors

    Two Singaporean investors in Vinamilk have failed repeatedly to increase their stake in the dairy giant by one percent.

    In the latest instance, investment firm Platinum Victory has once again failed to increase its stake, Vinamilk said Monday.

    The Singapore-based company has been unable to increase its stake from 10.62 percent to 11.62 percent as of November 15 “due to unfavorable market conditions,” the Vinamilk statement said.

    Platinum Victory, a unit of Singapore’s leading diversified conglomerate Jardine Cycle & Carriage, has immediately registered again to buy the 1 percent stake between November 21 and December 20, Vinamilk added.

    Since early last year, another Singapore-based company, F&N Dairy Investments, which is the largest foreign investor in Vinamilk at 17.31 percent, has also been unsuccessful in repeated attempts to raise its stake by one percent.

    Vinamilk is among the largest listed companies in the country with a market cap of VND208.96 trillion ($9 billion). From January to September, the company’s after-tax profit rose 5.8 percent year-on-year to VND7.92 trillion ($341.5 million). The state is its largest stakeholder at 36 percent.

    Platinum Victory had last month proposed to spend $60 million on increasing its stake in Vietnam’s industrial appliance maker REE from 24.9 percent to 35.01 percent.

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  • Heineken no longer a major shareholder of Sabeco

    Heineken no longer a major shareholder of Sabeco

    Dutch brewer Heineken sold over 5 million Sabeco shares Friday, bringing its stake in Vietnam’s biggest brewer Sabeco down to 4.32 percent.

    The shares, equivalent to an approximate 0.81 percent stake, were sold to buyers whose identities have not been disclosed via an agreement, the Ho Chi Minh Stock Exchange (HoSE) reported.

    The sale was worth over VND1.2 trillion ($51.79 million), at VND234,000 ($10.1) per share (ticker: SAB), VND18,000 ($0.78) lower than its stock opening price Friday, according to HoSE.

    On the stock market, the Saigon Beer Alcohol Beverage Corporation’s SAB shares have been falling or stalling for the last 12 consecutive sessions.

    The remaining 4.32 percent stake in the Vietnamese brewer is held by Heineken, its regional subsidiary Heineken Asia Pacific, and related companies.

    Sabeco is owned 53.59 percent by Vietnam Beverage, a subsidiary of Thai beverage company ThaiBev. The Vietnamese government, represented by the Ministry of Industry and Trade, owns a 36 percent stake in the company.

    Thaibev had bought its stake in Sabeco when the government publicly auctioned them in December 2017. At the time, Heineken, who had held shares in Sabeco since 2008, also submitted a bid but lost to Thaibev.

    According to a report by securities firm FPTS Securities, Heineken’s share of the Vietnam beer market at the end of 2018 was 23 percent, second to Sabeco at 40.9 percent.

    In its latest financial report, Sabeco reported revenues of over VND28.3 trillion ($1.22 billion) in nine months, up 10 percent year-on-year. Revenue from beer in the period accounted for 86 percent of total, or VND24.3 trillion ($1.05 billion).

    In the third quarter alone, post-tax profit was highest among all brewers in Vietnam at almost VND1.46 trillion ($63 million), up over 40 percent year-on-year.

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  • Pizza Express faces tough debt decision

    Pizza Express faces tough debt decision

    Global Italian restaurant chain Pizza Express may be broken up as its Chinese parent Hony Capital resists attempts to negotiate the restructuring of more than £1.1 billion debt.

    According to Bloomberg, citing sources who asked not to be identified, investors who own 70 percent of the most senior-ranked bonds in Pizza Express have pledged to provide new funds to prop up the troubled chain. However, Hony, which paid £900 million for the company five years ago has yet to respond.

    Saro Bos, an analyst at Imperial Capital, described Pizza Express’ capital structure as “unsustainable” in a research note to clients. “We expect the company will eventually have to restructure.”

    Independent analyst Everest Research, has suggested a “sensible way” to restructure Pizza Express would be for the secured bondholders to take over the UK operations with Hony taking over the Chinese business – essentially a split in the operations.

    According to Bloomberg, the bondholders see value in the business, particularly in the UK, where it started, which is achieving 18 percent more sales per store than those elsewhere in the world. Hony bought the business with a vision to expand into Greater China, but this has reportedly failed to deliver the level of returns expected.

    The company recently closed its high-profile Hong Kong International Airport store but opened another in the Jewel Changi development in Singapore.

    “Creditors are concerned that the expansion is draining cash from the business,” reported Bloomberg, citing a report by Imperial Capital.

    Pizza Express’ debt begins to fall due in August next year.

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  • Starbucks Chicago opens today

    Starbucks Chicago opens today

    Global coffee chain Starbucks today unveils a giant 35,000sqft Reserve Roastery outlet in Chicago, its largest store in the world to date.

    The five-story Starbucks Chicago store features a unique menu of Starbucks Reserve specialty coffee, boutique Milanese Princi bakery items, and an Arriviamo Bar featuring coffee cocktails Tributes to Chicago abound, including locally inspired craft cocktails, barrel aged coffee and collaborations with local artists and vendors.

    The Starbucks Chicago Reserve Roastery marks the brand’s sixth global Roastery and third in the US. Visitors will be able to see, hear and learn about the journey of coffee through intentional design, while enjoying a menu featuring unique beverages exclusive to this location. The Chicago Roastery joins locations in Seattle, Shanghai, Milan, New York and Tokyo.

    “Over the past five years, we have created the ultimate immersive experience around all-things-coffee in spectacular Starbucks Reserve Roasteries in flagship cities around the world,” said Starbucks CEO Kevin Johnson. “This week we are delighted to open our doors on the sixth global Roastery in an iconic building located on Chicago’s renowned Magnificent Mile.

    “These Roasteries amplify the Starbucks brand, serve as innovation hubs, and create experiences for millions of customers around the world.”

    “The design of the Chicago Roastery was inspired by the iconic Chicago landmark, and the city itself,” said Roastery design & concept for Starbucks VP Jill Enomoto. “We embraced the building’s natural light, married it with shades of classic Starbucks greens and intentionally wove in design features to encourage customer exploration and highlight the love and respect we have for coffee.”

    The Starbucks Chicago Reserve Roastery is a working coffee roastery where Starbucks roasters will be small-batch roasting Starbucks’ rarest single-origin coffees and blends called Starbucks Reserve. The coffee roasted in Chicago will be served exclusively to visitors of the location, available in handcrafted beverages as well as freshly scooped whole bean coffee.

    In a nod to the city’s vibrant history, artwork from local Chicago artists that tell stories and encourage customers to explore can be found throughout the building’s five floors. Customers can also purchase limited-edition merchandise from Chicago-based visual artist Mac Blackout to take home with them.

    There are three coffee bars at the Roastery, which in total offer seven brewing methods, including espresso, pour over, coffee press, siphon, Chemex, Clover and cold brewing:

    Starbucks Reserve Coffee Bar: Upon entering the Roastery, visitors can visit the Reserve coffee bar on the main level, where baristas are crafting classic espresso beverages such as cappuccino, latte and cortado.

    Experiential Coffee Bar: The third floor is home to the Experiential coffee bar which provides customers the opportunity to immerse in the art, science, and theatre of coffee.  It features elevated brew methods and pairings, as well as specialty Roastery creations and brew comparison flights.

    Barrel-Aged Coffee Bar: The barrel-aged coffee bar is found on the fourth floor and showcases a variety of spirit-free coffee beverages whose beans aged in barrels. Here, visitors can explore a menu of cocktail-inspired coffee creations exclusive to the Chicago Roastery, including the Smoked Cold Fashioned (a lightly sweetened whiskey barrel-aged cold brew with aromatic bitters, smoked tableside), Minted Cold Brew (whiskey barrel-aged cold brew, shaken with mint syrup and served over pebble ice) and more.

    On-demand nitrogen gelato

    The Starbucks Chicago Reserve Roastery is the only Starbucks location in the US to offer on-demand liquid nitrogen gelato. Designed to pair with Starbucks Reserve coffee, nitrogen gelato is mixed by hand, with every scoop made on the spot. Nitrogen gelato previously debuted at the Milan Roastery when it opened in September last year.

    Arriviamo cocktail bar

    The Chicago Roastery will feature a dedicated Arriviamo Bar, like the Starbucks Reserve Roastery locations in New York and Milan. Located on the fourth floor, the Arriviamo bar features traditional and unique cocktails, all designed by local mixologists Julia Momose, Annie Beebe-Tron and Rachel Miller. Some of the cocktails feature coffee and tea.

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  • Jollibee Opening Tim Ho Wan restaurants in China

    Jollibee Opening Tim Ho Wan restaurants in China

    Filipino restaurant operator Jollibee Foods Corporation (JFC) has signed a joint venture agreement with Dim Sum to operate Tim Ho Wan restaurants in China.

    JFC’s wholly-owned subsidiary Golden Plate will own 60 percent of the joint venture and Dim Sun will own the remaining 40 percent. The two companies have committed to invest US$13 million in the venture, of which up to US$7.8 million will be contributed by GPPL.

    Tim Ho Wan is a dim sum restaurant chain that originated in Hong Kong in 2009 where its Sham Shui Po outlet at 9 Fuk Wing Street has been awarded one Michelin star since 2010.

    A wholly-owned subsidiary of Titan Dining Holdings, Dim Sun already owns and operates Tim Ho Wan restaurants in Singapore.

    Currently, JFC operates three Chinese restaurant brands including Chowking, Yonghe King and Hong Zhuang Yuan. The company said that the three brands combined account for close to 20 percent of its systemwide sales.

    JFC operates 3238 restaurants across the Philippines, making it the largest restaurant operator in the country. Its brands include Jollibee, Chowking, Greenwich, Red Ribbon, Mang Inasal, Burger King and Pho24

    Overseas, JFC has 1451 restaurants across its brands Yonghe King, Hong Zhuang Yuan, Dunkin’ Donuts, Jollibee, Red Ribbon, Chowking, Highlands Coffee, Pho24, Hard Rock and Smashburger.

    Earlier this year, it has acquired Los Angeles-based The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf.

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  • % Arabica to open four stores in Indonesia

    % Arabica to open four stores in Indonesia

    Bali, a beloved destination for tourists and popular amongst Australians has been setting up the coffee scene with Starbucks opening its largest Southeast Asian location at 20,000 sq ft earlier this year.

    Now, Kyoto-based coffee chain % Arabica has announced plans to enter the Indonesian market with four new store locations by the end of next year. Announced on the company’s Instagram feed, the new franchises will be located in Jakarta and Bali, with two of the Jakarta stores opening at District 8 and Central Park Mall.

    The first Bali store is planned for Ubud during the first quarter of next year, and will be designed by Ubud-based German designer Alexis Dornier, who previously created other % Arabica stores.

    Meanwhile, the independent coffee chain has opened its 44th global store in Hong Kong at K11 Musea designed by Pritzker Prizer winner Rem Koolhaas and David Gianotten in the shape of a golden cube kiosk.

  • McDonald’s Singapore launches limited-edition Hello Kitty carrier

    McDonald’s Singapore launches limited-edition Hello Kitty carrier

    McDonald’s has chosen Singapore as the first country in the world to launch its Hello Kitty carrier.

    The limited-edition Hello Kitty carrier is designed for drinks and fries. An adjustable strap allows carrying by hand or hanging from a car headrest.

    With the purchase of any Extra Value Meal and Doubles Feast, customers can buy up to two Hello Kitty items at SG$7.90 each (US$5.79).

    The limited-edition Hello Kitty carrier is available at McDonald’s Singapore outlets, except Tampines Shell, Hougang Shell and Tampines Kiosk.

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  • Hennessy unveils X.O pop-up at Changi Airport

    Hennessy unveils X.O pop-up at Changi Airport

    Luxury cognac brand Hennessy has partnered with Changi Airport and travel retailer DFS Group to launch an X.O pop-up store at Changi Airport.

    Located in Terminal 1’s departure transit hall, the pop up the airport’s biggest yet, spread across 150sqm.

    Hennessy says the pop-up is aimed at continuing the momentum from the latest X.O campaign launch and delivering a “multisensorial, interactive and immersive experience”.

    It offers a space to explore the ‘Seven Worlds’ of Hennessy X.O including the Sweet Notes, Rising Heat, Spicy Edge, Flowing Flame, Chocolate Lull, Wood Crunches and Infinite Echo, which are brought to life in a short film directed by Ridley Scott.

    Interactive installations such as digital kiosks with motion-sensing activity, give visitors an opportunity to create content such as becoming the character of the Wood Crunches. Visitors can also enjoy a sip of Hennessy X.O at the custom-built tasting bar, as well as experience food pairings in the form of spiced marshmallows dipped in dark chocolate and honey cinnamon lollipops.

    “At Hennessy, we recognize that travel retail goes well beyond being a key commercial channel. It’s an amazing platform to build brand desirability in front of affluent and worldly consumers,” says Laurent Boidevezi, Hennessy’s global travel retail president.

    The pop-up is open daily from 7am to midnight until February and will retail Hennessy’s carafes with limited-edition sleeves. The packaging features the chapters for Flowing Flame, which is exclusive for Changi Airport, and Rising Heat, which is APAC exclusive for travel retail.

    Hennessy, together with luxury fashion brand Louis Vuitton, is owned by French conglomerate LVMH Group.

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  • Taco Bell launches another outlet in Auckland

    Taco Bell launches another outlet in Auckland

    The first New Zealand Taco Bell store has opened in The Brickworks at New Lynn’s LynnMall, bringing the Mexican-inspired fast-food chain to local shores.

    Launching on Tuesday, the store features a mural paying homage to west Auckland designed in collaboration with local artist Natasha Vermeulen, and design agency Stanley St.

    General manager for Taco Bell Clark Wilson said the business often defied the conventions of fast food, and was excited to bring its social-driven experience to New Zealand.

    The store also features an open kitchen allowing customers to see their food prepared, as well as offering free wifi, charging stations, kiosk ordering, and a self-serve jukebox.

    “We are delighted to finally answer the demand from our passionate fans with the opening of New Zealand’s first Taco Bell restaurant at LynnMall,” said Taco Bell managing director of Asia Pacific Ankush Tuli.

    “We are excited to launch Taco Bell here in Auckland, in partnership with Restaurant Brands Group, and look forward to expanding throughout New Zealand with the goal of delighting our fans along the way.”

    Franchise partner Restaurant Brands said it will launch up to 25 Taco Bell locations across New Zealand in the next five years, with the next restaurant to open in Q1 of next year.

    “While a priority for us has been on first launching the brand successfully in market, we can now shift our focus to the next phase,” Restaurant Brands Group chief executive Russel Creedy said.

    “At this stage, we are securing locations within the main metropolitans of Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch, with the view to expanding further afield in the coming years.

    “We are simultaneously rolling out in NSW and ACT in Australia, with a total estimated spend of $65 million across both markets over the next five years.”

    Restaurant Brands recently revealed it had grown group sales by 2.7 percent during the first half of FY20, though net profit had fallen 2 percent due to the implementation of a new accounting standard, NZ IFRS 16, which knocked profit down by $2.9 million.

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