Retail News CRM

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.

  • Vinomofo partners with US wine Startup

    Vinomofo partners with US wine Startup

    Online wine retailer Vinomofo has partnered with US wine media mogul Gary Vaynerchuk to bring the inaugural wine from his label, Empathy Wines, to its customers in Australia, New Zealand and Singapore.

    The wine, which Vinomofo is launching this month, is available exclusively for pre-order from the online retailer.

    Vinomofo co-founder and CEO Justin Dry said the partnership was fitting, since Vaynerchuk’s approach to the industry aligns perfectly with Vinomofo’s mission to offer great wine at the right price.

    “The inclusion of Empathy Wines is an exciting one for us,” Dry said in a statement.

    “It strengthens our offering as well as supporting Californian winemakers who’ve been devastated by fires recently and cements our commitment to bringing really cool wines to our wine lovers.”

    This is just the first step in a bigger effort to introduce more wine from overseas to Vinomofo’s customers in Australia, New Zealand and Singapore, Dry told. 

    “We’re currently buying for our second container – after filling the first one with Gary Vee’s Empathy Wines Rosé – so look out for some super cool wines by iconic US winemakers like André Hueston Mack hitting our shores in 2019,” he said.Adtech Ad

    But there is still no word on when Vinomofo will officially launch in the US market, which it had previously planned to do in 2018.

    “We have some very exciting things happening in the background at Vinomofo. We will share these with you as soon as we can,” Dry said.

    “In the meantime, we are super excited to be forming this partnership and can’t wait for what’s ahead.”

    Gary Vaynerchuk, also known as Gary Vee, took his parents’ liquor business in the US, Shopper’s Discount Liquors, online in 2006, and started Wine Library TV, a daily webcast covering wine.

    He later started a digital ad agency, which provided social media and strategy services to several Fortune 500 companies, including Anheuser-Busch, Mondelez and PepsiCo.

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  • RFG back to square one in asset sale process

    RFG back to square one in asset sale process

    Retail Food Group on Tuesday said sale talks with a potential buyer of its Donut King, Pizza Capers and Crust businesses have ended in disappointment, following months of negotiations.

    The deal fell through after the two parties failed to reach a formal binding agreement on terms that the board considered to be in the best interests of the company as a whole, RFG said in a statement.

    “Our Donut King and QSR brands [Pizza Capers and Crust] continue to provide solid earnings contributing to the company’s underlying profit,” Peter George, executive chairman of RFG, said.

    “The potential sale of any of these assets must be at a price not only acceptable to our board but in the best interests of our shareholders.”

    The franchisor, which operates Gloria Jean’s Coffees, Brumby’s Bakeries, Donut King, Michel’s Patisserie, Di Bella Coffee, The Coffee Guy, Café2U, Pizza Capers and Crust, had been pursuing an asset sale to help pay down its net debt of roughly $258.9 million, after restructuring costs and write-downs wiped out its declining profit in the first half of FY19.

    An RFG spokesperson said the failure to sell its Donut King and QSR brands will not impact the company’s recent agreement with NAB and Westpac to reset its financial covenants and waive a review of the business.

    The company continues to work closely with its lenders and maintains their support, the spokesperson said.

    The RFG board is investigating a range of other options to pay down its debt, including equity, other debt funding options and potential asset sales, and will update the market of any definitive option being reached.

    In response to a report that the Australian Securities and Investments Commission is “keeping an eye” on the franchisor, particularly around big announcements, the RFG board said it has not been made aware of any current investigations.

    A spokesperson for ASIC told that “ASIC supervises the market, so we monitor all share trading”.

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  • AlipayHK Collaborates with McDonald’s Hong Kong to Steer Digital Transformation

    AlipayHK Collaborates with McDonald’s Hong Kong to Steer Digital Transformation

    With ubiquitous popularity on cashless payment services, AlipayHK has partnered with a plethora of merchants to engage users to harness the convenience of mobile payment. Today AlipayHK has collaborated with McDonald’s Hong Kong to steer profound digital transformation in catering industry – of which AlipayHK users can use the e-wallets to order gourmet food and pay in McDonald’s App on smartphones. Along with enhanced mobile ordering features in McDonald’s App, AlipayHK users can tap and swipe to enjoy “Exclusive rewards on delicacies”. Be familiar with QR code-based payment system to reap incredible rewards!

    First e-wallet integrated in McDonald’s App for mobile ordering and grab delicious deals

    With the advent of mobile payment services and big data analytics, restaurants are going full steam on digitalization craze. It is a prominent trend for the food and beverage sector to pursue digital transformation to boost operational efficiency, delivering customers seamless shopping and dining experience. Over the past year, AlipayHK has partnered with numerous merchants and restaurants to offer customers electronic coupons and stamps endlessly and to go green by using digital coupons. With McDonald’s launch of self-service ordering kiosks and mobile ordering, customers have appreciated the novelty and convenience of ordering scrumptious foods anywhere.

    It is an unrivalled convenience and unparalleled experience for AlipayHK customers to use the e-wallets integrated in McDonald’s App for placing orders.AlipayHK has strived to foster brand new consuming trend by embracing mobile wallet services – powered by futuristic technology – in Hongkongers’ daily lives. It has co-operated with McDonald’s to roll out “Exclusive rewards on delicacies” in McDoanld’s restaurants citywide, fostering mobile ordering and checkout as well as forging mobile payment as most preferred payment tool in Hong Kong.

    Ms. Jennifer Tan, Chief Executive Officer of Alipay Payment Services (HK) Limited, said, “AlipayHK expects that mobile payment services are geared to extensive and in-depth applications and development through the latest co-operation with McDonald’s Hong Kong. Currently, Alipay customers can use the e-wallets to make payment in nearly 10,000 restaurants. In collaboration with McDonald’s Hong Kong, AlipayHK hopes the initiative will help spearhead and incentivize more restaurants to engage in digital transformation in food and beverage sector. It will surely let customers gain bespoke experience and amazing convenience on mobile ordering and payment, turning the concept of smart living a reality.”

    Ms. Randy Lai, Chief Executive Officer of McDonald’s Hong Kong, said, “We have been committed to expanding our electronic payment platform to give customers’ unparalleled experience with McDonald’s in recent years. Since our collaboration with AlipayHK last year, customers have greatly enjoyed various special and incredible offers. To enhance co-operation, AlipayHK e-wallet is available in McDonald’s App for mobile ordering and payment from today, along with paying with credit cards and cash. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to AlipayHK for giving full support to McDonald’s Hong Kong and a wide array of exclusive offers to our customers. We will be dedicated to bringing our customers the next generation of premium restaurant experience.”

    AlipayHK debuts virtual KOL AliSa and leads Hong Kong people to immerse in smart living

    AlipayHK officially debuted its first beloved virtual KOL “AliSa” to bring Hong Kong people close together to explore future living. The well-loved virtual character AliSa literally means “happiness” and “pleasure” in Hebrew language. The beloved and delightful AliSa has truly lived up to make your life hassle free with cheers and fun everyday.

  • Fortnum & Mason To Open Store and Restaurant in Hong Kong

    Fortnum & Mason To Open Store and Restaurant in Hong Kong

    Fortnum & Mason, the British retail and hospitality brand, is pleased to announce  the opening of a new site in K11 MUSEA, a unique retail destination situated in the heart of Hong Kong’s US$2.6billion Victoria Dockside redevelopment. The Fortnum’s shop and restaurant will open in September 2019.

    This opening represents a significant milestone for the business as the first Fortnum’s store and restaurant concept outside of the UK. Responding to the thriving international demand for Fortnum’s products, service and hospitality,  the shop and restaurant are set to complement its current retail partnerships across Asia including Lane Crawford in Hong Kong, Isetan Mitsukoshi in Japan and, most recently, Shinsegae in South Korea. It marks the continued development of the business and creates an opportunity to extend its best selling products to new and existing customers in Hong Kong, Mainland China and beyond.

    “Fortnum’s is a business which, for centuries, has thrived on delivering a sense of pleasure for our customers. Building on our 47 years of experience in Japan, South Korea and Hong Kong, our latest expansion in Asia is an important next step for us, as we extend our reach further across the world ” says Kate Hobhouse, Chairman of Fortnum & Mason. “We have seen significant appetite for the Fortnum’s brand and products in the region, with impressive year-on-year sales growth. We are therefore incredibly proud to continue our record of investment and growth by expanding our business into new markets, and reinforcing our support for amazing producers and suppliers  and creating new job opportunities.”

    “We are excited to establish our presence in Asia in such a pioneering development. K11 MUSEA, a unique retail destination in Hong Kong, speaks to the growing consumer demand for immersive experiences of art, culture and commerce,” says Ewan Venters, CEO of Fortnum’s. “As a business with creativity and innovation at its core, we believe that our partnership with K11 MUSEA is a natural fit for us.”

    The latest evolution in Fortnum’s 312-year history, this announcement marks the ongoing growth of the retailer following its most recent opening at the Royal Exchange in London. As with previous store and restaurant openings, Fortnum’s is proud its continued growth creates new job opportunities both at home and in the region, with c.90 new roles in Hong Kong. This also represents a significant opportunity for Fortnum’s British suppliers who produce 86% of the retailer’s products in the UK.

    The beautifully designed 7000 sq. ft. space will include a store, featuring an edit of Fortnum’s most cherished products, from Tea, Biscuits and Wine, to joy-giving gifts such as champagne and stunning teaware and of course people will be able to enjoy the award winning hospitality of Fortnum’s in the restaurant upstairs while taking in the stunning views across the iconic Hong Kong harbour.

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  • Soul Origin offers free toast

    Soul Origin offers free toast

    Cafe chain Soul Origin is giving away a free slice of Vegemite toast with any coffee purchase on Wednesday, after an imprompt national debate broke out yesterday over the correct amount of Vegemite on a slice of toast.

    The debate started when a customer took issue with the scant serving of Vegemite on their toast and posted an image to the Breakfast sub-Reddit page, calling the Soul Origin cafe in the Domestic Terminal of Sydney Airport that served it to them “un-Australian”.

    The image was widely shared across social media, where thousands of Vegemite fans and haters weighed in.

    “I’m fairly sure that’s illegal in Australia,” one Redditor commented on the original photo, while another noted, “I hate the stuff and even I know that isn’t quite enough.”

    On the other side of the fence, some pushed for the option to throw the toast in the bin and replace it with peanut butter instead.

    Soul Origin chief executive Chris Mavris took the frenzy in stride. He released a statement Tuesday afternoon announcing customers would receive a free slice of Vegemite toast with any coffee purchase on Wednesday, and encouraging customers to tell their local cafe exactly how they like it.

    “There’s nothing more Australian than Vegemite on toast but it’s no secret that everyone has their own personal way of enjoying this national delicacy,” Mavris said.

  • Subway strikes delivery deal with Uber Eats In New Zealand

    Subway strikes delivery deal with Uber Eats In New Zealand

    Subway has struck a deal with Uber Eats to offer delivery from more than 100 restaurants in select New Zealand cities. Chris Churchmichael, country director for Subway New Zealand, said the agreement would allow Subway restaurants to tap into the rapidly growing delivery market in New Zealand, at breakfast, lunch, dinner and anytime in between.

    “We know Kiwis want freshly-made and nutritious delivery choices, however, having their favorite Subway foot long meal delivered hasn’t been an option until now,” Churchmichael said.

    Church Michael said all the Subway favorites like meatball and pork riblet will be available for delivery along with fresh new choices like spicy buffalo chicken with blue cheese dressing and smashed falafel with tsatziki.

    “Searches for ‘nutritious’ options in the app are increasing and Subway is the perfect partner to help us respond to this demand and provide a greater selection of delicious meals to eaters whether they are at work, home or even the park,” said Andy Bowie, Uber Eats country manager for New Zealand.

    Subway recently unveiled a brand refresh to modernize its offerings and a new website that highlights key supplier stories and educates customers about the chain’s fresh ingredients.

    According to Subway, its new “Real Fresh” website aims to give guests a look behind the scenes at some local growers and suppliers who support the business from all over New Zealand.

    Ben Miles, senior manager for brand marketing at Subway, said the sandwich chain is a strong supporter of Kiwi produce. Some of their supply partners include local business Yarrows, which has supplied Subway New Zealand with their dough for more than 20 years and NZ brand Tegel, which has partnered with Subway since the brand opened its first restaurant in the country in 1995 and now supplies restaurants with a range of chicken and turkey products.

    “We estimate we’re one of the largest national purchasers of fresh produce in New Zealand and we’re committed to supporting farmers, growers and producers around the nation,” Miles said.

    “We wanted to shine a light on the incredible work they do, bringing the fresh factor to our restaurants multiple times a week.”

    Miles said many of the company’s customers are unaware that their fresh vegetables are sliced and prepared in-restaurant before serving, so this information is also shared on the site.

    “We also know it’s important to our guests that each ingredient in their sub is of the highest quality – for both freshness and taste,” he said. “We’ve been making considerable changes to our menu and we’re committed to ensuring as many of our ingredients as possible are locally sourced.”

    The Real Fresh website was recently awarded a Gold Ava Digital Award, an international competition reorganizing excellence in website design and creative.

  • Mexican investor Bought three quarters of Restaurant Brands

    Mexican investor Bought three quarters of Restaurant Brands

    Restaurant Brands has announced Mexican investor Finaccess Capital SA de CV now has a controlling stake in the company after acquiring three quarters of the company’s shares.

    The deal closed on March 26 following Finaccess’ offer through its subsidiary, Global Valar SL, for up to 75 per cent of Restaurant Brands New Zealand shares at NZ$9.45 cash per share.

    Finaccess informed Restaurant Brands, the New Zealand franchise operator of Pizza Hut, KFC and Carl’s Jr, on Tuesday that it has paid shareholders for shares taken up under the partial takeover.

    The Mexico-based company, which also has a stake in AmRest, which operates KFC and Pizza Hut among other brands across Europe and China, said in its offer letter last year that it chose not to make a full takeover bid because there were benefits to Restaurant Brands remaining on the NZX and ASX.

    “By remaining a public company, Restaurant Brands will have access to capital to fund future growth while also providing existing shareholders an opportunity to continue participating in the business over the long term,” Finaccess said at the time.

    Restaurant Brands today also announced the appointment of Jose Pares Gutierrez and Emilio Fullaondo Botella as directors, and resignation of Stephen Copulos, Vicky Taylor and David Beguely as directors.

    As required by the NZX Listing Rules, Gutierrez and Botella will each stand for re-election at Restaurant Brands’ next annual meeting of shareholders.

    Ted van Arkel and Hamish Stevens will each remain on the board as independent directors, and Van Arkel will continue as chairman, until Restaurant Brands’ next annual meeting of shareholders on July 10. Both have announced their intention to retire as directors at the conclusion of that meeting.

    Gutierrez, the CEO of Global Valar SL and its parent, Finaccess Capital, is also the chairman of the board and a proprietary director of AmRest Holdings SE, the director of the board of Crown Imports, Chicago, Il, vice chairman of the board of MMI, Toronto, Canada, director of the Board of DIFA, Mexico, and former member of the Beer Chamber of Mexico.

    Botella, a senior executive with over 23 years of experience in the beer industry, has previously worked in a number of finance roles for Grupo Modelo, including four years as chief financial officer.

    Following the acquisition of Grupo Modelo by AB InBev in 2013, Gutierrez oversaw significant cultural and organisational changes at AB InBev (Mexico) as vice president, human resources (to 2017) and vice president, Projects until his resignation in January 2019.

  • Vivent Les Vins Libre Festival 2019 – A Celebration of Natural Wines

    Vivent Les Vins Libre Festival 2019 – A Celebration of Natural Wines

    For the first time in Singapore, come drink and be merry as you learn from some of the best natural winemakers at the Vivent Les Vins Libre (VLVL) Festival 2019.

    Meaning “Live Free Wine”, the Les Vivent les Vins Libres is a collective of natural winemakers with a common goal — to share their passion for natural wines and winemaking philosophy.

    Since it started a little more than a decade ago, natural winemakers have gathered every June in Paris showcasing their wine and fuelling their passion. And as the natural wine movement grew, the group decided to bring this annual gathering out of France to share and spread their love for natural wines with the rest of the world, including Amsterdam, Bruxelles, New York, Montreal and Hong Kong over the years.

    And for the first time, the VLVL Festival is travelling to the sunny island of Singapore.

    Brought to you by Drunken Farmer, this three-day event will host 19 winemakers and is set to excite wine enthusiasts from Singapore and around the region.

    WHEN:
    13 – 15 April 2019

    13 – 14 April:
    Paired food and wine tastings at various restaurants around Singapore, including three of Spa Esprit Group’s very own dining establishments — Bochinche, Tippling Club and Ding Dong

    15 April:
    11am – 6pm: Wine tasting and masterclasses
    S$25 per pax.

    6pm – 11pm: Wine Down with the Farmers
    Expect a merry night with food, drinks and lots of good vibes with DJ Titus spinning tunes throughout the night. For more infomation, visit the Wine Down with the Farmers Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/events/689790524751121/)

    HIGHLIGHTS: 
    Three Masterclasses featuring all 19 wine makers. Each session covers a different topic focusing on natural wines and consists of a meet-and-greet session as well as a chance to interact with the different wine makers. A S$25 cover charge gets you a tasting glass to sample over 90 labels offered.

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  • Jollibee Singapore to open Restaurants in Woodlands and Punggol

    Jollibee Singapore to open Restaurants in Woodlands and Punggol

    Jollibee Singapore is to open new stores at Woodlands MRT station and Waterway Point in Punggol.

    The Philippine fast-food giant is recruiting full-time and part-time staff for the stores via its Facebook page. Listed jobs include service, kitchen crew as well as managerial roles.

    Having opened its first store at Lucky Plaza in 2013, Jollibee Singapore now has six outlets: two at Lucky Plaza, and one each in Paya Lebar, Changi, Novena and Jurong East.

    In a 2017 interview, Dennis Flores, Jollibee’s president and head of international business, said the company plans to open 15 stores in the island in the next five years.

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  • Fat Brands China to open six stores More

    Fat Brands China to open six stores More

    Fat Brands China has announced the development of six new co-branded Fatburger and Buffalo’s Express restaurants throughout Shanghai with Bloomfield.

    The new locations will build on Fat’s existing presence in China, where the company currently operates multiple successful locations in both Beijing and Shanghai.

    “When expanding internationally, it’s important to identify a partner we can trust with our iconic brand,” said CEO of Fat Brands Andy Wiederhorn. “Markets such as Shanghai, where demand and crowds are large, magnifies this need even more. We’re thrilled to open more restaurants with the Bloomfield team. They’ve done an excellent job maintaining the integrity of our brand while providing a deep understanding of the Chinese consumer.”

    Fat Brands currently owns seven restaurant brands that have more than 300 locations open and 200 under development around the world.

  • Dole Appoints Pier Luigi Sigismondi as GlobalPresident for Packaged Foods

    Dole Appoints Pier Luigi Sigismondi as GlobalPresident for Packaged Foods

    Dole Asia Holdings Pte. Ltd., a subsidiary of ITOCHU Corporation, today announced the appointment of Pier Luigi Sigismondi as President of its Worldwide Packaged Foods business.

    Sigismondi joins Dole with over 20 years of industry experience in consumer goods. Before joining the company, he was President of Unilever Southeast Asia and Australasia, where he led the business of this fast-growing region. Prior to that, Sigismondi held multiple global senior executive, operations and board roles with Unilever and Nestlé, in addition to NED positions in Europe and the USA.

    Based at its headquarters in Singapore, Sigismondi is responsible for the global operations of Dole Packaged Foods and for driving the company’s continued innovation, growth and transformation across all markets. “We are very pleased to welcome Pier Luigi to the Dole family,” said Takeshi Kumekawa, President and CEO of Dole Asia Holdings. “With his diverse experience in leading growth for consumer goods across an extensive range of markets, we are confident that Pier Luigi will successfully combine the best from Dole’s 168 year expertise, the strengths of ITOCHU and lead us towards a healthy and sustainable future.”

    “I am thrilled to join Dole, an iconic brand that has long been committed to bring a healthy lifestyle to people around the world for generations,” said Sigismondi. “I look forward to building further this purpose and fulfilling Dole’s true global long-term profitable growth potential.”

    An Italian citizen born in Venezuela, Sigismondi holds a Master’s Degree from the Georgia Institute of Technology in the United States.

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  • GTN Foods rejects Vinamilk acquisition bid

    GTN Foods rejects Vinamilk acquisition bid

    Vinamilk’s bid to acquire a 49 percent stake in GTN Foods, which owns 51 percent of Moc Chau Milk, has been rejected. The board of GTN Foods passed a resolution turning down the public offer made by Vinamilk, Vietnam’s largest dairy company. It would have increased Vinamilk’s stake in GTNFoods from 2.32 percent to 49 percent.

    The offer was for 116.7 million shares at VND13,000 (56 cents) per share for a total value of VND1.5 trillion ($64.5 million).

    At the meeting March 23, the board was evenly split with three directors each supporting and opposing the Vinamilk bid. But the chairman Ta Van Quyen had the casting vote and he voted against the offer.

    In a report filed to the State Securities Commission, the company explained that Vinamilk is a direct competitor of Moc Chau Milk, one of its main subsidiaries.

    The acquisition and resulting 49 percent stake would have made Vinamilk a principal shareholder. GTN indirectly owns 51 percent of Moc Chau Milk through its subsidiary the Vietnam Livestock Corporation (Vilico).

    Besides, Vinamilk had only registered its public offer but had not written to GTNFoods about the plan, direction or strategy to contribute to the development of the company, it said. “They have not given us sufficient grounds to agree to the public offer.”

    Moc Chau has the biggest dairy farm in the north, and in recent years has been a major revenue earner for GTN.

    Vinamilk has a 58 percent share of the dairy market and Moc Chau, around 2.7 percent, according to international consumer statistics firm Kantar Worldpanel.

    Vietnam’s dairy industry reported revenues of more than VND100 trillion ($4.4 billion) in 2017, with Vinamilk commanding more than a 50 percent market share.

    According to a report by the EU-Vietnam Business Network, the market is expected to double in size by 2020 as the country’s population, personal incomes and dairy consumption increase.

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  • Vietnam’s Q1 coffee exports down 15.3 percent on-year

    Vietnam’s Q1 coffee exports down 15.3 percent on-year

    Vietnam’s coffee exports in Q1 are expected to fall 15.3 percent from a year earlier to 477,000 tonnes, government data showed Friday.

    Coffee

    Coffee exports from Vietnam will likely fall an estimated 15.3 percent in the first quarter of this year from a year earlier to 477,000 tonnes, equal to 7.95 million 60-kg bags, the General Statistics Office said in a report on Friday.

    Coffee export revenue for Vietnam, the world’s biggest producer of the robusta bean, will likely decline 23.8 percent to $830 million in the three-month period, the report said.

    The country’s coffee shipments in March are estimated at 160,000 tonnes valued at $278 million, it said.

    Rice

    Rice exports in the first quarter from Vietnam were forecast to fall 11.5 percent from a year earlier to 1.31 million tonnes.

    Revenue from rice exports in the period was expected to drop 23.6 percent to $567 million.

    March rice exports from Vietnam, the world’s third-largest shipper of the grain, totalled 600,000 tonnes, worth $256 million.

    Energy

    Vietnam’s first-quarter crude oil exports were seen rising 7.7 percent from the same period last year to an estimated 1.07 million tonnes.

    Crude oil export revenue in January to March is expected to fall 3.5 percent to $507 million.

    Oil product imports in the first quarter were estimated at 2.0 million tonnes, falling 42.6 percent from the same period last year, while the value of product imports fell 47.6 percent to $1.17 billion.

    Vietnam’s January to March liquefied petroleum gas imports were seen falling 7.9 percent from a year earlier to 349,000 tonnes.

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  • Subway Launching online ordering platform

    Subway Launching online ordering platform

    Fast food chain Subway is planning to launch a mobile app and website to support online ordering by mid-2019. A Subway spokesperson told that the company is in the final stages of testing the platform before launching it in Australia.

    “Our app will allow our guests to order their favourite sub, salad or wrap from the convenience of their office or home, for collection at their local Subway restaurant,” the spokesperson said.

    “We are also looking at further opportunities to integrate our ‘Fresh’ sites with both social media and our app in the near future.”

    Subway recently unveiled a brand refresh to modernise its offerings and a new website that highlights key supplier stories and educates customers about the chain’s fresh ingredients. According to Subway, the “Real Fresh” website aims to give guests a look behind the scenes at some of the 80 local growers and suppliers who support the business from all over Australia.

    Ben Miles, senior manager for brand marketing at Subway, said the sandwich chain is a strong supporter of Aussie produce.

    “We’re committed to supporting farmers, growers and producers around the nation,” Miles said.

    “We wanted to shine a light on the incredible work they do, bringing the fresh factor to our restaurants multiple times a week.”

    Miles said many of the company’s customers are unaware that their fresh vegetables are sliced and prepared in-restaurant before serving, so this information is also shared on the site.

    “Subway was the pioneer of freshly prepared sandwiches,” he said. “We estimate we’re one of the largest national purchasers of fresh produce in Australia.”

    “Our guests understand that the provenance of our ingredients is important, and we’ve been making considerable changes to our menu to deliver the best possible quality ingredients for our subs, salads and wraps.”

    Subway supply partners include local Echuca tomato business, Kagome and Minto-based bakery, Suprima. It has also partnered with South-East Queensland farms.

    Subway’s Real Fresh website was recently awarded a Gold Ava Digital Award, an international competition recognising excellence in website design.

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  • Chili’s Singapore closing Down

    Chili’s Singapore closing Down

    American grill & bar Chili’s Singapore has quietly closed all three remaining outlets in the city.

    ““As of 24th March, we have closed all of our restaurants in Singapore. It’s been a wonderful 10 years serving our loyal community. Thank you for all the great moments and memories we shared,” the company posted on Facebook.

    A fan responded: “We are thankful for the past 10 years that they have been with us and for all the burgers, steak and fajitas they’ve served us.”

    Chili’s opened its first branch in Singapore in Tanglin Mall in June 2009. The other three outlets were at Resorts World Sentosa, Clarke Quay Central and JCube.

    The restaurants served Southwest American cuisine with Mexican flavours, craft burgers and baby back ribs, alongside fajitas and enchiladas.

    Established in Dallas in 1975, Chili’s had expanded to 32 countries worldwide.

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