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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.

  • 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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  • Yogurtland expands in Indonesia with new partner

    Yogurtland expands in Indonesia with new partner

    Yogurtland is to expand its retail network in Indonesia by opening four new outlets by the end of this month and plans to open more than 15 stores during the next three years.

    The expansion in Indonesia is the result of a partnership with Yogurtland Indonesia Global Mandiri, signed last June.

    The company opened the first two stores at Lippo Mall Puri and Central Park Mall last week. Other locations will open at Summarecon Mall Bekasi and Kota Kasablanka Mall later this month.

    “Indonesians want variety as they focus more and more on healthy lifestyle trends,” said Phillip Chang, CEO and founder of Yogurtland.

    “With more than 250 unique flavors and the world’s finest ingredients, Yogurtland is the right choice for Indonesia.”

    He said Yogurtland Indonesia Global Mandiri’s owners have strong combined experience and a track record of excellence in the industry and will ensure guests in Indonesia will enjoy a wonderful Yogurtland experience.

    Yogurtland features non-fat and low-fat yogurt flavors, ice cream, and non-dairy and no-sugar-added choices while using milk that does not contain antibiotics or added hormones. Fruit flavors are fortified with Vitamin C.

    Yogurtland has operated more than 320 stores across the US, Australia, Dubai, Guam, Myanmar, Oman, Singapore, and Thailand.

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  • Dusit brings South African restaurant Kauai to SE Asia as Real Foods

    Dusit brings South African restaurant Kauai to SE Asia as Real Foods

    South Africa’s Real Foods Group is launching its healthy fast-casual restaurant concept Kauai into Southeast Asia in partnership with Thai hospitality company Dusit Food, under the local brand name, Real Foods.

    The Real Food restaurants will maintain Kauai’s concept and store design. Most of the menu will follow the original Kauai’s, while other dishes will be adapted to meet local tastes. Signature Kauai’s dishes such as Princess Wrap and the Strawberry Stinger will also be available in Real Foods stores.

    “Globally, there is a major shift taking place as consumers seek out healthier, natural food options which are both affordable and convenient,” said Jate Sopitpongstorn, MD at Dusit Foods.

    “Dusit Real Foods already has another three stores lined up through its long-standing relationship with Virgin Active health clubs. As we hold master-franchise rights, we will also look at expanding Real Foods outside of Thailand, leveraging our strong network of hotels and resorts in Asia Pacific, the UAE, Qatar and Oman to introduce Real Foods in more new markets worldwide.”

    Real Foods plans to open at six other Virgin Active health clubs throughout the city.

    Group CEO of  Real Foods, Dean Kowarski, said the company’s stores offer a mix of both takeaway and sit-down meals.

    “We make healthy eating delicious, easy and convenient, and there is something for everyone on our menu. Our new partnership in Thailand demonstrates that Real Foods is achieving its mission of bringing more health and wellness options to consumers worldwide”.

    Established 23 years ago, Kauai serves 7.3 million meals annually across its 164 stores in South Africa and the Netherlands. The brand has established itself as an “innovative leader in the health space” with a commitment to sustainable sourcing and bringing convenient, nutritious options to consumers worldwide.

  • The Whale Tea opens in Singapore

    The Whale Tea opens in Singapore

    Created in Nanjing, the brand now operates more than 500 outlets across the mainland since its first store debuted in June last year. Following The Whale Tea’s first foray into Southeast Asia, launching in Malaysia earlier this year, the brand opened its first two Singapore outlets, at Lot One Shoppers’ Mall and City Square Mall last month, followed by a flagship store in China Square Central that opened on Monday.

    The predominantly black-and-white store design is decorated with whale symbols of varying shades of blue, effecting a bright and modern ambiance.

    The Whale Tea’s signature series is prepared with unusual ingredients such as peach gum, a natural resin from wild Chinese peach trees, known to be rich in amino acids and collagen – as well as spirulina, a seaweed-based superfood consumed for its nutrient-rich properties and a Chinese rice wine known as Wuliangye.

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  • US food delivery service DoorDash expands to Sydney

    US food delivery service DoorDash expands to Sydney

    Two months after entering the local market with food delivery services in Melbourne, DoorDash has expanded to Sydney and now covers more than 40 percent of the Australian population it says.

    Launched in the US in 2013, the platform is the market leader in America with 35 percent market share. But it has a long way to go to catch up with the major players in Australia – UberEats, Deliveroo and Menulog – which have had a significant head start in the much smaller market.

    DoorDash says it has partnered with more than 2000 local restaurants, including major QSR chains, such as Carl’s Jr, Nandos, Subway, Grill’d, Crust and Oporto, which is giving away 10,000 free burgers to customers in Sydney to mark the launch on Tuesday. It also offers in-store pick-up for hundreds of restaurants.

    DoorDash aims to grow its presence in Australia by targeting customers in the suburbs, not just city centers.

    “The unique challenge we’ve sought to solve is not only offered great selection and service in urban environments but suburban ones as well,” Thomas Stephens, DoorDash’s general manager in Australia said.

    “It’s an incredible opportunity, as it’s where the vast majority of Australian’s live, and one we’re excited to connect.”

    But the platform also has faced criticism for what some call an aggressive expansion strategy. DoorDash had signed up restaurants to the platform without their permission.

    The platform allows customers to order from restaurants that haven’t signed up to DoorDash, with restaurants often finding out an order has been placed only when a delivery rider shows up to collect it.

    Stephens said the platform is acting as a “courier service” in these instances, and said restaurants can request to be removed from the platform.

    But this doesn’t match up with the “restaurant-led approach” that supposedly differentiates DoorDash from its competitors.

    “We’re differentiated from our peer group because of our restaurant-led approach, meaning we offer the most comprehensive suite of services to help bring restaurants online and drive incremental in-store sales,” Stephens said.

    Deloitte estimates online food delivery in Australia will reach $1.3 billion this year. According to Stephens, less than 10 percent of food sales outside of pizza are delivered currently.

  • Bulldog becomes first cruelty-free cosmetics brandn Mainland China

    Bulldog becomes first cruelty-free cosmetics brandn Mainland China

    London-based Bulldog has become the first-ever international skincare brand to maintain its Cruelty-Free International Leaping Bunny-approved status and be able to sell in Mainland China.

    Until now,  animal testing of cosmetics remains compulsory in China, however, Bulldog has been excluded from this, thanks to a Cruelty-Free Pilot Project, launched by animal protection and advocacy group Cruelty-Free International in cooperation with certification and regulatory compliance company Knudsen&CRC, Shanghai Fengpu Industrial Park and Oriental Beauty Valley.

    The ground-breaking collaboration allows Bulldog to manufacture in the UK, fill in the Fenxian manufacturing zone and sell in the Chinese market, free from the risk of animal testing.

    At Bulldog, we have always challenged ourselves to make ethical choices when it comes to animal welfare. Even with the temptation of the huge Chinese market, we decided that we would never compromise our stance on animal testing, says Bulldog founder Simon Duffy.

    Chinese consumers are increasingly demanding cosmetics without animal testing and this unique, ground-breaking project will enable those consumers to buy great cruelty-free products.

    Bulldog products will go on sale at Watsons stores in Shanghai later this year.

    We know there is great demand from consumers in China for cruelty-free cosmetics. This is an amazing opportunity not only for Bulldog, but for consumers in China and for the future of the whole beauty industry, says Cruelty Free International CEO Michelle Thew.

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  • Green Common expands into Mainland China

    Green Common expands into Mainland China

    Hong Kong plant-based grocery shop and cafe Green Common will launch online on Tmall Global at the end of this month, during the marketplace’s Black Friday event.

    The grocer, known for its plant-based products, will be making its first appearance in Mainland China, offering a range of about 40 food items, including products from popular plant-based food-tech brands including Alpha Foods, Gardein, Daiya Foods and Califia Farms. Further brands will join the site later.

    “Our collaboration with Tmall Global is a milestone development in the China market, enabling local consumers to get a taste of the future … we are going to start a new page in leading a healthy and sustainable food consumption trend in China,” said Green Monday founder David Yeung.

    The brand’s signature product Omnipork will also be available for retail, arriving at a perfect time as the African Swine Flu influenza sweeps through China. Omnipork is a meat substitute developed by a team of Canadian food scientists compromising a proprietary blend of plant-based protein from peas, non-GMO soy, shiitake mushrooms and rice to mimic the taste and texture of pork.

    Since its launch earlier this year in April, Omnipork has received extensive coverage from international media and is available across 1000 restaurant and hotel partners across Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan as well as in Thailand and Singapore. According to Yeung, more than 180 restaurants and hotels in Beijing and Shanghai, including Grand Hyatt Beijing and Wagas restaurant chain, will use OmniPork to create dishes for diners during the next two months.