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.

  • Minor takes The Coffee Club to Vietnam

    Minor takes The Coffee Club to Vietnam

    Vietnam Investment Group (VI Group) has signed a master franchise agreement with Minor International’s subsidiary Minor Food to bring The Coffee Club to Vietnam. Under the joint venture, VI and Minor plan to open 100 The Coffee Club outlets over the next five years.

    “With the flourishing coffee market and favourable macro trend, we are very optimistic about the opportunity to strengthen our presence in the country and grow The Coffee Club brand nationwide,” said Paul Kenny, CEO at Minor Food.

    According to Chaiyapat Paitoon, deputy chief financial officer and strategic planning for Minor International, restaurant businesses show strong potential in Vietnam because people “want a wider variety of cuisines, paving the way for foreign players to come in and offer different choices in addition to traditional, local and street food”.

    “The Coffee Club offers a distinctive restaurant experience with great selections of food and beverages menus, excellent coffee and a welcoming relaxed atmosphere enriching the contemporary lifestyles of the Vietnamese consumers,” said David Do, VI Group MD.

    The joint venture plans to open 20 The Coffee Club restaurants next year.

    Minor is no stranger to Vietnam’s F&B market. It first established its restaurant footprint there  in 2009 launching three casual-dining restaurant brands, including The Pizza Company, Swensen’s and Thai Express. It now has 83 outlets nationwide across those brands, 60 of them under the Pizza Company banner.

    Apart from The Coffee Club, Minor is also looking for opportunities to launch other restaurant brands into Vietnam at a later stage.

    Opening its first store in Brisbane in 1989, The Coffee Club claims to have become Australia’s largest home-grown cafe group with more than 400 outlets throughout Australia, New Zealand, the Maldives, Seychelles, Thailand, Indonesia and the UAE. Thai-headquartered Minor International owns 50 per cent of The Coffee Club.

    Analysis: Fit for Vietnam?

    Entering Vietnam market means The Coffee Club is competing with fast-growing coffee chains like local operators The Coffee House and Highlands, and international chains such as Starbucks and The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf, the latter of which has struggled to gain critical mass in the market and several months ago closed its flagship in downtown Ho Chi Minh City. Fellow Australian restaurant chain The Hog’s Breath Cafe also gave up last year after about seven years in the market.

    If The Coffee Club’s Vietnam outlets follow the Australian format, they will focus more on lunches, brunches and dinners than coffee as their name might suggest, although it does serve coffee on site and for takeaway.

    The company faces challenges in sourcing ingredients, many of which will come from offshore, and finding real estate at an affordable price. Those two factors combined will create price pressure for the brand, despite the affordability of labour in Vietnam.

  • Vietnam fruits, vegetables struggle to enter overseas market

    Vietnam fruits, vegetables struggle to enter overseas market

    Dragon fruit, which accounts for 40 percent of Vietnam’s fruit and vegetable exports in value, is facing the biggest challenge as China, which used to buy 80-90 percent of Vietnam’s dragon fruit mainly through border gates, has tightened the import through the channel. The importer has also improved standards on quarantine and food safety and origin tracking to Vietnamese fruits, including dragon fruits.

    Facing the difficulties, many traders have recently stopped buying the fruit in some major growing regions.

    As a result, prices of the fruit have plummeted. Recently farmers in Binh Thuan Province told VnExpress that prices are down 90 percent to VND1,500-2,000 ($0.06-0.08) per kilogram.

    Vietnam’s dragon fruit exports might see more pain since China may reduce purchases after expanding its own cultivation, warned by industry insiders. Saigon Giai Phong Online quoted Vietnam’s Plant Protection Department as saying China has planted dragon fruit on 20,000 hectares in places such as Guangxi and Hainan. The department said this area would increase to 30,000 hectares next year. Chili, which accounts for a third of Vietnam’s total vegetable export value, is struggling in the Malaysian market. Malaysia is among the three largest buyers of chili from Vietnam along with South Korea and China.

    But it announced to cease licensing the import of chili from Vietnam from September 14 after detecting excessive residues of plant protection products in chili shipments.

    Together with dragon fruits and chilli, papaya has struggled to enter overseas market.

    The South Korean Ministry of Food and Drug Safety has informed Vietnam’s Plant Protection Department that it discovered genetically modified papaya in shipments from Vietnam.

    South Korea does not allow entry of genetically modified organism (GMO) products.

    A spokesperson for a large papaya exporter in southern Long An Province said that farmers knew about this policy, and some GMO fruits went into the consignments despite their efforts to prevent it.

    It is working with farmers to grow non-GMO fruits, the spokesperson added.

    Nguyen Quoc Vong, a researcher in the GMO fruit industry, said the trend in developed countries is to consume non-GMO products.

    He warned that Vietnam would be shut out of high-end markets if it exports GMO products since food safety standards around the world are rising.

    “Our competitors like Thailand do not grow GMO produce, so they will have an advantage in high-end markets where we cannot compete,” local newspaper Thanh Nien reported him as saying.

    Vietnam earned $3 billion from fruit and vegetable exports in the first nine months of this year, up 15.2 percent over the same period last year, according to the General Statistics Office.

  • Hai Di Lao Is Opening Its First Store In Malaysia

    Hai Di Lao Is Opening Its First Store In Malaysia

    Popular hot pot franchise Hai Di Lao is finally coming to Malaysia. According to Makan Main Tengok’s Facebook page, the food chain’s first Malaysian outlet will be located at the ground floor of Sunway Pyramid Hotel.  Known for its fragrant and flavourful soups, Hai Di Lao started off as a humble shop selling “Ma La Tang” (which literally means spicy-numbing soup).

    The opening of Hai Di Lao also means there’s going to be a long queue and months of advance booking. On the bright side, the shop is known for offering free snacks, drinks, games and manicure services for those who are willing to wait for their table.

    Hai Di Lao operates more than 300 branches worldwide.

    The official opening date has yet to be announced.

  • Jollibee Sets Up Shop in Manhattan

    Jollibee Sets Up Shop in Manhattan

    Philippine fast-food restaurant chain Jollibee is opening its first Manhattan location next Saturday. The Jollibee Manhattan store will be the brand’s second store in New York State, and the 37th in the US. “We are excited to finally open our doors in the heart of bustling Manhattan, which is not just a centre of business and finance, but a major cultural and entertainment hub that receives millions of visitors from around the world each year,” said Jose Minana, Jollibee Foods Corporation’s (JFC) group president for North America.

    “The diversity of the food culture and the fast pace of living here make it perfect for our new Jollibee store location.”

    Maribeth dela Cruz, VP and GM at JFC North America expects the opening to draw long lines of customers.

    Jollibee Manhattan store located at 609 8th Ave., New York, NY 10018 opens Saturday, October 27. (Photo credit: Elton Lugay (Instagram/elton_lugay))

    To celebration the store, Jollibee will award free Chickenjoy for a year to the first 40 customers in line. Exclusive Jollibee Funko Pop! figures and other Jollibee collectibles will be up for grabs, too, to mark Jollibee’s 40th anniversary.

    Jollibee operates in 20 countries, with more than 4200 stores globally. The first North America store was opened in 1998 in California.

    JFC has an 85 per cent stake in US burger chain Smashburger, and has recently entered into an agreement with Mexican fast-casual restaurant chain Tortas Frontera for expansion.

  • Foodpanda acquires Mumbai-based Holachef

    Foodpanda acquires Mumbai-based Holachef

    Online food ordering and delivery platform foodpanda said Tuesday it has acquired Mumbai-based food-tech venture Holachef. According to report: Through this collaboration, foodpanda marks its entry into cloud kitchens and plans to launch its own brand of food products in different categories, it said. The company, however, did not disclose any financial details of the acquisition.

    Commenting on the development, Pranay Jivrajka, CEO, foodpanda India said: “We aim to build India’s largest cloud kitchen network that will be a major step in further elevating the food experience for our customers.”

    The company is committed to providing unique local tastes and palate choices to the Indian consumer, he added.

    As part of the acquisition, foodpanda will take over Holachef’s business including its kitchens, equipment, as well as bring onboard the company’s employees. Holachef’s founders are set to join foodpanda’s leadership team, the statement said.

    “Our mission with Holachef is to serve incredible food experiences to customers through kitchens with the highest quality and hygiene standards. We are delighted to join hands with Foodpanda, to accelerate our mission,” Saurabh Saxena, Co-founder, Holachef said.

  • VeganBurg Indonesia to plan Asean expansion

    VeganBurg Indonesia to plan Asean expansion

    Two VeganBurg Indonesia stores planned for Jakarta and Bali mark the first steps in a Southeast Asian rollout for the brand after its Singapore success.

    The plant-based burger restaurant chain says it plans to open stores in other Southeast Asian markets under a franchise model.

    The chain, the world’s first of its kind, currently operates four stores in Singapore beyond its single-outlet San Francisco base. It chose Jakarta and Bali, because VeganBurg CEO Alex Tan considers the concept a “natural fit” due to Southeast Asia’s “love for sustainability and the desire for a more plant-based dining experience”.

    “We made the concept work in Asia – specifically in Singapore – then we put it to the test in San Francisco and the result was exponential!”

    VeganBurg Indonesia will exhibit at Jakarta’s Franchise and License Expo Indonesia this week, represented by World Franchise Associates (WFA).

    WFA COO Troy Franklin said: “With their 100 per cent plant-based burgers served in an inviting and comfortable fast casual restaurant format, VeganBurg offers a unique and genuine high-quality product for a new generation of health conscious and socially minded consumers and a great opportunity for Indonesian investors looking for the next big thing in international franchising.”

    VeganBurg also plans to expand in North America and globally.

  • TabSquare raises S$10 Million to fuel AI-powered restaurant solutions

    TabSquare raises S$10 Million to fuel AI-powered restaurant solutions

    TabSquare, a leading provider of AI-Powered Smart In-Restaurant solutions, today announced it has raised S$10 million (US$7.2 million) in Series B financing led by Kakaku.com.

    Tabsquare’s platform has three critical elements: consumers, restaurants and F&B brands; now strengthened with the latest funding round.

    Founded in 2012, TabSquare has rapidly grown to be the leading in-restaurant technology provider in Singapore.

    The company’s main products are the SmartTab eMenu and the SmartKiosk – applicable to both sit-down and counter-service restaurants.

    The company’s products use AI to make personalised menu recommendations and improve customers’ ability to order, pay and deliver feedback.

    Chirag Tejuja, Co-Founder said, “TabSquare’s fast-paced growth proves there is a strong
    demand for innovative and effective technology that can solve issues commonly faced by restaurants in the region such as low restaurant profitability, high staffing costs and language barriers.”

    Through 6000 devices that serve more than 12 million diners and 6 million orders annually, TabSquare’s AI-Powered solutions leverage consumer data and learning algorithms to better predict demand, personalize offerings and improve the overall diner experience which aims at creating greater efficiencies and profits for restaurants.

  • First BreadTalk India has opened

    First BreadTalk India has opened

    BreadTalk India has opened its first store, in the capital New Delhi. The inaugural BreadTalk India store opened on Wednesday on the first floor of the Select Citywalk shopping centre, the company said in a statement. India marks BreadTalk’s 18th international market. It now has stores all over Asia, including in Mainland China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, Myanmar, Cambodia and Sri Lanka.

    “We are very excited to work with SomDatt Group to open our first BreadTalk outlet in New Delhi,” said founder Tan Aik Peng.

    The Singapore-headquartered chain is promising to deliver the same authentic taste of the brand’s signature breads, including its Flosss bun, Hokkaido Roll, Chilli Pepper Dog, Pumpkin Loaf, Japan Light Cheesecake, Salted Egg Lava Croissant, Tuna Bun and Raisin California Dry Cake.

  • Starbucks Taiwan Recycled Shipping Containers Shop Opened

    Starbucks Taiwan Recycled Shipping Containers Shop Opened

    Starbucks Taiwan has opened a store made entirely of shipping containers in Hualien Bay Mall.

    The 29 containers have been stacked as building blocks designed to resemble the uneven foliage of a coffee bush at the yet-to-open mall that will launch as a tourist spot with views of the Pacific.

    The new Starbucks Taiwan cafe is constructed following the “Starbucks Greener Stores” initiative for sustainable store building using reclaimable materials and green design principles. The interior features a large mural celebrating the aboriginal Amis people of Hualien.

    According to the brand’s press release, “The stacking of the shipping containers created a much taller space and provides natural sunlight throughout the various skylights found throughout the structure.”

    Starbucks has now opened 40 locations built from shipping containers. This 320sqm structure is the first to be designed by Japanese architect Kengo Kuma, known for his reinterpretation of traditional styles. Kuma has designed multiple iconic locations for Starbucks.

  • South Korea’s Diet Plan Company Launched

    South Korea’s Diet Plan Company Launched

    GLAM.D, healthy diet brand from South Korea, has launched three products in Singapore exclusively at Guardian. With the festive season approaching, it’s the time for feasting on Christmas goodies and even Chinese New Year treats. Amidst all that glorious food, GLAM.D drinks will come in handy so you can still look fabulous in your party outfit.

    The carb-blocking Weight Loss Drinks range includes lemon-flavored Easy Slim ($31 for box of 15), that is refreshing and easy to drink on a hot day, while the coffee-flavored Glam Café Original ($35 for box of 30) is perfect for coffee lovers.

    Both contain a key ingredient, Garcinia Cambogia Extract. Effective in blocking dietary carbohydrates from converting into body fat, they are suitable for the carb-heavy Singaporean diet.

    For snacking alternative, at only just 5 calories, maintain your daily calorie limits with water jelly treats from the Low Calorie Line. The 5Kcal Water Jelly ($3, available in apple, peach and mango flavours) drink contains fruit purée and natural sweeteners and is bursting with delicious fruity flavor.

    GLAM.D is available at over 50 Guardian stores islandwide, including Takashimaya, NEX, Jurong Point and Tampines Mall, as well as via Guardian SG Online.

     

  • McDonald’s Starts Reducing Plastic

    McDonald’s Starts Reducing Plastic

    As part of McDonald’s initiative to use its scale to contribute to positive changes in the communities where it operatesArcos Dorados – McDonald’s franchisee in Latin America and the Caribbean- will cease to offer plastic straws in its 2,100 restaurants across the region, from October 31. Straws will be provided only for those customers who expressly request them. For now, straws will still be available at the drive-thru.

    This step is part of a global assessment within McDonald’s to transition to packaging alternatives that are 100% renewable, recyclable or from certified sources towards 2025; to reduce its impact in the environment and take action on one of the most important challenges of society. This path aims to reduce plastic consumption and is the first move to more sustainable alternatives to plastic straws.

    The initiative has been tested in Latin American countries such as Colombia and Uruguay, and many other countries around the world. Arcos Dorados aims to avoid the consumption of close to 300 tons of plastic, based on the results of the test conducted in Colombia, where 6 out of 10 consumers preferred not to use the straw in their beverage.

    “We are looking for ways to use our scale to make a positive impact in society and the environment, as part of our ‘Scale for Good’ goals. The initiatives we have announced recently regarding our commitment to youth opportunities and employment, kid’s nutrition, sustainable packaging and actions to curb climate change; allow us to effectively contribute to the change of consumer’s habits and behaviors so we all can live in a better world” said Woods Staton, Executive Chairman of Arcos Dorados.

    McDonald’s goal is to recycle packaging used in 100% of its restaurants towards 2025, considering local infrastructure for recycling, legislation and consumer behavior in the different cities in which the brand operates; aiming to become part of the solution and to influence this critical change.

    Globally, the company has been creating awareness about the collection and recycling of its packaging at restaurants, and now is working on finding more sustainable alternatives to plastic straws. In fact, McDonald’s is currently testing different solutions to more sustainable packaging through tests in different countries.

    Recently, the Company announced a partnership with Starbucks and Closed Loop Partners, a group of investors in sustainable goods, to launch the “NextGen Cup Consortium and Challenge” with the goal promote innovation of the cups that are currently used in the industry, to make them completely recyclable and environmentally friendly”.

  • Jollibee Sets Up Shop in Manhattan, NY

    Jollibee Sets Up Shop in Manhattan, NY

    Fried chicken fans in New York City will have another option to crow about, as Philippines-based restaurant chain Jollibee will open its first location in Manhattan later this month. Of course, the menu at Jollibee doesn’t stop at its Chickenjoy, as it encompasses an eclectic range of dishes from Jolly Spaghetti topped with a sweet sauce along with pieces of ham and hot dog, to burgers, Spam sandwiches, and desserts like halo halo and Peach Mango Pie.

    For the unfamiliar, Jollibee is the largest fast food chain in the Phillipines, with more than 1,000 stores, and another 200 locations worldwide. Jollibee’s U.S. operation spans ten states and 36 locations, with the Manhattan outpost bringing that total to 37. Additionally, the chain recently cut the ribbon on two new storefronts in the Toronto area, which both saw lines around the block for their grand openings. Jollibee was even featured on Parts Unknown when Anthony Bourdain visited in Los Angeles with Roy Choi and later on his own in Manila when he referred to it as “the wackiest, jolliest place on earth.”

    “We are excited to finally open our doors in the heart of bustling Manhattan, which is not just a center of business and finance, but a major cultural and entertainment hub that receives millions of visitors from around the world each year,” Jose Miñana, Jollibee Foods Corporation’s Group President for North America, said in a statement. “The diversity of the food culture and the fast pace of living here make it perfect for our new Jollibee store location.”

    Jollibee also happens to be celebrating its 40th anniversary, which means there’s an added bonus for some lucky New Yorkers: The first 40 people in line at the opening will get free Chickenjoy for a year. Additionally, a Jollibee Funko Pop! figure and other collectibles will be available.

    New York City already has a Jollibee located in Woodside, Queens, but as most of the thinking goes in New York, you haven’t made it until you’ve made it in Manhattan.

  • DFS Kicks Off Inaugural Craft Festival at Changi Airport

    DFS Kicks Off Inaugural Craft Festival at Changi Airport

    In celebration of all things craft, DFS Group, the world’s leading luxury travel retailer, is hosting its first-ever Craft Festival at Singapore’s Changi International Airport. Taking place for six weeks from 21 September across Terminals 1, 2, 3 and 4, the festival will provide travelers with an opportunity to taste and engage with over 73 craft gin, whisky and beer brands, as well as meet with specialist craft distillers from around the globe.

    The craft spirits scene has seen an impressive boom in the last decade, with an increase in consumers looking to purchase and enjoy small-batch brands. Unique not only through the art of distillation, these brands also carry stories of rich heritage and are developed using bespoke local ingredients. A craft consumer’s dream, the festival will highlight the influence of distillers and their unique and varied approaches to craft. Combining entertainment with education, travelers will be invited to step into the world of craft to discover their drink personalities at DFS through tastings, brand engagements and hands-on cocktail mixing.

    “At DFS, we believe in providing our customers with new and engaging retail experiences,” said Wilcy Wong, DFS Group Managing Director Singapore and Indonesia. “The Craft Festival provides us with a platform to showcase our impressive collection of small-batch spirits and introduce our customers to unique and exclusive products, some of which can only be found at DFS.”

    Targeting true craft enthusiasts, each of the weekends throughout the festival will host different spirits brands and their ambassadors. The exciting list of brands include Whitley Neill, Oxley Gin, Botanist, Copper Dog and Tanqueray Gin. During these weekends, guests will be invited to enjoy complimentary tastings and gain unique insight and knowledge from the ambassadors on hand.

    Along with an impressive line-up of global brands, DFS is proud to be the first consumer retailer in Singapore to stock the newly launched, Tanglin Gin. Taking inspiration from the Little Red Dot, Tanglin Gin is the first made-in-Singapore gin and is infused with the essence of orchid, Singapore’s national flower. DFS is also excited to showcase a great collection of craft beers including Singapore’s award-winning Archipelago and Freemantle’s famed Little Creatures.

    “Today’s drinkers are looking for fresh brands that have a unique identity and heritage,” said Brooke Supernaw, DFS Group Senior Vice President Spirits, Wines, Tobacco, Food and Gifts. “Following a resurgence of the cocktail culture, consumers want to enjoy innovative and hard-to-find products, and DFS is proud to maintain its market-leading position by offering interesting brands with a strong story that reflects true craftsmanship.”

    Showcasing the best of small batch spirits and craft beers, festivities at Terminals 1, 2, 3 and 4 will feature a carnival theme. In each DFS store, travellers can enjoy entertainment and take part in fun and interactive games and stand a chance to win prizes, such as the latest generation iPhone XS.

    “With the rising popularity of craft spirits and beers, we are delighted to introduce the first ever Craft Festival with DFS. Passengers flying through Changi Airport can look forward to an outstanding line-up of the best of small batch craft brands and opportunities to come face-to-face with some of these artisanal distillers,” said Teo Chew Hoon, Group Senior Vice President of Airside Concessions, Changi Airport Group.

  • Original Ice Creams to expand to new cities in India

    Original Ice Creams to expand to new cities in India

    Delhi based ice-cream start-up Original Ice Creams founded by ex- defence personnel Vinay Gaur has announced robust business expansion plan and growth strategies. Original Ice Creams, a newly launched ice cream start-up had started its operations in the early months of the year 2018 and in July, 2018 got a funding of Rs 30 million from Maverick Group. The company is now deepening its presence in most of the parts of Delhi NCR. Their newly launched outlets are set up at Indirapuram Laxmi Nagar, V3S Mall, Nirman Vihar, Laxmi Nagar, Shahdara, and Noida Sector 137 in Delhi NCR.

    Catching pace with the ice cream market, Original Ice Creams are extensively focusing on deploying a state-of-the-art ice cream technology which would allow its products to be softer and creamier than other competitor ice cream brands. Also, to make their consumers familiar with the brand this ice cream start-up is planning to come up with all possible formats to grow its brand presence and visibility in the market. For achieving this, they are tailoring in insights such as growing their presence and existence through the combination of traditional and modern selling methods by setting up various retail counters, exclusive ice cream parlors and numerous push carts as well.

    Original Ice Creams while aiming to cement as India’s highest retail seller of pure and authentic fruit flavored ice cream is taking effective and efficient steps to make Original Ice Creams soon diversify to many more cities of India – enabling the brand familiarity and growth. The brand is also focusing to help people make better food choices that satiate their sweet tooth in the healthiest, tastiest and most nutritious manner.

    Vinay Gaur, Founder Original Ice Creams said,“ With an enticing selection of flavors to choose from, Original Ice Creams is eyeing to grab most of the Northern and Western part on the country covering Uttar Pradesh, Lucknow, Haryana, Rajasthan by the end of financial year 2018-2019. The ice cream brand is focusing to tap all the formats in these targeted regions as well. We are looking for new ways to take forward our business by launching our umbrella of franchising in different parts of the targeted market segment.

    “Each of our outlet turned out to be profitable within 45-60 days of its establishment. Apart from 4 running outlets, we are planning to add 10 more before Diwali. Moreover, each of our outlets saw a growth of 100 percent monthly and we are able to achieve breakeven within 2 months of setup itself. The first round of funding which we had received in July month we have utilized that in our expansion to NCR and soon we are planning to invest in freezers, brand building and visibility and for opening outlets in other cities of north India,” stated Gaur.

    Additionally, Original Ice Creams will soon let customers enjoy milkshakes with fresh fruit pieces.

  • Dunkin’ Donuts Thailand expects growth after rebranding

    Dunkin’ Donuts Thailand expects growth after rebranding

    Dunkin’ Donuts Thailand operator Mudman will revise branding next year in line with the preferences of white-collar workers and millennials.

    The change follows the rebranding of the US master business, which will be shortened to “Dunkin’” next year. The brand is commonly referred to by its abbreviated name amongst customers.

    Mudman’s CEO Nadim Xavier Salhani said the new branding signals there is something new there in term of products, store design and a new way to serve our customers.

    Prior to the rebranding exercise, the firm will modernise its stores and expand its menu. The brand has already shifted focus to the coffee business this year, resulting in an overall sales increase of 10 per cent.

    Dunkin’ Donuts Thailand strategy is for coffee to make up 30 per cent of its takings in the near future, with 12 new Dunkin’s stores planned to open next year. There are currently 290 branches throughout Thailand.

    The coffee market is widely expected to have the potential for massive growth in Thailand.

    According to Salhani, the future of the doughnut business in Thailand may not be as positive as in the past because people are more concerned about health and the market is very competitive. “This is why we are offering more coffee products.

    “With our offensive business plan, we want to become a serious coffee player in Thailand,” he said. “When people think of Dunkin’, we hope they think of coffee.”