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.

  • Plum food delivery to cut entire staff

    Plum food delivery to cut entire staff

    Food delivery startup Plum has laid off its entire staff, casting doubt on its continued operations in Singapore and its home market of Hong Kong. According to a report, Plum co-founder Desmond Clinton Cheung, who is also the company’s GM, said full-time contracts for all 110 workers, including his own, had been terminated. The company is creating a new structure which would give staff who wish to remain with the company an equity ownership.

    “In the past, they were salaried staff and they would become shareholders,” he said.

    Plum was founded in Hong Kong a year ago and Cheung said it may have grown “a bit fast”.

    Efforts to reduce losses, including laying off 40 staff several months ago, had not worked and Cheung said he believed the new company structure offered an opportunity for the company to continue trading on a more sustainable basis.

    Lees ook:

  • Brewhouse Ice Tea secures US$ 2 mn loan

    Brewhouse Ice Tea secures US$ 2 mn loan

    Bottled ice tea brand Brewhouse Ice Tea Monday said it has secured US$ 2 million loan from Singapore-based FMCG firm Food Empire Group to expand its footprint and product offerings. Food Empire Group had previously invested US$ 6,00,000 in Positive Food Ventures in November 2017. Positive Food Venture Pvt Ltd, maker of bottled ice tea brand Brewhouse, has secured a loan of US$ 2 million from Food Empire Holdings, the company said in a statement.

    “Currently, we are present at over 2,000 points of sale in major cities and are expanding our operation pan India. We plan to invest the loan amount from Food Empire Group towards expanding our reach to 10,000 points of sale in 2020 and to introduce newer and interesting variants,” Siddharth Jain, Founder, Brewhouse Ice Tea said.

    The brand started operations in Delhi in May 2017 and at present has presence in over 10 cities, including Delhi, Chennai, Bangalore, Mumbai, Pune, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Chandigarh, Lucknow and are retailing with over 300 restaurant and cafe partners.

  • Casa Perú Opens Its Doors In Beijing Mall

    Casa Perú Opens Its Doors In Beijing Mall

    The Peruvian Ministry of Foreign Commerce venture House of Peru has opened a store in Beijing. The outlet, which opened in Shimao Gongsan Plaza, Sanlitun, serves as a promotional platform for products from the South American nation as well as to popularise tourism in the region among consumers in China.

    Local store representative Huang Zhaohui commented that Peru is well-known for its alpaca wool clothing. The warm, light material has been promoted globally by Peru since establishing the Alpaca label in 2014.

    At the opening ceremony, Huang Zhaohui was awarded the title of “Peru-china Friendship Envoy” by the foreign trade and tourism minister of Peru to honour her contribution to the trade and exchanges between both countries.

    The store also retails food, coffee and Pisco wine.

    Lees ook:

  • Uber Eats appoints Alia Bhatt as India brand ambassador

    Uber Eats appoints Alia Bhatt as India brand ambassador

    Uber Eats, the food delivery arm of ride-hailing major Uber, Thursday said it has appointed actor Alia Bhatt as its brand ambassador in India. India is the first country for Uber Eats globally where the company has appointed a brand ambassador, Uber Eats said in a statement.

    “Alia is an inspiration to Indian millennials and we are thrilled to have her on board. The youth today relates to her easy-going, carefree and energetic personality. “She is known for her unique style and agility as an actor – the same qualities are an integral part of the Uber Eats DNA; thus making her the perfect fit to represent our brand in India,” Bhavik Rathod, India and South Asia Head, Uber Eats said.

    Uber Eats was launched in India in May 2017. The food delivery service is available across 37 cities compared to 31 cities where the American company operates its rides business. Uber Eats started in 2014 as a small delivery pilot in Los Angeles and was launched as a separate application in Toronto in December 2015. It is now available as a stand-alone app in over 350 cities globally.

    The US-based company has been aggressively investing in its Uber Eats business globally. Earlier this month, Uber said gross bookings from Uber Eats grew more than 150 percent in September quarter to US$ 2.1 billion (excluding Southeast Asia and Russia) over the year-ago period.

    Lees ook:

  • Tealive makes debut with opening first store in China

    Tealive makes debut with opening first store in China

    Malaysian bubble-tea brand Tealive has launched the first of 500 stores planned for China. Located inside SML Center in Shanghai’s Huangpu district, the store attracted long queues on the opening day. “With China being the world’s largest tea market and the fourth overseas market for Tealive, we decided to create a specific menu for China to showcase Southeast Asian ingredients including durian, cempedak, gula melaka, Bentong ginger and Sabah-origin tea,” said Tealive’s parent company Loob CEO Bryan Loo.

    “More outlets will be opened in Shanghai and we plan to have 20 outlets in China by June next year,” he added.

    Loob had entered into a joint venture with two Chinese companies, Zhejiang Boduo International Trade and Shanghai Panfei International Trade to open 500 stores in China within three years.

    After the dispute with Chatime, Tealive has expanded to overseas markets. It entered Vietnam last October, and now has six stores in the country, with two more planned by the end of this year.

    The brand also expanded into Australia in July, with its first store opening in Melbourne.

    In India, Loob has appointed a master franchisee with the target of opening 200 outlets within five years.

    Lees ook:

  • Sydney to be home for Lindt’s first “premium chocolate” store

    Sydney to be home for Lindt’s first “premium chocolate” store

    Swiss chocolatier Lindt is ramping up its Australia retail expansion with the opening of its latest chocolate boutique in Sydney. Located in Sydney’s Macquarie shopping mall, the new boutique-style shop is filled with Lindt’s complete luxury chocolate range. However, with five stores already operating in the city, the new location is the first of its kind to offer a more “premium chocolate shopping experience”.

    The premium aspect includes an exclusive range featuring a new Gourmet Selection, which comes in seven flavours of premium roasted nuts and fruit coated in Lindt Chocolate.

    Likewise, the new shop offers a selection of specialty-crafted chocolate slabs with gourmet ingredients and a wide variety of Lindt’s signature pralines.

    Inside, Australian shoppers are encouraged to browse from the gift boxes on offer, which vary across three different sizes, before filling each with an assortment of Lindor balls and other Lindt chocolates, creating a quasi ‘Pick and Mix’ concoction, so each purchase can be custom made.

    There is also a Lindt Chocolate Bar, which offers a range of takeaway hot and cold drinks made with pure Lindt chocolate.

    “It is a great addition to our NSW Lindt Chocolate Shop locations and we know the shoppers at Macquarie Centre will enjoy indulging in the exclusive gourmet ranges on offer,” CEO Lindt Australia Stephen Loane told local media.

    The boutique store is surrounded by close to 400 international and national retailers to be shopped at Sydney’s Macquarie Centre, located in Sydney’s northern suburb of North Ryde.

    Lindt’s expansion comes at a time when rival chocolate retailer and café Max Brenner and its Australian arm has filed for bankruptcy.

    Max Brenner Australia, which was started in 1999 and is owned by Tom and Lilly Haikin, appointed voluntary administrators in early October citing rising costs and sluggish retail trade.

    On October 8, administrators McGrathNicol closed 20 of Max Brenner’s 37 stores.

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

  • Indian rice rates gain for third week; markets eye Philippine order

    Indian rice rates gain for third week; markets eye Philippine order

    Rice export prices rose for a third straight week in India while an Philippine order did little to infuse activity in Thailand and Vietnam. India’s 5 percent broken parboiled variety was quoted around $367-$375 per tonne this week, from $363-$371 the last week. The top exporter’s rupee currency rose to its highest level in more than two months, trimming exporters’ margins.

    “Paddy rice prices have jumped in Chhattisgarh and other neighbouring states and accordingly export prices are going up,” said an exporter based in Kakinada in the southern state of Andhra Pradesh.

    In July, the government raised prices paid to local farmers for common grade paddy rice by 13 percent from a year earlier to 1,750 rupees per 100 kg for the new season crop.

    Meanwhile, neighbouring Bangladesh will procure 600,000 tons of rice at 36 taka ($0.40) per kg from local farmers in the current harvesting season to boost reserves, a food ministry official said.

    In Vietnam, rates for 5 percent broken rice fell to about $410 a ton from $415-$420 last week.

    “Though prices are lower, trade remains very quiet as domestic supplies are empty. Prices will fall further in the coming weeks, closer to the levels offered by Thailand and India,” a trader based in Ho Chi Minh City said.

    “The Tan Long Group offered 118,000 tonnes in a Philippines import tender for 500,000 tons earlier this week, but the firm hasn’t been seen buying rice from the local market, and it’s not clear where its source will be.”

    The Philippines is on a rice-buying spree this year in a bid to tame prices that surged as stocks at government warehouses nearly ran out.

    Singapore-based commodity trader Olam International offered to supply the Philippines with 210,000 tons and Vietnam’s Tan Long Group Joint Stock Co offered 118,000 tons.

    Traders said the Vietnamese market will remain quiet until early next year when supplies of the winter-spring crop become available.

    Meanwhile in Thailand, benchmark 5 percent broken rice prices were quoted at $382-$395 per ton, free on board (FOB) Bangkok, narrowed from $380-$398 last week.

    Thailand will only supply part of the Philippines deal so there has been no immediate impact yet, but there is a chance that domestic price could rise later this week because of it, a Bangkok-based rice trader said.

  • Jumbo Seafood sales boosted by Thailand, China

    Jumbo Seafood sales boosted by Thailand, China

    Singapore-headquartered multi-dining concept food and beverage operator Jumbo Seafood has opened its first franchised seafood restaurant in Bangkok. The 9500sqft venue is the group’s fifth franchised location worldwide, with other outlets established in Fuzhou, Ho Chi Minh City, Taipei and Taichung. There are now 16 Jumbo seafood restaurants across Asia. The new Bangkok restaurant is operated by C J Seafood Co under a 10 year term at the IconSiam mega-development complex.

    Jumbo’s CEO and executive director Ang Kiam Meng said: “Having a presence in Bangkok allows us to bring our signature Singapore heritage cuisine to yet another Asian destination.”

    Jumbo released its unaudited end-of-year financial report at the end of September, showing an increase in revenue by 5.5 per cent compared to last year’s results. Revenue from operations in Singapore increased by SG$2.1 million (US$1.53 million) over the period, a figure dwarfed by the group’s $5.8 million ($4.2 million) increase out of Mainland China.

    Jumbo’s reported gross profit hit $96 million ($69.9 million) this financial year, up 4.4 per cent from $91.9 million ($66.9 million) in last year. Profit attributable to owners of the company, however, decreased by 23.8 per cent ($3.5 million/$2.55 million) to $11 million ($8 million) this year.

    Lees ook:

  • Food firms hope to feast on snack sales in Vietnam

    Food firms hope to feast on snack sales in Vietnam

    Vietnamese companies are hoping to make big bucks selling popular foods like fried chicken and crispy pork skin. Nguyen Ngoc An, general director of Vietnam Livestock Industry Company (Vissan), sees great potential in the snacks market. He is not referring to potato chips, but to fresh food made with chicken and pork.

    “Deep-fried pork skin, seaweed dried chicken and pha lau (pork meat and offal braised in a spiced stock) are favorite dishes among young people,” he said.

    “Such snacks will be a good source of revenue for the company in the near future.”

    Already in the market, Saigon Food JSC has released more than 10 fresh snack products, including rice paper pancakes, corn fried shrimps, and tamarind fried balut eggs, which are selling very well.

    Le Thi Thanh Lam, deputy general director of Saigon Food, said that the company’s products are sold at 7-Eleven convenience stores in Ho Chi Minh City.

    “In the near future, we will be exploring new product lines that fit the tastes of consumers to expand the snacks segment,” she said.

    A leading producer of poultry eggs, Ba Huan JSC has also latched on to this trend, launching a group of snack products including spicy chicken legs, skewers, sausages, and omega 3 flan.

    Pham Thanh Hung, deputy general director of the company, said these snacks are new to the market, but sales are quite high. Most of the products are sold in supermarkets or convenience stores. Spicy chicken legs are most liked, he said.

    Vinh Dat Food JSC, which introduced fresh snacks into the market before any of the above companies, said that initially, processed egg products such as balut egg stew, preserved black eggs and braised eggs saw slow consumption.

    But by 2017, explosive growth of this segment forced the company to invest in more production facilities to meet demand. In the coming months, the company will develop more soft-boiled egg products and wholesale various types of braised eggs to restaurants.

    The latest survey carried out by market research firm Decision La shows that on average Vietnamese youth spends VND13 trillion ($556.53 million) on snacks every month.

    And according to statistics by London-based market research firm Euromonitor, by the end of 2016, Vietnam had about 149,000 food kiosks on the streets, including mobile vans or fixed in front of houses, which earn about VND46.9 trillion ($2.01 billion) per year.

    Lees ook:

  • Five Guys and Shake Shack go head to head in Central HK

    Five Guys and Shake Shack go head to head in Central HK

    American burger franchises Five Guys and Shake Shack have opened new stores in Hong Kong this week. Launching on Johnston Road in Wan Chai this week, in premises formerly home to Tommy Bahama, Five Guys is known for its made-to-order beef burgers, creamy shakes and thick-cut Cajun fries.

    The move is part of an aggressive global expansion plan for the US fast-food chain. Founded in 1986 in Virginia, Five Guys first expanded outside the US in 2003 and now has almost 1500 outlets worldwide, in the US, Canada, UK, Europe and the Middle East.

    The company says it has another 1500 outlets under development as the brand has built “a cult-like following around the world”.

    New York’s Shake Shack opened at the Pacific Place Admiralty yesterday to queues of more than 200 fans and local residents. The first 200 people in line were awarded Shake Shack tote bags in celebration of the launch. It’s the chain’s second store, the first located at IFC mall.

    Shake Shack is a modern day “roadside” burger stand known for its Angus beef burgers, chicken sandwiches and flat-top Vienna beef dogs. The franchise also serves craft beer and wine. It was brought to Hong Kong by Maxim’s Group.

    Shake Shack originally opened in 2004 in Madison Square Park, and has since expanded to more than 180 locations in the US and more than 70 international locations.

  • 7Fresh to open store in Shanghai

    7Fresh to open store in Shanghai

    E-commerce giant JD’s offline retail store 7Fresh is set to launch at Shangbin Plaza in Shanghai’s Hongkou District. The move is regarded as a step towards expansion nationwide beyond the firm’s home base in Beijing, as well as an attempt to follow recent trends to diversify from online-only business models. The high spending power of Shanghai residents was key in determining the store’s location.

    JD expects to be operating 1000 outlets with three to five years, using insights learnt from trading online to tailor product ranges popular locally. It will be taking on rival Alibaba’s Hema Market, which has already grown to more than 100 outlets.

    JD’s senior VP Wang Xiaosong said: “JD’s online fresh food business provides an advantage in terms of merchandise selection when we’re expanding into offline retail.”

    Shangbin Plaza is due to open early next year.

  • Uno Chicago Bar & Grill to opens stores in India

    Uno Chicago Bar & Grill to opens stores in India

    Ambuja Neotia Group’s hospitality vertical has recently introduced globally recognized American casual dining chain, Uno Chicago Bar & Grill in India through franchise route. The first outlet has opened at Gardens Galleria Mall, Noida.

    Harshavardhan Neotia, Chairman of the Ambuja Neotia Group says, “We feel that the Indian consumer is a well-travelled consumer who has an acquired taste to world cuisine. The Indian market is yet untapped with immense potential and it is an exciting time to enter India.”

    “As an authentic American Bar & Grill concept, the brand is positioned to be a smart casual dining restaurant in India, where people can enjoy a truly American cuisine paired with crafted drinks and entertainment with live performances. Anchored by vibrant culinary heritage, strong craft culture in food and beverages and deeply mindful of wellness, Uno is bringing Deep Dish and New Americana to India. As an ‘Eat-ertainment’ driven casual dining space, it is inclusive and welcoming for all generations – millennial, the young-at-heart and kid. The restaurants will operate as a family style full service restaurant,” he adds.

    Each restaurant in India, which will spread across 2,500-3,000 square feet with the interiors same as of any other Uno Pizzeria & Grill restaurant in the US, will be opened with an approximate capex of Rs 4-5 crore.

    “This year, the brand is opening outlets in region of NCR, Kolkata and Bengaluru. The group has signed a franchise agreement with the food chain to open about 70 outlets across the country over the next seven years spreading across Tier I and II cities,” states Neotia.

    The brand is planning to open 12-15 outlets in the next 3 years with estimated investments upwards of Rs 60 crore.

    Tracing Brands’ History

    Uno Chicago Bar & Grill’s entry in India also coincides with its 75 years of successful global operations. Globally, the brand is recognized for its fun and welcoming Chicago inspired environment. The dining experience is relaxed, casual and family friendly as the brand places great emphasis on hospitality and service. The brand is synonymous with pizza but the menu extends to pastas, grills, salads, burgers, sandwiches and special curated menus. The chain also gives special emphasis to bar and alcohol offerings.

    Famous for inventing Deep Dish Pizza in 1943, Uno’s mission is to deliver big, bold flavors, rich, rewarding experiences and unbelievably delicious pizza and a range of other delectable menu creations.

    According to Neotia, “The UNO story began in Chicago in 1943 when Ike Sewell developed deep-dish pizza and opened a new type of restaurant at the corner of Ohio and Wabash. It was here that Ike served a pizza unlike any that had been served before. He figured that if some of Italy’s old, authentic recipes with impressive quantities of the finest meats, fresh cheeses, ripe vegetables and flavourful spices is combined with pizza, it could become a hearty meal. That was the start of an American tradition – the Chicago Deep Dish Pizza. Today, 75 years later, UNO continues to be undisputed creators of original Deep Dish Pizza, bringing its legacy to India.”

    The Boston, Massachusetts-based brand has 110 company-owned and franchised restaurants located in 21 states of the US. Apart from this, the brand has international presence through franchise outlets in the District of Columbia, the United Arab Emirates, Honduras and Saudi Arabia.

  • Philippine’s La Lola to open in Singapore

    Philippine’s La Lola to open in Singapore

    La Lola Churreria will soon open its first store in Singapore at Clarke Quay Central. The Brazilian-inspired food-retailing concept is being brought to the city by MFT Group of the Philippines, in partnership with Bistronomia which opened the first La Lola store in the upmarket Manila Power Plant Mall at Rockwell.

    The Clarke Quay site was chosen for its close proximity to the MRT and bus stations.

    MFT Group chief marketing officer Chiqui Tan said the company chose Singapore because of locals’ dessert-driven palette and openness to new concepts.

    A former employee of the Philippines’ SM group, Tan says she has been watching La Lola with interest for several years.
    “We’ve been fans of the brand ever since they started. We thought it was genius that something so simple can be done so well. I saw the speed and the scale they grew the brand,” she said in an interview.

    “La Lola churros are so global in flavour that [the concept] can be taken anywhere and will have a strong chance of succeeding,” she said.

    The two companies are planning multiple outlets across Singapore and MFT Group is also actively looking for more food concepts to launch.

    The MFT Group, a private equity investor, has already successfully taken Singaporean chain Salad Stop to Spain. And it plans to open branches of that brand in Vietnam soon.

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

  • Women can make or break Vietnam’s F&B industry

    Women can make or break Vietnam’s F&B industry

    With more women spending more on eating out, they have become linchpins of the F&B industry, a study indicates. A new survey by HCMC-based market research firm Decision Lab finds that female consumers can make or break the food and beverage industry of Vietnam.

    Average visits per capita by female consumers to the out of home food and beverage market has increased by 5 percent during last year, from 121 between the fourth quarter of 2016 and the third quarter last year to 128 between the fourth quarter last year and the third quarter this year.

    Women have also increased spending on almost all major food channels in Vietnam, namely full service restaurants (FSR), or sit down eateries where food is served directly to the customers’ table, and quick service restaurants (QSR), where table service is minimal and the typical fare is fast food, street food, convenience stores, canteens and bars.

    As a result, women’s contribution to the out of home market revenue has increased by a whopping 10 percent.

    Among the women themselves, the 15-34 year-old segment accounts for 82 percent of the visits in the out of home market, and more than half of those by white-collar workers. Students are also seen as the driving force of female visits at 25 percent.

    As such, Decision Lab points out that the growing influence of women on the foodservice market is real and the industry would be well advised to use female-friendly messages to increase the traffic.

    According to market research firm Vietnam Report (VR), Vietnamese spend more than a third of their income on food and beverages, topping education and utilities.

    VR said the food and drink market has become more exciting in recent years with the entry of technologies such as phone apps that allow users to find nearby restaurants and order deliveries.

    Food and beverages were two of the 10 most bought products online last year, it said, citing data from market research company Nielsen.

    Lees ook:

  • Jollibee’s 250th store opened in North America

    Jollibee’s 250th store opened in North America

    Philippines fast food operator Jollibee is planning to hit 150 locations in the US within five years, up from its current 37. The company’s CEO Ernesto Tanmantiong said: “The fried chicken market in the US is quite huge. This is just the first leg of our journey, to be one of the major players in the fried chicken market.”

    The company has also announced plans to open 100 additional stores in Canada, part of its strategy to become on of the world’s top five quick-service restaurants.

    Jollibee operates 4300 stores in 20 countries, and has a portfolio of 14 brands.

    Lees ook: