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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.

  • Starbucks Announces Global Greener Stores Commitment

    Starbucks Announces Global Greener Stores Commitment

    Following strong consumer demand and internal support, global franchise coffee giant Starbucks has committed to designing, building and operating 10,000 “Greener Stores” globally by 2025.

    The brand has teamed up with sustainable building experts SCS Global Services and World Wildlife Fund to help with the implementation of the new initiative, which focuses on reducing waste, saving water and powering stores through 100 per cent renewable energy.

    The announcement was made overnight at The Global Climate Action Summit in San Francisco, and promises to deliver consumers a new standard in green retailing.

    The latest initiative will see the brand audit all existing company-operated stores in the US and Canada over the coming years, serving as a trial period for the proposed framework, before encompassing all remaining existing stores, new builds and renovations.

    “Simply put, sustainable coffee, served sustainably is our aspiration,” said Kevin Johnson, president and CEO of Starbucks.

    “We know that designing and building green stores is not only responsible, it is cost effective as well. The energy and passion of our green apron partners has inspired us to find ways to operate a greener store that will generate even greater cost savings while reducing impact.”

    The move is anticipated to save the company an incremental US$50 million in utilities over the next 10 years, building on the brand’s current decade long commitment to greener practices, which already equates to approximately $30 million in saved annual operating costs.

    Erin Simon, director of R&D at World Wildlife Fund, US praised Starbucks’ decision to open source the framework, enabling other retailers to engage in the initiative.

    “This framework represents the next step in how Starbucks is approaching environmental stewardship, looking holistically at stores and their role in helping to ensure the future health of our natural resources,” Simon said.

    “When companies step up and demonstrate leadership, other businesses often follow with commitments of their own, driving further positive impacts.”

    As a leader in the retail coffee space, the announcement is set to highlight the importance of sustainability in Australian outlets and competitors, many of whom recently established partnerships and green operations to curb growing consumer demand.

    Starbucks is also encouraging other businesses to get on board with the latest sustainable initiative.

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  • Jollibee Foods Corp. buys stake in Tortas Frontera

    Jollibee Foods Corp. buys stake in Tortas Frontera

    Philippine fast-food operator Jollibee has bought a 47 per cent stake in US-based Mexican food chain Tortas Frontera.

    The US$12.4 million acquisition was announced in a disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange. Chairman Tony Tan Caktiong said would help the firm tap the “fast-growing” Mexican food category in the US. Mexican venues occupy about 9 per cent of the US restaurants market.

    The move falls in line with Jollibee’s plans to become one of the top five fast-food chains in the world, and is its second major acquisition in the US following taking a majority shareholding in Smashburger. It has also purchased big brands in China.

    Jollibee operates 4279 stores globally, with more than 1400 of those Jollibee-branded outlets.

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  • Starbucks Arrives in Milan : The best store in the world

    Starbucks Arrives in Milan : The best store in the world

    Starbucks describes its newly opened Milan Roastery as its “most beautiful store in the world”.

    “During my first trip to Milan in 1983, I was captivated by the sense of community I found in the city’s espresso bars – the moments of human connection that passed so freely and genuinely between baristas and their customers,” said Howard Schultz, chairman emeritus of Starbucks.

    “The opening of the Milan Roastery is the story of Starbucks coming full circle.”

    The “crown jewel of Starbucks global retail footprint” opened in a restored building on Milan’s Palazzo della Poste on the Piazza Cordusio, just a few streets away from iconic landmarks such as the Duomo di Milano, Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II and Teatro alla Scala.

    Standing at 2300sqm (25,000sqft), the Milan Roastery marks the first time the coffee giant has made its debut in a new country with the Roastery format. Just two others exist in the world: in Seattle, which opened in 2014, and in Shanghai, which debuted last year.

    Customers entering the Milan Roastery are greeted by a stunning view that spans every aspect of the Roastery experience. Vibrant colours were chosen to reflect the Italian fashion and design community and over the course of the day, the space transforms from the light filtering through the glass ceiling.

    At the heart of the building is a Scolari coffee roaster, manufactured just miles from the centre of Milan. To the right, customers will find the main bar, where classic espresso beverages mingle with innovative new flavours. The wood-fronted bar features fluting, which echoes a motif found in Italian architecture throughout history, and is topped with marble sourced from the world-famous quarries of Tuscany. Upstairs on the mezzanine floor, customers can discover Arriviamo Bar – where mixologists are on hand to create specialty cocktails behind a 10m-long marble bar carved from a single block of Calacatta Macchia Vecchia. To the left, customers will see a Princi Bakery, complete with a wood-fired oven.

    Liz Muller, chief design officer at Starbucks, says her team spent a whole year living and breathing the city of Milan, working closely with dozens of local artisans to bring the store to life. She says the company wanted to engage “each one of our customers’ senses – sight, sound, touch, smell, and of course, taste”.

    “From the palladiana flooring that was chiselled by hand to the bright green clackerboard made by Italian craftsman Solari, everything you see in the Roastery is intentional, offering moments of discovery and transparency.”

    The historic setting and detailed design is complemented by an interactive augmented reality (AR) experience, encouraging customers to use their mobile device to learn more about Starbucks Reserve coffees, the roasting process and the company. The centerpiece of the AR experience is a floor-to-ceiling, wall-to-wall visual representation of Starbucks history and its coffee – engraved in brass by local craftsmen, burnished to an ombre finish and backlit to bring warmth to the story.

    Outside on a terrace, customers can enjoy the full range of Roastery coffees, cocktails and cuisine in a distinctly European environment – that of a street-side cafe. Also adorning the Roastery’s portico is a striking statue of a siren – the symbol of Starbucks steeped in classical lore – completely hand-carved in Carrara marble by Tuscan sculptor Giovanni Balderi.

    The Milan Roastery offers customers a 360-degree walk-around view of the entire roasting process, which starts with green coffee being poured out of burlap sacks, continues through the roaster and sweeping cooling trays, and finishes in a 6.5m-tall bronze cask, with a glimpse offered inside the degassing chamber. From there, coffee beans flow overhead through copper pipes directly to silos at the coffee bars, where customers can enjoy a fresh cup of Reserve coffee, or to the in-house packaging line to be wrapped for distribution in Starbucks stores across Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

    Following the opening of the Milan Roastery, Starbucks will bring additional cafes to Milan with licensed partner Percassi beginning late this year. Starbucks says these stores will reflect the unique coffee culture of the Italian market, while also offering Starbucks mainstream food and beverage offer.

    Italy marks Starbucks’ 78th international market and comes 20 years after it opened its first European store in London.

    View the gallery below for more picture :

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  • Walmart’s mini program “Scan to Buy” has attracted over 10 users in China

    Walmart’s mini program “Scan to Buy” has attracted over 10 users in China

    Walmart Scan & Go use in China has broken through the 10 million-users barrier, the first mini-program in the retail industry to reach such a broad user base.

    Since launching last April, Walmart Scan & Go – which allows customers to scan their own items and complete payment on their mobile phones for in-store purchases – has been promoted in nearly 300 Walmart stores in more than 50 cities. By the end of the year, it is expected to be available in more than 400 Walmart stores across the country.

    In the two-month tryout period in some Walmart stores, Scan & Go reached a penetration rate of up to 30 per cent of in-store customers choosing to use the mini-program to make payment. About 95 per cent of those users said they were willing to continue to use this new self-help checkout method.

    The mini-program also features an electronic mapping service called “Find My Item”, which provides customers with an electronic map-based shopping guide service helping in-store customers to quickly locate the products they need.

    Jordan Berke, Walmart China Hypermarket’s VP of e-commerce said: “Walmart Scan & Go is one of our important initiatives to deliver innovation and omni-channel experiences to our customers… We believe that innovative technologies provide a more convenient experience to customers and enhance customer loyalty.”

    Cecilia Tian, head of smart retail strategic partnership at Walmart’s partner Tencent, said: “Scan & Go meets the customer’s needs by shortening the checkout time. For retailers, Scan & Go helps anchor their digital assets and improve the digitalisation and CRM capability. It brings positive impact on O2O business. Tencent hopes to collaborate with retail partners such as Walmart, who are able to build a holistic, seamless O2O experience with digitalisation tools, improve the operation efficiency and drive business growth.”

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  • First Hanamaru udon noodle store opens in Indonesia

    First Hanamaru udon noodle store opens in Indonesia

    Japanese restaurant chain Yoshinoya has opened its first Hanamaru udon noodle venue in Indonesia.

    The first branch opened last week in Lippo Mall Puri, western Jakarta, under local operator Happy Restaurants Indonesia, Yoshinoya’s wholly owned subsidiary.

    The brand intends to launch two further restaurants in Jakarta this year, with the aim of opening 50 within five years. The restaurant interiors are being designed to resemble a Japanese shrine.

    Vriska Virginia Lahama, the subsidiary’s GM, said: “By building an interesting restaurant concept like in its home country, Japan, I am sure this concept can attract consumers to come and eat and then they take pictures and post them on social media.”

    Yoshinoya already runs 83 beef bowl restaurants in the country.

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  • Chinese hotpot giant Haidilao preparing for Hong Kong IPO

    Chinese hotpot giant Haidilao preparing for Hong Kong IPO

    The Beijing-based firm, known for serving Sichuan-style spicy hotpot, is in the process of the pre-deal investor education (PDIE), during which analysts discuss the company’s valuation with potential investors.

    It will take orders from institutional investors today, according to people familiar with the matter. The IPO will be opened to retail investors on Wednesday.

    The hotpot company generated a first-half revenue of 7.3 billion yuan (US$1 billion) this year, up 54.4 per cent year on year, its listing prospectus showed. Net profit increased 17 per cent to 647 million yuan during the six month period.

    Funds raised from the IPO would be used to finance the company’s next three years of expansion, develop new technology and projects to enhance food safety and customer experience, as well as repay debt, it said.

    Haidilao, which owns 362 restaurants, has expanded its operations rapidly to cater to a growing middle class population whose consumption is considered an integral part of the country’s new economy sector.

    Recent volatility in the Hong Kong stock market, no thanks to the US-China trade war, currency turmoils in emerging markets and fear of further interest rate hikes, have dampened interest for new listings. This compared with the boom in the first eight months in which funds raised from IPOs totalled HK$187.6 billion (US$23.9 billion), representing a 161 per cent surge from the year-earlier period, according to data from the city’s stock exchange.

    By Friday’s market close, the 10 biggest IPOs in the past year – including China Tower, Xiaomi, ZhongAn Online P&C Insurance – all traded below their offer prices. The Hang Seng Index fell on Friday, posting a weekly loss of 3.3 per cent as a new round of US tariffs that could hit US$200 billion of Chinese goods looms.

    Other upcoming IPOs include investment bank China Renaissance, which aims to raise as much as US$400 million. It will begin its PDIE next week.

    Meituan Dianping, China’s largest on-demand online service platform, launched its offering this week in an attempt to raise US$4.4 billion. The stock is expected to start trading on September 20 on Hong Kong’s main board.

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  • Tesco signs up Jamie Oliver for healthier eating drive

    Tesco signs up Jamie Oliver for healthier eating drive

    Tesco and Jamie Oliver have joined up to “help make healthier choices a little easier for customers”.

    In his first act for the UK retailer, the celebrity chef and restaurateur will front Tesco’s ‘helpful little swaps’ in store, where healthier alternatives offer reduced levels of sugar, salt and fat, as well as being cheaper for customers. A basket of ‘helpful little swaps’ will cost 12 per cent less than a regular basket.

    The Tesco and Jamie Oliver partnership has been forged in the wake of research by the grocer showing seven in 10 families want supermarkets to help them lead healthier lives and make healthier choices more affordable.

    Oliver said the survey results back up what he hears from his audience every single day: “Britain wants to know how to enjoy more of the good stuff, in easy fun and delicious ways. This makes this partnership one of the most exciting opportunities to actually get Britain eating and celebrating more of their five fruit and veges a day.

    “I’m going to work really hard to respond to the different seasons and what the customer is asking for, by creating exciting meals, shortcuts and tips that get people really fired up to cook. Tesco’s part is to make it easier and more affordable.”

    Alessandra Bellini, chief customer officer at Tesco, said: “Jamie’s passion and skill to inspire a nation to cook, coupled with our experience and reach in providing millions of customers and colleagues with healthy, quality, affordable ingredients will be a great combination to help people take simple steps to leading healthier lives. This is a natural step in our ongoing work to make healthier eating a little easier.”

    As part of the partnership, a series of healthier recipes and tips will be in store and online created for Tesco by Oliver. Many of the ingredients from the recipes will be reduced in price and placed together for convenience for customers – with a focus on British fruit and vegetables.

    Oliver said that during the past few years, under its new leadership, Tesco has consistently raised the bar when it comes to so many important initiatives: from food waste, to leading on industry reformulation and helping kids eat more fruit with its brilliant Free Fruit for Kids in-store program.

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  • Hong Kong’s Kam’s Roast opens in Indonesia

    Hong Kong’s Kam’s Roast opens in Indonesia

    Hong Kong-based restaurant Kam’s Roast has now opened in Indonesia.

    The franchise, which also has branches in Singapore and the Philippines, has been recognised in the Michelin Guide Hong Kong and Macau for the past four years.

    Launching in Pantai Indah Kapuk – a neighbourhood in northern Jakarta – the eatery features local roasts garnished with sauces imported from Hong Kong.

    The website for the brand in its home territory – where it is known as Kam’s Roast Goose – describes the brand as a third-generation business originally launched in 1942 under the name Yung Kee Restaurant.

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  • Vietnam’s low-tech agriculture startups fail to interest investors

    Vietnam’s low-tech agriculture startups fail to interest investors

    Failure to incorporate market needs and hi-tech elements into their projects is costing Vietnam’s agriculture startups dear, experts say.

    Experts and other participants at the opening ceremony of the Saigon Times Startup Club recently agreed Vietnam comes up short on agricultural startups that appeal to investors.

    “Previous capital investment reports show that funds for agriculture only account for 10 percent (of total investment),” Nguyen Viet Duc, CEO of Innovation Capital Management, said.

    Explaining some of the reasons for this low investment rate, Duc said young startup companies do not satisfy the market demand and fail to factor artificial intelligence (AI) and Internet of Things (IoT) in their operations.

    Taking this analysis further, Hoang Minh Ngoc Hai, general director of Value Commerce Hub, a startup facilitator and business consultancy firm, said not many Vietnam agricultural start-up companies were attractive to Japanese investors since they only want to fund companies that carry the promise of stable output, have more than one founder, and have founders with long-term commitment.

    “We do not have many startups that meet all these factors,” Hai said.

    Commenting on the fact that there are fewer successful projects in the sector, General Director of Dong A Solutions, Tran Bang Viet, said that agricultural startups face more challenges than those in other sectors.

    “Launching an agriculture startup is tough, time consuming, expensive and very complicated,” he said. “Not to mention quality products getting mixed up with bad and fake ones. The money that has to be spent on gaining customers’ trust is very high,” he said.

    However, Viet also felt that agriculture, education and health are promising sectors for startups, because there are longstanding problems that can be tackled with innovative solutions.

    Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc last month called for a drastic reduction in administrative procedures and easier access to agricultural loans.

    Phuc said he wanted Vietnam to be listed among the top 10 countries in agricultural production and for the nation’s agriculture sector to rank 15th in the world.

    Vietnam is currently ranked second in Southeast Asia and 13th in the world in agriculture production, according to Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Nguyen Xuan Cuong.

    Vietnam exported about $36.37 billion worth of agriculture and fisheries products last year.

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  • Costa Coffee exits Singapore after closing last store

    Costa Coffee exits Singapore after closing last store

    Just days after Costa Coffee announced it was to be bought by Coca-Cola, UK cafe chain Costa Coffee has confirmed it is exiting Singapore.

    During the last 13 weeks Costa Coffee Singapore has closed six stores in the city and its two remaining outlets will close imminently: Holland Village (September 7) and VivoCity on Sunday week.

    Costa Coffee launched in Singapore in 2012, and has a presence in other Asian markets including Cambodia and Vietnam (where it has one store at Danang Airport).

    A spokesman for Costa Coffee Singapore said: “We are committed to remaining within the South-east Asia region and have ambitious plans to grow the Costa brand.” He said the decision to exit Singapore was made early this year.

    An unnamed employee of Costa Coffee Singapore said that high rents were behind the decision to close the stores,

    However, Esther Ho, director of the School of Business Management at Nanyang Polytechnic, said international coffee chains were struggling in Singapore because they were not focused enough on “experiences” that helped to justify premium prices.

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  • Pepsi India to install plastic crushing machines across Maharashtra

    Pepsi India to install plastic crushing machines across Maharashtra

    Food and beverages firm PepsiCo India is planning to install reverse vending machines to crush PET plastic bottles in all the 36 districts of the state over the next two years as part of its plastic waste management initiative, a top executive said.

    According to a report: It aims to collect, segregate and recycle 6,500 tonnes of PET bottles in the state in the first year through this initiative.

    “We plan to roll out this (plastic waste management) initiative to all the 36 districts of the state over the next two years,” Neelima Dwivedi, Vice President, Pepsi-Co India said.

    In a meeting with chief minister Devendra Fadnavis in Nagpur in July, PepsiCo India’s president Ahmed ElSheikh had said the company is committed to the government’s vision and focus on addressing the issue of plastic waste in a sustainable manner.

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  • Ringer Hut opening in Philippines launch

    Ringer Hut opening in Philippines launch

    Japanese fast-food chain Ringer Hut is preparing to launch in the Philippines.

    The Tokyo-based firm will open a joint venture with local partners, taking a 40 per cent stake in the new business.

    The company had previously indicated that legal advice showed the partnership could proceed if the equivalent of US$2.5 million minimum was invested.

    Ringer Hut currently operates 600 stores in Japan, and has 16 stores in five other Asian countries, including Hong Kong, and in the US. It is also preparing to open in Vietnam. The chain’s stated goal is to run 50 international stores by 2020.

  • Biscuit maker Cookies Quartet applies for IPO

    Biscuit maker Cookies Quartet applies for IPO

    Hong Kong biscuit maker Cookies Quartet is planning an IPO to raise funds for expansion into Canada and Taiwan.

    The company, founded by former Miss Hong Kong Tse Ning, pastry chef Yiu Man Wong and food writer Yuen Tung Kwan in 2008, now has eight stores in Hong Kong and a bakery in San Po Kong.

    In a filing with the stock exchange, Cookies Quartet said it has an agreement with distributors in both new international markets and also plans to expand distribution in Mainland China where it has been selling online for two years.

    Of Hong Kong’s 32 biscuit retailers, Cookies Quartet claims a market share ranking it second in revenue terms with sales of HK$80.7 million giving it 13.6 per cent of the market.

    The company stated its profits at HK$24.7 million (US$3.1 million) this year, and $29.5 million last year.

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  • Coca-Cola enters ‘health & wellness’ space in India

    Coca-Cola enters ‘health & wellness’ space in India

    Taking another step towards its commitment to provide an array of healthy and nutritious beverage choices to consumers, Coca-Cola India expanded its portfolio of Minute Maid by launching Minute Maid Smoothie, a delicious snack that combines the ‘Power of 3’ ingredients – Fruits, Milk and Nutrients.

    The launch is a continuation of Coca-Cola India’s efforts to expand its portfolio including, ‘Health and Wellness’. This is a significant addition in Minute Maid fraternity and underlines company’s commitment towards the Fruit Circular Economy initiative.

    Made from locally sourced fruits, the product has been designed to suit the Indian palate and cater to the increasing needs of mothers looking for a combination of nutritious goodness and taste. Minute Maid Smoothie is available in Mango & Banana variants, priced at Rs 30 for 250ml.

    “Minute Maid Smoothie is an ideal choice for mothers looking for a snack that is tasty, filling and nutritious. We specifically developed this product after listening to mothers and understanding their needs. Children are picky eaters and are always look for something tasty, mothers often find it tough to balance between nutrition and taste. MM Smoothie contains real mango juice that gives it a great taste kids love, puree of banana which makes it filling, goodness of whole milk that mothers trust and topped up with nutrients such as Vitamin B3, B6, Vitamin E, Zinc and Calcium that play a key role in metabolism and building strength and stamina” said, Vijay Parasuraman, Vice President, Coca-Cola India & South West Asia.

    In the first phase of the launch, the product will be available in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, followed by other states. In the coming months, Coca-Cola India will also expand the Smoothie range by introducing other popular flavours.

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  • Fosun International eyes up food distributor and retailer Metro

    Fosun International eyes up food distributor and retailer Metro

    Chinese international conglomerate and investment firm Fosun International is negotiating a US$500 million holding in German wholesaler Metro, according to a report.

    The unconfirmed news about an acquisition that would see Fosun taking a 9 per cent holding in Metro has already boosted the firm’s share prices and may generate interest from other players, setting off a bidding war with other recent and potential investors in the firm.

    While current and prospective stakeholders in Metro may be preparing to face off, Fosun remains committed to its global acquisitions strategy that has seen it review an average of 25 possible investments per day – more than 9000 in total – over the last year.

    Fosun International currently owns 10 per cent in accessories retailer Folli Follie, resort Club Med, Canada’s Cirque du Soleil and the Malaysian-founded Secret Recipe cafe chain.

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