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.

  • McDonald’s Singapore: Lock up your phone

    McDonald’s Singapore: Lock up your phone

    In a bid to help families reconnect, McDonald’s Singapore has introduced a locker for mobile phones at its Marine Cove flagship.

    Its new“Family Playdate” concept includes table service with the aim of promoting human interaction.

    McDonald’s says a survey it ran shows that more than 90 per cent of parents and children use their mobile devices when they’re together, despite most parents wanting to be “more disciplined in staying away from digital distractions during family time”.

    Rather than go hi-tech, the 100 clear lockers have physical keys, and staff members will remind customers to take their phones when they leave.

    Staff members will also act as “guest experience leaders”, says the fast-food company. They will “engage with families”. When ordering at a self-service kiosk, customers can select the table-service option at no extra charge
    A McDonald’s Singapore says the restaurant will gather feedback on the initiatives to decide whether or not to expand them to other outlets.

  • LiHo bubble tea says hello to Hong Kong

    LiHo bubble tea says hello to Hong Kong

    Known for its cheese teas, Singapore bubble-tea brand LiHo has opened its first overseas outlet in Hong Kong.

    Its Yuen Long store will be followed by another in Kwun Tong on November 1, says the parent company RTG Holdings. Both outlets offer the full menu including smoothies and the new Avocado and Summer Passion beverages.

    RTG Holdings MD Rodney Tang says this is a first step in building LiHo into a global brand. It is partnering with Milky Way Synergy for the Hong Kong stores, and is looking at opening 20 more in the territory within the next five years.

    Tang says there has also been “preliminary interest” from potential partners in Japan, Korea and London.

    RTG ventured into the bubble-tea business with the Gong Cha brand in 2009. This year it replaced Singapore’s Gong Cha outlets with LiHo after Gong Cha’s parent company sold the business to Unison Capital, a Japanese private equity firm.

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  • Jollibee Foods taking acquisition path to China, US

    Jollibee Foods taking acquisition path to China, US

    Fast-food chain Jollibee Foods Corporation is seeking acquisitions to accelerate expansion plans in China and the US.

    Targets could include other fast-food chains as well as fast-casual restaurants like Smashburger, the US franchise of which Jollibee owns 40 per cent, says president Ernesto Tanmantiong.

    “We are looking at the world arena. Acquisition is part of our growth strategy.”

    Jollibee is on track to meet its goal of doubling profit in the five years through to 2019, and Tanmantiong says he now wants it to be one of the five biggest restaurant chains by market capitalisation globally. Its current market value is US$5.2 billion.

    Jollibee runs more than 3500 stores globally, with its best-selling item being Chickenjoy. Three-quarters of its outlets are in the Philippines.

    “We are optimistic with the future of the Philippine market,” says Tanmantiong. “Major pillars will still be the Philippines, China and US, though we don’t close our door to opportunities in other geographic areas.”

    Filipino diaspora focus

    Its expansion plans focus on overseas locations that have a concentration of Filipinos, like California, Florida, Guam and Hawaii. The chain opened its first Florida store in March, making it the 36th outlet in the US.

    Jollibee spent $100 million for its stake in Smashburger in 2015, which had 362 stores in the US at the end of June. The Philippines company has completed 12 deals valued at about $301 million since 2010, according to Bloomberg data, and has considered about 20 potential acquisitions during the past two years.

    While it is reportedly considering a bid for UK sandwich chain Pret A Manger, Tanmantiong says the company hasn’t made any bids in recent months. He became president/CEO in 2014. His older brother, Tony Tan Caktiong, founded the chain as an ice-cream parlor in Quezon City in 1975.

    Jollibee’s Chinese businesses include Hard Rock Cafe and it own outlets in Hong Kong, and on the mainland such brands as Dunkin’ Donuts, noodle chain Yonghe King and congee outlet Hong Zhuang Yuan.

    “China is now one of the highest growth areas in our business,” says Tanmantiong.

    The company also wants to take its Philippine chicken barbecue chain Mang Inasal and its Chinese restaurants global.

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  • Profits soar for Macau restaurants

    Profits soar for Macau restaurants

    Macau restaurants nearly doubled their profits last year, according to a Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) survey, while Chinese outlets saw a rise of more than 200 per cent in gross surplus.

    Gross surplus grew by 96 per cent year on year for restaurants and similar establishments to MOP258 million (US$32 million), the survey shows.

    Excluded from the study were restaurants and food outlets run by hotels and gaming establishments, as well as street-hawker stalls.

    There was a 6.5 per cent increase in the total amount of receipts collected to MOP10.6 billion, with expenses climbing 5.2 per cent year on year to MOP10.4 billion.

    The sector’s expenses included a 2.1 rise in purchase of goods, representing 36.8 per cent of the total, at MOP3.8 billion. Employee salaries increased 9.8 per cent to reach MOP3.7 billion.

    On the other hand, rents eased by 0.5 per cent but were still the major cost of running restaurants at MOP1.1 billion. Electricity costs and materials were the second- and third-largest expenses for F&B establishments, both increasing. Electricity costs were up 7.1 per cent to MOP362 million while materials cost 0.6 per cent more to reach MOP236 million.

    The survey also shows the sector contributed 13 per cent more to the local economy (gross value added) with a total of MOP4 billion. This is despite there being 20 fewer dining outlets than the previous year – the first decline since 2012 – taking the total to 2189.

    However, the number of people working in the industry rose by 101 to reach 32,260 at the end of last year.
    About 2265 cooked-food stalls in municipal markets were registered last year, with 32,398 workers. Macau had 598 Chinese restaurants, bringing in 42.3 per cent of total receipts last year.

    In all, Chinese restaurants registered 9.2 per cent more in receipts last year than in the previous 12 months, reaching MOP4.5 billion, with gross surplus rocketing 218 per cent to MOP105 million.

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  • Pizza chain’s customers complain of data breach

    Pizza chain’s customers complain of data breach

    Customers of pizza chain Domino’s Australia are complaining their personal data has been leaked, prompting eerie personalised emails from scammers.

    Many took to social media to complain about phishing emails addressing them by their first names and mentioning where they live.

    But Domino’s insists there’s been no “unauthorised access” to its systems, although it is investigating a potential issue with a former supplier.

    “It was a bit eery (sic) getting all these spam emails that somehow knew my name and suburb and initially were making it past the spam filter,” Mitchell Dale posted on Domino’s Facebook page.

    “The decision to try to keep me in the dark and not announce what had happened is why I will not be ordering Dominos again.”

    “Nothing better than waking up finding out your data has been breached,” Dylan James posted on Facebook.

    “Why haven’t you informed anyone yet?”

    In an undated statement on its website, Domino’s Australia said there was no evidence to suggest there had been unauthorised access to its systems.

    “We are investigating a potential issue with a former supplier’s systems that may have led to a number of customer email addresses, names and store suburbs (related to pizza orders) being accessed,” it said.

    “Domino’s acted quickly to contain the information when it became aware of the issue and has commenced a detailed review process.”

    The company did not say when it first became aware of the issue and insists no financial information has been accessed.

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  • Sussan Retail Group hones in on revitalised hub

    Sussan Retail Group hones in on revitalised hub

    The Sussan Retail Group will open a Sportsgirl outlet at Centre Road, Bentleigh in Melbourne, adding to its retail footprint on the revitalised strip that is attracting national tenants.

    The group, which already has its Sussan and Suzanne Grae stores on the road, has secured a five-year lease at over $80,000 per annum.

    Mark Talbot, Fitzroys division director, who secured the lease said there has been a string of national tenants seeking to lease prime retail spaces in the strip with Suzanne’s store openings representing a counter move to the perceived challenges of the current retail climate.

    “The renewal of the area around the train station and level crossing has seen traffic and pedestrian flows improved, and they see the project underpinning the growth of the strip in the long-term,” Talbot said.

    Talbot added that’s why the Sussan Retail Group chose the precinct for their new store as they see Centre Road as an established, secure, highly sought after location.

    Sportsgirl is expected to open ahead of the crucial Christmas trading period.

    According to Talbot, the growing number of residential projects around the area had further bolstered the immediate catchment of the strip, also creating further demand for food and hospitality services.

    Talbot said he has also just leased a nearby premises to cult burger restaurant and food truck Mr Burger, which has opened as the group’s first concept store with a new menu.

    It is also its first permanent location in Melbourne’s bayside region, which Talbot said again pointed to the security and high regard for the retail road.

    Fitzroys’ Walk the Strip report shows it is the more recent revolution of medium density mixed-use retail and residential developments that has further accentuated the extended trading cycles of centres such as Centre Road, Bentleigh and added to their vibrancy.

    Extended trading hours, social advancement and changes in entertainment trends and lifestyle choices have seen a proliferation of food and beverage outlets in the area, encompassing cafes, restaurants, take-aways or licenced premises.

    The Mr Burger lease was also struck at over $80,000 per annum.

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  • Goobne grows in Hong Kong after China rebuff

    Goobne grows in Hong Kong after China rebuff

    Korean chicken franchise Goobne has opened a seventh outlet in Hong Kong, in a residential area in Tseung Kwan O.

    It is part of the brand’s strategy to focus on profitable markets as its business in Mainland China has been hit by the Beijing/Seoul dispute over the deployment of the THAAD missile system in South Korea.

    “We had two branches in China but now are left with one in Suzhou,” says a company spokesperson. “Our store in China is not very profitable.”

    Another chicken franchise, BBQ, which has more than 150 stores in China, said in May that it was unable to expand as its local partner refused to invest further in Korean firms.

    Goobne, meanwhile, has 11 stores in  Japan and Macau as well as China and Hong Kong. Its monthly sales overseas reached 1.5 billion won (US$1.3 million) on average this year, with its Hong Kong sales accounting for about 1.3 billion won.

    “We are doing well in Hong Kong,” says the spokesperson. “The first store in Tsim Sha Tsui alone showed more than 400 million won in sales monthly last year.”

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  • Bucking Bull opens new concept in Watertown Brand Outlet

    Bucking Bull opens new concept in Watertown Brand Outlet

    Fast food franchise,Bucking Bull, has opened a new restaurant in Watertown Brand Outlet in Perth, aimed at moving the roast food retailer into the casual dining scene.

    Bucking Bull, which has 30 stores across Perth, Brisbane, the Gold Coast, Townsville, Melbourne and northern NSW, said the initiative was a ‘coming-of-age’ for the brand in its 18th year of business, with the new restaurant offering a more extensive dine-in menu, and also the first licensed Bucking Bull.

    “This move just makes a lot of sense for Bucking Bull, and not just because the market is evolving,” said Dean Vella, executive director.

    “When you think of tradition, slow cooked food, you naturally think of enjoying this with family or friends in a relaxed, chilled environment,” he said.

    Vella said it is their mission to bring the Bucking Bull dining experience full circle with emphasis on sharing and socialising

    The new 150sqm restaurant seats 80 people and features rustic urban textures, natural lighting and a feature wall by local Perth artist, Daek Williams.

    “We’re really extremely excited with the response so far,” Vella said.

    “The encouraging reaction from customers is really important to us, especially as we look at the prospect of opening similar style casual dining restaurants in dining precincts around the country.”

    Alison Bunn, Watertown Brand Outlet’s centre manager, welcomed the food retailer to Perth’s only brand outlet shopping and food centre.

    Bucking Bull is part of the Aktiv Brands group along with Skewerz Kebabz.

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  • Japanese operator plans 50 Myanmar noodle restaurants

    Japanese operator plans 50 Myanmar noodle restaurants

    Japanese noodle restaurant operator Toridoll Holdings plans to open 50 outlets in Myanmar with a local joint venture partner.

    The Myanmar noodle restaurants, in partnership with YKKO, will target the nation’s growing middle class.

    The first has already opened in Yangon, selling bowls of noodles for as little as US48 cents, with serving sizes to suit budgets and appetites. Ingredients are sourced locally and from neighbouring Thailand to minimise overheads.

    Toridoll, based in Kobe, already operates about 900 eateries in Japan and another 380 across 30 offshore markets, including Vietnam, the Philippines, China, Cambodia and Indonesia. Japan’s perpetually shrinking population has prompted the company to look abroad for growth – it has ambitious plans to operate 4000 restaurants abroad in 2025.

    Meanwhile,

    YKKO is an abbreviation of its the name of its first restaurant, Kyay-Oh, which opened in Yankin.

  • Second Crystal Jade Jiang Nan restaurant opens

    Second Crystal Jade Jiang Nan restaurant opens

    Crystal Jade Jiang Nan has a new sister restaurant at Yoho Mall II in Yuen Long, opening on the first anniversary of the Wanchai flagship restaurant in Tai Yau Plaza.

    With two semi-private VIP rooms seating up to 10 guests each, the new venue can accommodate 130 diners and features an open-plan design that is visible to passers-by in the shopping arcade. Features include partition screens at varying angles, with artifacts, timber, glass and low-level vintage lighting.

    As well as Jiang Nan cuisine, the new restaurant offers handpicked wines and teas.

    Jiang Nan cuisine is marked by its delicacy and complex cooking processes. It fuses southern Chinese characteristics of freshness, crispness and tenderness with northern Chinese saltiness, vibrant colours and richness. The region’s cuisine is also famed for small dishes paired with teas.

    From Singapore, Crystal Jade Culinary Concepts Holdings has restaurants in 14 shopping malls in Hong Kong, including the airport. Internationally, the brand has reached 25 cities in 10 countries, including China, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Thailand, the Philippines and the US.

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  • Sbarro Bangladesh opens eight restaurants in one hit

    Sbarro Bangladesh opens eight restaurants in one hit

    Sbarro Bangladesh franchise partner Khan Bahadur Foods has opened eight restaurants in Dhaka.

    It was the first time the US fast-food chain has opened eight locations simultaneously in one city. Sbarro is the first New York-style pizzeria in Bangladesh. With its franchise partner, the brand has opened several locations in Bangladesh over the past two years. Khan Bahadur MD Mayeen Chowdhury says more stores are planned.

    “Mayeen and his team are excellent ambassadors of Sbarro in Bangladesh, as shown by their proven success over the past few years,” says Sbarro CEO David Karam.

    Since opening as an Italian salumeria in Columbus, Ohio, in 1956, Sbarro now has more than 600 restaurants in 26 countries.

  • Costa Coffee buys out south China partner Yueda

    Costa Coffee buys out south China partner Yueda

    British high-street chain Costa Coffee has taken full ownership of its south China business after buying out partner Yueda.

    Costa previously held 51 per cent of their JV, buying the balance of shares for RMB310 million (US$47 million), giving it total control of 252 stores.

    The deal is part of the group’s plans to expand overseas, says Alison Brittain, chief executive of Costa’s parent company Whitbread.

    “We have enjoyed an excellent partnership with Yueda over the past 10 years, together beginning to build the Costa brand in this key market,” says Brittain. “The coffee shop market in China is highly attractive, with a compelling opportunity for Costa to grow its presence over the longer term.

    “This acquisition gives us full strategic and funding flexibility to unlock Costa’s potential in China.”

    Meanwhile, the company says it remains fully committed to its partnership with BHG in northern China.

  • Isaac Toast lands in Malaysia – at KL airport

    Isaac Toast lands in Malaysia – at KL airport

    South Korean sandwich outlet Isaac Toast opened yesterday at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA2) Arrival Hall – its debut for Malaysia.

    Starting out as a sandwich stall in Seoul in 1995, Isaac Toast now has 700 retail outlets in South Korea, with a scattering of stores also in Macau and Taiwan.

    It is known for its filling sandwiches that feature different meats and toppings. Its most popular sandwiches include Bulgabi, Bulgogi, Bacon Best and Ham Special, plus some branches offer specialties like Double Cheese Potato and even Shrimp.

  • Charoen Sirivadhanabhakdi eyes Malaysian restaurants

    Charoen Sirivadhanabhakdi eyes Malaysian restaurants

    A Thai group controlled by Charoen Sirivadhanabhakdi may buy a substantial stake in the KFC and Pizza Hut restaurant chains in Malaysia.

    Through his majority controlled Thai Beverage, which brews and markets Chang beer, Charoen is presently taking over the KFC chain in Thailand.

    QSR Brands owns and runs the KFC and Pizza Hut quick-service restaurants in Malaysia. Johor Corporation has a 51 per cent stake in QSR Brands, while the Employees Provident Fund (EPF) and private equity firm CVC Capital Partners own 25 and 24 per cent respectively.

    JCorp took KFC private in 2012 through QSR Brands in a deal listed at RM5.1 billion (US$1.2 billion). The deal was completed in early 2013.

    Apart from ThaiBev, Charoen also owns Fraser and Neave (F&N) in Singapore, a company he took over in January 2013. In Malaysia, Fraser & Neave Holdings works in the F&B sector.

    Charoen’s ThaiBev last month bought 240 KFC restaurants across Thailand for THB11.3 billion (US$340.2 million).

    QSR Brands has more than 775 KFC restaurants in Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei and Cambodia. It also runs Pizza Hut in Malaysia and Singapore, with more than 390 restaurants.

  • Costa Coffee Vietnam makes debut at airport

    Costa Coffee Vietnam makes debut at airport

    Costa Coffee Vietnam has made its debut with an outlet at Da Nang International Airport.

    The outlet has been opened by British multinational coffeehouse company’s global partner, Italian catering company Autogrill.

    Costa Coffee says the store is part of its expansion in Southeast Asia. It opened a store in Jakarta last month, with a second to open in the next few months.

    For Vietnam, the menu includes its range of blended iced drinks and creamy Frostinos, such as the Double Chocolate Cookie Mocha. There are also Costa classics such as salads, toasties and sandwiches, European and Southeast Asian cakes, desserts and healthy treats.

    “Costa is all about great people and great handcrafted coffee,” says Costa Coffee Southeast Asia head Matt Kenley.

    Founded in London in 1971, Costa has more than 2200 coffee shops in the UK and more than 1200 in 29 international markets.

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