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McDonald’s has introduced mobile phone lockers and table service at its flagship Marine Cove outlet in Singapore to help families rediscover quality time together, the fast-food chain said.
The mobile phone locker, the first-of-its-kind in Singapore, encourages parents and children to put their devices away safely and focus on family bonding, it said.
“As a popular restaurant destination for families, we have observed that the use of mobile devices during meal times may sometimes get in the way of family bonding,” said director of brand communications and customer care Linda Ming.
A survey of 302 parents conducted by McDonald’s last month found that 98 per cent of parents and 91 per cent of kids use their mobile devices whenever they are together, with more than two-thirds of respondents using their smartphones during mealtimes.
This is despite most of the parents in the survey saying that the use of mobile devices had decreased their interaction with their loved ones, and that they would like to be more disciplined in staying away from digital distractions during family time, McDonald’s said.
To allow parents to spend more time tending to their children, the fast-food chain is also piloting table service at its Marine Cove outlet, led by “guest experience leaders” whose main role is to engage with families.
Customers can select the table service feature when placing an order at the self-ordering kiosk, it said.
Responding to queries from Channel NewsAsia, McDonald’s said there is no extra charge for customers who use the table service feature, and that the service is open to everyone, not just families or parents.
“We have introduced the service in our Marine Cove flagship restaurant as well as selected restaurants, and have received positive feedback especially from families so far.”
McDonald’s added that mobile phone lockers would be locked with physical keys. To make sure that customers do not forget to retrieve their phones, staff members will remind them about their phones before they leave the restaurant.
The fast food restaurant chain will be “actively gathering feedback” from customers about the new initiatives, to decide on whether to expand them to other restaurants.
Vietnamese dairy giant Vinamilk sold a 3.33 percent to an unnamed foreign investor for VND8.99 trillion ($396 million) on Friday.
The investor bought the 48.3 million shares on offer for VND186,000 ($8.20) apiece, 24 percent higher than the asking price.
The share sale, which attracted 19 investors including six foreign firms, reduced the state ownership in Vinamilk, Vietnam’s biggest listed firm, to 36 percent, still enough to retain veto rights.
Vietnam’s State Capital Investment Corporation had forecast the sale would fetch VND6.5 trillion to VND7 trillion ($286.3 million to $308.4 million).
In December, the state investor put on offer a 9 percent stake in Vinamilk, but was only able to offload 5.4 percent to two investors – both units of existing shareholder Fraser and Neave Ltd.
Investors looking to gain a degree of control over Vinamilk were deterred by the size of the stake on offer. The government had initially planned to sell its entire 44.7 percent stake.
The government is trying to divest from hundreds of state-owned enterprises, including brewers Hanoi Beer Alcohol and Beverage JSC (Habeco) and Saigon Beer Alcohol Beverage Corp (Sabeco) in which it owns a combined $7.8 billion worth of shares by market value.
It is always tricky for multinationals to pick a name that sounds right to Chinese ears, but few went as wrong as McDonald’s latest business tweak.
When the news broke last week that the American fast-food giant had changed its business name in China, ditching the previous Maidanglao – a transliteration of the company’s English name – in favour of Jingongmen, which roughly translates as “Golden Arches,” Chinese social media gorged itself with amusement.
“[The new name] sounds like a furniture store. Are you sure the food is edible?” one wrote, while another observed “even Ronald McDonald cannot stand the new name”, referring to a widely circulated image of the clown mascot on the phone, saying: “Boss, I have to quit. The new name is unbearable.”
Construction on mainland China’s first McDonald’s in Shenzhen takes place in 1990.
McDonald’s responded online, reassuring its customers that no one would dine at restaurants carrying the Jingongmen label and the change was for official paperwork only. It is unclear whether McDonald’s will manage to shake off this PR disaster, but even if it does, there are worries the American food giant cannot escape the fate of being downgraded.
“McDonald’s and KFC do not command the brand power they used to in the 1990s,” Jeffrey Towson, a business professor at Peking University in Beijing, said. “They are not viewed as upscale as they were in the 2000s.”
Once a tourism destination in China and a symbol of rapid modernisation, McDonald’s is now known as a low-end, cheap eat for many Chinese. Experts say this colossal change in attitude mirrors the rise of China, where local businesses have become increasingly competitive and Chinese customers no longer have to rely on Ronald McDonald to get a taste of America.
The first McDonald’s in Hong Kong opened in 1975 on Paterson Street in Causeway Bay.
Back in 1975, when McDonald’s opened its first store in Hong Kong, the popularity of McProducts in the then British colony created a phenomenon one local newspaper described as “Big Mac” fever. The fervour spread to Shenzhen, where McDonald’s made its debut in 1990. Media reports showed hundreds of Chinese queuing up outside McDonald’s first store on mainland China, and in the first three hours of its opening day, a week’s supply of products had sold out.
According to Yan Yunxiang, a professor at the University of California who studied the company’s operations in China in the 1990s, McDonald’s was so popular some parents thought the Big Mac contained a hidden ingredient luring their children to this exotic food.
And it was not just the children who had an appetite for it. When the first McDonald’s outlet arrived in Beijing in 1992, 82-year-old Wang Yonglu was one of the first customers. Munching on a hamburger, Wang explained to the United Press International: “I am just a retired proletarian. What chance do I have to go to the United States? This way, I can spend only 10 yuan (US$1.75) to see what America is like.”
Beijing’s first McDonald’s opened in Wangfujing in 1992.
Fast forward to the 21st century, the landscape in China is somewhat different. In 2016 alone, roughly 122 million Chinese – equivalent to the population of France, Spain and Denmark combined – went abroad, according to Beijing-based think tank China Tourism Academy.
“McDonald’s has lost that position because Chinese consumers are getting more sophisticated,” Shaun Rein, managing director for Shanghai market consultancy CMR China, said. “If they want Western culture and Western food, they can go to America.”
Zhang Yue, a 34-year-old marketing specialist in Chongqing, knows this well. When McDonald’s entered her hometown in southwestern China in the early 2000s, Zhang happily stood in line as she loved its “spotless dining environment.”
But now, she rarely goes. “There are so many good restaurants out there.”
In recent years, a growing number of Western brands have flocked to China, hoping for a bite of the world’s biggest consumer market. Starbucks has opened 2,600 stores, and plans to add a coffee shop a day for the next five years. Meanwhile, home-grown food firms are catching up. Dicos, China’s third-largest fast food chain by retail value, has almost as many outlets as McDonald’s.
The boom of delivery businesses has made getting fed as simple as tapping a smartphone. Last year, at least 7.5 million hungry mouths a day were sated this way, according to a government report. That, in turn, has hampered the business for chains such as McDonald’s.
To lure in more diners, McDonald’s China has localised its menu. Currently, nNearly a quarter of items in its breakfast menu is Chinese food, including congee and soy milk.
To lure in more diners, McDonald’s China has localised its menu. Nearly a quarter of its breakfast menu is Chinese food, including congee and soy milk. Earlier this year, the American food chain also sold most of its business in China and Hong Kong to a Chinese consortium for more than US$2 billion. With the help of its new partner, McDonald’s said it will increase the number of Chinese outlets from 2,500 to 4,500 by 2022, with most of the new stores in smaller cities.
“When I studied McDonald’s in the early 1990s, I was told by management the strategy was to stick to the original American menu, not to apply McDonald’s franchise model in Beijing, and not to offer breakfast,” recalled Yan, the university professor. “It looks like the company has done everything now that it said it would not do in the early 1990s … either proactively to go [to] the next level or reactively to meet new challenges.”
The name tweak came after McDonald’s completed its China sale. A spokeswoman said it hasn’t affected the business in China and the company is happy Chinese diners no longer view it as an upscale brand. “After all, we never meant to be a five-star restaurant; McDonald’s is created to serve everyone,” she said.
China’s propaganda authority also had its say. The Beijing-based Guangming Daily, a newspaper backed by the Publicity Department of the Chinese Communist Party, wrote in a commentary last week: “Foreign brands have become ‘rustic’ [as] we Chinese have become more international.”
US-based bakery chain Cinnabon has returned to Korea with an outlet at Hyundai Department Store in Seoul.
The menu includes Cinnabon Classic Rolls, Cinnabon Caramel Pecan, Minibon, and drinks such as Single Origin Coffee, three Coldbrew Ice Coffees, four Espresso Coffee drinks, Chillattas, Hot/Ice Chocolate and Fizzies.
Cinnabon first came to Korea in 2001 with plans to open 50 outlets within six years, but failed to gain traction at the time.
Owned by Focus Brands, Cinnabon now operates in 53 countries worldwide.
Last year, the chain looked for its franchisees to expand to China.
Starbucks Japan is about to open stores at two tourist spots, Dogo Onsen and Miyajima (pictured).
An island in Hiroshima Bay, Miyajima goes by the official name of Itsukushima and is known for its floating torii gate off the shore of Itsukushima Shrine, a Unesco World Heritage Site. Starbucks says its new location on the island, accessed by a 10-minute ferry ride from the mainland, is a first for the company as the only outlet that has to be reached by boat.
Featuring wood panels, panoramic windows and a balcony, the new Starbucks will share a building with a brewery restaurant run by local company Miyajima Beer.
Also on an island, Dogo Onsen is believed to be Japan’s oldest hot spring, reports Sora News 24. It is in Matsuyama, on the island of Shikoku.
Starbucks will take up residence in the two-storey wooden replica of the island’s original station. Its interior will pay homage to the original building that dated back to 1911. The tables and chairs will be made from old rails and sleepers.
The Miyajima Starbucks opens on November 22 while the Dogo Onsen outlet follows a month later.
US brand Blue Bottle Coffee is expected to open in South Korea soon, followed by other Asian countries including China, Hong Kong and Taiwan.
“We’re developing our contact here,” CEO Bryan Meehan said while attending the World Coffee Leaders Forum at the Seoul Cafe Show.
He said Blue Bottle was researching the market and looking for a GM in Korea, with no specific set yet for a launch.
Meehan said the company headquarters would directly manage its stores in Korea, as it does in other countries.
“Actually, we had a lot of pressure for a joint venture in Japan. A lot of companies wanted licensed approaches,” he said. “We are very passionate about controlling the quality of Blue Bottle, so we like to do things ourselves. We have never franchised.”
While local coffee chains in Korea have been hit by losses over the past few years, Starbucks Coffee has alone seen rapid growth, reports The Korea Times.
“Blue Bottle has grown along with Starbucks in the US. We think we can survive side-by-side,” said Meehan.
Known for its innovation, Blue Bottle has 44 stores in the US and Japan. Nestle acquired the chain for US$425 million in September.
“Nestle CEO Mark Schneider has a wonderful vision of where specialty coffee should be in five years’ time, and he sees the value of Blue Bottle,” said Meehan. “Nestle is allowing Blue Bottle to remain a standalone company. I don’t report to anybody at Nestle.”
Founded in Oakland, California, by musician James Freeman in 2002, Blue Bottle has expanded around San Francisco. Because of Freeman’s interest in Japan, the chain has expanded there and will open its eighth outlet next year in Kyoto.
South Korean dessert cafe Kiss the Tiramisu has opened its first store in the Philippines.
In Salcedo Village, Makati City, it joins the roster of Kiss the Tiramisu branches in such countries as Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand.
Shirley Vy of local franchisee Foodeology says that as an ice-cream lover, she likes to try something new and different. “So when I was walking the streets of Hong Dae in Seoul, I saw a booth with a long queue. It was Kiss the Tiramisu … My first bite was totally magical – my unforgettable first ‘kiss’. At that moment, I knew I wanted to bring this brand to the Philippines.”
Kiss the Tiramisu founder Jiro Kim says he wondered what would happen if tiramisu ice cream was made using mascarpone cheese. His curiosity paid off, with queues forming for the resulting product.
His ice cream is delivered in a gold-rimmed acrylic glass. A cup is assembled with a smear of mascarpone cheese first, followed by soft-serve ice cream with layers of cookies, syrups or cakes. For the Philippines, there are four variants…
Original Tiramisu: Mascarpone soft-serve with layers of coffee-soaked cake, coffee sauce and a sprinkling of cocoa powder.
Matcha Ice Cream: Matcha sauce is added to the coffee-soaked cake and mascarpone ice cream, with a sprinkling of matcha powder to finish.
Injeolmi: This features a Korean cake and a sprinkling of soybean powder.
Midas Touch: Kiss the Tiramisu creates a special flavour for every country it has outlets, and for the Philippines it is a soft-serve cup with ube (purple yam) cake, caramel custard and layers of crushed barquillo biscuits drizzled with caramel sauce. For the “Midas” element, there is some edible gold leaf.
More Kiss the Tiramisu branches will follow soon in the Philippines.
A year after introducing Australian craft beer to Thailand, Beerlicious has partnered with Canadian brewery Molson Coors International to introduce Cobra Premium beer.
Initially the company offered six craft beers from Bridge Road Brewers, an award-winning small-batch brewery near Melbourne. It soon expanded to 10 different beers from the brewery, and has just introduced a range of Christmas brews.
“We chose to work with Bridge Road Brewers as it is a family business, conceived by a father and son who focus on traditional brewing techniques,” says Beerlicious MD/founder Niran Khanijou.
Cobra Premium beer, brewed in the UK for Molson Coors, has won more than 94 gold medals at the international Monde Selection awards.
“Our immediate plans are to introduce not only Cobra but also King Cobra, a ‘champagne lager’ in an impressive 750ml bottle, to the Thai market over Christmas,” says Khanijou. King Cobra has won the Grand Gold award, the highest accolade, at Monde Selection.
“Our Australian selection will have a limited stock of the two seasonal beers Fat Man, Red Suit, Big Sack and Magical Christmas Unicorn, a vanilla ice-cream ale.”
Beerlicious products are available at select Bangkok restaurants and craft-beer venues as well as branches of Central Food Hall, Gourmet Market and Tops.
BreadTalk Group has moved beyond merely making a crust, with breakthrough profits for its third quarter to the end of September.
This was despite a challenging retail environment, says the F&B group which recorded a 139.5 per cent explosion in net profit to S$16.8 million (US$12.3 million) for the period. It attributes its success to an “unwavering focus” on assessing and re-organising its business portfolios while identifying new growth opportunities.
“Our core F&B net profit increased fivefold to $12.1 million for the quarter, signifying the underlying strength of our core businesses,” says BreadTalk Group chairman Dr George Quek.
Last month the company won the World Branding Awards for the third time.
Meanwhile, group revenue for the first nine months of this year declined 2.6 per cent year-on-year to $449.5 million. At the same time, EBITDA rose 9.1 per cent to $64.9 million, with EBITDA margin improving to 14.4 per cent from 12.9 per cent for the same period a year ago.
In quarter one, there was $9.3 million in net capital gain from the divestment of the group’s investment in TripleOne Somerset, as well as $8.8 million from the divestment of 112 Katong Mall.
Robust recovery
In line with overall group strategy, BreadTalk’s consolidated food-atrium portfolio in China and Singapore showed robust recovery. The vacancy rate across the portfolio remained at a record low of less than 2.5 per cent.
EBITDA for the division rallied by 127 per cent to $17.7 million, with EBITDA margin improving by 9.3 points to 15.7 per cent. However, with the closure of three underperforming stores in China, total revenue declined 6.9 per cent to $112.4 million. It now has 54 outlets.
For BreakTalk’s restaurant division, total revenue grew by a steady 2.5 per cent to $104.8 million, driven mainly by its Din Tai Fung restaurants in Singapore and Thailand. Overall EBITDA improvement 7 per cent to $22.3 million, with EBITDA margin rising by 0.8 points to 21.2 per cent.
Weaker performance by directly run stores in Beijing, Shanghai and Singapore eroded bakery division revenue by 2.7 per cent to $223.1 million. While these stores were unchanged at 255 outlets, 15 more franchise outlets were added to reach a total of 604.
In September, the group signed a sale-and-purchase agreement for its business with United Malayan Land. This will enable the group to take advantage of the developer’s experience in the Malaysian property market.
EBITDA for the division declined 13.3 per cent to $18.7 million, with margin at 8.4 per cent (9.4 per cent previously).
BreadTalk formed 4orth Division this year to identify F&B opportunities, and is led by group CEO Henry Chu. It converted five RamenPlay outlets to So Ramen by the end of September, which are now generating 8.5 per cent improvement in revenue to reach $658,000 from August to September.
In July, the division entered into a 90-10 JV with Song Fa Holdings to introduce the Bak Kut Teh brand to China and Thailand.
Making a comeback after 14 years, Japanese confectionery and chocolatier Morozoff has opened a stand-alone boutique at Plaza Singapura.
It sells 90 per cent of Morozoff’s full range including chocolates, cookies and packaged baked goods such as madeleines.
Founded in Kobe in 1931, the brand had been previously available in Singapore from 1984 at the Japanese department store Daimaru at Liang Court. After Daimaru closed in 2003, Morozoff left the market as well.
This time round, Morozoff has been brought in by Uptron, the first foray into F&B by the electronics and gaming company that distributes across South-east Asia.
Morozoff’s return is past of a new wave of Japanese food brands setting up in Singapore, including Maple Mania and Tokyo Milk Cheese Factory. The chocolatier has more than 1000 shops and 33 cafes in Japan and is also available in China, Hong Kong and Taiwan. The Singapore shop is its 19th overseas outlet.
Uptron plans to open about 10 Morozoff shops and cafes in Singapore over the next few years. It also wants to take the brand to other Southeast Asian countries such as Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and the Philippines.
Director/COO Girish Pradeep Tewani’s link with Morozoff goes back to his childhood when his father, Uptron’s founder Pradeep Kumar Tewani would bring its products home from his business trips to Japan.
Uptron will be looking into setting up a central kitchen when it opens its cafes so it can produce Morozoff’s signature desserts Denmark Cream Cheese Cake and Custard Pudding.
Many Japanese people live in Singapore, says Morozoff president Shinji Yamaguchi. “We recognise that our products may be more high end, but we see potential in Singapore because of the standard of living .”
The company’s products are flown to Singapore at least once a week.
Following its launch in Quarry Bay three months ago, “grab-and-go” eatery Hawkr has expanded to Pacific Place
Hawkr springs from a partnership between Myanmar-based lifestyle concept Pun+Projects founder and restaurateur Ivan Pun and private-equity professional Jake Astor. Pop-up dining chef Mina Park is in charge of the menu which offers original recipes and fresh ingredients without MSG, artificial flavours or preservatives. It was inspired by Southeast Asian fare from such food destinations as Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
The second store has an expanded menu including Burmese tealeaf, Isaan beef and Song Que salmon salads, Mamak Mee noodles and roasted pork noodle with coriander pesto,plus tealeaf eggs. Hawkr’s bespoke coffee blend is again a feature, with a resident barista.
Like the Quarry Bay flagship, Hawkr at Pacific Place continues a design theme of neon green signs against a rattan background, and colourful wall pattern inspired by the ikats of Burma and Thailand.
Staff aprons are hand-dyed in indigo from the Isaan region of Thailand.
All menu items are half price after 7pm every day, and the team also plans to work with local charities to ensure any leftover food goes to those in need. Catering menus are also available for corporate events, luncheons and parties.
Jollibee Foods Corp (JFC) has closed its restaurant chain 12 Hotpot in Mainland China.
The 16 Shanghai-area stores were shut down by its subsidiary, 12 Hotpot (Shanghai) Food and Beverage Management, a 48 per cent-owned JV with WJ Investments.
It was formed in August 2012 when JFC’s wholly owned subsidiaries Jollibee Worldwide and Golden Plate entered into an agreement with Hoppime, a subsidiary of Wowprime Corp of Taiwan and some of its key executives. The idea was to establish WJ Investments to own and run 12 Hotpot in China, Hong Kong and Macau.
With the discontinuation of the mainland business, 12 Hotpot (Shanghai) then the JV will be liquidated.
“JFC will focus on building its larger and fast-growing businesses in China and other parts of the world,” says the company.
At the end of September, JFC had 3644 stores in its worldwide network. It also has a 40 per cent interest in Smashburger with 355 outlets, mostly in the US. In China its businesses include Yonghe King (305 stores), Hong Zhuang Yuan (44) and Dunkin’ Donuts (18).
The company has also been running Happy Bee Foods Processing to supply products to its restaurants.
In the Philippines, JFC has the largest foodservice network with 2756 restaurant, namely Jollibee (1023 outlets), Chowking (510), Mang Inasal (471), Red Ribbon (411), Greenwich (262) and Burger King (seven).
JFC’s overseas stores include Highlands Coffee (219 including 193 in Vietnam and 26 in the Philippines), Jollibee (186 including 93 in Vietnam, five in Singapore and four in Hong Kong), Pho 24 (31 including 15 in Vietnam, 14 in Indonesia and one in Korea), and Hard Rock Cafe (8 with three each in Hong Kong and Macau, and two in Vietnam).
Food and digital innovation are helping attract customers into stores, says Starbucks Corporation CEO/president Kevin Johnson.
He was commenting on the coffee giant’s growth during its fourth quarter and fiscal year ending October 1.
For the quarter, net revenues for the China/Asia Pacific segment grew 2 per cent to US$859.9 million. Excluding $56.9 million for an extra week last year’s fourth quarter, net revenues grew 10 per cent, primarily driven by incremental revenues from 1036 store openings over the past 12 months and a 2 per cent growth in comparable store sales. The increase was partially offset by unfavourable foreign currency translation.
China comparative-store sales increased 8 per cent, driven by a 7 per cent increase in transactions.
Overall four-quarter operating income grew 5 per cent to $201.7 million, while the operating margin expanded 60 points to 23.5 per cent, primarily driven by higher income from joint ventures, and partially offset by the lapping of the 53rd week in fourth quarter.
Consolidated net revenues were steady for the quarter at $5.7 billion, excluding $412.4 million for the extra week. Consolidated net revenues grew 8 per cent.
GAAP operating income of $1 billion declined 16.7 per cent while non-GAAP operating income grew 2.8 per cent to $1.1 billion. GAAP operating margin of 17.9 per cent declined 360 points while the non-GAAP decline was 20 per cent, down 90 points.
The increased operating loss was primarily because of restructuring and impairment costs related to the company’s strategy to close Teavana tea retail stores and focus on the brand within Starbucks stores.
Global comparable store sales increased 2 per cent, driven by a 2 per cent increase in average ticket and a 1 per cent increase in transactions; but up 3 per cent excluding the impact from Hurricanes Harvey and Irma. The impact from the hurricanes affected consolidated and US comparative store growth by 1 per cent as more than 1000 stores were temporarily closed.
Revenue growth
For the year, global comparable-store sales increased 3 per cent while consolidated net revenues grew 5 per cent to $22.4 billion. Excluding $412.4 million for the extra week in the fourth quarter last year, consolidated net revenues grew 7 per cent year-on-year.
GAAP operating income of $4.1 billion declined 0.9 per cent compared while non-GAAP operating income grew 7.8 per cent to $4.4 billion.
GAAP operating margin of 18.5 per cent declined 110 points, but was up 10 points to 19.7 per cent non-GAAP.
Starbucks opened 603 stores globally, taking its total to 27,339 across 75 countries.
Johnson says system improvements are enabling the company to drive increased throughput, particularly in its busiest stores at peak times.
In September, the company announced it had entered into an agreement with long-time strategic partner Maxim’s Caterers in Asia to fully licence Starbucks business in Singapore, including transitioning the more than 130 company-run Starbucks stores. The partnership started in Hong Kong in 2000, and together they run more than 210 outlets across Cambodia, Hong Kong, Macau and Vietnam.
Nespresso has selected Orange Business Services as the global supplier of its guest Wi-Fi and internet service, which will be rolled out in most of its standalone boutiques on five continents.
Orange is delivering a secure, fully-managed guest Wi-Fi service worldwide, including the local internet connections It also provides customers with a consistent experience at all locations.
The service will help Nespresso bridge its in-store customer experience with its digital channels.
When customers connect to the in-store guest Wi-Fi service, they can immediately and securely browse the internet and connect to the Nespresso portal. There they can download the Nespresso app, visit Nespresso.com to access digital services, browse the latest news or get further product information.
For guests who already have the Nespresso app, they can immediately connect to it.
The guest Wi-Fi service gives Nespresso an opportunity to digitally engage with its customers at its boutiques. It provides support to communicate about the latest campaigns, maintaining a link with Nespresso’s connected customers.
The guest Wi-Fi service complements the 27 Nespresso customer relationship contact centers (CRC) managed by Orange Business Services.
“We put our customers at the center of everything we do, and offering secure internet connectivity in our boutiques is part of the experience that we create for them. Orange Business Services will help us realize this with a service that will play a role in our omnichannel services portfolio,” Nespresso global B2C head Jean-Paul Le Roux said.
Two Tokyo snack brands are setting up shop in Singapore, one opening today and the other in eight days’ time.
Established in 2013, The Maple Mania is ready to roll out the red carpet at Ion Orchard. It is known for its maple butter cookies, maple baumkuchen with a caramelised top, and maple financiers.
With its iconic cow logo, Tokyo Milk Cheese Factory will follow with an outlet at Raffles City. The six-year-old brand is known for its cheese cookies – salt and camembert, honey and gorgonzola, and porcini and gouda. It also offers milk cheesecake, a strawberry milk roll plus its own Cow Cow Ice ice cream in two flavours and a sundae option.
During the festive season, The Maple Mania will sell cookies from Tokyo Milk Cheese Factory as well. Both are sister brands of LeTao, which was brought to Ion Orchard last year by Alvin Ng, the founder of The Rosti Farm and Once Upon a Milkshake, both at Waterway Point in Punggol.
From Hokkaido, LeTao is known for its double fromage, a two-layer cheesecake.
