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.

  • Hook Coffee eyes overseas markets

    Hook Coffee eyes overseas markets

    Raising S$250,000 (US$180,000) in two funding rounds, Hook Coffee subscription delivery service plans to expand in three markets overseas and double its team size over the next two years.

    In the 18 months since its founding, when it clinched a Spring Ace Startups grant of $50,000, the company has gained more than 10,000 subscribers and sold more than 500,000 cups of coffee, growing by 20 per cent month on month.

    It sources coffee beans that are sustainably grown and ethically produced, roasting them in Singapore and delivering them to customers’ mailboxes.

    Co-founders Faye Sit and Ernest Ting finished Masters degrees at the London School of Economics before earning coffee and roasting barista diplomas at the London School of Coffee

    When Sit flew to Latin America for fieldwork, she realised the impact a socially responsible startup could introduce to farming communities.

    “Specialty coffee should be about more than just better coffee, but also about bettering the lives of farmers and the environment,” she says.

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  • Aussie pops cork on curated online wine marketplace

    Aussie pops cork on curated online wine marketplace

    WINERY Philippines recently launched the country’s first online global “cellar door” at the Society Lounge in Makati City early this month. Australian Chef Chris Urbano, chairman and founder of Winery Philippines, imports his own boutique wine collection from his country for select boutique restaurants in town and high-net-worth clients. He realized that Manila is an emerging market where wine drinkers are increasingly looking for distinctive high-quality, value-for-money spirits from around the world, as well as better information and convenience when purchasing wines than those from traditional wine retail stores.

    Although they are not hard to find in stores or restaurants, access to good-quality boutique wines and information regarding them are hardly accessible.

    “The best part about e-commerce is how it has turned into an emotional journey for consumers. It lets them find, know and connect with products they love through the easiest means possible,” Urbano said, when asked about the most rewarding aspect of running an online store.

    Backed by a private consortium of angel investors who share Urbano’s passion for sharing high-quality wine experiences in the Philippines, he launched the country’s first purely online and social-media community for passionate wine lovers and wine lovers-to-be.

    Of course, Manila has its fair share of wine suppliers who bring truly high-quality and even rare wines, but they are limited to a few physical stores. What Winery Philippines hopes to bring to the local market is for wine lovers to have immediate access to quality boutique wines, as well as to be introduced to the pleasures of knowing and experiencing a great bottle.

    Apart from reaching out to the growing wine community via social media, Winery Philippines also holds several events throughout the year. Every summer, the team stages a gathering for participants to sample on wine while enjoying acoustic music, street food and meeting other passionate drinkers.

    They also hold wine pairing events, where attendees are introduced to various cuisines that would pair best with specific wine varieties and blends. Through e-commerce and social media, Winery Philippines is focused on becoming the most trusted wine supplier and provider of wine education for passionate drinkers in the country.

    It is also through this medium that the company affords to sell great wine at the best prices possible, as an online store eliminates the expenses of maintaining a physical store.

    VIPs, such as Australian Ambassador Amanda Gorely, Australian Embassy’s Counselor for Development Section Kerrie Anderson, businessmen and other expats, were in attendance for the event.

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  • Zeus Street Greek opens new store at Stockland Shellharbour Shopping Centre

    Zeus Street Greek opens new store at Stockland Shellharbour Shopping Centre

    Fast food chain, Zeus Street Greek, has opened its 12th store in New South Wales and 17th nationwide, at Shellharbour at the Stockland Shellharbour Shopping Centre yesterday.

    The retailer stated the design of the new store, which can accommodate 80 guests, reflects Zeus’s ‘old meets new’ philosophy, achieved through the integration of Art Deco and geometric tiling and wood panelling, the use of timber feature walls, neon lighting, raw stone finishes and colour.

    “Zeus Shellharbour is one of only two stores outside of Sydney in New South Wales, the hospitality scene is continuing to evolve and welcome new contemporary dining experiences into the fold,” said Peta Barclay, Zeus marketing manager.

    “The interest around our opening has been really strong, which is very exciting.

    “There is a demand for contemporary Greek street food that places huge emphasis on quality, with the local community even trekking to Sydney to visit Zeus stores, so this will be an ideal home for Zeus,” Barclay said.

    In July, Zeus’ co-founder, Costa Anastasiadis told Inside Retail that regional locations offer opportunity for growth.

    “We’ve been getting quite a lot of interest from those areas that have got really strong economies and industry,”he said.

    “The sector’s different to what it was five years ago and it’s a completely different landscape compared to 10 years ago. There are a lot more players in the sector and it’s very competitive, so you need to look for opportunities everywhere. If you look at just city metro areas, you’ll be hard pressed for growth, the string is only so long.”

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  • Turnover dips as Ajisen (China) under pressure

    Turnover dips as Ajisen (China) under pressure

    While half-year turnover edged down 2.5 per cent for restaurant group Ajisen (China) Holdings, its core profit grew 36 per cent.

    Its turnover was RMB1.1 billion (US$165.2 million) while the profit reached RMB135 million.
    Gross profit margin, up 2.3 points, was 73.1 per cent, while the gross profit reached about RMB841 million, up 0.7 per cent. Profit attributable to the owners of the company fell by about 80.9 per cent to RMB108 million.

    Ajisen says competition in the foodservice industry has intensified, with high opening and closing rates emerging as the new norm. As an example, it cites a surge of new restaurants in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen being accompanied by a higher rate of take-over with a monthly closure rate of 10 per cent, and a compound annual closure rate exceeding 100 per cent.

    Also the shopping centre/catering model is under pressure, says the company, as a result of lower flow aggregation and insufficient customer numbers because of the homogenisation of shopping centres. Catering outlets in shopping malls in 10 cities recorded a closure rate of more than 30 per cent.

    Meanwhile, the takeaways segment of the industry is growing rapidly with an accent on healthy eating. Statistics for last year show that overall transactions in the segment sharply increased to more than RMB150 billion in value, accounting for 4 per cent of the catering industry total.

    Ajisen says its management will actively explore and seek opportunities to transform, adopting a lean management approach and establishing smart stores to enhance the customer experience.

    At the end of June the group had 649 fast-casual chain restaurants, down 13 from the same time last year. However, its network extended its reach to 31 provinces and municipalities in China, amounting to 133 cities, 11 more than last year.

    Four major production bases were launched – in Shanghai, Chengdu, Tianjin and Dongguan – to support the group’s expansion.

    As well as China, the group has 29 restaurants in Hong Kong, down eight from last year, and one in Rome, Italy.

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  • SumoSalad joins Menulog network

    SumoSalad joins Menulog network

    Health fast food chain, SumoSalad, has partnered with online food platform, Menulog, to launch a delivery service in NSW and Victoria.

    Sumo Salad co-founder and CEO Luke Baylis said the partnership reflects a growing demand for healthier foods.

    “One of our major goals is to make better food choices more readily available. We want to take Australia off the podium of being one of the world’s fattest nations and encourage socially responsible private enterprise as a solution,” he said.

    SumoSalad pointed to research that found over two thirds of Australians are not meeting the recommended intake of vegetables, with ‘convenience’ attributed as one of the major factors.

    The health food chain joins Menulog’s network of over 9000 food companies across Australia.

    “We’re excited to start our partnership with stores in NSW and VIC, with the view to expand in coming months,” said Rory Murphy, commercial director, Menulog.

    According to McCrindle Research, four per cent of Australians bring lunch from home every day, leading the average employee to spend $18.52 on lunches, snacks and beverages during the workday every week.

    Research also shows that the workday is getting busier, with 28 per cent of the labour force eating lunch ‘al desko’, rather than sitting down with co-workers or leaving the office.

    QSR chains and food delivery companies alike have noted a rise in lunchtime orders, and some, spotting an underserved market, have expanded their offerings to include more convenient lunch options.

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  • Beard Papa’s plans to puff up Asia presence

    Beard Papa’s plans to puff up Asia presence

    Japan’s Beard Papa’s chain of cream-puff shops is expanding with a target of 150 outlets before year’s end in Asia beyond its home market.

    Run by Muginoho Holdings, the brand is known for adding fillings to its freshly baked choux pastries in front of customers, as well as its trademark, a bearded fellow in a woolly cap.

    Most of the planned locations will be managed as franchises, which are already proving efficient for the brand.

    One example is the Beard Papa’s inside Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Jakarta, which has monthly sales totalling about ¥10 million (US$90,400).

    A store at Bangkok’s Don Mueang Airport has been almost matching the chain’s top performers since it opened on July 14.

    The linchpin of the regional business is a plant in Singapore set up in 2014 as Muginoho’s second production base.

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  • Starbucks Korea to trial voice ordering with AI

    Starbucks Korea to trial voice ordering with AI

    Starbucks Korea is to partner with the country’s largest telco in a trial of voice ordering using AI.

    If it works, Starbucks customers will be able to order and pay for a coffee just by speaking, speeding the payment process.

    SK Telecom Co says the trial will use the company’s AI device Nugu, released last September, which focuses on providing household-related services. Earlier this month, SK Telecom released a portable edition of Nugu, seeking to tap deeper into the AI industry.

    Nugu provides various services to users, including music streaming, Internet-of-Things solutions, schedule management and weather alerts.

    The mobile carrier also plans to connect Nugu to its driving-navigation platform T-map, allowing drivers to order drinks and locate the nearest drive-thru Starbucks shops. If the development is completed, drivers will be able to safely order drinks without having to tap their smartphones.

    Starbucks Korea and SK Telecom plan to complete the development by the end of the year.

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  • Revenue rises 10 per cent for Old Chang Kee

    Revenue rises 10 per cent for Old Chang Kee

    Food brand Old Chang Kee’s first-quarter group revenue rose 10.7 per cent year on year to about S$20.6 million (US$15.1 million).

    Revenue from retail outlets has similar growth, up by about $2 million, attributed mainly to the contribution of new outlets and higher sales at existing stores, partially offset by absence of revenue from outlets closed temporarily because of mall revamps.

    Old Chang Kee’s signature curry puffs were still the major contributor to its revenue, accounting for about 33.6 per cent of the total, edging up from about 33.2 per cent for the same quarter last year.

    Profit before tax dropped by 20.8 per cent from about $1.2 million in the first quarter last year to about $914,000.

    The group is integrating its factory in Iskandar Malaysia and is expanding its two Singapore plants with the aim of broadening its product range and increasing production efficiency to grow its business both locally and regionally.

    “As the labour shortage situation in the F&B sector shows no signs of abatement, labour costs are expected to continue trending upward while general consumer sentiment remains cautious,” says executive chairman Han Keen Juan.

    He says the group will continue to explore ways to improve efficiency and profit margins. This will include strengthening its brand positioning, product offerings and process flow, “and tapping on the strong support of government agencies whenever possible”.

    As at June 30, the group ran 89 outlets in Singapore, down from 85 stores 12 months earlier. There are also three overseas stores, in Australia, Indonesia and Malaysia.

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  • Soul Origin eager to hit “golden century” mark

    Soul Origin eager to hit “golden century” mark

    Health fast food brand and coffee chain, Soul Origin, has recorded 12 per cent same store sales growth and continued to achieved double digital growth in its coffee sales.

    The fastfood chain has also continued its expansion with the opening of its 75th store last week in Melbourne Central, Victoria.

    Chris Mavris, Soul Origin chief operating officer, said Soul Origin plans to reach 100 stores before the end of the 2018 financial year.

    “Soul Origin’s growth plans have stepped up a notch this financial year as we continue to expand in our existing markets of Queensland, News South Wales, Victoria and South Australia,” Mavris said.

    Mavris said they will also open their first store in Western Australia later this financial year.

    In the past 12 months, Soul Origin has opened 30 new stores, expanding from New South Wales into the Australian Capital Territory, Queensland, Victoria and South Australia.

    Mavris said the rapid growth was on the back of strong double digit same store sales growth across the network, highlighting high customer demand for Soul Origin’s offering.

    “In addition, we have strengthened our corporate support team, which has doubled in size in the past six months, to assist with our store expansion and continue to provide our high level of support to our franchisees and their stores,” he said. “We have boosted our capabilities in both store and coffee training, property, recruitment, marketing as well as our store opening teams. We have no plans of slowing down!”

    Mavris said he was eager to hit the golden ‘100 stores’ mark over the coming months.

    “We are building a solid foundation that will help expand the Soul Origin brand into more communities and new territories. It’s very rewarding to see the business continuing to go from strength to strength,” Mavris said.

  • Shake Shack Shanghai-bound

    Shake Shack Shanghai-bound

    Just a month after US fast-food chain Shake Shack announced it would open in Hong Kong, the company has confirmed its first Mainland China store, in Shanghai.

    Both the Shake Shack Shanghai and Hong Kong stores are scheduled to open next year and will be operated by Maxim’s Caterers, a division of Hong Kong-listed Dairy Farm International and which operates Starbucks in Hong Kong, Vietnam and Cambodia, among other brands.

    Shake Shack has signed an agreement with Maxim’s to open 25 outlets in Shanghai and East China between 2018 and 2028.

    “There’s incredible opportunity in China and I couldn’t think of a better place to begin this chapter of our story than Shanghai, a city that understands great brands, appreciates premium ingredients, and ultimately loves food,” said Randy Garutti, Shake Shack’s CEO.

    “The city’s streets overflow with vibrant flavors and energy every day and we can’t wait to join Shanghai’s thriving food community.”

    Shake Shack describes itself as a “modern day roadside burger stand” known for 100 per cent all-natural Angus beef burgers and flat-top Vienna beef dogs,  all-natural, cage-free chicken, spun-fresh frozen custard and crinkle-cut fries. It eschews hormones and antibiotics in its meats.

    Maxim’s Caterers Limited has more than 60 years of experience in food and retail as a diversified operator of full-service and quick-service restaurants, bakeries, and coffee shops in Asia.

    Since the original Shake Shack opened in 2004 in New York City’s Madison Square Park, the company has expanded to more than 80 locations in 18 US states and the District of Columbia, and more than 50 international locations including London, Istanbul, Dubai, Tokyo, Moscow and Seoul. And now Shake Shack Shanghai and Hong Kong.

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  • Mango Tree Cafe Hong Kong opens another outlet

    Mango Tree Cafe Hong Kong opens another outlet

    Mango Tree Cafe Hong Kong has opened another outlet – this one at Yoho Mall in Yuen Long. It is the second of the chain’s cafe-restaurants to open this year, the earlier one at Taikoo Shing in January. The Hong Kong cafes are run in partnership with 1957 & Co, however it is difficult to ascertain the exact size of the chain. The brand’s Hong Kong website is still “under construction” and its Facebook page refers to a single cafe in Tsim Sha Tsui. Another outlet at Causeway Bay appears to have closed down.

    The new Yoho Mall site features a rainforest-inspired interior, and an exclusive menu including Thai classics such as curries and pad thai.

    Meanwhile, the Thai brand is planning to expand worldwide. It initially found success in Japan, where it has 11 locations including six cafes in Tokyo. It also has an outlet in Macau.

    Its cafes are designed specifically for shopping malls, says Mango Tree Restaurants global MD Trevor MacKenzie. The company also has plans to expand its restaurant concept in international airports, building upon the success of its two initial outlets at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport.

    Worldwide, the company has 66 outlets across various brands, including 13 Mango Tree flagship restaurants, 14 Mango Tree Cafes, six Mango Tree Kitchens, five Mango Tree Bistros and two Mango Tree Delis, plus Mango Chili. The company also runs 24 Coca Restaurants.

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  • Golden Gate steps into bubble-tea market

    Golden Gate steps into bubble-tea market

    Vietnam restaurant group Golden Gate has stepped into the bubble-tea market with its first Yu Tang outlet in Hanoi.

    It is on the Chua Lang site formerly occupied by failed The Coffee Inn. The group acquired the property at the end of last year.

    Yu Tang expands on the traditional bubble-tea offering with Taiwanese finger foods such as dumplings and popcorn chicken.

    Founded in 2005, Golden Gate now owns local and franchised F&B chains in Vietnam such as Gogi House, Kichi Kichi, SumoBBQ and Vuvuzela Beer Club.

    Meanwhile, Taiwanese milk-tea brands Sharetea and T4 have moved into Ho Chi Minh City this year, promising more stores in the near future. A third brand, Presotea, is seeking a partner for Vietnam.

    Cashing in, fast-food giant McDonald’s has launched its own milk-tea recipe at all its Vietnam outlets. Its Milkfoam Kacchiato is made from speciality tea grown in Bao Loc city.

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  • Dean & Deluca Macau to debut at Galaxy

    Dean & Deluca Macau to debut at Galaxy

    Dean & Deluca Macau will launch its debut fine-food cafe in The Promenade Shops inside the Galaxy.

    It will be serving grab-and-go items as well as signature retail goods. The menu will include roast beef and caramelised pumpkin multi-grain sandwich, spicy prawns, guacamole on squid-ink bun, Cobb salad, and watermelon salad with salted egg. Founded by Giorgio DeLuca and Joel Dean, the original store opened in New York’s SoHo in 1977. Designed to evoke a turn-of-the-century food department, the store offered a range of produce and foodstuffs that included many goods previously not sold in the US, such as radicchio, balsamic vinegar, sun-dried tomatoes and extra-virgin olive oil.

    Since its acquisition by Thailand’s Pace Development in 2014, the brand has morphed from a multi-channel retailer of gourmet foods, wines and kitchenware into more of a cafe-delicatessen style chain, with multiple outlets in the US, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand and the Philippines.

    Macau will have a 26-seat cafe featuring New York City subway tile and Carrera marble. Its espresso bar will offer classics like Americano and lattes to specialties like Hong Kong milk-tea latte and burnt-custard frappes, a cold drink that reflects the Portuguese egg tart.

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  • Tim Ho Wan Cambodia launches in Aeon Mall

    Tim Ho Wan Cambodia launches in Aeon Mall

    Tim Ho Wan Cambodia has launched its first Hong Kong dim sum outlet at Aeon Mall Phnom Penh, drawing on the brand’s roots as the “world’s cheapest Michelin-starred restaurant”.

    Its officially launch follows a five-day soft opening that attracted about 700 diners a day, according to Tim Ho Wan Cambodia GM Chum Phirun.

    Starting as a hole-in-the-wall eatery in Hong Kong’s Mong Kok district in 2009, Tim Ho Wan earned a Michelin Star in 2010, being the least expensive restaurant on the planet at the time for the French dining guide.

    With this reputation, the outlet soon became a chain, expanding to 45 locations in Asia, Australia and the US. Despite this success, the restaurant failed to catch on in Malaysia.

    Openings in Singapore and New York attracted queues, with customers waiting up to three hours for a table. However, Phirun says few Cambodians are aware of the dim sum chain’s fame or the significance of a Michelin Guide rating.

    “The income of Phnom Penh residents is growing rapidly, and many people are now seeking hygienic, high-quality food, so we want to educate them on the advantage of a Michelin-starred restaurant like Tim Ho Wan.”

    While two Hong Kong branches of the chain have a Michelin Star, the 33-table restaurant in Phnom Penh does not. It serves 24 varieties of dim sum, and Phirun says there are plans to open two more branches in the city next year.

    Founders Mak Kwai Pui and Leung Fai Keung were brought to the official launch by Tim Ho Wan Cambodia director Seak Guech.

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  • Bruxie takes its waffle sandwiches to Seoul

    Bruxie takes its waffle sandwiches to Seoul

    US concept restaurant Bruxie has taken its fried chicken and waffle sandwich international, launching a branch in South Korea.

    Its headquarters are in Orange County, California, where it opened its first location almost seven years ago. The fast-casual dining chain’s eighth location is in Seoul’s Lotte World Mall.

    “International expansion has always been a goal,” says CEO Anthony Smith, who leads the brand’s growth along with CFO Scott Miller and founder/chef Kelly Mullarney. South Korea’s locations are in the hands of franchisee Jae Jung of Bold 4, who plans 10 Bruxie outlets. The second will open in November.

    As well as its menu of sandwiches that feature waffles instead of bread, Bruxie offers salads, cane-sugar sodas, Wisconsin frozen custard, shakes, sundaes and floats. Its custom-crafted coffee is made from a proprietary blend of fair-trade imported beans.

    Bruxie restaurants open daily for breakfast, lunch, dinner and dessert.

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