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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.

  • Vietnam reaching a heady high in the global beer business

    Vietnam reaching a heady high in the global beer business

    Drinkers are foaming at the mouth in ‘the next key battleground for brewers.’ With the Vietnamese thirst for beer seeming to know no limits, brewers are finding it hard to resist tapping into the country’s fertile market.

    Vietnam is forecast to lead Southeast Asia to see volume growth of 2.3 billion liters over 2016-2021, market researcher Euromonitor International said in its July report. Southeast Asia’s volume gains will even surpass those of larger regions, such as North America, Europe, the Middle East and Africa, the report said.

    An expanding Vietnamese middle class and youthful population have helped drive a 300 percent surge in beer demand since 2002, according to Euromonitor, which estimates the market was worth VND147.2 trillion ($6.5 billion) last year.

    It predicts per-capita consumption will reach 40.6 liters this year, making Vietnam the biggest beer consumer in Southeast Asia.

    Vietnam will be “the next key battleground for brewers”, cited Euromonitor as saying in a report Friday.

    Saigon Beer Alcohol Beverage Corp. (Sabeco) and Hanoi Beer Alcohol Beverage Corp. (Habeco), the nation’s two largest beer companies, will submit IPO plans to the government this month, an official from the industry and trade ministry told local media last week.

    “The stake-sales will create an opportunity for international companies to expand geographically, especially those still without a presence in Vietnam,” John Ditty, managing partner of KPMG Vietnam’s deals advisory unit.

    A study jointly conducted by Vietnam’s health ministry and the World Health Organization (WHO) last year showed that 77 percent of Vietnamese men drink liquor and beer, and nearly half of them drink at hazardous levels.

    Nguyen Phuong Nam, an official from the WHO, said nearly 67 percent of the 1,840 traffic accident patients involved in the study had high concentrations of alcohol in their blood, and 45 percent had driven after drinking for two hours or more.

    Vietnamese drank 3.8 billion liters of beer last year. That was an average of 42 liters per person, four liters more than 2015, according to data collected by the trade ministry.

  • Ksubaka’s interactive ‘Pasta Loves Sauce’ campaign engages consumers

    Ksubaka’s interactive ‘Pasta Loves Sauce’ campaign engages consumers

    As part of its ‘Pasta Loves Sauce’ initiative Barilla, Italy’s #1 selling pasta, wanted to extend its brand campaign to in-store shoppers across Singapore to demonstrate the versatility of its pasta and sauces, bring the brand to life in a fun and engaging way and ultimately encouraging sales. Teaming with Ksubaka and its network of 280 playSpots located in 140 FairPrice stores across the country, over 110k shoppers stopped to learn about Barilla during the one month campaign.

    Ksubaka makes engaging interactive branded experiences that are fun, informative and rewarding. These branded experiences are displayed on its media network of touch screen playSpots, which are located in high footfall retail locations. All shopper activity is monitored in real-time giving unparalleled granular insight into the effectiveness of the campaigns.

    For the Barilla ‘Pasta Loves Sauce’ campaign shoppers used a Pasta Recipe Finder designed by Ksubaka to discover different pasta recipes. Shoppers selected their preferred pasta cut, protein, and time they had for cooking the recipe. The recipe could then be sent to the their mobile via SMS, along with the ingredients list so they could go shopping. If they purchased a Barilla product they were entered into a prize draw to win spa vouchers.

    “Barilla gave hundreds of thousands of shoppers their perfect Italian pasta recipe, through a fun and branded interactive solution; thanks to Ksubaka’s unique in-store experience! The campaign results are stronger than our expectations and rank high from customer interaction point of view and we are looking to build and extend our relationship with Ksubaka,”said, Gupte Nikhil, Managing Director – South East Asia at Barilla Group

    The campaign outperformed all pre-campaign KPI’s engaging a large number of shoppers across the country and successfully raising Barilla profile in-store, especially with shoppers that prioritize high quality pasta.

    “The Barilla campaign clearly demonstrates our ability to reach shoppers at mass scale in a very short period of time. Our irresistible, engaging and fun branded games offer a new medium for brands to connect with their target audience.” Said, Julian Corbett, CEO and founder, Ksubaka.

    The campaign outperformed all pre-campaign KPI’s engaging a large number of shoppers across the country and successfully raising Barilla profile in-store, especially with shoppers that prioritize high quality pasta.

  • Ajisen, Katrina Group sign So Pho deal

    Ajisen, Katrina Group sign So Pho deal

    Aiming to grow in China and enter the Hong Kong market, Singapore F&B company Katrina Group has signed an agreement with Big Benefit Group, a wholly owned subsidiary of Ajisen (China) Holdings.

    Under the deal, Katrina will hold a 30 per cent stake in the JV company, which manages snack bars, cafes, restaurants and other food services. It serves Vietnamese-style dishes under the brand So Pho in China and Hong Kong.

    Katrina founder/CEO/executive chairman Alan Goh says Ajisen is one of the largest restaurant chains in China. ‘This collaboration will extend our geographical reach in China and help us enter the Hong Kong market. It is a bold step in further strengthening Katrina as a regional F&B group.”

    Hong Kong-listed Ajisen China has nearly 700 restaurants in 120 cities and 30 provinces in China and Hong Kong, while Katrina Group, which specialises in multi-cuisine concepts, owns and runs 33 restaurants in Singapore under nine brands including Bali Thai and Streats.

    Ajisen China and Katrina will provide working capital for So Pho International of up to US$1.05 million and $450,000 respectively through an interest-free shareholders’ loan.

    Katrina will also trademark So Pho International in Mainland China with an exclusive right to sub-license and franchise the trade name of “So Pho”.

    “With our strong track record and Katrina’s brand development capabilities, we look forward to growing the So Pho brand in China and Hong Kong,” says Ajisen China founder/chairman/CEO Wai Poon.

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  • Shakey’s Pizza Asia Ventures moving into UAE

    Shakey’s Pizza Asia Ventures moving into UAE

    Philippine pizza-parlor chain Shakey’s Pizza Asia Ventures (SPAVI) is expanding its overseas footprint with a move into the United Arab Emirates next year.

    Through subsidiary Shakey’s Pizza Regional Foods, SPAVI has signed an area development agreement with Dubai-based Al Jeel Capital to build at least 10 Shakey’s Pizza outlets in the UAE over five years.

    In Dubai, the first store is scheduled to open in the first half of next year.

    It is the second international franchise granted by SPAVI, which owns perpetual rights to the Shakey’s brand for Asia (excluding Japan and Malaysia), Australia, China, the Middle East and Oceania. The new deal brings to 20 the number of outlets scheduled to open over the next few years. SPAVI last year signed an agreement to open at least 10 Shakey’s stores in Kuwait.

    “Dubai, UAE and the rest of the Middle East are great markets for us – not only are there strong Filipino communities but also tremendous growth opportunities within the mainstream markets,” says SPAVI president Vic Gregorio.

    Founded in California in 1954 and the first franchise pizza chain in the US, Shakey’s Pizza launched in the Philippines in 1975. As at the end of March, the group had 189 stores in the Philippines.

    Shakey’s Asia Food Holdings, a company owned by the Po family’s Century Pacific Group, Arran Investments Private and the Prieto family, acquired 100 per cent interest in SPAVI in April last year. In October, SPAVI acquired 100 per cent ownership of Bakemasters, Shakey’s International and Golden Gourmet.

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  • Subway stores to be revamped globally

    Subway stores to be revamped globally

    Subway stores are getting a facelift, with the new Fresh Forward design being rolled out internationally. Briefed to come up with a distinctive, welcoming space, FRCH Design Worldwide introduced a bright new colour palette inspired by fresh vegetables.

    This comes almost a year after the chain updated its logo. It created Subway Digital last year to develop an omni-channel strategy and also revealed a new brand identity including a new symbol called the Choice Mark. Its optimised colour palette is being brought to life through in-store imagery, packaging, uniforms and signs. Many elements of the refreshed brand identity will be worldwide by the end of this year.

    “We’ve created a modern design that gives our guests choices – from how they order, to how they pick up their food, to how they enjoy their meal,” says Subway VP of operations Trevor Haynes.

    Select locations offer self-order kiosks with digital menu boards and Apple and Samsung Pay options. There is a separate food-preparation area for kiosk guests. There is also a designated pre-order pick-up location for orders via kiosk, mobile app, delivery, catering and bot for Messenger.

    Stores feature a fresh vegetable display with whole tomatoes, green peppers, onions and cucumbers, plus there are bread and cookie displays. Subway Fresh Forward restaurants are also adding items to the menu, starting with pico de gallo, sauces, house-made pickles and gluten-free bread.

    For dine-in guests there is bright and playful decor, curated music and comfortable seating with USB charging ports and complimentary Wi-Fi internet access.

    Franchisees and customers around the world offered input for the new design. Twelve pilot locations have just opened in Canada, the UK and the US, with restaurants to be refreshed in the 113 countries covered by the chain’s more than 44,000 locations.

    Subway was founded more than 50 years ago Fred DeLuca, then 17, and family friend Dr Peter Buck, and is still a family-owned business.

  • Mastering the art of home cooking

    Mastering the art of home cooking

    US-based meal kit company, Blue Apron, celebrated its IPO on 29 June with more than the usual fanfare, hiring caterers to pass out bite-size chicken burgers and hosting a cooking competition outside the New York Stock Exchange.

    But just over one week later, the company’s stock was trading 24 per cent down from its debut price of US$10, at about US$7.60 a share. Investors in Blue Apron, which listed with a market cap of US$1.9 billion, well below its initial target of US$3 billion, have revealed a wariness about the challenges that lie ahead.

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  • Largest KFC operator raises funds for more buys

    Largest KFC operator raises funds for more buys

    Fast food operator, Collins Food, has completed the second stage of its retail entitlement offer, which raises the funds for its acquisition of 28 more KFC outlets through a $44.1 million offer of new shares and $69.3 million in debt facilities.

    On Friday, Collins Foods announced the institutional component of the entitlement offer raised approximately $25.9 million, with the retail entitlement offer raising approximately $18.3 million.

    Australia’s largest KFC franchisee said it received valid applications from eligible retail shareholders for approximately three million shares (approximately $13.5 million) representing 74 per cent of the offer.

    The approximately one million new shares not taken up under the offer will be allocated to institutional investors who were sub-underwriters for the offer.

    “The successful completion of Collins Foods’ $44.1 million entitlement offer is an important milestone for the company and we would like to thank all shareholders and new investors who participated in the offer and supported the company in its acquisition of 28 KFC restaurants in Australia,” said Graham Maxwell, CEO, Collins Foods.

    It’s been a postive week for Maxwell, who saw the terms of the fixed salary of $650,000 per annum raised to $800,000 for the new financial year.

    In Australia, the company plans to build eight new KFC restaurants and will integrate the 28 KFC restaurants acquired in Tasmania, South Australia and Western Australia into the Collins Foods’ network.

    In Europe, the company will integrate the 16 KFC restaurants acquired in the Netherlands.

    Maxwell said that with further growth on fiscal 2018, the company expects to continue to increase shareholder returns.

  • Starbucks Japan going traditional in Kyoto

    Starbucks Japan going traditional in Kyoto

    Starbucks Japan’s new Kyoto branch will have a traditional Japanese cafe space complete with tatami mats.

    It will be in a 100-year-old, two-storey traditional Japanese townhouse, one of the only buildings in the area still in its original form.

    Starbucks Kyoto

    There will be three gardens within the wooden building, one in the front, one in the middle and one in the back. Each will have greenery, rocks and light in an attempt to recreate a traditional Japanese interior space.

    On the second floor, guests can take off their shoes to sit on tatami mats and cushions with Japanese designs.

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  • Del Monte retail chain to launch in US

    Del Monte retail chain to launch in US

    Three Del Monte entities will launch a series of JVs, including a Del Monte retail concept to be rolled out in the US.

    Del Monte Pacific (DMPL), a subsidiary of Del Monte Foods and Fresh Del Monte Produce have agreed to launch the retail F&B concept modelled after a Fresh Del Monte Produce business in the Middle East. They also agreed to expand the distribution of refrigerated goods internationally.

    Initially the focus of the Del Monte retail stores will be in the US market with the potential for expansion into other territories, says DMPL, which is dual listed in the Philippines and Singapore.

    The stores will offer foods and beverages aimed at consumers seeking healthier options. The companies are also collaborating on product innovations, including a line of chilled juices, new varieties of prepared refrigerated fruit snacks, and guacamole and avocado products.

    As well as Del Monte, the group’s heritage brands include College Inn, Contadina and S&W, most of which originated in the US more than a century ago as premium packaged-food products. The group has exclusive rights to use the Del Monte trademarks for packaged products in the US, South America, the Philippines, the Indian subcontinent and Myanmar.

    DMPL is 67 per cent owned by NutriAsia Pacific and Bluebell Group Holdings, which are beneficially owned by the Campos family of the Philippines. The NutriAsia Group sells liquid condiments, specialty sauces and cooking oil in the Philippines.

    The JVs follow the full and final settlement of active litigation between the companies, which had been centered on licensing rights and product distribution in various international territories.

  • The inaugural Asian Food Tech Expo opens in Shanghai 2018

    The inaugural Asian Food Tech Expo opens in Shanghai 2018

    The first Asia Food Tech will be held from May 16-18 May 2018, in Shanghai New International Expo Center. The exhibition is organized by the Messe München. It focuses on fresh food production, food  processing and packaging. Through the latest processing and manufacturing equipment & technology from meat, dairy products, fruits and vegetables, seafood, wine and other eight sectors, the show aims to push China’s food industry towards a better standard – “safety, seamless, intellectualised, modularised and flexibilized, tailor-made”.

    Asia Food Tech will be collocated with 3 other shows including “2018 Fresh Food Asia”, the 5th “Fresh Logistics Asia”. The event covers over 50,000 sqm exhibition area, with more than 800 exhibitorsand 35,000 professional visitors.  Be the first to lock down business opportunities!

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  • Big two slice bread prices

    Big two slice bread prices

    Coles is slicing the cost of its bread in a move that could open another front in the major supermarkets’ price war. Australia’s supermarket giants have already fought fiercely on milk and meat, and the Wesfarmers-owned chain has now cut the price of more than 30 varieties of loaves and rolls by as much as 35 per cent.

    Coles general manager of bakery Jon Haggett said lower prices are key to luring more customers.

    “We know bread is a household staple and always on the shopping list,” he said.

    A range of Tip Top branded products will also be discounted, and Woolworths is matching at least one of those.

    Coles managing director John Durkan told investors in June that he wanted “Coles to be famous for its fresh bread”.

    He said plans were underway to convert an additional 180 stores to include full bakeries as Coles works towards offering fresh-baked bread in every store.

    Woolworths bakes bread on-site at more than 630 of its supermarkets.

    A Woolworths spokesperson said it was also focused on lowering prices on bakery goods and, as of Thursday, its most popular products will be markedly reduced in price.

    Brumby’s Bakery owner Retail Food Group said it was not worried by the moves.

    “Brumby’s Bakery is confident they will be able to sustain their customer base should there be a price war between major supermarket brands,” a statement from the company said.

    It said Brumby’s, as a specialty bread retailer, offers artisan and quality goods, while major supermarkets base their business on scale and quantity.

  • AirAsia’s new inflight menu celebrates Asian flavors

    AirAsia’s new inflight menu celebrates Asian flavors

    In-flight meals are not usually the most exciting cuisine. During trips, travelers usually make do with cup noodles or overpriced hotdog sandwiches at the airport prior to their flights.

    Frequent travelers will be happy to have the option of enjoying appetizing and affordable meals on their way to a destination. Nasi lemak from Malaysia, green curry from Thailand, and beef bulgogi from Korea are just a few of the gourmet meals you can now enjoy onboard AirAsia, whether you’re traveling on international or domestic flights.

    AirAsia unveiled its Santan inflight menu and catalogue featuring the best of Southeast Asian flavours at a press event held in Bohol in partnership with Amorita Resort.

    Santan or coconut milk is a popular ingredient used in different Southeast Asian cuisine, and is featured in some of the inflight meals. The new inflight menu and catalogue features hot meals, savory snacks, healthy food selections, a variety of beverages, and special gift items and merchandise.

    Nasi lemak, a fragrant rice dish cooked in coconut milk and pandan leaf, served with traditional anchovies chili paste, cucumber, and various side dishes, is considered the national dish of Malaysia. AirAsia’s in-flight version manages to deliver big on flavor, with its savory coconut milk-infused rice and chicken in spicy sambal sauce.

    Chicken rice is popular in hawker stalls and restaurants in Singapore. The Hainanese roast chicken with seasoned rice served with a tasty secret chili, ginger and garlic sauce that’s sure to be a crowd-pleaser

    Thai green curry, an aromatic chicken curry infused with authentic spices from Thailand like kaffir lime leaves and Thai basil served with fragrant white rice, is also a hit with travelers.

    Are you a fan of Korean food? Try AirAsia’s spicy beef bulgogi, a stir-fried beef dish served with japchae or Korean glass noodles.

    For true blue Pinoys, there’s also our signature chicken adobo from the Philippines.

    Pasta lovers and kids will enjoy the Chicken Lasagne, a blend of classic creamy cheese and chicken with assorted vegetables. Dessert selections include red velvet cake, chocolate meringue and chocolate chip cookies.

    AirAsia, which has been voted the World’s Best Low Cost Carrier for nine straight years, aims to reinvent flight hospitality with its inflight meal options.

    “Gourmet experience onboard doesn’t have to be expensive and as an added value for our guests, we are keeping our pricing at affordable levels and at the same time maintaining the high quality and flavour of all our meals,” said AirAsia Philippines’ head of ancillary Karlo Sanchez.

    Hot meals are available onboard and via online pre-booking on all AirAsia flights across their network, extending as far as India, China, Australia and United States. A la carte hot meals cost P150 while combo meals with a choice of drinks and brownie are priced at P180 via online pre-booking.

    To enjoy greater savings, AirAsia encourages guests to pre-book their meals or to purchase their meals in advance online. Guests who pre-book will be assured of meal availability and will enjoy priority meal service onboard.

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  • Harbour City expansion to be dining precinct

    Harbour City expansion to be dining precinct

    Harbour City, Hong Kong’s biggest shopping mall, is expanding to provide dining options, decks for viewing the harbour and a permanent home for customs and immigration services for cruise passengers.

    Work on the five-storey extension to the western end of Ocean Terminal in Tsim Sha Tsui is expected to be finished by the end of the year, with each floor featuring a free observation deck offering 270-degree panoramic views of Victoria Harbour.

    The Harbour City expansion will add 100,000 sqft (9300 sqm) of space to Harbour City, part of Ocean Terminal, which already has around 2 million sqft of floor space and 450 shops.

    There will be no shops in the extension, however, which will be devoted to restaurants and other dining outlets.

    At the moment, a temporary customs hall comes into play whenever a ship docks at the 51-year-old retail hub.

    “There will also be a proper loading area for cruises,” says an Ocean Terminal spokeswoman.

    Next to the Star Ferry’s Tsim Sha Tsui pier, Ocean Terminal opened in March 1966 as the world’s first marine pier integrated with a shopping centre, and Asia’s first US-style shopping mall.

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  • Hong Kong Brewcraft opens ‘cool’ branch in TST

    Hong Kong Brewcraft opens ‘cool’ branch in TST

    Homebrew store HK Brewcraft has opened a branch in Tsim Sha Tsui showcasing 200 international beers.

    It is the company’s second outlet. Its original store in Central houses 300 different craft beers.

    However, says the company, the new shop is the first in Hong Kong to offer 100 per cent temperature-controlled cellaring for beers, which are stored at three different temperatures to ensure an “optimal drinking experience”.

    “The demand for craft beer is growing in Hong Kong,” says HK Brewcraft’s Arielle Ng.

    She says the new store will also offer the popular one-gallon (3.7-litre) homebrew kit designed specifically for Hong Kong’s space-constrained apartments.

    Other than beers and home-brewing gadgets, HK Brewcraft TST will also be the hub for beer events in Kowloon.

    The new outlet has already co-hosted the Mikkeller Running Club event as well as the new seasonal launch for rising star Brewlander & Co from Singapore.

    A new educational tasting series, Beers @ Hillwood, will be held each month with special guests such as head brewers, brew pub managers and Beer Judge Certification Program judges sharing their favourite beers.

    Hong Kong’s Beertopia festival attracted more than 14,000 people last year with 14 local breweries showcasing their brews alongside international offerings.

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  • Shake Shack to open Hong Kong location

    Shake Shack to open Hong Kong location

    Shake Shack, the burger-and-fries chain founded in New York, will open its first location in Hong Kong next year, setting the stage for a push into the fast-food hotbed of mainland China.

    The restaurant will be opened with licensee Maxim’s Caterers Ltd. and a total of 14 locations are planned in Hong Kong and Macau through 2027, Shake Shack said Wednesday.

    The chain’s upscale burgers and fries will appeal to the population there, and the restaurants will provide a base for eventually going into China, according to Chief Executive Officer Randy Garutti.

    “You’re seeing changing preferences for what was traditional fast food,” he said in an interview. “There’s a continued thirst for great brands and a premium level of food at an approachable price.”

    While about 90 percent to 95 percent of the menu will be the same as in the U.S., there may be more chicken items, said Garutti, who sees opportunities in mainland China, where Maxim’s operates other dining brands including Cheesecake Factory Inc.

    Shake Shack may look to grow overseas as the U.S. market becomes increasingly saturated with restaurants offering fast-food burgers. The company’s same-store sales fell 2.5 percent in the latest quarter, missing analysts’ projections, as cold weather hurt some locations.

    A recent report also found that the chain is suffering from a lack of customer loyalty in the U.S. despite its more upscale image.

    Shares of the company have declined 3 percent this year through Tuesday’s close, while the Standard & Poor’s 500 Restaurants Index has jumped 17 percent.

    China Challenges

    Expanding into China comes with challenges as other fast-food companies have faced supply-chain scandals and anti-Western sentiment there. Last year, Yum! Brands Inc. spun off its China unit to focus on turning around its U.S. business. The owner of KFC and Pizza Hut had struggled to boost sales in China as local competitors offer discounted prices and gain market share.

    Shake Shack already has some locations in Asian countries, including Japan and South Korea, among its 135 restaurants. Still, Garutti said the U.S. is its main avenue for growth.

    Domestic sales will be the “lion’s share” of the business going forward, he said. “We have massive growth ahead here in the states.”

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