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.

  • Jollibee US moving into Florida

    Jollibee US moving into Florida

    Jollibee US will open its first fast-food restaurant in Florida on March 18, to be followed by more outlets in the city.

    A former A&W Restaurants and Kentucky Fried Chicken building covering nearly 3500 sqft (325 sqm) in Jacksonville has been renovated by the Philippines-based chain. It is next to The Potter’s House Soul Food Bistro in Keman Village shopping centre.

    Starting as an ice cream parlor in the Philippines in 1975, Jollibee expanded into the US in 1998, opening in Daly City, near San Francisco, to cater to Filipino and Filipino-American families. The Jacksonville metro area also has a Filipino community of about 17,200 people, according to the US Census Bureau.

    Jollibee says the Jacksonville move is the forerunner of further expansion in the US, where it already has 35 locations, nearly half of them in California. The group has 1111 stores worldwide.

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  • DFS To Host Sixth Edition of the Prestigious Masters of Wines and Spirits in Singapore

    DFS To Host Sixth Edition of the Prestigious Masters of Wines and Spirits in Singapore

    This March, DFS Group (DFS), the world’s leading luxury travel retailer, in partnership with Changi Airport Group, will host its sixth annual Masters of Wines and Spirits in Singapore. The most celebrated event of its kind in the industry, Masters of Wines and Spirits showcases DFS’ global travel retail leadership, innovation and unique ability to assemble bespoke collections of wines, spirits and their leading producers, as well as the expertise of its own in-house specialists.

    “We are thrilled to return to Singapore for our sixth Masters of Wines and Spirits this March and deliver another exceptional collection of the world’s finest and rarest wines and spirits,” said Philippe Schaus, DFS Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. “This year’s exclusive collection has been globally sourced and carefully curated by our expert merchants at DFS to inspire and excite both novice and seasoned collectors. At the core of this portfolio lies an unwavering passion for the intricate composition of a bottle and for the unforgettable moments each offering is sure to create.”

    More than 60 of the finest Cognacs, wines and whiskies from over 50 legendary houses will be unveiled during the Masters of Wines and Spirits private event, to be held at selected shophouse venues along Singapore’s historic Tras Street on Saturday, March 25, 2017. As well as being the first to view the collection, VIP guests will be given the opportunity to interact with brand ambassadors while delving into the creation of each bottle in a master class format which will take them around the world in a virtual experience.

    “The collection captures the heritage and craftsmanship of our selected brands, and is a true reflection of DFS’ long-standing relationships with these exceptional houses. Masters of Wines and Spirits provides access to prominent producers and their in-depth knowledge, and of course their limited edition products, many of which are extremely rare or one-of-a-kind exclusives to DFS that represent the ultimate expressions in Cognacs, wines and whiskies,” added Brooke Supernaw, Senior Vice President Spirits, Wines and Tobacco, DFS Group.

    Master Class Event

    The Masters of Wines and Spirits event will feature four exceptional master classes to inspire and enrich the experience for guests. In honor of his 50th year in the whisky industry, Richard Paterson, Master Blender of The Dalmore will host a bespoke tasting showcasing The Dalmore’s rich heritage and artistry. Frederic Dezauzier, Global Brand Ambassador of CAMUS, will introduce guests to the smallest and rarest cru in the Cognac region: Borderies, providing a unique tasting experience featuring a selection of CAMUS Borderies Single-Cru Cognacs, including a Borderies Vintage and an exclusive Borderies blend that has never been released. Then, travel through time with Thibault Pontallier, Château Margaux Asia Ambassador, who will conduct a vertical tasting across decades of Château Margaux, including the 1990 vintage of Château Margaux.

    The fourth Master Class will be a Whisky Panel by The Whiskey House, entitled Innovations of Today Shaping the Heritage of Tomorrow. The theme of heritage in the world of whiskies will be discussed with Brian Kinsman, Malt Master at Glenfiddich, David Charles Stewart, Malt Master at The Balvenie, Mike Miyamoto, Global Brand Ambassador for Hibiki, and Brendan McCarron, Head of Maturing Whisky Stocks at Glenmorangie. This will be moderated by DFS’ own Director of Spirits, Frederik Vanden Bulcke.

    The Collection

    Twenty-seven Cognacs and whiskies include the LOUIS XIII Le Mathusalem, which showcases the world’s first 6L crystal decanter for cognac, CAMUS Rarissimes 65 YO, an exclusive blend for DFS that is composed from the finest eaux-de-vie, Martell Grand Champagne 1920, a very rare first time release since The House of Martell was founded in 1715.

    Making its official debut outside Japan for the first time is the Hibiki 35 YO Arita-Yako and Kutani-Yaki limited editions, a blend of carefully selected malt whiskies aged from 35 to 54 years, and grain whiskies aged over 35 years. From the world of Scotch Single Malts, the Bruichladdich Special Release showcases some of the brand’s oldest and finest whiskies, Glenfiddich Rare Collection 1972, a sublime and precious 44-year old malt (hand-picked for DFS’ Masters of Wines and Spirits), Glenmorangie Pride 1974, Glenmorangie’s rarest, oldest and deepest whisky, carefully selected from the oldest whisky stocks, The Dalmore 50 YO, a commemorative bottling uniquely finished in Champagne casks, and The Macallan Fine & Rare Treasury Collection, a rare collection of  30 vintages in a bespoke cabinet created exclusively for DFS.

    Over 25 prestige wines and Champagnes are showcased in this year’s collection. Amongst these are outstanding bottles from the Champagne and Bordeaux region such as the Pyramid of Château Margaux 1990 Vintage, a collection of four bottles from the year’s vintage earning the coveted 100 points score from Robert Parker. Recently released from the Château cellar in 2016, the Château Lafite Rothschild 1982 Vintage Imperiale is a unique wine offering with an extraordinary nose of caramelized herbs, smoke and cedar, available in a 6L format. Château Mouton Rothschild 18 Vintages includes extraordinary vintages from 1994 to 2012. Only three series were produced exclusively for Masters of Wines and Spirits, and they are specially packed in individual one bottle cases. Dom Pérignon Malle P2 offers the full history of the Sécond Plénitude of Dom Pérignon – the ultimate collection of the ultimate Champagne. With two bottles from each of the 10 vintages, the buyer will also receive an invitation to a private tour of Hautvillers in Champagne, where Maison Dom Pérignon is located.

    Available for the first time for sale by a retailer, Masi 5 Vintages of Amarone Costasera is a presentation case of five vintages of Costasera Amarone Classico, Masi’s flagship wine, along with a beautifully designed timepiece made with 100-year old wood once used for maturing Costasera wine. Penfolds 2012 Bin 707 Cabernet Sauvignon Imperial brings an opportunity for oenophiles and aviation enthusiasts to own 10 limited edition bottles released to commemorate Boeing’s 100th year.

    Following the Masters of Wines and Spirits gala event on March 25, the Masters of Wines and Spirits curated collection will be available for travelers and shoppers at DFS, Singapore Changi Airport’s Wines and Spirits Duplexes at Terminals 2 and 3.

    DFS Masters of Wines and Spirits is part of the DFS Masters Series, a signature program of exhibitions that also includes the highly-anticipated Masters of Time set to take place in Macau this December. The Masters Series is a showcase of the pinnacle of DFS’ leadership and innovation in curating and creating exceptional experiences across its five pillars of luxury: Wines and Spirits, Beauty and Fragrances, Watches and Jewelry, Fashion and Accessories, and Food and Gifts.

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  • ‘Grocerant’ Offers Korean Consumers Another Great Way to Enjoy US Beef

    ‘Grocerant’ Offers Korean Consumers Another Great Way to Enjoy US Beef

    Working to displace competitors of US beef in the growing South Korean retail sector, USMEF used social media and a celebrity chef to showcase US beef ribeye, striploin and chuck flap tail during a “grocerant” promotion.

    The event was held at PK Market, a high-end grocery selling premium food items, and was funded by the USDA Market Access Programme (MAP) and the Beef Checkoff Programme.

    PK Market, part of the vast Emart retail chain, includes a steakhouse called “Butcher’s Table” that allows consumers to enjoy steak cuts they purchase in the store’s grocery area.

    “The Butcher’s Table is what is referred to as a “grocerant,” meaning that it as a grocery store and restaurant under one roof, and it is becoming a big part of the ‘steak culture’ in South Korea,” explained Jihae Yang, USMEF director in Korea.

    “It also is part of a move toward ready-to-eat and pre-packaged meals favored by busy people. Korean consumers buy a steak and then take it to the Butcher’s Table kitchen and have chefs there cook it with vegetables. This service provides the customer with a great steak that might cost two or three times more at a restaurant.”

    During the promotion, USMEF had celebrity chef Mihal Ashminov grill US beef cuts. While the guests enjoyed their steaks, Chef Ashminov provided them with information about the advantages of US beef and explained a few of the best ways to cook a steak.

    To draw attention to the promotion, an online campaign was launched that included Syrup Table, the most popular Korean “foodies” app with a total of 13.5 million subscribers and 1.2 million monthly active users. USMEF’s promotion was featured on the main rolling banner at the top of the Syrup Table website. A total of 5,700 participated in the campaign, with 12 winners chosen for the US beef tasting opportunity.

    Officials with Emart described the event as a great opportunity to experience US beef steak and to promote superior quality of US beef to PK Market customers, adding that Emart recently began promoting thick-cut steak at locations across the country.

    “Retailers in Korea have been trying to offer various meat items and new applications to address consumer trends in the market,” said Mr Yang. “Steak is currently one of the most popular food trends and as a result, some retail chains are developing various steak items. Retailers are also taking an interest in steak items that address the desire for convenience and quick meals.”

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  • Vietnam wants China to permit more rice exporters

    Vietnam wants China to permit more rice exporters

    Many Vietnamese rice exporters are facing difficulties after China authorised only 22 Vietnamese businesses to export rice into the country.

    The permission was announced by China’s General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ), which allowed 22 firms to export rice and rice products from January 1, counting from the date of departure from the Vietnamese border. Any businesses not listed by AQSIQ were banned from exporting to the Chinese market from January 1.

    This decision has affected many Vietnamese firms which were not in the list but had already signed rice contracts before the date.

    One such company is Can Tho Food Company, which is not allowed to export rice to China, although it had signed a contract to export 18,000 tonnes of rice to China at the end of last year.

    Nguyen Van Dung, the company’s deputy director, said the delivery would have been completed by early February, but following the new order, it was no longer permitted to export and hence was suffering huge losses.

    “Our contract was canceled cancelled and we have to compensate some VND300 billion for our partner. In addition, we have to bear further costs,” Dung told Vietnam Television.

    Dung said rice was preserved in the store for quite a long time so the company had to re-process 10,000 tonnes of rice, which raised the cost by VND200-300 per kg.

    “I hope the State and relevant sectors create conditions for my company to sell rice, helping us to overcome difficulties. If it is not solved soon, my company will go bankrupt,” Dung said.

    Tran Thanh Nam, deputy minister of agriculture and rural development (MARD), said the ministry would soon contact China authorities, asking them to send an expert delegation to Viet Nam to assess more businesses which could be eligible for exporting rice to China.

    China’s permission to 22 Vietnamese rice exporters was given after a group of Chinese experts traveled travelled to Viet Nam to inspect 31 enterprises that had previously applied to the local ministry for export rights to China last year.

    According to MARD, China tops the list of Viet Nam’s rice export with 35.4 per cent of market share in the first three quarters of 2016.

    Total rice export turnover to the Chinese market touched 1.35 million tonnes, amounting to $613.4 million in 2016, down 23 per cent in terms of quantity and 13.9 per cent in terms of value in comparison with the same period in 2015.

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  • Kimly aims to raise $40m in first kopitiam IPO

    Kimly aims to raise $40m in first kopitiam IPO

    Kimly is in line to become the first operator of traditional coffee shops to be listed in Singapore. The company – reported last month as eyeing a listing – tabled its initial public offering yesterday. It is offering 173.8 million new shares at 25 cents apiece, comprising 170 million placement shares and 3.8 million shares for the public.

    The offer closes at noon on March 16, with trading expected to start on the Catalist board on March 20.

    Kimly is a household name for its “kopitiams” offering food and beverage. It has nearly 500 stalls across 64 outlets – 56 coffee shops, five food courts and three industrial canteens.

    The network includes 121 stalls that carry the company brand, selling dim sum, seafood zi char and mixed vegetable rice, among other things. These are managed under the company’s food retail division.

    The rest of the stalls are leased to tenants paying rent and management fees that go to Kimly’s outlet management division. This division accounted for around 57 per cent of Kimly’s total revenue last year.

    The business is highly resilient, with strong cash flows and healthy earnings growth, executive director Vincent Chia said yesterday.

    “We are in a defensive industry that serves a very fundamental market need. This is really a grassroots business – everyone can walk in and have a nice meal at a very affordable price. We don’t talk about income brackets,” he added.

    And despite its size, Kimly only commands a 5.8 per cent market share, “so we have plenty of room to grow”, said Mr Chia.

    Kimly’s revenue expanded from $148.9 million in 2014 to $172.2 million last year – a compound annual growth rate of 7.6 per cent.

    Net profit racked up compound annual growth of 9.9 per cent over the same period to hit $24.2 million last year, implying a price-to-earnings ratio of 12.02 for the stock, while cash flow from operating activities remained steady, from $21.8 million in 2014 to $28.4 million in 2016.

    Cash and bank balances amounted to $29.4 million last year, with no outstanding borrowings.

    “We intend to pay out no less than 50 per cent (of net profit) for dividend,” said Mr Chia.

    He said the listing will not lead to food price hikes, aside from the usual inflation-related adjustments.

    Kimly is looking to raise about $40.4 million of net proceeds from the IPO, with the bulk earmarked for potential acquisitions and joint ventures, with a focus on adding more offerings to its brand. Some funds will also be used to boost productivity, with plans to expand its central kitchen to double the capacity.

    “Last November we launched online delivery service for our dim sum, something that we’re looking to extend to more products. We may be kopi boys, but we are forward- thinking kopi boys,” said Mr Chia.

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  • Starbucks’ New Cold Brew Mason Jar Is Only Available in Singapore

    Starbucks’ New Cold Brew Mason Jar Is Only Available in Singapore

    Starbucks has had an exciting few weeks, with the launch of its barrel-aged coffee, the announcement of its first location in Italy, and two new macchiato drinks. The company has added to this series of new products with the recent debut of cold brew in branded mason jars currently available in Singapore.

    Last year, the company sold mason jars with green caps in South Korea, but the new limited-edition version comes with a black cap instead.

    The jars are emblazoned with the classic Starbucks mermaid logo and appear to come with a screw-top lid.

    Don’t book your tickets to Singapore just yet; the company confirmed to Seventeen that the drinkware is only available in the Southeast Asian island “for now.”

    The mason jars are currently available for 8.90 Singapore dollars ($6.30) retail or SG$5.90 ($4.20) with the purchase of a cold brew.

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  • Vietnam’s caffeine thirst puts it in world’s top growing coffee markets

    Vietnam’s caffeine thirst puts it in world’s top growing coffee markets

    The Southeast Asian nation ranks only behind Indonesia, Turkey and India in retail value growth.

    Vietnam has one of the world’s fastest growing retail coffee markets, trailing only behind Indonesia, Turkey and India, a global market intelligence agency said in its latest report.

    The compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of Vietnam, measuring the average value growth in the 2012-2016 period, stood at 14.9 percent, while Indonesia’s market jumped 19.6 percent, followed by 17.5 percent in Turkey and 15.1 percent in India, Mintel said in the report.

    vietnams-caffeine-thirst-puts-it-in-worlds-top-growing-coffee-markets

    Asian markets, where growth is being driven by a surge in innovative coffee products, make up the majority of the world’s fastest growing coffee markets, while European markets plus Australia are among the slowest, the report said. It did not give any market values.

    Even though Germany, the United States, Italy and Spain top the 2016 list of importers of Vietnamese green coffee beans based on Vietnam’s government data, Mintel’s findings suggest that European nations mostly process the bitter variety and re-export the finished products.

    Instant coffee dominates the retail market in Asia. Out of the new coffee products launched in 2016, 42 percent were soluble coffee granule products in Asia Pacific, while the figure was 20 percent in Europe and a mere 6 percent in North America.

    The global coffee market’s retail volume grew 2.7 percent last year from 2015, slightly up from an annual rise of 2.5 percent the previous year, Mintel said.

    “The global coffee industry continues to experience healthy growth, driven by Asian markets in particular,” said Jonny Forsyth, Global Drinks Analyst at Mintel. “Asia has far more growth potential as traditionally tea drinking consumers are converted slowly but surely into coffee drinkers.”

    The International Coffee Organization estimated the CAGR of Vietnam’s coffee consumption at 8 percent for the four-year period ending in 2015/2016, the second-fastest growth rate among the world’s coffee exporting nations after the Philippines. The crop year lasts between October and September.

    The London-based ICO estimated Vietnam’s coffee consumption at around 140,000 tons in the 2015/2016 season, or 8 percent of output, up slightly from 130,000 tons used domestically the previous season.

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  • Vietnam sees full state exit from sugar mills by end 2017

    Vietnam sees full state exit from sugar mills by end 2017

    Sugar output in 2015-2016 drops to 1.2 million tons as a drought damaged sugarcane areas last year. The Vietnamese government has set a target to fully divest from sugar mills by the end of this year, which is aimed at raising the competitiveness of the sugar industry, a local newspaper reported Monday.

    The government has started reducing state stakes in domestic sugar refineries since 2014 and at present only has investment in one company, quoting chairman Pham Quoc Doanh of the Vietnam Sugar and Sugarcane Association as saying.

    He said the government has planned to sell all its 70-percent stake in the Vietnam Sugarcane and Sugar Corporation II by the end of this year to complete its divestment from the sugar industry.

    “Thanks to (the divestment), production and business of the sugar industry will be the fairest compared with other industries,” Doanh was quoted by the newspaper as saying.

    Vietnam’s sugar industry, primarily based on sugarcane, is considered less competitive than Thailand, which ranks as the world’s second-largest exporter of the sweetener.

    Doanh said prices and the quality of sugarcane, rather than the processing technology, are placing Vietnam’s sugar industry behind Thailand.

    Thai plants are buying a ton of sugarcane at $26 while Vietnamese refiners have to pay $40-$53 a ton, and Thai sugarcane also has a higher sugar content, he said.

    Vietnam refined 1.24 million tons of sugar in the cane crushing season that ended September 2016, down 12.7 percent from the previous 2014-2015 season, due to a drought and salination in the southern region. The sugar production year lasts from October to September.

    The country’s 2016-2017 sugar output has been projected to rise 13 percent to 1.4 million tons, the sugar association has said.

  • Fluff Bakery taking cupcakes international

    Fluff Bakery taking cupcakes international

    Four years after opening cupcake shop Fluff Bakery, a Singapore couple plans to launch franchises in Indonesia and Malaysia.

    Ashraf Alami and Nursyazanna Syaira Mohammad Suhimi left their jobs to set up in a shophouse four years ago, and from 600 cupcakes a day they now sell double that.

    Their venture has been highlighted in Parliament by Minister for Trade and Industry S Iswaran when talking about bright spots in Asean countries and the potential for small businesses in the region.

    “A rising middle class has created demand in sectors such as retail and food and beverage,” he said. “The digital economy also presents unprecedented opportunities for companies – no matter how small – to reach out.”

    Fluff Bakery’s social-media presence has found fans as far away as Malaysia, where it has launched some pop-up stores. The first saw all 500 cupcakes snapped up in 30 minutes, and the second time around they sold 1000 cupcakes in about an hour.

    Ashraf says they hope to open a store in Kuala Lumpur in May.

    Meanwhile, it its latest budget Singapore’s government has pegged S$600 million (US$424.5 million) to establish an international partnership fund to help Singapore firms scale up and internationalise.

    “As an SME, expanding overseas is very daunting, because you don’t have many resources,” says Ashraf. “Any assistance or guidance – financial, networking – is more than welcome.”

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  • Bangkok home to Asia’s first Playboy Cafe

    Bangkok home to Asia’s first Playboy Cafe

    Lam Yook Millenium Millennium (2002), the distributor of Playboy clothing in Thailand, has opened the first Playboy Cafe in Asia.

    It is in the Central Festival EastVille complex in Bangkok, with a second cafe scheduled to open in Central Marina Pattaya next month.

    Playboy cafe 1

    A budget of Bt30 million (US$856,000) has been earmarked for the opening of about 30 Playboy Cafes across Thailand within five years.

    Flying in from the US to preside over the opening, Playboy heir/chief creative officer Cooper Hefner says about 3000 Playboy outlets sell fashion accessories and clothes in such markets as China, India and Taiwan.

    She says Lam Yook has beenwith Playboy for more than 15 years in Thailand. It is the first company in Asia to gain a licence to run a Playboy Cafe.

    Lam Yook COO Pornpat Wangworawong says his company outlined its plans last year after setting up Playboy outlets in five department stores in Thailand. It plans to open a Playboy outlet at Central Plaza Korat this year and is introducing a business line to mark the Year of the Rooster. A Thai website will be launched in June.

    Playboy cafe 2

    “Before opening the cafe, we ran a market survey and learned that Thais like hanging out with friends and eating,” says Pornpat. Playboy Cafe’s signature item is the Bunny Burger.

    Covering 158 sqm in Central Festival EastVille, the cafe has capacity for 70 customers.

    Sales of the brand in Thailand have risen 30 per cent on average over the past few years, but last year’s growth was only 10 to 15 per cent because the global slowdown affecting the garment industry. To counteract this, the company plans to renovate its standalone shops and turn the outlets in department stores into unisex models.

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  • Indonesia Dominates Global Retail Coffee Market

    Indonesia Dominates Global Retail Coffee Market

    Indonesia increases its dominance over the global retail coffee market with an average sales growth of 19.6 percent each year throughout the last five years, followed by India (15.1 percent average growth) and Vietnam (14.9 percent average growth in second and third position, respectively.

    The data gathered by Mintel also revealed that the growth of the global retail coffee market in 2016 had reached 2.7 percent from the previous 2.5 percent in 2015. Meanwhile, Asia continues to dominate the fastest growth in the global coffee market.

    According to the data, the slowest growth in the global coffee market throughout 2011-2016 is recorded by Finland with a -3.7 percent average growth, followed by Australia with a 0 percent growth, Poland with a 0.1 percent growth, Dutch with a 0.5 percent growth, and Belgium with a 0.5 percent growth.

    Mintel’s Global Drinks Analyst Jonny Forsyth, stated that Asia’s coffee market is increasingly growing following the high level of innovations in various processed coffee products in the region. Throughout the same period, the number of newly introduced coffee products in Asia grows by 95 percent.

    In comparison, the number of new tea products introduced in Asia in the same period only grew by 55 percent. Jonny asserted that the numbers showed that the majority of Asian citizens have shifted from the tradition of consuming tea to coffee.

    “In 2016, there was a drastic increase in the number of new coffee products that rivals the previously booming tea product in Asia. It is true tea drinking tradition has been the main obstacle for Asia’s coffee products. But, currently there are many tea-coffee hybrid products that have been introduced in order to solve the problem,” Jonny explained.

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  • ZhangMen Brewing opens Tsim Sha Tsui flagship

    ZhangMen Brewing opens Tsim Sha Tsui flagship

    Taiwan’s ZhangMen Brewing Company has chosen Hong Kong to set up its first international flagship pub.

    On Kimberley Road in Tsim Sha Tsui, the outlet offers 24 varieties of craft beer, shipped directly from its brewery, as well as providing Taiwanese snacks.

    ZhangMen Brewing - Tsim Sha Tsui HK 1

    ZhangMen Brewing Hong Kong GM Ajax Lo says Hong Kong has had a thriving craft-beer scene for years and is relatively close to Taiwan. “Hong Kong is also the region’s economic hub, which will help us promote our brand to other Asian markets more easily.”

    Invest Hong Kong helped the Taiwan company set up in Hong Kong, with its associate director-general of investment promotion Dr Jimmy Chiang saying it has helped several craft-beer brands settle in the city.

    As well as its own brewery, ZhangMen Brewing Company has a brewery farm and laboratory, and runs six outlets across Taiwan. The brand has won many accolades including champion and second runner-up in the Australian International Beer Awards plus second runner-up in the China Beer Awards last year.

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  • International coffee, tea and confectionery showcase draws a record number of visitors

    International coffee, tea and confectionery showcase draws a record number of visitors

    Café Asia 2017, International Coffee & Tea Expo (ICT Expo) 2017 and Sweets & Bakes Asia 2017 captivated some 11,000 visitors with a multi-sensorial showcase of ‘Firsts’. The concurrent shows were declared opened by Guest-of-Honour, Mr Lee Yi Shyan, Member of Parliament of East Coast GRC, on March 2, 2017 at Marina Bay Sands Expo & Convention Centre, Hall E. 

    The highly successful Café Asia and ICT Expo series first launched in 2013 and the Sweets & Bakes series which was introduced a year later, together present the largest showcase dedicated to the team coffee and bakery industries in Singapore and the region. This dynamic B2B platform is sought after by key decision makers as a sourcing destination for their café needs and to explore new collaborations and opportunities in a country where the number of specialty coffee drinkers has increased over the years. 

    Spanning 5,000 square metres this year, Café Asia 2017, ICT Expo 2017 and Sweets & Bakes Asia hosted 168 exhibitors from all around the world namely, Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Myanmar, Netherlands, Philippines, Rwanda, Singapore, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Timor-Leste and Vietnam.

    The 3-day exhibition raised the bar for three industries with innovations that offered solutions for new recipes, better tasting products and productivity. It introduced some of the latest innovations, developments and technologies at exclusive workshops, classes and demonstrations and on the exhibition floor by industry experts, on everything coffee, tea and baked goods. Visitors discovered new sources and a wide array of supplies and innovative and cutting-edge equipment for cafes and bakeries, from coffee beans from traditional and non-traditional coffee producing countries, tea leaves, taste elevating baking ingredients, new exciting brews like Expresso Martini by Justin Metcalf and delectable gelato flavours.

    Keen Competiton at Seven National Competitions

    Top baristas, tea masters and bakers converged at the shows to contend for national titles and to represent Singapore in the world-level championships. New this year is the inaugural Tea Masters Cup Singapore 2017 where Singapore crowned its first-ever Tea Master to compete at the prestigious Tea Masters Cup International 2017. 

    The National Coffee Championships rolled-out a new competition format, the Singapore Coffee in Good Spirits Championships 2017. The championship celebrates barista’s creativity in celebrating the synergy between coffee and alcohol through innovative beverage recipes. Also returning this year are the Singapore National Barista Championship, Singapore Latte Art Championship, Singapore National Brewers Cup Championship and Singapore Cup Tasters Championship.

    The Singapore Bakery & Confectionery Championship 2017 welcomed top bakers and confectioners who showcased their skills to create the most delicious and delightful breads and pastries. The bakers from some of the best hotels and bakeries here in Singapore kneaded, baked and worked magic with their creations, making them into stunning displays of edible art.

    The winners are:

    Championship

    Winners

    Tea Masters Cup Singapore 2017 – Tea Preparation

    Dave Lim of Sun Ray Café

    Tea Masters Cup Singapore 2017 – Tea Pairing

    Dave Lim of Sun Ray Café

    Tea Masters Cup Singapore 2017 – Tea Tasting

    Darren Chang of Smitten Specialty Coffee & Tea

    Singapore Bakery & Confectionery Championship 2017 – Bread Category Champion

    Jacker Tok Siu Hong of Carlton Hotel

    Singapore Bakery & Confectionery Championship 2017 – Cake Category Champion

    Phua Wei Si and Maryann Tan Rui En of Temasek Polytechnic

    Singapore National Barista Championship

    Terence Tan of Santino Coffee Specialists

    Singapore Latte Art Championship

    Jervis Tan of Kinsmen Coffee

    Singapore National Brewers Cup Championship

    Rodman Chan of A.R.C.

    Singapore Cup Tasters Championship

    Rodman Chan of A.R.C.

    Singapore Coffee in Good Spirits Championship

    Natasha Shariff of Bettr Barista

    Café Asia 2017, ICT 2017 and Sweets and Bakes 2017 are organized by Conference and Exhibitions Management Services (CEMS). Café Asia 2017 and the International Coffee & Tea Expo 2017 are hosted by Singapore Coffee Association and Sweets & Bakes Asia 2017 is hosted by Singapore Bakery and Confectionery Trade Association.

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  • German supermarket Aldi opens online store in China

    German supermarket Aldi opens online store in China

    The soft opening of a bricks and mortar store meanwhile is scheduled for 20 March and the official grand opening will be held in Shanghai in April, the company said in a statement on its website.

    Most of the products will be sourced from its existing Australian suppliers to serve the China market with a focus on value.

    “For decades, the Aldi’s own brands have enjoyed the reputation of providing excellent value for money,” said Christoph Schwaiger of Aldi. “We are convinced that Chinese customers are also very interested in the quality and the reasonable prices we can offer them.”

    Terry von Bibra, general manager Europe of Alibaba Group, commented: “The name Aldi is a concept in many countries of the world and like Alibaba, the company is a pioneer in its industry. We are very pleased to support Aldi Sud at the Chinese market with Tmall Global, one of the largest e-commerce platforms for consumers in China, and to work as a strategic partner with Aldi  in other areas, such as B2C, B2B and marketing.”

    “Alibaba’s e-commerce platforms reach not only the approximately 443 million active users, but also serve the strongly growing interest of the Chinese middle class in products Made in Germany. The products of Aldi South will undoubtedly be very popular among consumers. ”

  • Pizza Hut Thailand moves ownership

    Pizza Hut Thailand moves ownership

    PH Capital, a subsidiary of Thoresen Thai Agencies (TTA), has signed an agreement to acquire the Pizza Hut business in Thailand from Yum Restaurants International (Thailand) for an undisclosed amount.

    PH Capital is a 70:30 JV firm established by TTA and PM Capital, a company run by the Mahagitsiri family that manages global F&B brands.

    “We see food business as a fast-growing, low-volatility business. We make decisions to invest based on the target businesses’ management vision and reputation,” says TTA CEO/president Chalermchai Mahagitsiri.

    PH Capital will run all 92 Pizza Hut restaurants in Thailand under the supervision of Pizza Hut by the end of the second quarter of this year, says the company. Director Ausana Mahagitsiri says it will modernise the outlets, add seats and revamp its home-delivery service – and open more than 100 new restaurants.

    Pizza Hut Thailand is an affiliate of restaurant firm Yum! Brands, which also manages KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell with 43,500-plus restaurants in more than 135 countries.

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