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.

  • Sugarcane production feared to shrink on unfavorable climate

    Sugarcane production feared to shrink on unfavorable climate

    The Association of Indonesian Sugarcane Farmers (APTRI) said that the countrys production of sugarcane might decline on unfavorable climate.

    The year 2016 would be a difficult period for sugarcane growers in the country, the General Chairman of APTRI Arum Sabil said.

    Lengthy drought in 2015 affected vegetation and fertilization was not maximum that sugarcane production could decline in 2016, Arum said here on Monday.

    “It is beyond human power. We could only hope that the dry season and rainy season would not too lengthy,” he said.

    The natural condition is one of the factors causing sugar fields to shrink in 2015, he said.

    “The sugarcane plantations decreased 20 percent in size to 475,000 hectares and the productivity shrank 10-15 percent in 2015,” he said.

    One of the causes was lack of attention of the government to the condition faced by sugarcane farmers, he said.

    “At that time fertilizers were not easily available for farmers that the crop could not grow well,” he added.

    Therefore, if the government wanted success in achieving the target of self sufficiency in sugar supply in 2018, it must improve distribution of fertilizers and revitalize sugar factories, he said.

    He suggested that fund should be set aside for the revitalization of sugar factories in the state budget instead of relying only on state companies.

    However, state-owned plantation company, PT Perkebunan Nusantara (PTPN) X predicted a better year in 2016 setting a higher production target for sugar.

    The largest sugar producer among state companies has set its sugar production target at 475,000 tons in 2016 or a 10 percent growth from production of 431,020 tons in 2015.

    “Sugar content is also expected to increase to 8.5 percent from 8.3 percent in 2015,” Subiyono , the president director of the company, was quoted as saying earlier this week.

    With the production target, PTPN X would continue to be the largest sugar producer among state plantation companies in Indonesia, Subiyono said.

    He said he was optimistic the production target could be achieved despite fear of the impact of weather anomaly.

    The company would carry out revitalization both on farm and off farm (factory).

    Revitalization on farm would be carried out by using high yield seed variety and off farm revitalization would improve efficiency, he said.

    Efficiency of factory would be made through electrification reducing the use of coal for fuel , efficiency of grinding machines to reduce losses in the process of production and improving efficiency in supply of sugarcane.

    “The entire processes are important to be more competitive, which is determined by success in cutting production cost,” he said.

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  • McDonald’s China in massive expansion plan

    McDonald’s China in massive expansion plan

    McDonald’s China is set to be supersized as the US fast food giant pursues growth offshore.

    The company’s Chicago-based CEO Steve Easterbrook has revealed more than 1500 new stores will be opened across China, Hong Kong and Korea over the next five years. About 1300 of those will be in Mainland China.

    McDonald’s already operates some 2200 restaurants – its new target is 3500.

    In a clear strategic shift the company says it is seeking “strategic partners who will add value and unlock growth potential in key markets” in Asia.

    “This will allow McDonald’s to accelerate our growth and scale faster across diverse markets placing us closer to our customers and the communities we serve,” Easterbrook said in a statement.

    “We’re in the midst of transforming our business and taking a strategic and thoughtful approach to enhance our ability to grow around the world. These actions build on our turnaround efforts and will advance local ownership, enable faster decision-making and achieve restaurant growth.”

    Once the target is reached, China will become McDonald’s second largest global market after the US.

    It is not clear how many new stores will open in Hong Kong, where the company already has 230 outlets, but in an email to the South China Morning Post, Easterbrook indicated opening more McCafes will be a priority in the territory.

    The company is also actively seeking partners in Taiwan, and in Japan where it is midway through a major overhaul and repositioning of the brand after incurring massive losses.

  • Seoul insect restaurant opens

    Seoul insect restaurant opens

    Papillon’s Kitchen, a new Seoul insect restaurant has been packed since its opening – and is fully booked for the next few months.

    Although insects are known to be a great source of protein, and often mentioned as the ‘food of the future’, many consumers avoid them due to their appearance. However, the number of individuals who enjoy edible insects as a meal is continuously increasing as awareness builds of their health value.

    ‘Papillon’s Kitchen’, the first insect restaurant in Korea, serves food made from insects such as grasshoppers and crickets.

    During a recent mealtime watched by Korea Bizwire staff, guests sat around a large table and enjoyed pasta, soup, and croquettes made from insects. They seemed to be enjoying their meal, as everyone appeared to be content.

    “There’s no problem with food cooked with insects when I can’t see them,” said one female customer, raising her thumb in approval.

    With food scarcity becoming an increasing concern due to the rapid growth of the global population, insects could be a great substitute for traditional sources of protein. The academic world and food industry predict that in the not-so-distant future, insects will rise as one of the main sources of nourishment for humans.

    Insect resturant 1

    While 100 grams of beef contains 21 grams of protein, the same mass of dried grasshoppers contains 70 grams of protein. Insects are also less fattening, as they contain half the calories of rice and beans.

    Insects are also considered to be an eco-friendly food source. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the food resources used to breed cows for beef could contribute to the production of 12 times as many crickets. Even more significant, the amount of greenhouse gas produced when raising crickets is one hundredth the amount produced when raising cows.

    Insect resturant

    Due to new perspectives on insects as food, the Korean government and related industries are taking fast action. Currently, the government has certified mealworms and crickets as ‘general food ingredients’. Food industry giant CJ also started research on edible insects in collaboration with the Korean Edible Insect Laboratory Knowledge Coop (KEIL).

    Experts comment that people hold prejudice on insects simply because of their unattractive appearance. They expect  edible insects will soon be commercialised due to their many benefits.

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  • US buyer for Korea’s Kim’s Club

    US buyer for Korea’s Kim’s Club

    A US private equity giant is the successful bidder for South Korean hypermarket chain Kim’s Club, part of the fashion and retail conglomerate E-Land Group.

    Named the preferred bidder for Kim’s Club, Kohlberg Kravis Roberts (KKR) will now discuss with E-Land the acquisition of the right to run the 37 hypermarkets as well as the group’s logistics centres, according to Business Korea.

    KKR focuses on online-to-offline (O2O) retail business investment, and with its bid for Kim’s Club seeks to create synergy with its previous investment in the retail industry, both online and offline, says an E-Land spokesman.

    As Kim’s Club is located in E-Land Retail’s department stores and outlets as a food market, the two companies are expected to maintain the partnership. Moreover, KKR is continuing talks for a possible sale of the Gangnam branch of the New Core Department Store.

    E-Land and KKR plan to conduct due diligence and set the selling price before signing a final contract in early May. The sell-off of Kim’s Club is expected to be complete within the first half of the year.

    E-Land is seeking between 700 billion to one trillion won (US$598-$854 million) for the rights to the hypermarket chain, according to wire service Yonhap.

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  • Bacardi shuffles Asia Pacific Travel Retail pack

    Bacardi shuffles Asia Pacific Travel Retail pack

    Bacardi has made several personnel changes to its Asia Pacific Global Travel Retail (GTR) division.

    The company said late last week that Irving Holmes Wong, formerly regional director of Asia Pacific for Bacardi GTR, would take on the newly-created role of managing director for Bacardi Greater China (domestic), from a base in Shanghai. He will be replaced by Vinay Golikeri, who will be based in Hong Kong and report to Mike Birch, Bacardi’s GTR MD.

    Golikeri moves up from the position of customer marketing director of GTR. He will be replaced by former GTR finance director Leila Stansfield.

    The team will assume their new roles on 14 April.

    Birch said: “Bacardi prides itself on developing its internal talent pool and I am especially pleased to have the expertise of Vinay and Leila in their new roles. Global Travel Retail is a strategic shop window for the Bacardi group with strong support from our CEO Mike Dolan and I am delighted that we have his personal support and continued investment in helping us deliver our ambitions in the sector.”

    In September last year, Bacardi set its sights on the spirits market in China with the creation of the non-executive chairman for Greater China position.

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  • Private Equity eyes Yum! China

    Private Equity eyes Yum! China

    US private equity company KKR & Co tops a growing list of potential investors in Yum! China, the fast food giant’s planned spin-off.

    Bloomberg has named KKR, Baring Private Equity China and sovereign fund China Investment Corp as potential bidders for cornerstone stakes in the Chinese fast food company which will operate some 9000 franchised restaurants under the KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell brands.

    Yum! Currently has 7100 restaurants in Mainland China and plans to open 600 more this year. It has also just announced plans to launch Taco Bell in China.

    Yum! Is reportedly planning to retain a controlling stake in the spun-off entity, perhaps limiting the stake sold to 20 per cent. That sized stake could attract an investment of US$2 billion.

    Bloomberg also identified Chinese private-equity firm Hopu Investment Management as another potential buyer.

    Such investments – still speculative at this stage – may offer Yum! Another means of raising capital without a formal float

    Yum! Prevously said it believes that where one united company would have targeted 10 per cent earnings per share growth, each of the two separated companies would achieve a 15 per cent growth rate independently (based on EPS growth and dividend yield).

    “We believe this transaction is a classic example of ‘one plus one equaling more than two’ as it will enable each company to realise its full potential and achieve greater value on a standalone basis,” said Greg Creed, Yum! Brands CEO, announcing the spin-off plan last December..

    “We continue to make solid progress on our planned separation into two independent, publicly-traded companies… each with compelling growth strategies, distinct investment characteristics, and optimised capital structures,” he said.

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  • Seezar Soesan plans more Gloria Jean’s

    Seezar Soesan plans more Gloria Jean’s

    Australia-based coffee retail chain Gloria Jean’s is planning to open more outlets in Myanmar through its local franchisee Seezar Soesan.

    It already has two branches in Yangon, one in Myanmar Plaza, which opened in January, and the other in Yangon’s new international airport terminal, which opened in March.

    Seezar Soesan COO U Kyaw Htin Latt says the company plans to continue as sole operator for the next two years, but may allow other interested firms to open branches after that.

    Other coffee outlets in Myanmar include Espressonite Myanmar, Nervin and Ya Kun.
    Seezar Soesan has business interests in such areas as IT, trading, construction, agriculture, consultancy and media services.

    Part of Australia’s largest multi-food franchiser Retail Food Group (RFG), Gloria Jean’s Coffees has nearly 800 outlets in 39 markets worldwide.

  • Shakey’s Philippines sold to investment groups

    Shakey’s Philippines sold to investment groups

    Philippines conglomerate Century Pacific Group has partnered with Singapore’s sovereign investor GIC to buy the parent of Shakey’s Philippines, the pizza restaurant chain.

    The tie-up will acquire majority of of the business from the Prieto family, which will continue to hold a minority stake in International Family Food Services (IFFSI), the owner and operator of the Shakey’s Philippines.

    “We are excited about this opportunity to invest in Shakey’s as we are believers in the potential of the continued growth of the Philippine middle class,” Century Pacific president Christopher Po said in a statement.

    The transaction also includes the acquisition of Philippine franchise for US artisan pizza Project Pie as well as Bakemasters, one of Shakey’s suppliers of bakery products.

    The acquisition of Shakey’s, which had about 170 stores in the Philippines at the end of 2015, is the second partnership between Century Pacific’s controlling Po family and GIC. In May 2014, the Singaporean fund converted a P3.4 billion ($73 million) loan into a 10 per cent stake in Century Pacific Food, the group’s canned goods maker.

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  • Lindt Aims to Surpass Godiva’s Chocolate Retail Network by 2020

    Lindt Aims to Surpass Godiva’s Chocolate Retail Network by 2020

    Lindt & Spruengli AG wants to overtake Godiva and become the world’s largest premium chocolate retailer by 2020.

    In pursuit of the goal, Lindt plans to open 20 to 30 shops each year, the Kilchberg, Switzerland-based maker of Lindor balls said in a statement Tuesday as it reported full-year profit growth in line with analysts’ estimates and raised its dividend 10 percent.

    Lindt, which has more than 300 shops, will need to accelerate its expansion plan to beat its larger rival, which runs more than 450 boutiques. The candy maker said it will use its store network to communicate with consumers, seeking prime locations and offering some products they can’t find elsewhere. Lindt added 50 stores last year, including 16 in Brazil, and retail sales rose more than 20 percent, faster than the company’s total sales growth.

    “If we continue with this pace, we’ll get there,” Chief Executive Officer Ernst Tanner said in an interview, adding that Lindt wants a “worldwide presence” while Godiva is “very strong” in certain markets such as North America and Japan.

    First-half organic sales growth will be slightly below the long-term target of 6 percent to 8 percent because of tougher comparisons to the previous year’s first half, Tanner said. Growth will be stronger in the second part of the year, he added. Lindt is not planning big price increases this year, and growth will be driven more by volume, he said.

    The stock fell 1.2 percent to 68,600 francs as of 12:46 p.m. in Zurich.

    Lindt will open its first shop in Moscow this year and add more stores in Brazil, France and the U.K., he also said.

    Earnings before interest and tax rose 9.4 percent to 518.8 million francs ($522 million). Analysts expected 519.6 million francs, according to the average estimate. Sales rose 7.1 percent on an organic basis.

    Lindt became the third-largest chocolate maker in the U.S. when it bought Russell Stover for 1.5 billion francs in 2014. North American sales rose 7.9 percent last year, slowing from 14 percent growth in 2014 as Russell Stover eliminated unprofitable products.

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  • South Korea Has Reached Peak Coffee Shop

    South Korea Has Reached Peak Coffee Shop

    In fashionable retail and commercial districts of southern Seoul, nearly one in every two buildings boasts a coffee shop – evidence of a boom that has delivered dizzying growth for the likes of Starbucks and local chains.

    But now the market is getting even more crowded, as convenience stores such as 7-Eleven offer 1,000 won (87 cents) cups, and smaller players are feeling the heat.

    “We declared an emergency situation, gathered all employees eight times to debate strategies,” Moon Chang-ki, CEO of mid-priced coffee chain Ediya, the country’s largest operator by location with about 1,800 stores, told reporters recently. “If we sell at that price, our store owners won’t earn any margins.”

    To compete, Ediya says it has instead focused on improving the quality of its coffee, and actually raised prices last year. Other chains have responded to growing competition by cutting back on store numbers and staff, or expanding overseas.

    The number of chain and stand-alone coffee shops in South Korea more than tripled to about 49,600 in 2015 from 12,400 in 2011, according to Korea Contents Media – far faster than overall consumption of coffee, which Koreans have been drinking for decades.

    PEAK COFFEE

    South Korea’s per capita coffee consumption has nearly doubled since 1990 to 2.3 kg (5 lb) per person, according to the International Coffee Organization – still roughly half the 4.5 kg that Americans consume.

    Revenue growth at coffee chains in the country slowed to about 8 percent in 2014, however, from more than 20 percent annually between 2008 and 2012, analysts say. While the number of new coffee shops in Seoul increased, so did closures, according to city data.

    Brewed coffee sales at 7-Eleven, run by Lotte Shopping’s Korea Seven Co Ltd, jumped 88 percent in 2015 after it introduced drip coffee early last year costing about a dollar, almost one-fifth the cost of an average Starbucks cup.

    McDonald’s Corp stores cut coffee prices to 1,500 won from 2,100 won early last year, and have seen sales of the beverage almost triple, the company told Reuters.

    By contrast, local chain Cafe Droptop, with about 225 shops, cut about 20 percent of its workforce at the end of 2015. Another chain, Coffine Gurunaru, with about 100 shops, incurred combined operating losses of 2.5 billion won ($2.2 million) in 2013 and 2014 after being profitable in the previous two years, filings show.

    “Even fried chicken restaurants and pubs are adding coffee, trying to be a cafe, while espresso machines are spreading in offices,” said Lee Kyung-hee, who heads the Korea Business Strategy Institute, a consultancy. “The coffee industry is fighting a war without borders.”

    GOING ABROAD

    Starbucks entered the market in 1999, and is widely credited with starting the country’s habit for splurging on higher-quality coffee and creating a cafe industry SK Securities said was worth about 2.5 trillion won ($2.2 billion) in 2014.

    Starbucks Coffee Korea, a 50-50 joint venture between the world’s biggest coffee chain and South Korean hypermarket operator E-Mart, now has 860 stores, putting the country behind only China and Japan as the company’s biggest markets in Asia, with sales more than doubling between 2011 and 2014.

    It posted a 20 percent increase in net profit to 30.77 billion won in 2014, the most recent year for which results are available, on revenue of 617 billion won, up 28 percent.

    But with industry growth slowing, some chains have been pushing abroad.

    Caffe Bene, which reached 932 domestic stores in 2014 before trimming back to 850 at the end of March, posted a 3.3 billion won net loss in the first three quarters of 2015, according to the latest public data.

    Last month, a joint venture between Singapore’s Food Empire and Indonesia’s Salim Group acquired a 38 percent stake in Caffe Bene, becoming the second biggest shareholder after South Korean private equity fund K3 Equity Partners.

    The chain said it was looking to expand in Southeast Asia to drive growth.

    Zoo Coffee, with 65 domestic shops, has opened about 200 franchise stores in China since entering the country in 2013 and in December announced a tie-up with China’s giant Dalian Wanda Group to open 50 stores per year there.

    Cafe Droptop in November opened its first overseas outlet in Shanghai.

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  • Anti-Hindu posters at Texas “Dairy Queen” removed

    Anti-Hindu posters at Texas “Dairy Queen” removed

    Anti-Hindu signs at Kemah (Texas) restaurant of “Dairy Queen” (DQ), which upset Hindus worldwide found highly inappropriate, have been reportedly removed.

    Dean A. Peters, Associate Vice President of Communications of American Dairy Queen Corporation headquartered in Minneapolis, in an email response to Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, wrote on March 31 evening: “We are pleased to announce that as of Wednesday, March 30th, the DQ location in Kemah, Texas is now under new ownership and all interior and exterior signs posted by the former franchisee were immediately removed from that location.”

    Zed, who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, in a statement in Nevada today, thanked International Dairy Queen (IDQ) Inc. for understanding the feelings of the community and resolving the issue.

    But, Rajan Zed pointed out, that DQ appeared to have been shirking from its responsibility by not formally apologizing for allowing these derogatory signs reportedly posted at its Kemah store for many months. DQ seemed to have even failed to follow its own “Mission Statement: To create positive memories for all who touch DQ” by permitting such disparaging signs.

    Zed urged IDQ Inc. CEO John P. Gainor Junior to come up with an official apology and institute a mechanism in its franchise operations ensuring that such belittling of religions did not happen in the future. Posters reportedly displayed at its Kemah store were highly inappropriate and trivialized the oldest and third largest religion of the world with about one billion adherents and a highly philosophical thought.

    International Dairy Queen Inc.; based in Minneapolis; is a subsidiary of Omaha headquartered Berkshire Hathaway Inc.; serving treats and food in over 6,600 locations in USA, Canada and 28 other countries since 1940. Warren E. Buffett is the CEO of Berkshire Hathaway Inc.

  • McDonald’s to set up 1500 new restaurants in China, Hong Kong and Korea

    McDonald’s to set up 1500 new restaurants in China, Hong Kong and Korea

    McDonald’s Corporation, the world’s largest hamburger chain, said on Thursday that it was adding more than 1,500 new restaurants in China, Hong Kong and South Korea over the next five years and was on the lookout for suitable investment partners.

    The US company said the new outlets are in addition to the more than 2,800 restaurant locations it has in these markets, most of which are company-owned.

    “We’re committed to Hong Kong for the long term and intend to combine our global brand with local insights and expertise. This gives us the ability to enable faster decision-making, achieve restaurant growth and deliver a great restaurant experience for our customers in Hong Kong,” said Steve Easterbrook, President and Chief Executive of McDonald’s.

    The company has 230 McDonald’s restaurants in Hong Kong and employs more than 15,000 people. On average, it serves about 1 million customers every day.

    McDonald’s Hong Kong said: “We have continued our great success in the past 40 years and we know that we would require continued capital expenditure in the future – to open new locations, rebrand our restaurants, accelerate McCafe penetration, and invest in the digital experience so as to take advantage of the opportunities in Hong Kong.”

    “We have not approached any potential strategic partner(s) at this point in time and we are still exploring what the right ownership structure will be for the new McDonald’s outlets in Hong Kong,” it said.

    Jeannette Chan, regional director of retail department at JLL said McDonald’s ambitious expansion plan showed its confidence on market prospects in Asia.

    “Most of the fast food retailers are contemplating expansion or relocation after seeing a sharp fall in Hong Kong retail rentals for street level shops,” she said.

    However, some industry experts said the expansion would be largely focused on the mainland, where there is still huge growth potential. “The Hong Kong market is already saturated” sources said.

    It would be better for McDonald’s to team up with local partners who have well established retail networks for its expansion in the mainland,” they said.

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  • Foodpanda Hong Kong eats up rival

    Foodpanda Hong Kong eats up rival

    Foodpanda Hong Kong has just bought rival Delivery.com’s local operation to consolidate its leadership in the local food delivery market.

    The move is the latest by the five year old, 49 per cent Rocket Internet-owned startup to streamline its international operations, focusing on core Asian areas. Just a year ago, Foodpanda operated in 40 countries around the world. Now having exited Africa, Latin America and even some Asian countries, like Vietnam, the company is focusing on 24 in Asia, the Middle East and Eastern Europe.

    Foodpanda Hong Kong has paid an undisclosed amount to buy the Delivery.com business, which focused more on the corporate sector and office workers. Besides taking a competitor out of the market, the deal will add depth to the flow of business during the day, adding more daytime turnover to the night-time, largely residential trade, where it is already strong.

    In a statement, Didier Bensadoun, president of Delivery.com Hong Kong, said the two businesses were the first two entrants into the maket, in 2014.

    “Working together we will continue to solidify a position of leadership.”

    Delivery.com marks Foodpanda Hong Kong’s third acqisition: It has already swallowed by local startups Dial a Dinner and Koziness.

    The company’s strategy is to acquire rivals to consolidate its market share. Where it cannot do that –in Vietnam, for example – it withdraws.

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  • Indonesians urged to eat more fish

    Indonesians urged to eat more fish

    Living in a country, which is rich in fisheries resources, the Indonesian people have been urged to eat more fish to increase their protein intake and boost the growth of the nations younger generation.

    Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (KKP) Ministry said eating more fish will be useful in increasing the peoples protein intake and for overcoming the growth problem of Indonesian children. “In the past 10 years, one (in three) Indonesian children grew shorter due to (inadequate) food quality,” KKP Minister Susi Pudjiastuti said on Wednesday.

    She said with the efforts of her ministry to fight fish theft in Indonesian waters, the quantity of fish and fish protein for domestic consumption in the society could be increased.

    Therefore, she said, foreign consumers would not be the only party who would enjoy the countrys premium fish products through exports, but the local Indonesian population could also enjoy the benefits of these resources.

    “Ideally, we export fish after our consumption needs at home have been met,” the minister said, adding that the Indonesian people will meet their nutritional intake and become healthier if they obtain adequate protein.

    The Peoples Coalition for Fishery Justice (Kiara) expects the government to optimize production in the maritime and fishery sector for domestic consumption owing to the fact that the size of the population has increased rapidly over the past several decades. Indonesias population is now pegged at about 250 million.

    “Since the 1990s, the proportion of fishery production for consumption has been increasing. Some 71 percent of fish production in the 1980s was allocated for human consumption,” Kiara Secretary General, Abdul Halim said.

    He said during the period of 1976-2012, the world fish and fishery trade increased 8.3 percent in nominal terms and 4.1 percent in real terms per annum.

    Abdul therefore urged the KKP to remain focused on safeguarding the countrys fish resources amid reports that a number of countries are experiencing a decline in their fish catch.

    “Poaching will continue to be a challenge for the Indonesian people because many countries which have run short of fishery resources,” the Kiara Secretary General said.

    The KKP had earlier said that there has been an upward trend in the fish consumption of the Indonesian people. The increasing trend is believed to be the results of campaigns asking people to increase fish consumption in various parts of the country.

    The KKP in its written statement made available to Antara on March 24, said the countrys per capita fish consumption per annum was recorded at 42.11 kilogram (kg) in 2015, exceeding the target set at 40.90 kg per capita per annum.

    In 2014, fish production for domestic consumption was set at 13.07 million tons, up 10.01 percent from 2013.

    Although it is important to supply fish for domestic consumption, the country also needs to increase its fish exports.

    Toward this end, the KKP will gather the profiles and business plans of fisheries companies in the country to make it easier in the calculation of the countrys fisheries exports.

    “If we know the profiles and performance of fisheries industry, it will make it easier for us to calculate our export targets,” KKP Director General for the Promotions of Maritime and Fisheries Products, Nilanto Perbowo said on March 30.

    Nilanto also invited various partners of fisheries associations to provide data about their performance and business plans. This will be useful for setting the export target and for the issuance of fishery raw material import licenses, he said.

  • Sushi for W390 in Korea

    Sushi for W390 in Korea

    Korea’s retail giant Homeplus launched an expanded line of sushi, which will sell for 390 won (30 cents) each until April 6.

    Homeplus announced Wednesday that it built on their existing sushi line “Chef Sushi,” which was originally limited to 16 types, to 34 variations. These bite-sized delicacies include localized specialties such as tuna-mayonnaise and beef bulgogi sushi, which will cater to the tastes of children and customers who seek something other than seafood on their sushi rice.

    Homeplus’ Convenient Cooking Team manager Heo Na-young said, “We have seen a rise in demand for sushi at our branches due to the overall improvements in retail sushi qualities and the effects of recession.”

    Heo said Homeplus will continue to expand the selection of sushi provided by the retail shop to meet customers’ needs and wants. Chef Sushi will maintain an affordable price range after the promotional period ends.

    Homeplus also sells 8,900 won ($7.7) fried chickens.