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Tag: cafe

  • The Coca-Cola Company completes acquisition of Costa

    The Coca-Cola Company completes acquisition of Costa

    The Coca-Cola Company has announced that it has completed the acquisition of Costa Limited from Whitbread PLC. The US$ 4.9 billion transaction follows approval from regulatory authorities in the European Union and China. The acquisition was first announced on August 31, 2018. Costa, which has operations in more than 30 countries, gives Coca-Cola a significant footprint in the global coffee business. Worldwide, the coffee segment is growing 6 percent annually. Costa has a scalable platform across multiple formats and channels, from the existing Costa Express vending system to opportunities to introduce ready-to-drink products.

    “We see great opportunities for value creation through the combination of Costa’s capabilities and Coca-Cola’s marketing expertise and global reach,” said James Quincey, CEO of The Coca-Cola Company. “Our vision is to use the strong Costa platform to expand our portfolio in the growing coffee category.”

    “We wish our friends and colleagues at Costa all the very best for their future success,” said Alison Brittain, Whitbread Chief Executive. “Whitbread acquired Costa 23 years ago, when it had only 39 shops. Costa has grown to become a leading, international coffee brand, and Coca-Cola is the right partner to take Costa to the next stage of expansion.”

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  • Honolulu Cafe debuts in Philippines

    Honolulu Cafe debuts in Philippines

    Hong Kong’s Honolulu Cafe has opened its first branch in Manila. Renowned for its signature egg tarts with 192 flakey pastry layers (no, we are not sure who counted them!), the cafe also serves its own house-blend of coffee. The new store opened last week, January 5, at the SM Aura shopping centre. Honolulu Cafe dates back to 1940 when it opened as an ice cream parlour. Nearly 80 years on, the company now has stores in Singapore, Malaysia and Taiwan as well.

    Besides egg tarts and coffee, the cafes serve Hong Kong-style stocking-strained milk tea, pastries, buns, Cantonese-style roast meat, and fried noodles. The new outlet is on the ground floor of the Bonifacio Global City shopping centre.

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  • Vietnam’s 2018 coffee exports at 1.88 mln tonnes, surges from last year

    Vietnam’s 2018 coffee exports at 1.88 mln tonnes, surges from last year

    Vietnam’s coffee export volumes for 2018 are expected to increase 20.1 percent from last year, while rice exports are estimated to rise 4.6 percent.

    Coffee

    Coffee exports from Vietnam will climb an estimated 20.1 percent this year to 1.88 million tonnes, equal to 31.37 million 60-kg bags, the General Statistics Office said in a report on Thursday.

    Coffee export revenue for Vietnam, the world’s biggest producer of the robusta bean, will edge up 1.2 percent to $3.54 billion in the year, the report said.

    December coffee exports were estimated at 160,000 tonnes, worth $287 million.

    Rice

    Rice exports in 2018 from Vietnam were forecast to rise 4.6 percent from last year to 6.09 million tonnes. Revenue from rice exports in the period was expected to grow 16 percent to $3.05 billion.

    December rice exports from Vietnam, the world’s third-largest shipper of the grain, were estimated at 450,000 tonnes, worth $220 million.

    Energy 

    Vietnam’s 2018 crude oil exports were seen plunging 39.5 percent from last year to an estimated 4.12 million tonnes. Crude oil export revenue in the year is expected to decline 21.2 percent to $2.27 billion.

    Oil product imports in the year were estimated at 11.35 million tonnes, falling 12.1 percent from the same period last year, while the value of product imports rose 7.8 percent to $7.61 billion.

    Vietnam’s 2018 liquefied petroleum gas imports were seen increasing 4.9 percent from last year to 1.43 million tonnes.

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  • Starbucks opens immersive coffee destination in New York

    Starbucks opens immersive coffee destination in New York

    “We designed the Roastery as the pinnacle experience around all-things-coffee, and there is nothing else like it in the world. With premium coffees, teas, mixology and the iconic Milanese Princi Bakery, it serves as a Starbucks brand amplifier and a platform for future innovation,” said Kevin Johnson, CEO, Starbucks. “Beverages such as Draft Nitro, Cold Foam and the recent launch of Juniper Latte all began at the Roastery and have since been introduced to Starbucks locations around the world. It is the ultimate Starbucks Experience and an unforgettable way to connect with our customers.”

    Starbucks has a long history in New York. In 1994, Starbucks chairman emeritus, Howard Schultz, who was born and raised in Canarsie, Brooklyn, opened the first Starbucks store in the city on Broadway and 87th Street on the Upper West Side. Nearly 25 years later, there are 350 Starbucks stores across the five boroughs in the city where Starbucks employs approximately 5,000 partners (employees). The Roastery employs nearly 300 people, including roasters, baristas, commessas and mixologists.

    “Like most people I first experienced Starbucks as a customer, where I would go to my store at 195 Broadway in the Financial District in New York City and order a tall latte which was the perfect way to start my day,” said Raul Adorno, Managing Director Reserve Roastery New York. “I look forward to welcoming my fellow New Yorkers and visitors from all around the world when we open the Roastery on Friday. You will be amazed.”

    At its core, Starbucks Reserve Roastery New York is a working coffee roastery, where every day Starbucks Master Roasters, who have trained for years in the craft of coffee roasting, will be small-batch roasting Starbucks rarest single-origin coffees and blends called Starbucks Reserve. Those coffees then get served fresh at the Roastery or shipped to select Starbucks stores around the world. That functional purpose, as well as the history of industry and manufacturing in the meatpacking district, is reflected in the design of the space.

    “New York is a hub to the world,” said Liz Muller, Chief Design Officer of Starbucks. “It’s an unbelievable place with such history. The meatpacking district has a fantastic history of industry, and the neighborhood has an electric energy; it is alive. We’ve designed a space where the excitement and dynamic activity of the neighborhood is mirrored in the Roastery. We want our customers to come in and feel very inspired.”

    Unique Food and Beverages

    Coffee Bars – There are two coffee bars at the Roastery, which in total offer seven brewing methods, including pour over, Chemex, coffee press, siphon, espresso, Clover and cold brewing.

    Upon entering the Roastery, visitors can visit the coffee bar on the main level, where baristas, called coffee masters, are crafting classic espresso beverages such as cappuccino, latte, cortado and specialty drinks such as whiskey barrel-aged cold brew, sparkling citrus espresso, nitro hopped apricot cold brew and rotating specials like the cardamom latte.

    Arriviamo Bar – For the first time in the U.S., Starbucks will debut the Arriviamo Bar inspired by the Italian tradition of aperitivo. This craft cocktail bar is located inside the Roastery where expert mixologists will serve cocktails and spiritfrees curated by award-winning mixologist Julia Momose featuring coffee and tea. Specialty cocktails include the Nocino Notte, made with cold brew coffee, barrel-aged gin and black truffle salt, and the Triomphe, made with Teavana/MC Darjeeling de Triomphe Tea, gin, dry Riesling, aquavit, passionfruit sparkling water and orange saffron bitters. The Arriviamo Bar will also serve a selection of beer, wine and classic cocktails

    Princi – Inside the Roastery is the Milanese boutique bakery Princi from founder Rocco Princi, with on-site baking of fresh breads, Pizzas, cornetti, focaccias, desserts and more.

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  • Vive cake boutique launches hot beverages this winter

    Vive cake boutique launches hot beverages this winter

    Embracing the joyous holiday season, celebrity-loved Vive Cake Boutique launches a selection of luscious winter drinks specially curated by Founder, Ms Vivien Lau, to pair with VIVE’s delectable sweet treats. A selection of premium organic teas sourced from Taiwan are also introduced to add to its repertoire of beverages.

    “The holiday season is one that inspires the sharing of love and joy between family and friends,” says Vivien Lau. “Our new hot drinks are ‘warm, comforting and the perfect thing to cozy up with as the weather gets colder. Pair them with our signature cakes; it is soul-warming.”

    The new non-alcoholic So Grape-ful (HK$68), is a sophisticated yet whimsical libation designed to emulate mulled wine. Made with grape juice, tangy orange and lemon zest, a dash of cinnamon, cloves, and star anise, this warm drink not only brings to mind a winter wonderland classic, but also inspires a sense of playfulness with its presentation in a classic Christmas bauble sitting in a Martini glass.

    Lovers of sweetness and tradition will enjoy the classic S’mores (HK$50) concoction. A classic hot chocolate topped with roasted marshmallows, featuring butter cake crumbs, the smooth and satisfying drink conjures the classic Christmas moment shared by family and friends in front of a fireplace.

    The chilly winter season need not only be a time exclusively for indulgences. VIVE introduces a repertoire of three organic premium teas personally sourced by Vivien Lau from Taiwan, unrivalled for its high quality teas.

    Each of these teas is recommended to be paired with VIVE’s repertoire of signature desserts. The long-lasting, mellow sweetness of the Golden Honey Black Tea (HK$42) which invokes a scent of honey, floral, fruity, and milky aroma is recommended to be paired with Berry Jolly (HK$58), a layered sponge cake with mascarpone mousse and strawberry fillings. The slight astringency of black tea will make that mascarpone mousse really sing.

    The sweet, floral, and honey-fragrant Oriental Beauty Tea (HK$42) with its unique flower and honey aroma is best paired with the Berry Almond Tart (HK$48), made with seasonal fruits set atop an almond cake base and a crisp, sweet tart shell.  The tea is light enough to not overpower the fruits, but flavorful enough to make this simple sweet treat shine.

    Tea lovers who fancy the classic clean and grassy aroma with a tinge of roast, will love the mellow and brisk taste of Alpine Roast Oolong Tea (HK$42), which leaves tea drinkers with a lingering sugar cane sweetness. This tea is best paired with Treasure Hunt (HK$58), a rich caramel glazed cake, layered with dark chocolate sponge, caramel & chocolate mousse, set on a crunchy base.  The fragrant florals of lightly oxidized oolongs will bring out the fruity and earthy flavors of dark chocolate.

    Tea-ophiles may also take these naturally grown, chemical-free teas home with them. Tea connoisseurs may enjoy Golden Honey Black Tea for a natural caffeine boost, Alpine Roast Oolong Tea, and Oriental Beauty Tea at the comforts of their own homes. The packaged tea box with priced HK$218, including 15 individual tea bags (each flavour of 5), is a perfect personal or corporate gift.

    Vive Cake Boutique has proved a roaring success story since being launched with online orders in 2014 by founder and creative director Vivien Lau, who discovered her passion and talent by chance, making her first cake for a friend’s birthday. Her signature ‘handmade with love’ cakes, cupcakes, macarons, cookies, confectioneries and tailor-made cakes for weddings and special occasions, are all made from scratch from finest ingredients sourced from all over the world.

    VIVE’s widespread acclaim includes Time Out’s listing among the “crème de la crème of Hong Kong’s bespoke dessert makers” – with a massive celebrity and socialite following including Aaron Kwok, Charlene Choi, Gillian Chung, Niki Chow, Sharon Chan, Miki Yeung, Ella Koon, Myolie Wu and more.

  • Cafe Leitz opens in Raffles Hotel Singapore

    Cafe Leitz opens in Raffles Hotel Singapore

    German photography brand Leica has reopened at Raffles Hotel with a line of wristwatches and a cafe. The opening debuts Leica’s Cafe Leitz in Singapore, based on its German flagship and serving a variety of coffees and petit fours. The store, launched on the site of the brand’s original Singapore location, features a new experiential retail concept that showcases Leica’s iconic cameras while drawing visitors towards its first line of digital watches in Southeast Asia.

    Leica enters the watchmaking industry alongside a pewter and silver collaboration jewellery line with Royal Selangor exclusive to Leica Store Raffles, featuring subtle references to the Leica camera. The store hosts a gallery space for classic Leica photography.

  • Cafe opens in century-old Seoul house

    Cafe opens in century-old Seoul house

    A heritage cafe has been built into the hereditary foundations of a century-old South Korean courtyard house (hanok) in Seoul. J Hidden House cafe opened its doors in the fashion and shopping mecca of Dongdaemun this month, following Seoul’s continued efforts to develop as a trend-setting, global tourist destination. Situated within a spacious 300sqm secluded enclave housing a zen-bamboo garden, the venue blends traditional and modern design and is one of the largest hanoks open to the public today within the traditional inner district of the Chosen dynasty’s (1392–1897) capital, Hanseong – modern Seoul

    From a bespoke eight-metre wet bar set in Italian terrazzo tile, J Hidden House offers curated coffees, teas and refreshments, as well as a tailored menu of bakeries and spirits cultivated by Korean food and beverage companies.

    J Hidden House’s proprietor Grace Jun said Seoul has become a destination for the world to visit and Korea’s rich culture has so much to offer.

    “This establishment is a fusion of our country’s traditional heritage and dynamic modernisation by coupling a cutting-edge modernity within the protected, mindful walls of a ‘hidden’ hanok that was built before the Korean war and has stood the test of time. Our aim is to provide locals and tourists from around the world with a location and a curated food and beverage offering on calibre with any destination cafe in the world, while offering what is uniquely and proudly Korean.”

    Located in an exclusive “hidden” but immediately accessible location in downtown Seoul, the destination offers a vision of an earlier and more tranquil age despite being centrally situated in Dongdaemun, one of city’s busiest commercial districts and a major tourist destination for shopping and historical sightseeing.

    According to the Korea Tourism Organization, visitors to Korea in the first half of this year increased by 6.9 per cent year on year to 7.22 million. When excluding Chinese visitors, the number of tourists increased 12.2 per cent year on year to 5.05 million people, the largest-ever recorded number of inbound tourists to date.

    View the gallery for photos (4 images) :

     

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  • Luckin Coffee worth $2.2 billion in quite short time

    Luckin Coffee worth $2.2 billion in quite short time

    Fast-growing Chinese cafe chain Luckin Coffee has raised US$200 million in its latest funding round, effectively valuing the company at a stunning $2.2 billion. That’s up to $700 million more than its value was estimated just one month ago when the quest for funding was announced.

    Launched only in January, the company had already opened more than 1700 outlets in 21 Mainland China cities by last month. Its rapid growth is based on an inexpensive delivery service concept and online ordering system.

    An aggressive competitive strategy involves an IT-focused approach whereby all customers must purchase coffee via an app, with which they can then monitor brewing progress via livestream. Its pricing is considerably less than Starbucks.

    Luckin said the latest funding round was led by Singapore Government sovereign wealth fund GIC and China International Capital Corp. They were likely attracted by a mid-term plan for an IPO of the Luckin business in either Hong Kong or New York. GIC was a participant in a similar capital raising in July.

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  • Philippine’s La Lola to open in Singapore

    Philippine’s La Lola to open in Singapore

    La Lola Churreria will soon open its first store in Singapore at Clarke Quay Central. The Brazilian-inspired food-retailing concept is being brought to the city by MFT Group of the Philippines, in partnership with Bistronomia which opened the first La Lola store in the upmarket Manila Power Plant Mall at Rockwell.

    The Clarke Quay site was chosen for its close proximity to the MRT and bus stations.

    MFT Group chief marketing officer Chiqui Tan said the company chose Singapore because of locals’ dessert-driven palette and openness to new concepts.

    A former employee of the Philippines’ SM group, Tan says she has been watching La Lola with interest for several years.
    “We’ve been fans of the brand ever since they started. We thought it was genius that something so simple can be done so well. I saw the speed and the scale they grew the brand,” she said in an interview.

    “La Lola churros are so global in flavour that [the concept] can be taken anywhere and will have a strong chance of succeeding,” she said.

    The two companies are planning multiple outlets across Singapore and MFT Group is also actively looking for more food concepts to launch.

    The MFT Group, a private equity investor, has already successfully taken Singaporean chain Salad Stop to Spain. And it plans to open branches of that brand in Vietnam soon.

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  • Bob’s Select Space combines bar and retail store together

    Bob’s Select Space combines bar and retail store together

    Architectural studio Designreserve has created a new store in Beijing’s Sanlitun integrating a bar into the retail experience, according to a report. Bob’s Select Space is the flagship store for liquor retailer Bob’s Wine, aimed at creating a community space in a busy shopping area. The design explores the traditions of communication in liquor culture and merchandise.

    Designreserve co-founder Feng Yue said: “We wanted to create a strong visual identity. So we invited a graphic artist to design special fonts for each major alcohol type displayed on the facade. For us it is a kind of public art

    “Previous shops of Bob’s Wine are popular for their wide range of bottle selection as well as for their relaxing atmospheres, but the spaces were geared towards retail rather than bar.”

    The 60sqm space is divided into three rooms that transition visitors from the public domain to a more intimate “hideout”.

    “Experience is the key determining factor for the success of retail spaces,” said Yue. “Therefore, our job as designers is to create spaces where people feel inspired and hopeful that city life can still be fun.”

    View the gallery below (4 images) :

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  • Full service eateries threaten fast food in Vietnam

    Full service eateries threaten fast food in Vietnam

    A survey has found full service restaurants outshining the quick service segment in Vietnam since 2017’s third quarter. Full service restaurants (FSR) or sit down eateries where food is served directly to the customers’ table, have been far better patronized than quick service restaurants (QSR), where table service is minimal and the typical fare is fast food.

    In fact, the QSR segment has been dropping quarter after quarter, according to a report released this week by the HCMC-based market research firm Decision Lab.

    It found that the growth of full service restaurants has been fueled mostly by women, and consumers above 35 years of age.

    The FSRs and QSR are the two most important channels for manufacturers of various product categories, with the other five channels being street food, bars, convenience stores, hotels, and canteens.

    Together, they currently account for the majority of out-of-home visits by consumers across all demographic groups in Vietnam.

    The falling of QSR

    Quick service outlets have been suffering from declining visits from all consumer groups, male and female of all ages from 15 upwards in all the three major cities, the report said.

    Among various types of quick service outlets, cafes, bakeries and juice, smoothie shops are those that have witnessed the biggest drop in visits, by 29 percent, 22 percent and 30 percent respectively.

    They have switched to other channels to consume these daily products likes street food, full service restaurants and convenience stores.

    But this does not mean Vietnamese are cutting down on these products. Vietnamese consumption of coffee, juice and smoothies actually increased in the past year.

    Since April 2016, Decision Lab had tracked the out-of-home eating and drinking market in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang, Vietnam’s three biggest cities of Vietnam.

    It tracked all food and drink consumed out of home on a daily basis with an annual sample size of 15,000 completed interviews.

    The respondents were Vietnamese consumers aged above 15, who also reported on consumption by children (under 15 years) present when eating out.

    Nghiem Vu Huong Linh, head of Foodservice at Decision Lab, said the findings suggest that consumers have become very selective in their choice of outlets to visit and that not all outlets can benefit from the increasing demand without making significant efforts to become attractive and worth trying.

  • Hard Rock Cafe to be reintroduced in Philippines

    Hard Rock Cafe to be reintroduced in Philippines

    Bistro Group has acquired the exclusive franchise for Hard Rock Cafe in the Philippines, planning to reintroduce the brand in the region after a year’s absence. The Hard Rock group has high hopes for the partnership given the new local partner’s proven performance in the “Western-driven market.”

    Area franchise development VP Steve Yang said: “The Bistro Group is a strong industry player and with its robust portfolio of brands as well as its track record for more than 20 years, we are confident that they will be a strong partner to help us take Hard Rock Cafe in the Philippines to the next level.”

    The new Hard Rock Cafe will open next month in a 653sqm space at the Conrad S Maison mall in Pasay City, with four to five branches potentially in the works for Cebu and Bonifacio Global City.

    “Putting Hard Rock inside a mall is in response to the current lifestyle trend and is one of the best locations we’ve seen in our operations,” Yang said.

    Hard Rock’s VP for franchise operations and development Anibal Fernandez said the company wants to expand its presence in high-growth markets frequented by locals and tourists.

    “Last year alone we launched cafes in Spain, Austria, South Africa, Andorra, Bolivia, India, Cambodia, Myanmar, Argentina and Nicaragua. In 2018 we are developing in Africa, Middle East, Europe, North and South America, South Asia and China, among others.”

  • Wagyumafia launches in Hong Kong

    Wagyumafia launches in Hong Kong

    Japanese restaurant chain Wagyumafia is set to open in Hong Kong’s Wan Chai. It will be the franchise’s first international location since launching two years ago. Wagyumafia is known for its premium beef and members-only business model. The brand has gone through an extended promotion under co-founder Hisato Hamada, who has hosted pop-up events for the franchise in top international locations – including Paris, London, Singapore and New York.

    The new Hong Kong location will be open for 18 members at a time, serving an omakase menu focused on choice Wagyu and Kobe beef yakiniku and shabu-shabu dishes.

    Hamada said “Wagyumafia seeks to buy only the top 1 per cent of Kobe beef. To ensure our premium quality standards are met, we source our products from the top 20 best farmers in Japan.”

    Reservations will be opened to non-members sometime after the first month of trading.

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  • Which are Vietnam’s most successful coffee chains?

    Which are Vietnam’s most successful coffee chains?

    Highlands Coffee reported sales of VND1.24 trillion ($53.23 million) last year making it Vietnam’s largest coffee chain in terms of revenues. The figure was four times that of Phuc Long’s, eight times that of The Coffee House’s and thrice that of Starbucks’.

    Founded in 2002 by a Vietnamese-American and sold to Philippine fast food giant Jollibee in 2012, Highlands Coffee now has 230 stores mostly in well-known buildings and malls.

    Local chain The Coffee House saw revenues double last year. Nguyen Hai Ninh, its founder, said the chain received over 20 million visitors.

    It now has over 100 stores nationwide, and Ninh said each store can serve 500 – 1,000 visitors on average daily. “We expect to double the number this year, and are looking to open 700 more across Vietnam in the next five years, at an average of 10 per month.”

    The chain’s differentiating factor is that the emphasis is not renting the best locations; rather, it seeks to attract clientele with a modern, striking shop design that appeals to younger customers.

    Its drinks are priced moderately, which helps it attract a wide range of customers.

    It recently bought the coffee business of Da Lat-based Cau Dat Farm and simultaneously launched a flagship store in downtown Saigon, The Coffee House Signature.

    Local brand Trung Nguyen’s highest revenue from any store is VND2-3 billion ($86,200-129,300) per month, while most make an average of VND400-500 million ($17,200-21,500).

    By the end of this year Trung Nguyen is expected to have a total of 100 outlets.

    Phuc Long, though a coffee chain associated with milk tea, has seen annual revenues grow at 7 percent in recent years, predominantly from the latter drink.

    With the rapid growth of coffee chains, coffee consumption by Vietnamese has also risen sharply.

    According to a study by BMI Research, a subsidiary of ratings firm Fitch, consumption grew from 0.43 kg per person in 2005 to 1.38 kg in 2015. This is the highest growth rate of any global coffee exporter, and the figure is forecast to reach 2.6 kg by 2021.

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  • Swiggy India expands services in 16 new cities

    Swiggy India expands services in 16 new cities

    Food ordering and delivery platform Swiggy Thursday said it has expanded its presence in the country by launching services in sixteen new cities across India. The new cities include Thrissur, Tirupur, Warangal, Aurangabad, Agra, Mangalore, Manipal, Jalandhar, Trichy, Udaipur, Amritsar, Varanasi, Bhubaneshwar, Vellore, Thiruvananthapuram and Kota, Swiggy said in a statement.

    These cities join the 28 cities across India where Swiggy already has presence, it added.

    Commenting on the development, Vivek Sunder, COO, Swiggy said, “One of the reasons for the expansion across the country is because of the strong consumer demand that we have witnessed through thousands of Swiggy app downloads in cities where we were not even present.”

    In just four years, Swiggy has become a household name among Indian consumers by providing them the best food delivery experience in the country, he added. The growing consumer demand in tier 2 and tier 3 cities for quality food, convenience, and easy accessibility are one of the key reasons for the company to enter newer cities. Swiggy said.

    Founded in 2014, Swiggy currently has over 40,000 restaurant partners spread across 44 cities in the country.

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