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Tag: donuts

  • Randy’s Donuts makes its Japanese debut in Tokyo

    Randy’s Donuts makes its Japanese debut in Tokyo

    Randy’s Donuts, an American doughnut franchise, has recently launched its first outlet in Japan. Nestled in Tokyo’s Log Road Daikanyama shopping center, this marks the brand’s latest international expansion.

    Founded in 1952, Randy’s Donuts has become a recognizable name in the doughnut industry. The brand runs 25 stores across the United States and has made its mark globally, with outlets in South Korea, the Philippines, Saudi Arabia, and Mexico. The Japanese master franchise is managed by Grit International, under the leadership of Tsuyoshi Haga, a former executive at Don Quijote.

    Distinct Packaging Sparks Interest

    Haga revealed that what initially piqued his interest in bringing Randy’s Donuts to Japan was the brand’s unique packaging. He applied the insights he gained throughout his tenure at Don Quijote to create a shopping experience that is as entertaining as it is satisfying.

    “I incorporated the knowledge I gained over the years at Don Quijote about creating a store that provides entertainment into Randy’s Donuts,” Haga explained.

    Doughnut Display and Service

    The store stands out with its large showcase that can display up to 1,000 doughnuts. It features a cashless self-service ordering system and a comfortable dine-in area. Customers can choose from over 40 doughnut varieties, with prices ranging from US$2.45 to $3.74 (JPY360 to 550). The store also offers a selection of beverages, including coffee, lemonade, smoothies, and tapioca drinks.

    Plans for Expansion

    Haga plans to use the Tokyo location as a stepping stone for further expansion across Japan. “We would like to establish a track record with this store and then increase the number of stores across Japan,” he concluded.

    Questions & Answers

    What is the unique feature of Randy’s Donuts’ new store in Tokyo?
    The Tokyo store stands out with a large display that can showcase up to 1,000 doughnuts and a cashless self-service ordering system.

    Who is leading the operations of Randy’s Donuts in Japan?
    The operations of Randy’s Donuts in Japan are led by Tsuyoshi Haga, a former executive at Don Quijote.

    What are the future plans of Randy’s Donuts in Japan?
    Tsuyoshi Haga plans to use the Tokyo location to establish a track record and use it as a foundation for further expansion across Japan.

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  • Duck Donuts opens its first Thailand store in Bangkok

    Duck Donuts opens its first Thailand store in Bangkok

    Pennsylvania-based Duck Donuts has opened its first store in Thailand in partnership with local franchisee The Great Restaurant Group Co.

    Located at the Siam Discovery shopping centre in Bangkok, the outlet is the first of 10 Duck Donuts stores The Great Restaurant Group Co. plans to open across Thailand by the end of 2028. “Bringing Duck Donuts to Bangkok is a momentous occasion for us.

    We’re excited to introduce our made-to-order donuts to the vibrant city of Bangkok and offer the local community a delightful, customizable experience. We believe in the power of sweet moments, and we can’t wait to create memorable experiences for our guests in Thailand,” said Betsy Hamm, CEO, Duck Donuts.

    Thailand is Duck Donuts’ third market entry in 2023, following its debut in Egypt and Qatar in February and August, respectively.

    Founded in North Carolina in 2007, the bakery café chain currently operates 131 stores across the US, alongside two stores in each of Canada and Puerto Rico and a single site in Saudi Arabia.

    Further international expansion is also on the cards, with Duck Donuts planning to open first stores in Pakistan and Curacao in 2024, alongside franchise agreements to enter the UK, Australia, the Bahamas and Iraq.

  • RFG recapitalisation plan balloons to $190m

    RFG recapitalisation plan balloons to $190m

    Just days after the beleaguered Donut King, Gloria Jeans and Michel’s Patisserie franchisor announced a $160m capital raising initiative, Retail Food Group (RFG) has doubled down on their plans.

    Initially aiming to raise $150m from a fully underwritten institutional placement to repay the company’s crippling debt, RFG has now raised that figure to $170m, adding a further 200 million ordinary shares to the fold at a price of $0.10.

    Additionally, the brand has also upsized its share purchase plan from $10m to $20m.

    RFG executive chairman Peter George said the recapitalization plan had gathered significant support from investors and the wider community.

    “We are delighted with the support received for the Placement, and welcome a number of highly credentialed and supportive institutional investors to the shareholder register,” he said.

    “The recapitalization is transformational for the RFG business and will allow the RFG team to continue to harness the underlying value of the franchise network and enhance franchisee profitability.”

    RFG capital raising increase

    The now $190m RFG recapitalization plan forms part of a wider strategy to reduce the company’s mountain of debt.

    It comes after two successive years of dwindling profit, culminating in a $150m FY19 loss and bringing the net debt to $260m.

    “Following completion of the offer and debt restructure, RFG will have a sustainable go-forward debt facility, and a liquidity buffer to provide stability whilst management implements various performance improvement initiatives,” the company said.

    “The company considers the Debt Restructure and equity raising to be the best outcome available to the company and shareholders, delivering a strengthen the balance sheet and an opportunity for stabilization and business improvement.”

    Soliton Capital proposal

    Previous reports had indicated that RFG had received a $160m recapitalization proposal from Soliton Capital Partners, granting the firm limited exclusivity, however, the company on Tuesday confirmed no offer had been reached.

    “The company engaged in extensive discussions with Soliton Capital Partners during the exclusivity period,” RFG said.

    “However, the exclusivity period has now expired, and the company has not received any binding proposal from Soliton Capital Partners at this time.”

    Debt restructuring

    Tuesday’s announcement also brought further operational initiatives into the frame, with RFG revealing how it plans to achieve a previously announced $30m gross margin generation into the franchisee network.

    Specifically, the company plans on passing on significant savings to franchisees in connection with rental arrangements, fit-out and refurbishment costs, as well as greatly reducing the cost of goods. This includes a 15 to 20 per cent reduction in wholesale coffee pricing, which kicked off on July 1 this year.

    According to the franchisor, the initiative delivered an 18 percent increase in average coffee volumes ordered per store in July when compared to the prior months, and a 10 percent increase compared to July 2018.

    At present, RFG is still clinging to Friday’s FY20 underlying EBITDA guidance projection of between $42.0 and $46.0m.

    “Whereas retail continues to represent a challenging sector, RFG is beginning to observe the positive impacts of the business improvement measures being implemented by the company,” RFG said.

    The company will be hoping to see those positive impacts flow on, particularly in light of the share price slump that hit once the trading suspension was lifted early on Tuesday.

    Shares hit an all-time low of 12.5c following Friday’s initial recapitalization announcement, before regaining to 15c by around 11am.

  • Dunkin’ to be seen as coffee place in future

    Dunkin’ to be seen as coffee place in future

    Global fast-food chain Dunkin’ plans to reposition itself as a coffee chain – but it will still sell fresh donuts. Just a month after Dunkin’ Donuts unveiled rebranding, including dropping ‘Donuts’ from its name, the company has announced a strategy to put quality coffee at the core of its menu

    Dunkin’ has previously revealed a US$100 million budget to revive its market position in its core US home market. Now it says half of that investment will be spent on espresso machines and other restaurant equipment enabling it to accelerate its beverage-led strategy. The company says Dunkin’ franchisees are also making a substantial investment in the initiative, which is focused on growing its market share of the hot and iced espresso category.

    “Espresso is one of the fastest-growing coffee categories, particularly among younger consumers, and with our coffee credentials we believe we have a tremendous opportunity to improve our awareness and credibility among espresso drinkers,” said Tony Weisman, chief marketing officer at Dunkin’ US.

    The company is promising “an entirely new espresso experience for customers” in its US restaurants by the coming holiday season, featuring new state-of-the-art espresso equipment, a new espresso recipe, extensive restaurant training and new espresso cups.  Dunkin’ will serve “handcrafted hot and iced espresso beverages” – including lattes and cappuccinos – “featuring a rich, smooth, balanced taste that meets the profile preferred by espresso customers, and in particular younger espresso drinkers,” the company said in a statement.

    Dunkin’ will support the launch with a comprehensive marketing campaign. New espresso cups are bright orange and feature an exclamation point, a symbol the company says positions the espresso beverages as bold, new and exciting.

    “Relaunching espresso in our restaurants nationwide has been a tremendous undertaking, from installation of the new espresso machines, to the creation of the new, bolder taste profile, to the extensive employee training,” said Dunkin’ US COO Scott Murphy. “This is a transformative initiative, and it would never have happened without the total alignment and support of our franchisees.”

    All espresso beverages served at Dunkin’ US restaurants will continue to be made with 100-per-cent espresso beans sourced from Rainforest Alliance-certified farms.

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  • Donut King beats Muffin Break With Best Customer Satisfaction

    Donut King beats Muffin Break With Best Customer Satisfaction

    Donut King has unseated Muffin Break as the number one chain for coffee and doughnut customer satisfaction in Australia, according to a Roy Morgan survey.

    Donut King has broken through for its first monthly customer satisfaction victory for Roy Morgan’s Customer Satisfaction Annual Award for coffee/doughnut stores since July 2015 with a rating of 87 per cent in March 2018.

    Muffin Break, the customer satisfaction annual award winner for the past two years, was third on 83. 5 per cent, experiencing its biggest fall since March 2017 at 6.6 per cent.

    Michel’s Patisserie is at second place with 83.8 per cent, up from 5.9 per cent from a year ago and was the only leading coffee/doughnut store to improve customer satisfaction over the past year.

    Gloria Jeans takes fourth spot with a customer satisfaction rating of 79.9 per cent.

    Michele Levine, CEO, Roy Morgan, says despite media questioning of Retail Food Group’s franchisee model in recent months, the performance of Donut King, Michel’s Patisserie and Gloria Jean’s underlines a strong commitment to customer satisfaction.

    “The business model of franchisor Retail Food Group has been under scrutiny in recent months and the company recently announced the closure of up to 200 under-performing outlets around Australia and spread across several brands,” Levine said.

    “However, today’s latest customer satisfaction ratings show leading RFG outlets Donut King, Michel’s Patisserie and Gloria Jean’s clearly satisfying their customers.

    “All three are rated in Australia’s top four coffee/doughnut stores early in 2018 and represent clear value satisfying often hard to please consumers in a competitive retail market.”

    Roy Morgan’s customer satisfaction awards tracks customer satisfaction, engagement, loyalty, advocacy and NPS across a wide range of industries and brands.

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