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Tag: Drinks

  • Hong Kong dessert shop Hui Lau Shan Launched in Philippines

    Hong Kong dessert shop Hui Lau Shan Launched in Philippines

    Hong Kong dessert shop Hui Lau Shan has opened in the Philippines.

    It is the first time for the franchise to open in the very region from which its special variety of mango is sourced. Its soft launch on March 17 at SM Megamall in Mandaluyong city was well-attended by local fans of the brand’s mango-based food products.

    Hui Lau Shan Megamall PH store

    Hui Lau Shan originated as a Chinese herbal tea vendor in the 1960s before blending carabao mangoes in with its other ingredients in the 90s to create a unique dessert.

    The fresh fruit drinks were well-received and the brand now has more than 260 locations globally.

    The firm’s local partner is Fat Daddy’s Group, well-known for its Smokehouse restaurants.

    “The sweet taste of our own fruit has helped propel the brand’s growth in and outside Asia,” said Fat Daddy’s president Freshnaida Versoza. “It’s about time that we bring it here to the Philippines. It’s also our way of supporting the country’s agribusiness since Hui Lau Shan is estimated to consume one ton of premium carabao mangoes per week for 10 to 15 stores.”

    More Hui Lau Shan branches are planned for other malls in the territory, including SM North Edsa, SM Fairview and SM Mall of Asia.

  • Illva Saronno brands in the spotlight in Singapore

    Illva Saronno brands in the spotlight in Singapore

    Italy’s Illva Saronno returns to this year’s TFWA Asia Pacific Exhibition & Conference with the aim of consolidating its brand presence and meeting new clients.

    The brand’s main focus will be on its trademark Disaronno, which is also available as a limited edition with the Disaronno wears Etro bottling.

    Each year, Disaronno forges a partnership with an Italian fashion designer to produce a bespoke bottle. This year’s upcoming collaboration remains under wraps for now, says the brand.

    Also on display will be new packaging for acclaimed coffee liqueur Tia Maria, which is backed by a cerebral marketing campaign fusing traditional marketing with neuroscience and psychology to test customers’ reactions to products and brands.

    Meanwhile, Italian aperitif Rabarbaro Zucca, which is made from an infusion of rhubarb rootstocks and a secret collection of rare herbs, will also be presented to buyers.b

    Zucca is prepared using the root of the true Chinese rhubarb, which grows in mountainous regions of the Gangsu province.

    DISARONNO RISERVA

    Furthermore, Disaronno Riserva – a blend of Disaronno Originale and blended Scotch whisky from the Highland and Speyside Islands – will be presented to buyers.

    The limited edition, which features an eye-catching bottle design, marries the fluid in oak barrels that contained Marsala wine reserves, with Illva Saronno believing the product is particularly well suited for buyers in Asia Pacific.

    Wines from Duca di Salaparuta and Florio will also be showcased, including Duca Enrico, made from Nero d’Avola grapes harvested in an area of south-western Sicily that benefits from a unique relationship between its micro-climate, vines and land.

    Domenico Toni, International Sales Director, Illva Saronno comments: “Asia Pacific is still a very new region for us, and we have been slowly introducing our brands over the past year.

    “We are planning on greatly building our business there, in both travel retail and domestic, over the next 5 years, so the TFWA Asia Pacific Exhibition & Conference is a vital resource for us to accomplish our goals.

    “We first exhibited at the show last year, and received plenty of interest from buyers. We have high hopes that this year will be even more successful for us.”

    Visitors to the TFWA Asia Pacific Exhibition & Conference can sample Disaronno’s famous Disaronno Sours cocktail at the TFWA Asia Pacific bar, situated on level 4 of the convention centre, from Monday to Wednesday at selected times.

  • Diageo rolls out small Johnnie Walker Black Label

    Diageo rolls out small Johnnie Walker Black Label

    Diageo has launched a 20cl bottle of its Johnnie Walker Black Label as it looks to make whisky more accessible to consumers in South Korea.

    The new pack, which rolled out yesterday, follows a launch for a 20cl Johnnie Walker Red Label last October, the firm said. The 20cl bottle comes with lemon syrup and a recipe for a ‘Johnnie Lemon’ cocktail.

    “Diageo Korea has worked to promote a new drinking culture that makes whisky more accessible to local consumers in various ways,” said Diageo Korea CEO Cho Kilsoo. “Following a small format of Johnnie Walker Red launched last year, the new Johnnie Walker Black Label 20cl is expected to contribute to building a new whisky culture that enables people to enjoy whisky more casually.”

    The new product will be available through convenience stores and hypermarkets, nation-wide. Diageo said the packs will be priced at about KRW16,000 (US$13.99). Red Label packs retail at around KRW8,500.

  • Lotte looks to US to boost sales of 3 drinks

    Lotte looks to US to boost sales of 3 drinks

    The Korean energy drink Hot 6 will take on Red Bull and Monster in the American market from this month.

    Lotte Chilsung Beverage said Thursday, it will start selling the caffeinated drink from this month in the U.S., starting in on the West Coast.

    The company said it has already shipped 2,000 boxes of 30 units each.

    Korea’s energy drink industry saw a boom in the early part of this decade and became a 100 billion won ($87.3 million) market. Pioneers Red Bull from Austria and California-based Monster were followed by the launch of Hot 6, which sells for a cheaper price.

    But growth has stalled in recent years with the number of health-conscious consumers rising in Korea. Health authorities have also warned the public not to drink too many caffeinated drinks.

    According to industry sources, the energy drink market in Korea has slipped to 70 billion won and Hot 6 has a 60 percent market share.

    Its U.S. marketing will begin at the Genesis Open 2017 PGA golf tournament in California, which will be held from Feb. 13 to 19.

    Lotte Chilsung Beverage said it will introduce the drink with the slogan “Brand New No. 1 Korean Energy Drink” and emphasize its natural caffeine extracted from guarana.

    Lotte’s global ambition will continue by expanding U.S. retail sales of its Milkis and Chilsung Cider soft drinks. Milkis was introduced in 1989 and has loyal customers fond of its unique, yogurt-like flavor. Chilsung Cider was a pioneer in Korea’s soft drink industry when it was launched in 1950.

    Until now, Milkis, a white opaque fizzy drink, and Chilsung Cider, a Korean version of Sprite, have been only available online or in small retailers and Korean markets in the United States.

    “There are five flavors of Milkis being sold in Korea, including strawberry and melon. If the local response is good, the possibility of launching different flavors in the U.S. also exists,” the company spokesman said.

    The company said two of its drinks will be retailed at 2,000 branches of Kroger, the No. 1 supermarket chain in the U.S., from March.

    “Lotte Chilsung Beverage aims to create a ‘Hallyu beverage’ in the U.S. by expanding retail channels to appeal not only Koreans but Americans as well. Hot 6, Chilsung Cider and Milkis will be at the forefront,” the beverage subsidiary said in a statement.

    Lotte Chilsung Beverage’s foray into the U.S. is part of the group’s effort to expand beyond Asia. To become more global, Lotte Group has been holding the LPGA Tour Lotte Championship in Hawaii since 2012 and acquired the New York Palace Hotel located in Manhattan in 2015, renaming it the Lotte New York Palace Hotel.

  • Asian Airlines May Be Forced To Cut Free In-flight Booze

    Asian Airlines May Be Forced To Cut Free In-flight Booze

    An OPEC deal has put the squeeze on airlines’ already slim profit margins. Rising fuel prices stemming from last week’s OPEC production cuts could heap pressure on Asia’s already overburdened aviation sector and force its biggest carriers to nix the giveaways that have long been integral to their service.

    And the first ballast to be cast off might be free alcohol and in-flight entertainment, which has been standard on most of the continent’s long-haul carriers for decades.

    Asia’s marquee airlines such as Cathay Pacific and Singapore Airlines  have so far resisted the U.S. low cost model wherein carriers charge for services ranging from inflight meals to alcohol to baggage check-in.

    But this might be about to change.

    “More full-service airlines in Asia Pacific might consider doing the same,” Mathieu De Marchi, a Bangkok-based aviation consultant at Landrum & Brown told Bloomberg, referencing carriers such as Delta Air Lines that have successfully consolidated their service offering.

    Fierce competition has pushed Asian carriers’ profit margins down to about half that of their U.S. counterparts and they are already struggling against excess capacity and a fall in premium traffic.

    The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) finalized a deal to cut oil output on Nov. 30. The bid to kick some life into dreary oil prices seems to have paid off—at least in the short term. But that’s bad news for aviation sector, whose long haulers guzzle the black stuff.

    Dispensing with free services is not the only option available for airlines feeling the pinch. They could opt to raise prices, or for more environmentally progressive measures such as taking inefficient planes out of service and cutting unprofitable routes.

  • Finnish Hartwall Original Long Drink now in Hong Kong

    Finnish Hartwall Original Long Drink now in Hong Kong

    Since the summer of 2016 there is new beverage on the market in Hong Kong that originates in Finland – the legendary Hartwall Original Long Drink. This world’s first long drink was originally developed for the 1952 Helsinki Olympics, a very innovative product back then, to say the least: a cocktail in a can, easy to serve and ready to drink.

    It has been a Finnish success ever since but only as recently as in 2015 also been taking Sweden by storm.

    “Hartwall Original Long Drink was supposed to be served only for the Olympic visitors, but since Finns fell so much in love with it, the production has continued ever since. Moreover, it even created a whole new category of ’long drinks’ in Finland – better known as ’lonkero’ among the Finns”, says Eeva Ignatius, Brand Manager of the Hartwall Original Long Drink.

    Hartwall Original Long Drink is a mix of Finnish premium gin and grapefruit soda. “The gin manufacturing process is a carefully cherished artisan work, and the drink is still produced according to the original recipe from 1952.

    All the gin ingredients are hand-selected, and the final quality is ensured with triple filtering. The original taste, a mix of gin and grapefruit, is totally unique and cannot be found anywhere in the world.”

    Year after year, Hartwall Original Long Drink rules the sales statistic as Top 1 alcoholic beverage in Finland. “It is a true Finnish icon and many Finns consider it as our national drink. Even the package symbolizes our national heritage as the blue and white colours come from the Finnish flag. The thin white stripes on the other hand symbolize the running track of Helsinki Olympic stadium and remind us of the history.”

    Now Hartwall Original Long Drink has started to conquer the world, with the long-waited sales started in Sweden in April 2015, resulting in immediate success. At the same time, Hartwall signed a distribution contract in the Netherlands and Belgium.

    “Hartwall Original Long Drink was originally invented to be shared with the world and now it is about to happen”, Ignatius concludes.

    Now the Finnish “lonkero” is sold in 900 7-Elevens around Hong Kong, as Hartwall earlier in 2016 started cooperation with major distributors in Japan, Taiwan and Hong Kong.

    In In Taiwan, the local retail store chain Simplemart added Hartwall Original Long Drink to its selection in its 500 stores.

    “We were not expecting such huge success. In Hong Kong, for instance, many shops are struggling to meet the high demand. The sales figures of long drink are ten times higher that those of a famous international beer brand that was launched using the same retail channel,” says Matti Ristola, Director of Export at Hartwall.

    hartwall-long-drink2

    “The unique taste, great story and easy-to-identify container of Hartwall Original Long Drink have become popular across the world. Furthermore, the long history and strong success of the beverage in the Finnish market give it credibility; before winning over consumers, we must attract distributors to the product,” says Eeva Ignatius.

    “Hartwall has a fine history as a provider of Finnish products that spans 180 years. Finns love our brands, and our foothold in the Finnish market is strong. I believe that many of our high-quality brands that are successful in Finland have what it takes to succeed also abroad. The success story of Hartwall Original Long Drink is a good example of this. Exports are an important part of our growth strategy, and we will continue to investing in them in the future,” Hartwall CEO Kalle Järvinen says.

  • The New PasarBella Gourmet foodcourt, Singapore

    The New PasarBella Gourmet foodcourt, Singapore

    Singapore design firm, Greymatters recently completed the interior design for PasarBella’s second outlet, at Suntec City.

    The design has been described as “an enclave of enchantment” with diverse food and beverage and retail offerings.

    The new space houses 15 gourmet concept stalls in its 7000 sqft (650 sqm) space, each of which was designed by the boutique firm.

    PASARBELLA INTERIOR2

    Greymatters says it took inspiration for the design from the streets of Lower East Side New York City, the enchanting one-of-a-kind marketplace features, graffitied walls and street art illustrations of happy food and familiar cartoon caricatures, hanging fruit crates and urban paved walkways “that resemble a bustling streetscape littered with vibrant stalls that will send you on a captivating marketing experience”.

    “It was an extremely exciting project, not only to give PasarBella@Suntec a new identity, but also to conceptualise each trader’s store design in a manner that would complement the overall theme of the space,” explains Alan Barr, founder and MD of Greymatters.

    PASARBELLA INTERIOR

    “This is our fourth collaboration with PasarBella and truly allowed us to express our creative ideas and solutions, in order to create a dynamic space that emulated the ethos of PasarBella, yet manifesting it in a unique way.”

    The eclectic space features painted roadways and zebra crossings on the floor, directory signage inspired by NYC’s subway map allow customers to follow their favourite coloured line from the directory to the trader of choice. Cobble tiles are also used for the flooring, which is a relic of NYC street paving of the past.

    The tabletops are made of recycled hardwood timber and salvages street and construction signage, adding to the overall vibe of the space.

    PASARBELLA INTERIOR5

    Each of the vendors in the space have their own distinct identity, all of which reflect the loud, organised chaos of the bustling streets of Barr’s hometown, New York City. In the streets of New York, caffeine is a staple, and serving up its infamous coffees and sweet treats at PasarBella@Suntec is well-loved brand Sarnies, nestled in a storefront that was designed to emulate that of the takeaway coffee joints along the streets of the Big Apple.

    PASARBELLA INTERIOR DETAIL1

    Pimp My Salad is another of the star contenders at PasarBella@Suntec, focusing on healthy food-togo; the compact kiosk is designed with visual impact in mind, featuring a glass display for the different meats, fish, vegetables and grains to be displayed allowing diners a feast of the senses as they select their ingredients in customising their salads.

    Other favourites include Porsena that adopted a New York City Deli vernacular for the stall, and stands proud at one of the main entry points. Wolf Burger is nestled in a loud and proud glistening space of glossy red tile, with a seductive female wolf head pieced together in red and white mosaic tile.

    PASARBELLA INTERIOR DETAIL2.

    Drinks was designed as an interpretation of an upcycled shipping container that can be seen all over the storage lots in the Lower East Side of New York City.

    PASARBELLA INTERIOR8

    Overall 14 choices of different cuisines in an extremely unique environment make for a dining experience unlike any other in Singapore. Designed at a world-class level, with no detail left untouched, PasarBella Suntec City traverses cultures, cuisines, and design styles with its diverse offerings, providing a one-of-a-kind dining experience for all foodies in Singapore.

    Earlier in October, the hospitality design firm was ranked #68 in Interior Design magazine’s annual industry rankings under “Hospitality Giants”, making it the only Singapore-based firm to make the list this year, and one of the only two firms headquartered in Asia.

    PASARBELLA INTERIOR9

    Greymatters recently celebrated its third anniversary in August 2015. The firm is set to complete its first full hotel project, the Amari Hotel & Resort in Galle, Sri Lanka, followed by a string of other accommodation venues across the region; Elbow Room, a bespoke cocktail bar in Phnom Penh, Cambodia that will launch early 2016; and Skin+bones restaurant slated to launch in Bangkok, in March.

    Greymatters’ next project with PasarBella, which is already in design, is the PasarBella iLights 2016 venue at Marina Bay Sands.