Japanese Cuisine – It’s Not All Sushi!

It is hard to believe but raw fish is now a mainstream food in most global cities today.  Sushi counters have popped up in most large supermarkets in America usually operated by Koreans or Vietnamese immigrants. Conveyer belt sushi is extremely popular in London, Seoul, Hong Kong and Singapore.  Even Pret A Manger offers take-away […]


Vietnam – Ready For Lift-Off Again?

I came across a recent post on bloomberg.com about a new economic lift-off for Vietnam.  Vietnam was a fast growing economy for many years but economic mismanagement by the government reduced the growth rate to the 5-6% level recently and led to a loss in consumer and investor confidence. Foreign investment is pouring in again […]


And The Leading Consumer Foodservice Retailer In Asia Is…..

We sometimes forget who is actually setting the pace in the consumer foodservice sector in many Asia Pacific countries. I recently reviewed some recent secondary data and was not surprised to find that convenience store chains were #1 in many markets. Brands like 7-Eleven, Lawson and Family Mart has always been key competitors to fast […]


Hipsters Win Again – Cold Brew Coffee Is Coming to Starbucks!

Cold Brew coffee was always a hipster thing mainly found on both coasts and popular with urban white millennials.  Of course you could always find it at counter-culture retailers like Trader Joe’s known for their unique grocer offerings as well as Farmer’s Markets.  Now the giant of coffee retailing, Starbucks, is bowing to hipster power […]


Recent Restaurant Development Deals – Big Announcements But What is The Reality!

I often shake my head and wonder when I see some USA chain announce a huge development deal in the Asia Pacific region. In almost every case when you look at the reality 5 years later you find that there is more hype than actual success.  A Professor at the Cornell University School of Hotel […]


How Big Can The Coffee Market Get in China?

The short answer is very big but not many chains will benefit financially!  Of course, there is a more nuanced answer which we share below.  I thought about this question after seeing a recent press report about the new JV between Australia’s Retail Food Group Ltd. and the Chinese steamed buns producer, Goubuli.  The Australian […]


Has KFC Lost Focus in China?

Recent news out of China has not been kind to KFC or YUM. Same store sales declined by 16% in the Fourth Quarter and the entire company suffered an operating loss. Is this really all due to the recent spate of food scandal news or is there a more fundamental problem unfolding. I believe a […]


The 22 Most Hipster Foods On The Planet

I saw a very funny posting on the Huffington Post fairly recently about the kinds of foods that appeal to hipsters in the USA, which generally means both coasts. Of course there are plenty of hipsters in most college towns and places like Denver and Boise but the trends on both the East and West […]