Diners Are Feasting on Asia’s New Food and Beverage Landscape

25/03/2016
When celebrity chefs Jamie Oliver and Gordon Ramsay opened their own restaurants in Hong Kong—their first forays into the Asian marketplace—their newfound presence was seen as a “vote of confidence” in the region’s demand for sophisticated and moderately priced fare.

It was also a sign that diners throughout Asia Pacific have a big appetite for eating out and are hip to the latest culinary trends, from renowned traditional restaurants to modern international cuisine.
“Asian consumers eat everywhere, from small eateries to high-end restaurants,” says Joel Stephen, head of retailer representation in Asia for CBRE.
Indeed, with the food and beverage sector’s increasing popularity in key Asian markets, restaurants and food chains are opening up spaces in major shopping centers. For instance, The Landmark in Hong Kong has L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon, a fine-dining restaurant from the renowned French chef (whose restaurants have collectively received multiple Michelin stars).
Diners throughout the Asia Pacific region now have an array of cuisines and dining options. Along with Hong Kong, fine-dining restaurant operators are expanding into Shanghai, Beijing and Bangkok. Japanese and Chinese cuisines are also finding popularity in India, and coffee shops, long a staple in Western culture, are sprouting up across the Asia Pacific region.
“Asia consumers are very open minded regarding Western delicacies and are looking for new culinary experiences,” says CBRE Research in a recent report.

According to CBRE Research’s How Active are Retailers Globally?, some retailers said they would be opening anywhere between one and five stores in 2015, while a handful of other retailers said they would be opening over 40 stores. The typical space requirement for these retailers for a food and beverage storefront/restaurant space in Asia was between 101 to 250 square meters, according to CBRE Research.
Among the Asian countries in which retailers were looking to expand this year, South Korea, China, Hong Kong and Taiwan were the most popular markets.
THE ALLURE OF SHOPPING CENTERS
Restaurant operators favor opening their restaurants in Asian shopping centers, given their popularity with customers, well-configured accommodations, and proximity to major transportation hubs and office buildings. Shopping centers may also offer tenants longer leases and lower rents that are on par with midrange fashion retailers.
Leading shopping centers are often directly linked to office, residential and hotel towers, too, reports CBRE Research.
For instance, the iAPM in Shanghai, a retail podium that is part of the Shanghai International Commerce Centre, is linked to two office towers and a residential tower.
Shopping centers also offer critical mass of food and beverage retailers, with neighboring retailers providing a steady flow of customers, according to CBRE Research. The limited availability of adequate space for restaurant operators on high street locations also helps in raising the appeal of shopping centers.
“We see a good mix between high street locations and shopping malls as the top choices for restaurant operators, depending on the kind of foot traffic needed and at what kind of price levels,” says Vera Yanti Kretschmar, associate director of retail in Hong Kong for CBRE.
GROWTH POTENTIAL IN HONG KONG AND SINGAPORE
For restaurant operators, Hong Kong is a prime destination.
“Customers in Hong Kong are willing to spend and, due to the limited amount of living space, are likely to eat out several times a week,” says Kretschmar.
More restaurant operators are also showing interest in the Singapore market, where diners were among the biggest spenders in the Asia Pacific region in 2013, according to a MasterCard survey.
“China remains interesting, though challenging, for many restaurant groups with existing import restrictions (especially on meats) and high taxes,” says Kretschmar. “However, rental levels in China are significantly lower, more space can be obtained at a favorable rental per month, and staff costs can be lower than in Hong Kong or Singapore,” she adds.
CULT OF CULINARY (AND LUXURY) PERSONALITY
In addition to Robuchon and Ramsay, other celebrity chefs from the West are opening restaurants in high-profile shopping centers. The Marina Bay Sands in Singapore boasts restaurants from Mario Batali (Osteria Mozza), celebrated Japanese-Australian chef Tetsuya Wakuda (Waku Ghin), and Wolfgang Puck (CUT Singapore).
Luxury retailers are also getting in on the celebrity chef act by integrating restaurant concepts into existing storefronts. Chanel partnered with Alain Ducasse to create the Beige Alain Ducasse Tokyo, located inside the famed brand’s store in Ginza. Leather goods and fashion label Alfred Dunhill has its own restaurant, Alfie’s, a partnership with the KEE Club, a private membership club, while Hermès has a storefront in Seoul with Café Madang, which specializes in decadent desserts.
“The addition of trend coffee concepts and restaurants is commonly reserved for flagship locations to differentiate from the growing market competition,” says Stephen.
ENHANCING THE CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE
Sometimes the food itself isn’t enough for a restaurant operator to thrive in Asia’s culinary landscape. According to CBRE Research, companies will need to invest in creative store designs and the latest technology to serve a sophisticated customer base.
“Fast food chains, for instance, need to implement digital queuing and ordering systems—such as touch screens—and invest in smartphone apps to optimize ordering and delivery systems,” says Stephen.
Recent innovations in dining technology, like projection mapping and digital tabletop ordering systems, may help operators connect with customers.

It remains to be seen if drone waiters, which will be used by a restaurant chain in Singapore, will help or hurt the dining experience.
Maximal Concepts, a luxury restaurant group based in Asia that owns restaurants like Blue Butcher and Limewood, both in Hong Kong, places a heavy emphasis on design technology.
“We are strong believers in the power of good design that carries resonance and works to improve a customer’s experience in a manner that may not be immediately noticeable, but cumulatively generates a more positive outcome,” says Matt Reid, director of Maximal Concepts.
There are a number of obstacles that can hurt restaurant operators in Asia, says Stephen. These include: strong local and international competition, limited availability of retail space in prime shopping centers, a rise in occupancy costs, and supply chain challenges, especially related to fresh food.
One thing is for certain: The appetite for dining out has grown across Asia in recent years, and technology and design may help restaurant operators keep their customers coming back for seconds.

Fonte:https://blueprint.cbre.com/diners-are-feasting-on-asias-new-food-and-beverage-landscape/

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