Manchester United Food and Beverage (MUFB) is planning a raft of restaurants and bars in the Korean capital and beyond as the club looks to build on the success of its franchises in Indonesia. Arguably the most popular sporting club in the world, Manchester United gave exclusive rights to Singapore-based MUFB Asia to own, operate, license and develop a chain of Manchester United Restaurant & Bars in the Asia-Pacific region. The venues typically provide Asian, English and American food, while... ...Read more »
ABS Retail Trade figures for May 2008, released yesterday, indicated that there is still some resistance to the rising cost of living by consumers.ANRA (Australian National Retailers Association) CEO, Margy Osmond, believes the figures, while more positive than in recent months, are still worrying for some retailers. “Retail turnover has picked up, rising by 0.7 per cent in May. This is the best result by far for the year to date,” she said. “Consumer spending has been strongest... ...Read more »
A dozen NSW food outlets are the first to be named and shamed on the State Government’s website for food law violations, Primary Industries Minister Ian Macdonald said today.The new Food Authority website provides details of the 18 breaches and fines, valued at almost $7000, imposed on the 12 food businesses by the Authority and local councils. “The Iemma Government has delivered on its promise to give consumers better access to information about the performance of food outlets,”... ...Read more »
The self-service revolution is upon us, as Australian consumers demand greater choice and retailers begin to understand the considerable benefits of the new technology. It is changing the way businesses operate and interact with consumers; with supermarkets, airlines and banks key symbols of the trend. The introduction of ATM’s some 40 years ago can be attributed to the growth of self-service options, but it has only been in the past 5-10 years that self-service technology has really taken... ...Read more »
Changes to the NSW Liquor Act, which reduce red-tape for those seeking liquor licenses, came into effect today, while the ‘name and shame’ legislation is now also able to be enforced. Primary Industries Minister, Ian Macdonald, said the Food Amendment Act 2007 will formally recognise the food regulation responsibilities of 152 NSW councils and lead to many restaurants being named on the Food Authority website for unsafe or dodgy practices. “Within a year 100s of premises... ...Read more »
Competition in the Australian restaurant industry is about to get fiercer as Gordon Ramsay has announced his intentions to operate restaurants in Melbourne and Sydney. The British celebrity chef, who has a cult following in Australia thanks to the remarkable success of ‘Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares’, has ended the speculation about which market he would enter first, by advising that he anticipates opening his first Australian restaurant in Melbourne within 18 months. ”I don’t... ...Read more »
Australia’s skills crisis is becoming more evident by the day with fast-food giants McDonald’s and KFC forced to use the ‘457′ skilled visa program to recruit staff in Queensland.The ‘457′ visa, which is currently under review by the Rudd Government, is the most commonly used program for employers to sponsor skilled overseas recruits to work in Australia and allows for a stay of between three months and four years. McDonald’s Queensland regional manager Andrew... ...Read more »
Crust Gourmet Pizza Bars and SumoSalad have confirmed their reputations as retailers to watch following the NRA American Express Rewards for Excellence last night. The awards, organized by the National Retail Association (NRA), were held for the 14th time, with Crust presented with a specially created encouragement award in the Best Food Retailer category after the judges found it very hard to split Crust and SumoSalad. The competition for Best Food Retailer incorporated a strong list of... ...Read more »
In a week, New York City restaurants will finish the job of eliminating artificial trans fat from the food they serve. The final phase of the City’s trans fat regulation takes effect on July 1, requiring restaurants to clear artificial trans fat from all their menu items. When first implemented last year, the new standard applied only to fry oils and spreads. It will now cover previously excluded items such as baked goods, frozen foods, cannoli, and doughnuts as well. Only foods served in the... ...Read more »
Hedging has long been a tool used by companies to counter the impact of potential changes in market conditions, but rarely have restaurants engaged in the practice. With skyrocketing food costs and fears that price hikes may continue it now appears, however, that restaurants and other foodservice organisations are embracing the concept, particularly overseas. In the past restaurateurs have discounted the thought of hedging due to the complications of the process, a lack of market size and the rationalisation... ...Read more »