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Japanese casual restaurant chain Watami has reinforced its commitment to Hong Kong. The President of Watami (China) Co. Ltd., Mr Derek Kit Man Liu, today (December 22) announced the addition of two more restaurants in Hong Kong, involving an investment amount of HK$10 million and creation of 60 new full-time jobs.
The first overseas Watami Japanese Casual Restaurant opened in Hong Kong in November, 2001. The company now operates 14 outlets here.
According to Mr Liu, the cumulative amount of investment made by Watami in Hong Kong has now reached HK$70 million. The company employs more than 500 full-time and 200 part-time local staff, and will expand the size of workforce according to business needs.
The two new Watami outlets are located in East Point City in Tseung Kwan O and Tai Po Mega Mall in Tai Po. Each outlet is decorated with a unique theme to cater for consumers in different segments. For example, the Tai Po Mega Mall outlet is the first smoke-free Watami restaurant in Hong Kong, designed to meet customer needs in a residential area.
Watami's President, Mr Watanabe Miki, said the group was very pleased with its business development in Hong Kong.
"Watami Japan chose Hong Kong for its first restaurant outside Japan in 2001, and it's been proved to be the right decision. Hong Kong consumers are very receptive to international cuisine and have a special passion for Japanese food. As a result, our 'Japanese casual restaurant' concept, which provides quality food at reasonable prices, has been well received and created demand for this concept,"he said.
Mr Watanabe also pointed out that Watami saw Hong Kong as an important strategic base to develop Asian markets, particularly Mainland China.
"Following our success in Hong Kong, we plan to open an addition of 50-100 restaurants by 2010 in Asia, including Mainland China. As the Hong Kong market is watched closely by Mainland consumers, our presence in Hong Kong helps to create higher brand awareness in the Mainland ﷿ one of our key target markets. Our presence here also allows us to enjoy CEPA benefits of entering the Mainland market."
Benefiting from CEPA, Watami opened its first Mainland outlet in Shenzhen in January, 2005. The outlet is managed by Watami China Management Support, which plans to open another restaurant in Shenzhen in 2006 and more outlets in other parts of China.
"Hong Kong is the ideal base for Watami﷿s business expansion outside of Japan," Mr Liu said. "However, this does not mean we will shift our emphasis to somewhere else. Hong Kong remains an important market for us. We see tremendous potential in the catering market here and are exploring opportunities to introduce other restaurant brands under the Watami group to consumers in Hong Kong," he added.
"We are delighted to celebrate the expansion of Watami in Hong Kong as Invest Hong Kong, has worked closely with the company since they entered the market in 2001," the Associate Director-General of Investment Promotion at Invest Hong Kong, Mr John Rutherford, said. "The expansion of Watami in Hong Kong exemplifies the range of opportunities that our city offers to foreign investors. In addition to catering to local and international consumers here, overseas companies also find Hong Kong an ideal base to develop and manage their regional business operations and to act as a launch pad into the very exciting Mainland market."
"We wish Watami every success and look forward to continuing our partnership with the company in Hong Kong."
Headquartered in Tokyo, Watami Co. Ltd. was established in 1984. Listed on the Japan Stock Exchange, the Watami group owns 15 subsidiaries in food and catering, agriculture, environment, education and the healthcare business. Watami currently owns and operates 500 branches worldwide in the food service business. It has wholly-owned outlets in Japan, and joint ventures and franchises in Hong Kong, Taiwan and Shenzhen. For more information about Watami Co. Ltd., please visit the website at www.watami.co.jp. For more information about Watami (China) Ltd, please visit the website at www.watami.com.hk.
Invest Hong Kong is the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government department charged with encouraging and facilitating inward investment into the city by providing all the support needed to establish a business presence here. For more information, please visit the website at www.investhk.gov.hk.
Ends/Thursday, December 22, 2005
Issued at HKT 18:16
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