Tim Aten’s Post

Awfully Chocolate sale up to 60% at their cosy new outlet at One Holland Village! . Wanted to buy some gifts for friends overseas and ended up buying lots of chocolate for the family! 🍫🍫 . Fan-boy moment to see Lyn, the founder the business at the counter serving customers and packing up the shopping! . As a fellow #entrepreneur, very inspired to be reminded of these timeless lessons in business: 🥇Nothing beats interacting first hand with your customers. You get instant feedback from the horses’ mouth, not from reports put together by the team, who may tell you what they think you want to hear. I heard an auntie before me telling her why she chose 45% chocolate instead of 60%. No right or wrong, but it’s valuable to hear which products resonate with different segments of customers. 🥇Be down in the trenches when things get busy. Lyn often goes to the retail outlets on weekends or on launches like these to help the team out. Even if we as bosses may not do what the team is specialised to do as well, at least we experience first hand the challenges, distill the lessons and open our eyes to opportunities. 🥇Local businesses and SMEs can too develop to be a well loved and household brand. She probably had her fair share of naysayers when she started the business more than 25 years ago, leaving a cushy and prestigious lawyering career. Never let others define what you can or can’t do. We write our own rules, and our own story in the process. What do you love about awfully chocolate? What’s your favourite item? Their cakes, chocolate bars, or truffles? Comment below! By the way, as with any business, there are its own set of challenges. In this case, the outlet opening was delayed, but lucky us, this means you can still enjoy their launch promotions and discounts today and tomorrow! Don’t miss it! ☺️#awfullychocolate

Have you ever experienced the sudden disappearance of your local sushi shop? Amid the success of major conveyor belt sushi chains, ‘neighborhood sushi shops’ are now facing an existential crisis. - https://lnkd.in/gzHVT9He TOKYO, May 17 (News On Japan) - Have you ever experienced the sudden disappearance of your local sushi shop? Amid the success of major conveyor belt sushi chains, 'neighborhood sushi shops' are now facing an existential crisis. Expected Increase in Bankruptcies Since COVID-19 Ichihachi Fukuzushi, located in Sumida Ward, Tokyo, was established in 1965. This longstanding sushi restaurant has been in business for over half a century. Currently, the second-generation owner, Kazuya Kurumizawa, 54, has taken over the business from his father. Kurumizawa: 'Because it's a small shop, we need to be agile. When customers support us, we need to respond in kind. Even in a neighborhood like this, the number of lodging facilities has increased. As a result, foreign visitors find us through searches and come to our shop.' The restaurant, which attracts not only regular customers but also young people and foreign tourists, is now in crisis. While major conveyor belt sushi chains such as Kura Sushi have opened stores in Ginza targeting inbound tourists, sushi is currently very popular among foreign visitors. Despite the expected demand from inbound tourism, five small, independently run sushi shops went bankrupt in January alone. Unlike the thriving major chains, it is forecasted that the annual number of bankruptcies will exceed 30, a level not seen since the COVID-19 pandemic. The main factors squeezing these businesses are rising costs for ingredients and utilities. Lack of Successors Despite Business Success In some cases, despite stable business, shop owners are considering closing. Kurumizawa's shop is one such example. Kurumizawa: 'My son, who is 26 this year, works as a company employee and will not take over the business. It’s tough. I really wish he would continue.' With his son working as a company employee, there is no successor to the business. Kurumizawa: 'He told me, “It’s not for me, I have things I want to do.” I thought, it can’t be helped. You can’t force someone to do this kind of work. I don’t think the artisan world can be sustained with reluctance.' What does the future hold for the shop? Kurumizawa: 'If it comes to that, I'll close the shop neatly and build a house where I can live with my child, and that will be the end of it. I have confidence that I can keep going until I’m 70, so for now, I’ll do my best until then.' Source: ANN https://lnkd.in/gQ8jHimB Source

An interesting approach to the new challenges that this economy has shaped the specialty coffee business. Of course, passion is key in building this type of business, but it's not enough to keep up with a very competitive scene. #coffee #SpecialtyCoffee

On a Thursday morning, I made my way to Mods Cafe, slightly nervous about what was to come. I had read some horrific tales about this establishment, namely regarding their customer service. Known as a place for "serious coffee drinkers only", some claim that the staff do not treat non-coffee drinkers well. While I know better than to just trust the words of some angry netizens, I couldn't help but wonder whether my presence would be unwelcome there, as someone with subpar coffee knowledge. At the time, the owner, Abert, was actually away in China (where his wife is from), so I was greeted by a barista instead. But more on that experience (and how I got roped into buying an RM60 latte) another time. Although I missed him during my visit, I managed to get on a call with Abert, and that in itself was more daunting than my actual visit to the shop. During our conversation, he shed some light about why he does things the way he does, and it showed me the value of: ☕ Identifying and carving out a niche, especially in a competitive market ☕ Ignoring the naysayers who aren't even your core market, and being willing to cut them out of the equation ☕ Pursuing quality first and foremost, rather than expanding beyond your means Of course, this mindset can't apply to everything. But it's inspiring in a way to see how firm Abert is about his vision, never bending to the wills of haters. In any case, if you're into coffee, Mods Cafe is a cool spot to visit if you find yourself in Melaka. Just don't do anything I wouldn't do, like take photos without express permission (which I got, because media privileges). #entrepreneurship #coffee

My recent thoughts on the SPC partnership with Pascucci to enter the Italian market.

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When we think of coffee shops, brick and mortar cafés usually spring to mind first. These businesses have a physical presence in buildings, and therefore always operate from the same location. There are, however, an increasing number of mobile coffee businesses in the industry – including coffee trucks. These businesses allow operators to move around and cater to a wider range of customers and events. Additionally, coffee trucks can allow business owners to enter the market more affordably, with less upfront investment required. So how does one start a coffee truck business? And can they ever be fully profitable? In today’s article, Janice Chinna Kanniah speaks to Howard Gill, Head of Sales at Grind, and Anthony Duckworth, owner of Dear Coco Street Coffee, to find out more. #PerfectDailyGrind #CoffeeTruck #MobileCoffee

I really like this idea of a craft brewery and cafe sharing the same premises. It makes a lot of business sense in that the two business can split the fixed costs of operating the location, thereby reducing costs for both partners. In this case, the partnership also brings complementary skills. The food side of the cafe fills a void found in most craft breweries, allowing them to become a brewpub. The combination of food and beer will keep patrons onsite longer and likely increase sales of beer. As well, the peak times for patrons complement each other. Coffee in the morning and afternoon, transitioning to beer in afternoon and evening, so they really don't compete with each other. Similarly, the types of patrons for the two business share a number of common characteristics, including a desire to find beverages that are not made by a huge multinational and that are more interesting than what most MNCs will offer. The joint business model also appeals to people who want to support small, local businesses. For small business owners, take a closer look at this business modeal and explore how it can be adapted to your own business.

Chinese companies are moving faster and faster, across all sectors (Q1, Q2). Q1: "...Luckin Coffee opened its first store less than six years ago." Q2: "As of the end of this year’s second quarter, the total number of stores operated by Luckin Coffee reached 10,836, officially entering the five-figure range. Only four other Chinese food-related brands have accomplished this feat, including: Mixue Bingcheng, an ice cream and tea store chain. Juewei Food, a braised product chain specializing in duck products. Zhengxin Food Group, a diversified food conglomerate. Wallace, a Fujian-headquartered fast food chain. Prior to Luckin Coffee, the fastest brand to establish 10,000 stores was Zhengxin Food Group, which took around 11 years." https://lnkd.in/gWjYt6N3

How many shops does a specialty chain need to be profitable? 🤔 Small coffee shop businesses are often profitable. At around four sites, however, headquarters’ costs become greater than the profit generated by the shops. In an attempt to reach profitability again, many owners start scaling quickly. But are these businesses crossing the profitability chasm, or are they running off a cliff's edge? In part two of the latest United Baristas mini-series we explore why specialty chains keep failing – and what a successful strategy might look like.