Taiwanese food company to take beef restaurant chains into Hong Kong

Taipei, July 15 (CNA) Taiwan-based La Kaffa International Co., which owns the bubble milk tea brand Chatime, said Monday that it is teaming up with a Hong Kong restaurant chain to open two specialty beef franchises in Hong Kong.

La Kaffa, which owns the Taiwanese beef noodle brand Duan Chun Zhen and has franchise rights to the Japanese fried steak brand Kyoto Katsugyu, said it is aiming to take the two chains into Hong Kong, in cooperation with Café Deco Group.

The new restaurants will open in the East Point City shopping center in Hong Kong's New Territory district in October, the Taiwanese company said.

As part of its expansion plan, La Kaffa said, it is aiming to set up beef restaurants in other shopping malls in Hong Kong.

In partnership with Café Deco, La Kaffa said, it hopes to gain greater international visibility by entering the Hong Kong market.

The fried beef steak shops will be established in Hong Kong under a new re-licensing model that will incorporate Kyoto Katsugyu, La Kaffa and Café Deco, according to the Taiwanese company.

Meanwhile, Café Deco Chairman Oscar Chow (周維正) has been upbeat about the prospects of the Duan Chun Zhen beef brand in Hong Kong, according to La Kaffa Chairman Henry Yao-hui Wang (王耀輝).

Chow has also commended the operations of the Kyoto Katsugyu franchise in Taiwan, including its service and flavors offered, Wang said.

Currently, Café Deco has 30 outlets under 15 restaurant and bar brands in Hong Kong, Macau and Australia, all specializing in western food.

La Kaffa has more than 2,500 outlets, mainly its Chatime bubble tea brand, in 38 countries worldwide, including in the United States, Canada, Japan, the United Kingdom, Australia, the Philippines and Indonesia.

Last week, Chatime opened its 100th store in Davao, the Philippines' second most populous city after Metro Manila.