F&B Franchise Fair, MakanSingapore, has today announced its agenda, lineup of industry speakers confirmed and unveiled a list of selected brands, leading up to the event.
The first Singapore’s F&B franchise fair will bringing franchising opportunities into Vietnam on March 25 and 26, 2022 via a virtual events platform. The two-day event will feature over 10 leading industry experts as speakers and moderators, including a keynote from Ms. Nguyen Phi Van (Chairwoman of Angel Investment Network) and panel discussions with Mr. Ken Atkinson (Vice Chairman of Vietnam Tourism Advisory Board), Mr. Asif Mehrudeen (Founder & CEO of AHM Lifestyles), Mr. Jinwoo Song (CEO of Baemin Vietnam), Mr. Michael Lin (CEO of Pizza Hut Vietnam), and Mr. Peter Cuong Franklin (Chef & Founder of Anan Saigon).
MakanSingapore will introduce insights on investment principles for F&B franchising and the process of setting up a successful franchise business through the ‘Franchise 101’ series, which will be delivered by experts in various fields such as Mr. David Jackson (CEO of Colliers Vietnam), Mr. Tomas Svoboda (Chief Business Development Officer of Cekindo Vietnam), and Mr. John Pemberton (CEO of Hearts of Darkness).
Both Vietnamese and Singaporean cuisines share distinct Asian flavours, with traditional yet complex cooking styles that require dedication and skills. The two cultures also value communal dining where food serves as the basis for spending time with family and friends.
Mr. Samuel Cheng, one of the co-founders of Simple Group shared: “We decided to launch the very first MakanSingapore in Vietnam given the country’s strong macroeconomic outlook and favourable consumer landscape. The great similarities in both cuisine and culture between the two countries have convinced us of the potential success of Singapore’s F&B offerings here. Furthermore, the high demand for experience-driven dining has paralleled a change in consumer tastes and the willingness to pay for a good dining experience, making this an opportune time to enter the market. Although Singapore is a small country, we enjoy a greatly diverse food culture which encompasses cuisines from the four main races: Chinese, Malay, Indian, and Eurasian. Vietnam cuisine also offers a plethora of flavours and cuisine styles thanks to its varied landscape across Northern, Central and Southern regions”.
Thirty of Singapore’s nationally-recognised F&B brands will be exhibiting at the event for Vietnamese F&B entrepreneurs and potential franchisees to network and connect with. From MICHELIN-bib brands to iconic Singaporean food names, they have been curated to ensure innovative F&B concepts can be brought to Vietnamese consumers.
Among them are Pin Wei Chee Cheong Fun, the MICHELIN-bib hawker store that offer steamed rice rolls, which bears much resemblance to one of Vietnamese’s favourite breakfasts – bánh cuốn; Tuan Yuan Pork Ribs Soup, a contemporary dining experience that cultivates togetherness around authentic Teochew Bak Kut Teh, one of Singapore’s iconic dishes; Beach Road Scissor-Cut Curry Rice, a curry rice recipe that has been passed down through three generations; and Kim’s Place, a restaurant that specialises in Black Pepper Crab with multiple restaurant outlets in Singapore and a successful franchise established in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
Some of the brands have enjoyed solid presence both domestically and internationally like Tiong Bahru Hainanese Chicken Rice, the 34-year-old brand that serves one of Singapore’s widely known national dishes, Chicken Rice, a favorite amongst Vietnamese consumers. The brand, which has been awarded the Michelin Bib Gourmand since 2016, currently has multiple outlets and franchises in Singapore, Australia and the Philippines.
The event will be hosted on a virtual platform where registrants will be able to concurrently access the auditorium for keynote speeches and panel discussion, the exhibition hall to view and interact with the exhibiting brands and the networking lounge to connect with various stakeholders in the F&B industry.