Monday, April 27, 2009

The Doughnut Lands - RM2.50 for Krispy Kreme...

...will it prove too steep for the average Malaysian pocket?

And is this going to be enough of a profit margin at RM2.50 per doughnut?

How long will the queues last? Is there room for a premium doughnut player in town?

My spies inform me that the line at the inaugural Krispy Kreme store in Berjaya Times Square was as long as a snake today, all the way out to the entrance of the mall, say my spies.

However, it wasn't that long that they couldn't get a box of the doughnuts themselves.

Price point: RM2.50 per doughnut for the plain original glazed and RM2.80 for the more exotic variants with topics and the sort.

Having sampled the plain original glazed version from the box of six I received, I am pleased to say that it holds up muster to the ones I ate in HK with no variation or deviation in flavour or quality. But, as the Krispy Kreme head honchos were probably at the opening, QC is unlikely to be an issue. (we need to check back in on this in about 3-4 months because that's how long it took Big Apple to take a plunge). And I maintain the superiority of the Krispy Kreme Original Glazed Doughnut over Big Apple any day. (see my story 'Much Ado about Doh' which compares Krispy Kreme against Big Apple against J Co.)

A biggest test for Krispy Kreme is probably going to be the MidValley store, which will open to considerable competition from Big Apple and Dunkin Doughnut. The inaugural store in Berjaya Times Square is home territory for the KK franchisor in Malaysia, which is the Berjaya Group (also the franchisor for Wendy's, Starbucks, Kenny Rogers and Papa John's Pizza).

I will be posting a list of my favourite doughnuts in due course.

Website: www.krispykreme.com.my



The Original Glazed Doughnut - note how the glaze is almost translucent and slightly matte. And the glaze *scrunches* when you bite into it.


Four In the box - the topped one is one of my favourites: New York Cheesecake!

The original glazed, from another perspective. The scrunching effect of the sugar (indication of the quality and smoothness of the glaze) can be seen here.

Sunday, April 26, 2009

Krispy Kreme KL - RM3.50?

I've got bets going with my mom on how much a doughnut will cost at Krispy Kreme (those thinking about getting in line to be the first person, erm, sorry, my spies tell me there's already someone camped out there today with a sleeping bag).

Price point sensitivity is definitely an issue here in Malaysia, where disposable incomes are not high and discretionary spending amongst the middle class is definitely going to decline in light of the tightening economic situation. If the doughnuts are priced too high, they're not going to get the J Co and Big Apple crowds and their expansion plans may be slowed down (the franchisor is required by the franchise agreement to open a certain number of stores within 5 years).

In Hong Kong, Krispy Kreme doughnuts sold for HKD10 per doughnut and HKD100 per box of 12 (if memory serves me). That makes it RM5 per doughnut and RM50 per box. Big Apple charges RM22 per box of 12. It's been so long since I last went to Dunkin Doughnuts I have no idea what their product costs.

Now, realistically, the price point sensitivity requires the product to be priced competitively but the brand could command a premium. My original price estimate was RM2.50 until my mother pointed out that half the buns in Breadtalk are anywhere between RM2-2.50. She thinks RM3.50.

Well, in about 12 hours, we'll find out.

Friday, April 17, 2009

Chicken Ham and the Cajun Club Sandwich at Chilli's

So, I'm celebrating the end of 14 days of living with the Diet Demon in the name of compensating for my indulgences over Chinese New Year...English New Year...erm, well every weekend spent at Alexis eating brunch since the start of 2009...

And for my off day, I decide I really want to scarf my face on fried carbs like Chilli's Fries (still the best fries around, aside from the hand-cut ones at places like Magnificent Fish and Chips), guzzle their Margaritas...

...and after dawdling over Triple Play vs Chicken Crispers, I decided I wanted something truly evil: like grilled chicken breast with two types of cheese, sandwiched between three slices of WHITE bread that had been slathered in garlic butter (maybe garlic margarine - clog my arteries baby) and mayo, then toasted. With some token lettuce to make us all feel better. The Cajun Chicken Club Sandwich for the uninitiated. (tsk).

Now, I've had this sandwich before at one of my infamous 'last supper' rituals (embarked upon usually before 14 interminable days of being waistline disciplined) and it was fab. I loved it. So imagine my hideous surprise when I chomp down on the sandwich and...

UGH. It was cold in the center. I looked at the sandwich. In the middle portion (it's a club sandwich = three layers), there was something pale and pink that looked suspiciously like...chicken ham.

Now, before I *confront* management, I like to make sure I'm right. The customer may be always right, but it's best to definitely be right. So I got my booth buddy to snag the menu as I mumbled about something not being right with my sandwich. And then I scrutnised the picture (looks like chicken) but more importantly, THE DESCRIPTION of the Cajun Club Sandwich.

Indeed, the words "grilled chicken breast" were in the description.

Waiter was summoned and proved no help. Manager was called over. Swiftly to his credit he appeared.

Now, his reasoning for the chicken ham was in my view quite incredulous although not entirely unbelievable. And for the record I'm not saying I don't believe him. I'm saying the reason it incredulous.

He told me chicken ham was substituted because customers complained that when the sandwich contained real chicken meat (as opposed to god knows what parts of the chicken that go into chicken ham), not every bite had chicken. Grilled chicken apparently has a habit of not aligning perfectly within the sandwich to ensure that every bite of the sandwich produces a mouthful of bread, shredded lettuce, chicken, cheese x 2 and mayo. By substituting chicken ham, this ensured that the customers who bitched about not having chicken in every mouthful, GOT their chicken in every mouthful.

Albeit said customers were obviously unaware that what they were getting was ANYTHING but chicken. (come on, chicken ham?).

Completely to the credit of the manager at Chilli's that night at BSC, he immediately made me another sandwich, with real grilled chicken breast, which he said was do-able on request of the customer. He did however to my shock say that the customers preferred the chicken ham version. (why do I get the feeling the next time I go, it will say chicken ham?). I hope it won't be chicken ham because that would just be mind-bogglingly daft to substitute processed meat just so that a few dimwits can convince themselves they are getting their money's worth. Btw, chicken ham costs LESS than real chicken breast so in case any of my readers happen to be in the 'incredulous' grouping who believe chicken ham and chicken breast is the same...

Note: Service at Chilli's BSC is always impeccable with MidValley running a close second. I officially condemn the outlet at Bandar Utama, having had one too many watery margaritas and horrible Crispy Chicken Salads more times than I can count.