Focus on Hong Kong
Originally a lightly populated area of farming and fishing villages, Hong Kong is today one of the most significant financial centres and trade ports in the world. It is also one of the key markets within the Classic Fine Foods Group.
Classic Fine Foods Hong Kong operates with a staff strength of 151 serving more than 1,500 customers across various channels such as high-end hotels, independent restaurants, social clubs, airlines and retailers. It also operates 5 cheese and ham deli counters and 3 butchery counters within supermarkets and Japanese Department stores.
The team has been excited about operating from their new premises since 12 November 2018, another step by the business towards creating a great customer experience through improved processes and infrastructure which will also bring about significant operational benefits.
The new warehouse space caters to more than 3,600 pallets. The adequate space covers maximum storage. This better managed space with various storage conditions helps to reduce order picking time and resources and speeds up the receiving of goods in proper order avoiding disorder. The 16 fully dedicated loading bays at the new warehouse significantly reduce loading and unloading time, leading to improved quality.
Focus on Vietnam
Located in Southeast Asia, Vietnam is a fast-growing market with a burgeoning middle class and has in recent years been enjoying rapid growth in tourism.
Vietnam is one of the important markets within the Classic Fine Foods Group. Operating with a staff strength of 170, serving 1,700 customers across various channels such as hotels, restaurants, caterers, cruises, bakeries, supermarkets/ convenience stores, gourmet stores etc.
With effect from 29 October 2018, the Ho Chi Minh branch moved to a brand-new site. Ho Chi Minh is the core of Vietnam's economic development. This investment is a commitment from the shareholder, METRO, towards further developing the market and business opportunities in Vietnam.
Located in the Tan Thuan Export Processing Zone, Vietnam’s first and most successful export processing zone, the new office/warehouse is strategically located in close proximity to the city center, international airport, train station and one of the biggest international container ports. Its ideal location eases and facilitates cargo transportation. Thanks to its larger storage area and new distinctive areas for labelling & dispatching and picking, the new warehouse enables efficiency to be increased and allows better implementation of effective processes. The new warehouse includes 3,486 sqm of storage in 6 different temperature settings.
Focus on Japan
Japan has a high potential and massive F&B market with its well-travelled and educated consumers who are fond of western culture and gastronomy. It is the second biggest market in Asia and relies heavily on imported food. The coming years will also see a strong growth in its inbound tourism giving rise to a significant increase in the opening of new international hotels, restaurants, and bakery/ pastry shops. Riding on this optimism, Classic Fine Foods Japan has recently geared up on its infrastructure by operating from a brand-new office and warehouse from 1 October 2018. The new Tokyo Ryutsu Center (TRC) warehouse, located in a specialized logistics hub, shares close proximity to the 2 main international cargo gates at Haneda Airport and Tokyo port. Being only 1 kilometre away from the Haneda airport cargo warehouse, it is a very short drive for trucks to deliver to TRC. Additionally, the new location has quick access to central Tokyo and various highways, minimizing the time in which the delivery teams get stuck in traffic jams. The TRC warehouse has increased threefold in the total number of pallets that can be managed and stored. It now spans over a single floor promoting smoother stock rotation and restocking.
