Gourmet Food Online - Possible?

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  1. #1

    Cool Gourmet Food Online - Possible?

    Dear All,

    I would like to seek everyone opinion here about providing a Gourmet Food Online service to gourmet food lovers in Hong Kong.

    My company is supplying many restaurants and hotels with imported food ingredients from all over the world. Being a gourmet food lover myself, I have seen many of my friends buying from some supermarkets here for stuff that is "Overpriced" to me. And they have asked me on the possibility of selling products to them.

    I would like to make this service available to poeple at large especially expatriate if only it is feasible.

    Questions

    If there is a Gourmet Food Online service where one can order "Imported" gourmet food, what do you wish it carries?

    Personally, I hope to be able to buy good wine, cheese, beef, oysters and etc.. at price cheaper than Great, City Super and Taste. Not compromising quality with price, I think it will be great if there is also a forum to discuss gourmet food too. Maybe a wish list column where one can ask for specific food from their country and etc...

    Please share your views and would welcome all suggestions.


    Cheers


  2. #2

    Join Date
    Jun 2005
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    I think it's a great idea. There's just one thing I'm wondering about: how would you manage to permanently have all desired items, with the required freshness and quality? And can you expect to have better prices than the top-class supermarkets you mention?


  3. #3

    Join Date
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    A fair bit of quality stuff is already available.

    When you factor in the costs of warehousing, importing, air freight.. you might just find out that the key to sucess is volume -- which the "hong" backed companies do pretty well. The next part of the business would be to get to the niche restaurants and five star kitchens (which can get complicated...)

    A lesson I learnt a while back ... don't take anything your friends tell you too seriously .. "dude if you brought in morton bay bugs... I bet you'd make millions of dollars".


  4. #4

    Hi Xav,

    Thanks for your reply and due to the fact that we have frequently shipment out of Europe, USA and also Japan. We are able to source for "unique" items through buying house/partner there.

    For items that we have regular supply here in Hong Kong, we have no problems with freshness and delivery.

    And since we have ready sources, we hope to set a indent timing whereby customers can plan their order.

    Prices better than supermarket is easily achievable but comparing apple to apple only.


  5. #5

    Join Date
    May 2004
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    473

    There's one similar service that does fresh seafood flown in, forget the name though. And I do remember the past success story in the paper about the Oyster (or mussels?) supplier to the hotels and restaurants, so that niche is already taken.


  6. #6

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    >> we have frequently shipment out of Europe, USA and also Japan

    Why do I get the feeling this is a part of a cunning plan of an existing business?

    Monster: Care to share the name of your existing business?


  7. #7

    Hi Fly,

    Do you have the contact of the shop that indent seafoods for customers. I would like to study their success case. BTW, we are planning to provide more than that, we are going to provide comprehensive product ranging from Wine to beef to cheese to seafood and etc...we are able to do real exotic like Iranian caviar or fresh truffle...


  8. #8

    Wink

    In actual fact as I have said earlier, my presence business is supplying supermarket, restaurants and hotels with product. And I just thinking of extending this services to people who love to enjoy food but at a more affordable/reasonable price. No plans for major publicity but only through spread of mouth.


  9. #9

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    >> supplying supermarket, restaurants and hotels with product

    Serious question... how much of this trade is controlled by the dai-lo?


  10. #10

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    Kia could you turn off the cold water for a moment so that I can get a word in edgeways?
    Dank You!

    MJ for some reason the smaller shops all fixate on how much cheaper they are then say City Super. I have found that generally they tend to be 15-20% more.

    Quick test 'apples to apples'

    Soy vodka from Great $299 a bottle- whats your price?

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