Without skipping a beat, she refocused on Downtown Phoenix. McAuley purchased the business in 2017, formerly known as Tom Yum Thai Restaurant, after Zen Culinary in Scottsdale – her first project – shuttered after less than a year. Yet AAPI women were one of the fastest-growing demographics of entrepreneurs prior to the pandemic. Rachel McAuley is part of a small community of Asian-American and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) in Phoenix, just over 4 percent (compared to 6.5 percent nationally), according to the 2020 U.S. That’s the big memories with food for me.” That is the thing that’s shaped me to want to have everyone involved, you know, participating or connecting with each other. “Back home, you would just eat together…you shared everything together,” she said. ![]() Sometimes there were big celebratory events where the entire community would come together over food, sharing their favorite dishes. She said neighbors would often gather to hang out and share food while the kids would run around and play. It was a dream that started as a young child growing up in Thailand – a place where food, family, and community were inextricably linked. “The experience of eating good food, and to be happy, to hang out…for me, it fulfills the dream.” “I often call my customers ‘Zen family,’” she said. Whether she’s in the kitchen, behind the bar, or making rounds amongst the tables chatting with guests, her warm and inviting presence makes the Downtown Phoenix eatery feel like home - and she wouldn’t have it any other way. ZEN Corporation Group targets Bt10 billion in total annual revenue in the next five years, of which 40 per cent will be from the Thai restaurants.Chef Rachel McAuley greets everyone who walks into Zen Thai Cafe with a luminous smile. The Thai Brand Business unit plans to increase its sales to Bt1.4 billion this |year. “The Thai Brand Business unit contributes about 30 per cent of annual revenue to ZEN Corporation Group, with 70 per cent from its Japanese restaurant brands. “We want to grow our annual revenue by 25 per cent every year,” said Siruwat, adding that the Thai Brand Business unit posted Bt1.2 billion in sales last year – with 70 per cent from the Tummour restaurants. He said that between Bt500 million and Bt600 million will be allocated to the expansion of its Thai restaurants every year over the next five years. Siruwat’s Tummour business was merged into the Thai Brand Business of ZEN Corporation in October 2016. Siruwat founded the Tummour business seven years ago following his family’s legacy in Nakhon Phanom, where it has been involved in the Thai restaurant business for 22 years. “We (ZEN Corporation) also plan to list into the local stock market next year to facilitate our future expansion,” said Siruwat. “We plan to increase the number of our Thai food restaurants to 600 totally by 2022, of which 80 per cent will be through franchising, and 20 per cent under our own equity. Siruwat said that the company also operates franchised outlets of its Thai restaurant brands in Vientiane (three), Yangon (three), and Phnom Penh |(one). However, Siruwat said three major product heroes are Tummour, Lao Yuan, and Jaew Hon, with total number of restaurant outlets now reaching 120, 16, and nine, respectively. They are Tummour, Lao Yuan, Jaew Hon, Pho, Granny’s Chicken, Krua Thai, as well as De Tummour, which targets the premium segment. ![]() ZEN Corporation Group operates 167 Thai restaurants under seven brands, of which 80 per cent are through franchising. “It is then easier for the company to explore franchised opportunities in other potential markets.” “We would like to set up our franchised base in major magnet or spotlight markets around the world as a way to strengthen our brand awareness. “In overseas markets, 100 per cent of the restaurant expansion will be through franchising,” said Siruwat. Siruwat Chatchawan, head of the Thai Brand Business, said that the unit is looking to open franchised outlets of what it calls its three hero-product brands - Tummour, Lao Yuan and Jaew Hon - in new overseas markets, especially in China, England, Australia, the United States and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |