Yoshinoya Malaysia to invest RM5mil in 10 outlets

COMBINING the American fast-food ambience with a menu pandering to the Asian craving for rice, Yoshinoya Food Systems (M) Sdn Bhd (Yoshinoya Malaysia) is gearing up to give the likes of Kentucky Fried Chicken and McDonald's a run for their money. 

The master franchisor of Yoshinoya Restaurants in Malaysia, it would invest RM5mil over the next two years to set up at least 10 Yoshinoya outlets nationwide, and to have 30 outlets in the next five years, Yoshinoya Malaysia executive director Helen Khoo said yesterday.  

It has opened its first two outlets – at Mid Valley City in Kuala Lumpur and at One Utama in Petaling Jaya – and plans to have between four and six outlets this year. 

Yoshinoya Malaysia, a wholly-owned unit of Singapore-based Wing Tai Holdings Ltd, expected to repeat the success Yoshinoya restaurants enjoyed in Singapore and Japan, Khoo said after the opening of Yoshinoya Restaurant in Kuala Lumpur. 

Deputy Entrepreneur Development Minister Datuk Mohd Khalid Yunus showing off Yoshinoya's beef bowl after the launch. With him are Yoshinoya D&C Co Ltd internationl department director Takashi Abe (left) and Wing Tai finance director James Lee.

She said Yoshinoya restaurants in Singapore attracted the younger generation, mainly due to their ambience and the convenience of getting rice for lunch or dinner at a quick service restaurant.  

“The ambience we created for the outlets in Singapore was totally different from that in Japan. We have enhanced the design at the Mid Valley City store so much so that it exudes an even better ambience than any Yoshinoya restaurant in Singapore,'' she added.  

Yoshinoya's main cuisine is an authentic Japanese rice meal, Gyudon or Beef Bowl, which features sliced beef simmered in broth and seasoned with a blend of savoury herbs and spices.  

With side orders ranging from fried tempura fish and croquette and nori chicken to salmon, Yoshinoya restaurants look set to compete in the local quick service restaurant market with the established names.  

“We are not at all interested in competing with the other Japanese restaurants around,” Khoo said. “They cater more to family dining.''  

Khoo said, like in Singapore, she expected a high success rate for Yoshinoya's operations in Malaysia, due to its quick service restaurant concept, competitive pricing and attractive as well as trendy American fast-food ambience.  

Its winning edge lies in rice as the main course. Yoshinoya is believed to be the first halal Japanese restaurant in Malaysia. 

Yoshinoya Malaysia expects each outlet to generate up to RM200,000 per annum. The company, which recently joined the Malaysian Franchise Association, plans to open the balance 28 outlets mainly through franchising. 

The Yoshinoya chain in Singapore, now a S$10mil per annum revenue earner for Wing Tai, is the only profitable chain outside Japan, according to Khoo. Wing Tai started operations in September 1997 after securing the exclusive franchise from Japan-based Yoshinoya D&C Co Ltd.