KUALA LUMPUR: Food and beverage company Empire Premium Food Bhd aims to achieve three to five per cent increase of same store growth (SSG) every year, with the benchmark set as a key performance indicator (KPI) for outlet managers.
The chief executive officer of the Empire Sushi brand operator Nicole Lim said the KPI is set for outlets that have been in operation for more than 12 months, enabling the performance to be measured on comparable basis.
She said the target is achievable as the company has consistently met its targeted growth over the past three years with the support of customer spending on its affordable products.
"Empire Sushi is for everyone and everyone can afford it, and our sales are very steady as our average price per item is at RM2.50.
"This is because we do not set a minimum spend requirement to purchase our products. Customers can purchase individual pieces, offering them freedom (flexibility)," she told reporters after the company’s listing ceremony here today.
Empire Premium Food made its debut on the Main Market of Bursa Malaysia at RM1.10 for a premium of 40 sen or 57.1 per cent over its initial public offering price of 70 sen, with 26.4 million shares traded.
She said that based on its third quarter financial year results ended Dec 31, 2025 (3Q 2026), an average spending ticket per receipt is around RM21.
Additionally, Lim said that as a precaution to mitigate higher rental costs, Empire Sushi refreshes its menu on a quarterly basis not only to improve its margins, but to also help safeguard against the issue.
Meanwhile, she said the company does not have any plan to expand to the ASEAN region yet as Empire Premium Food is eyeing to expand more outlets in Malaysia.
"For expansion (domestically), we cover all states and our expansion plan focuses mainly on shopping centres. We will assess which shopping centres offer prime locations before opening new outlets. We do not emphasise any specific state,” she said.
The company also does not face any current issues with supply disruptions or costs, as raw materials are sourced locally, resulting in no immediate cost impact at this stage.
It said in a statement today that as at Feb 25, 2026, the group operates a total of 143 Empire Sushi outlets across 13 states and two federal territories in Malaysia, comprising 127 grab-and-go outlets and 16 quick dine-in outlets.
Empire Premium Food also aims to open 56 new outlets over the next three years as a commitment to capturing greater market share and delivering long-term, sustainable value to its shareholders. - Bernama
