A Bangkok, Thailand-based seafood distributor is venturing into the Chinese market in a hook-up with Alibaba-backed retailer Hema Xiansheng.
Thammachart Seafood Retail Co. (TSR) – which sold 25 percent of its equity to Thai Union in June 2018 – will set up stall at a Hema supermarket opening 11 November in Shanghai, China, with plans for a second opening in China in December.
TSR provides professional management services to Thai retailers for their seafood counters, handling fresh and frozen product at 130 retail locations across the country. Company CEO and founder Julian G. Davies, who runs the firm with his wife, Yeeran, told SeafoodSource the connection with Hema Xiansheng emerged out of Thai Union’s interest in expanding the reach of the King Oscar brand into China.
“Thai Union is rolling out the King Oscar brand in China, [and] they wanted to have some linkage,” Davies told SeafoodSource. The two sides agreed to brand the outlet as “Lobster Lab by King Oscar.”
TSR already runs Lobster Lab concessions at upmarket retail outlets across Thailand, and for its part, Hema Xiansheng was looking for more international flavors for its in-store dining options.
“Hema asked if [Thai Union] would be interested to open a lobster-focused [food and beverage] concept focusing on a more international menu, as they already have their own in-store dining ops focused on local cuisine,” Davies said.
Thai Union (King Oscar) supplies live lobster to Hema sold in their live tanks, but that might not always be what is used in the Lobster Lab outlets, Davies said.
“The Lobster Lab can purchase lobster from Hema or it can bring in its own lobster,” he said. “We plan to do a combination of both.”
Photo courtesy of Thammachart Seafood Retail Co.
