Fast-food chains in Asia cater menus to customers

[kleenex]

Fast-food chains in Asia cater menus to customers - USATODAY.com

Yum's KFC, for example, offers a significant number of menu items geared specifically to Asian tastes. In China, the fast-food chain's 3,000 stores serve items such as congee, or rice soup, and the "dragon twister," a tortilla wrap containing crispy chicken strips, cucumber, scallions and Peking Duck sauce. Meanwhile, Pizza Hut, also part of Yum (YUM), serves up entrees in Asia such as a lemon-flavored salmon pastry roll and a "seafood catch" pizza, topped with crab sticks, green pepper and pineapple.

Locals appear to be embracing the innovations: Since 2005, Yum has added more than 1,800 restaurants and tripled its profits in mainland China, Thailand and Taiwan. The chain is also expanding in established Asian markets such as Hong Kong, and up-and-coming ones such as Vietnam.

Starbucks (SBUX) now serves black sesame green tea and Frappuccinos with coffee jelly pieces in Asia. For years after Starbucks entered the Asia-Pacific market (its first store in the region opened in Japan in 1996) it offered products similar to its U.S. stores. But Starbucks has increasingly tailored its menu to Asian tastes amid fierce competition from local brands.

Meanwhile, General Mills' (GIS) Häagen-Dazs premium ice cream brand, which has 140 shops in the greater China region, not only offers fruity flavors (which tend to appeal to consumers here) but sells special products for Asian holidays.

They want to be a part of it

Häagen-Dazs is marketing a twist on traditional dough-and-egg cakes given to family and friends during the midautumn moon festival. Häagen-Dazs' full moon-shaped concoction has ice cream and also may have wafers, caramel or a chocolate coating.

I would not mind trying this stuff in the USA...

 

[Claire]

When I lived in Hawaii, and when I visited Hong Kong, this was actually the norm. McDonalds in Hawaii offered saimin; and for breakfast, eggs with Portuguese sausage and a scoop of rice. When I was in Hong Kong, the Pizza Huts and other chains often left off cheese, as many Asians don't eat dairy food after being weaned. Chain grocery stores in Hawaii sold many dishes that you'd never see in their mainland stores: tako (octopus), sushi & sashimi, lomi-lomi. Both Sears and Penneys in Hawaii sold full line of aloha-print clothing in Hawaii that, at the time (80s) you'd never have seen in a mainland store.

 

[4meandthem]

I know Knorr chicken boullion has differnt spices in it depending on where it is being marketed.

BTW the safeway near Kona had the best Poki we could find on the Island.Their other raw seafood dished rocked too.