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Japanese coffee shop, Okada Coffee Limited (Okada Coffee), announced today (September 9) the opening of its first overseas outlet in Hong Kong.
With a long and rich history, Okada Coffee started business in Japan 64 years ago, and its corporate mission today remains the same as it did then – to bring happiness to its customers through delivering the genuine taste of coffee. Unlike the popular, modern day methods of coffee production, Okada Coffee uses only the best coffee beans and for some blends can combine up to seven different beans – including the rarely used Jamaican bean – in order to produce the optimum taste for customers.
Okada Coffee's reputation has been built on the unique techniques it applies to the extraction and roasting of the coffee beans, resulting in the distinctive aromas and tastes of their coffee. Hong Kong customers now have the opportunity to enjoy a variety of options in the new outlet in the city, including regular and specialty coffees. Okada Coffee also offers a menu of snacks designed to complement their coffees, from Japanese-style pastries to homemade natural breads, cakes and desserts – all made from imported Japanese ingredients and prepared by Japanese chefs.
Executive Director of Okada Coffee Limited, Ms Yoshiko Okada, explained the reason for establishing the first overseas outlet in Hong Kong, "We decided to open our first overseas coffee shop in Hong Kong because the economy here is stable and as the world's centre of food business, Hong Kong provides us with good future prospects. We wish to introduce to Hong Kong our Japanese-style coffee shop and hope that Hong Kong people will enjoy the unique coffees and desserts that we have developed in our long history."
Director-General of Investment Promotion at Invest Hong Kong, Mr Simon Galpin, welcomed the establishment of Okada Coffee's first overseas coffee shop in Hong Kong. He said, "The presence of Okada Coffee will further enrich Hong Kong's choice to consumers as they introduce their unique style of Japanese coffee to our city. As the culinary capital of Asia, Hong Kong's population is passionate about food and open to different cuisines and experiences."
He continued, "The local population has shown a strong growth in appreciation of coffee in recent years and I wish Okada Coffee every success in Hong Kong and look forward to assisting their future expansion in the city."
At present, Okada Coffee operates five coffee shops in Kumamoto, Japan which receive a combined total of 250,000 customers annually, representing around one third of Kumamoto's population.
Okada Coffee's investment in its new establishment in Hong Kong is approximately JPY 50 million. The company plans to employ about 20 local staff and to open five more shops in the city within three years.
About Okada Coffee Limited
Founded in Japan in 1945, Okada Coffee Limited is a coffee house serving a wide range of coffee using its unique techniques in roasting and extracting coffee beans, as well as Japanese-style pastries, homemade natural bread, cakes and desserts. The company currently operates five coffee shops in Kumamoto, Japan. The Hong Kong outlet is its first overseas outlet. For more information, please visit www.okada-coffee.com.
About Invest Hong Kong
Invest Hong Kong is the award-winning department of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government responsible for attracting and facilitating inward investment into the city, by providing free services and support to help overseas, Mainland and Taiwanese companies establish or expand their business presences in Hong Kong. For more information, please visit www.InvestHK.gov.hk.
Ends/Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Issued at HKT 15:00
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