Competition for moon cake sales intensifies

Chiu said the company had planned to advertise their moon cakes in the media and had made large banners to hang outside their outlets, but later reversed their decision. The company stopped taking orders on Sep. 10 and will be happy if they manage to clear their inventory. Instead, they will focus on the company's mainstay, the market for wedding cakes.

Ganso (元祖食品), which made its name selling ice cream cakes, is managed Chang Shao-wei (張劭緯). Chang said Ganso this year is offering a moon cake gift voucher valid in both Taiwan and China, the only company to do so.

This means that a customer can buy a gift voucher in Taiwan and exchange it for products in one of Ganso's 280 shops around China. The company is hopeful it will be able to meet its target of 250,000 gift boxes.

Representatives of Kaohsiung-based Jiu Zhen Nan (舊振南餅店) said it sold 600,000 gift boxes of its popular green bean cakes and 30,000 boxes of moon cakes for Mid-Autumn Festival last year.

Due to rising oil and flour prices this year, the company has decided to raise the price of each green bean cake by NT$5, but still expects overall sales to remain at the same level as last year.

Moon cakes from other up-market companies such as Kee Wah Bakery (奇華餅家) remained positive on this year's sales as the bakery said its clientele consists mainly of regular customers.

This year, the company has expanded its network of distributors and it is also cooperating with President Chain Store Corp (統一超商) and Shinkong Mitsukoshi Department Store (新光三越) to sell Pili Puppet, jade cabbage and River During Qingming Festival moon cakes in an attempt to expand their customer base and improve sales.