Regent Taipei, the flagship property of Formosa International Hotels Corp (晶華), expects food and beverage sales to grow 10 percent this year as the company seeks to add variety and novelty to its offerings, company officials said on Friday.
The five-star facility reported sales of NT$256 million (US$8.5 million) for the third quarter, a 30 percent increase from the same period a year earlier, thanks to robust food and beverage sales and above-par occupancy rates.
The showing bucked a modest decline for the hospitality sector, which is still assimilating the decline in Chinese tourists and the entry of new hotels.
WOW FACTOR
“That is partly because Regent Taipei is able to wow its customers by adding variety to its menus at different dining facilities,” public relations director Ellen Chang (張筠) said.
The hotel on Friday launched a pop-up event featuring Hong Kong’s “little bao” steamed buns served with braised pork belly and salad prepared by May Chow (周思薇), the winner of Asia’s Best Female Chef title this year.
The three-day event could generate about NT$1 million in revenue through the sales of 3,000 buns at NT$360 each, Chang said.
The pricing is relatively affordable compared with Chow’s no-reservations restaurant in Hong Kong, Chang said.
The goal is achievable given that a pop-up event by New York-based Lady M cakes increased food revenue by NT$7 million, Chang said.
Lady M cakes were so popular that the hotel has added them to its regular fare, Chang added.
Regent Taipei is to organize more pop-up events next year to stimulate sales and retain its mantle as the nation’s top dining brand, she said.
For the first three quarters of this year, Regent Taipei’s net income totaled NT$742 million, an increase of 14 percent from a year earlier, with earnings of NT$2.03 per share, company data showed.
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