Food Passion Co, the operator of Bar-B-Q Plaza, is ramping up the expansion of its non-restaurant business to offset a drop in sales at its restaurants due to Covid-19.
Boonyanuch Boonbumrungsub, the company's chief marketing officer, said since people are not allowed to dine in at restaurants in the capital, the company has to accelerate joint ventures with potential partners in the food business to co-develop food products to sell at trade outlets across the country.
"With daily reports of rising infections and deaths, we believe it will take time for Thailand's dining business to return to normal,'' Ms Boonyanuch said, adding the company is looking for new opportunities to sell products outside its restaurants.
In May, the company collaborated with Betagro Group, one of Thailand's biggest agro-industrial and food companies to sell "Betagro X Bar B Gon'' pork sets made from Betagro with Bar-B-Gon sauce at supermarkets and hypermarkets across the country.
"Consumer feedback has been better than expected one month after the launch of new co-developed products. Despite sales from the collaboration, it has yet to offset the drop in the company's restaurant business. However, with Betagro in the mix, Bar-B-Q products could reach Thai households across the country,'' Ms Boonyanuch said.
Earlier this month, the company teamed up with Thai-German Meat Product Co to develop and sell ready-to-cook bacon, sausages and ham at leading supermarkets across the country.
Besides ready-to-cook sets, the company has explored opportunities in Thailand's 30-billion-baht snack market by joining hands with URC (Thailand) Co, the producer of Roller Coaster snacks, to co-develop two new snacks under the Roller Coaster brand to reach Gen Y consumers, working people and families. The two co-developed snacks will be made available at convenience stores, supermarkets and hypermarkets.
"With collaboration, we are not only getting sales but our brand is staying in the mind of consumers,'' Ms Boonyanuch said.
Food Passion expects Bar-B-Q Plaza's sales to fall by about 300 million baht during the month-long dining-in ban as ordered by the government.