This is a part of a wider expansion strategy in Vietnam to continue opening Coca Restaurants over the next five years and grow their leadership in the premium hot-pot dining market.

“We are delighted to announce the further growth of our Coca Restaurants brand in Vietnam,” said the brand’s franchise owner, managing director Trevor MacKenzie of Coca and Mango Tree Restaurants Worldwide.

Coca Restaurants says it has pioneered a premium shared-dining experience in Asia with more than 30 restaurants across the region, featuring healthy menus of carefully selected high-quality meats, seafood and vegetables.

The Coca brand heritage started in 1957 when Srichai Phanphensophon opened the first Coca restaurant in Bangkok, launching the suki trend in Thailand. The pioneering spirit continued when the group’s chief executive officer and celebrity chef Pitaya Phanphensophon, Srichai’s son, opened the first Mango Tree restaurant in the heart of Silom in 1994.

“Our restaurants are focused on families and their happiness. They are designed for sharing, for generations to get together and discuss their hopes and dreams. It is great to see very young families follow this tradition as they are drawn by the quality and healthy dining experience,” MacKenzie said.

Coca’s existing restaurants in |Ho Chi Minh City are located |in Hung Vuong Plaza-District 5, |CT Plaza Airport, and Vincom Centre B. The group operates more than 70 restaurants and cafes in 15 countries in Asia, the Middle East and the United States.

The reorganisation will allow each chain under Food Passion’s umbrella to be managed and expanded independently. Food Passion itself will support each brand with basic requirements such as manpower, budgets, investment, infrastructure, and other tools so that they can all operate smoothly and successfully.

The revamp is part of the company’s strategy to increase its annual revenue by 100 per cent to more than Bt6 billion in 2018.

The Barbecue Plaza Co was established in 1987. The company posted Bt3 billion in revenue last year, up 11 per cent over 2014.

Food Passion will this year invest more than Bt700 million in the expansion of its restaurants. About Bt200 million of the investment budget |will be allocated to the opening of |20 new Bar B Q Plaza restaurants |this year both in Bangkok and upcountry.

Meanwhile, for Hot-Star, the company has prepared a Bt10-million budget for the opening of five to 10 new outlets in different formats, either kiosks or small snack cafes with some seats.

All JumSaap Hut restaurants will enter a revamping programme in the third quarter.

Food Passion currently operates 111 Bar B Q Plaza outlets, five Hot-Stars, and 27 JumSaap Huts.

Chataya Supanpong, chief engagement officer of Food Passion Co, said that under the reorganisation, the parent company would play an important role as a central unit to set up business synergy among the three brands and fully support each chain’s efforts to hit their targets with maximum capacity.

She said the reorganisation was initiated as a major step towards the |company’s broader goals. It is designed to facilitate aggressive business |strategies for future expansion and to help all three brands thrive and reach their fullest potentials.

“Food Passion will be our new corporate name, which reflects the company’s belief, our unique business operations and strong passion to [satisfy] all stakeholders, not only customers, but also employees, business partners and society,” she said.

“This reorganisation, together with the corporate name change from The Barbecue Plaza Company Limited to Food Passion Company Limited, will support the workings of each brand.”

She added that there were also |new executive appointments for |each brand. Boonyanuch Boon-bumrungsub, the company’s executive vice president, will oversee Bar B Q Plaza and JumSaap Hut, while Chanin Choopojcharoen, also an executive vice president, will be in charge of Hot-Star.

“We plan to launch a new food brand this year to enhance future growth … We believe each brand will grow strongly under the new structure,” she said.