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This case study overviews the successful growth of the Suki Group of restaurants in Singapore. Blending Asian and Western cuisines and offering a value for money experience, the Suki Group has expanded from a single restaurant in 2002 to a major chain employing over 1100 people across 31 outlets in Singapore. As a case study for students and managers it highlights the importance of value creation, customer and employee focus, sound leadership and a capacity for innovation.
Keywords: Singapore; restaurant; growth strategy; talent management; human capital
Introduction
We have to always be ready for changes to be successful, especially in this competitive sector ... and we need to instil amongst our people to continually accept changes, because apart from our food quality, our people are the most important resource of our operations. - Mr Kelvin Ong, Managing Director of Suki Group of Restaurants
The Suki Group of Restaurants (Suki Group) is a home-grown enterprise that serves Japanese, Western, Oriental and local foods through established brand eateries in Singapore. Since opening their first restaurant 'Suki Sushi' in July 2002, a conveyor belt Sushi outlet (now known as 'Nihon Mura Kaiten Sushi'), the innovative chain spotted a niche in 2003 and quickly introduced 'SAKURA International Buffet Restaurant' which catered for consumers who preferred a wide variety of international cuisine at affordable prices. Keeping true to the Suki Group's desire to continually evolve, 'Nihon Mura' (now known as 'Nihon Mura Izakaya') was conceptualised in September 2006 as the management recognised that Singaporeans not only enjoyed good food, but they also sought an ambience that offered a relaxing dining experience. This resulted in the philosophy of creating consumer value within a traditional Japanese restaurant.
Furthermore, identifying a gap in the marketplace for a low-cost Japanese 'food-street' chain gave rise to 'Ishi Mura' in November 2008. The ideology encompassed a Japanese street eatery alongside showcase cooking that was appealing to a differential market segment. Understanding the need to continually provide better solutions and choice to consumers, Suki Group developed the 'Momiji Japanese Buffet' in August 2010. The concept took a similar stance to 'SAKURA International Buffet Restaurant', opting to focus solely on authentic Japanese food through more than 150 varieties of cuisine.
By the end of 2011, the...