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HONG KONG and Tokyo may be among the fast-food capitals of the world, but the traditional British sandwich is going down a storm. Offering an alternative to the small and steamy Chinese dai pai dongs, or streetside stalls, the Pret A Manger chain opened its first Hong Kong outlet in February.
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Although still small, with five stores, its target is 30 outlets while in the Japanese capital, where its first shop opened in September, there will be five at the end of the year with an eventual target of 80, said chief executive Andrew Rolfe.
The Asian expansion - in partnership with burger giant McDonald's, which owns 33% of Pret's parent company - could soon see the Chinese cities of Beijing and Shanghai introduced to the delights of the coronation chicken and crayfish tail and mayo sandwiches, said Pret's Hong Kong manager Tom Dillon.
In Hong Kong, where even the mighty McDonald's has had to bow to local tastes, Pret's menu closely follows the one in Bishopsgate, in the City of London, and the sandwiches are flying off the shelves according to Dillon, a former Colgate Palmolive sales executive.
Pret experimented at first, but baguettes stuffed with crispy roast pork were poor sellers. 'Hong Kong customers tried it, but to them roast pork is always hot. They couldn't get their minds around cold pork,' he said.
Dillon would not disclose figures but said that sales at each outlet, mostly in the financial district, are well ahead of budget. 'We have a 12-month plan for each shop. We are already 30% ahead of where we expected to be after 12 months.'
Pret's rapid success is particularly surprising in a city that specialises in noodles and fishball stalls on every corner, and probably has more restaurants per square mile than any other city in the world.
It is especially satisfying to Dillon that the company is doing well in the toughest economic conditions in a decade and that it is not doing so by selling cheap or cutting corners. Customers appreciate the quality of the sandwiches, freshly made every day, he said.
'Both expats and locals have had a very low opinion about the quality of food they get at lunch. They are in a rush and just grab anything. They have been surprised to find 40 different products and friendly service.'
Homesick brokers from the City can get coronation chicken, just as in London, and expat businesspeople have been particularly good customers. Dillon is now braced for competition in Hong Kong. Established rivals will try to raise their game, he reckons.
Local entrepreneurs, always on the lookout for a trend to copy, will also move in as they have done with ersatz Irish bars. He believes they will be shocked by the expense involved if they try to reach the standards that made Pret A Manger so successful in Britain.
Crimping on ingredients to improve margins will just upset customers looking for value, not rock-bottom prices, said Dillon. Pret, he boasts, goes to great lengths to keep the quality high. For instance, crayfish tails used in its Hong Kong sandwiches come from China, but they are first shipped live to London where they are 'brined' in Pret's marinade, then sent back.
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