Would it be worth opening a western bakery and cafe?
I’ve some contacts there, Taiwanese, and they would like me eventually to open a place there. Something similar as what I have here in Sanxia only some more pastries which I would do with someone locally from fengyuan.
As I’m not familiar with the area, and I only know that it’s close to Taichung, I would like some advise if it would be worthwhile.
Thanks.
Two words brother:
Rye Bread
Backwater. Aging. Conservative, money-hidden-under-the-bed. Night market and blue slippers.
Honestly, I’ve never seen a western business do well there. If the residents want something modern or western they go to Taichung for it, and most of the time those people just move there. It’s too close to Taichung to develop on it’s own. Kind of like the shadow that Taoyuan lives in.
[quote=“belgian pie”]Would it be worth opening a western bakery and cafe?
I’ve some contacts there, Taiwanese, and they would like me eventually to open a place there. Something similar as what I have here in Sanxia only some more pastries which I would do with someone locally from fengyuan.
As I’m not familiar with the area, and I only know that it’s close to Taichung, I would like some advise if it would be worthwhile.
Thanks.[/quote]
There is a Sogo and the area around it is probably the only place where you could get a real western bakery to fly. I have to agree that the market is undoubtedly limited. There is a population of foreigners, but not enough to sustain a bakery. We live in Tanzi, between Taichung and Fengyuan. There is an Italian Restaurant between Tanzi and Fengyuan, the Toscana, on Fenghsing Rd. You might want to visit them as they do some baking, and ask how the business is.
Are you training and franchising, or are you coming down in person?
Vorkosigan
Fengyuan is 20mins north of Taichung. Changhua is 20mins south of Taichung. I live in Changhua. I’d love a western bakery/cafe here. Hint, hint.
As Redwagon says, Fengyuan has a very smalltown feel. I’m not saying it couldn’t work, but I don’t think it would be easy.
My wife is from Fengyuan and I have spent much time there. I agree 100% with this statement.
How about finding a local bakery to stock some of your western baked goods and see how they sell?
All the negatives others have said, but I’d add Dr Zod’s wise advice. Note that Taichung has always had very good (relative to even Taipei) bakeries and pastry shops. It’s weird. Getting to downtown Taichung is a breeze from Fengyuan, though people are unlikely to traipse the other way for pastries.
HG
Thanks for the repsonses. The idea is actually to open a similar place as I have here, just some more pastries and baked goods added.
European food (Belgian a.o.), Belgian beers etc …
Pastries would be done in cooperation with a local person who has a name in the area already but wants to add some more to her business. She has no store yet, just making and selling western pastries on order from her workshop.
I’ve been there on Monday and made the tour of the ‘main street’ and saw some interesting things, it’s a serious competition when it comes to bakeries and coffee houses but according to my contacts they don’t have the taste or quality.
So, I’ve been there once on Monday, but can’t figure out the place. It’s the same as here in Sanxia, you just can’t get a grisp on it. It’s weird.
Taichung is perhaps the place to be, but you need to finacially a little stronger and find the right place too. In Fengyuan I’m able to rent a 4 (100 something ping) floor house close to the ‘main street’ and just along the large parking lot over the enclosed river (they told me it’s a river flowing under it). The price is reasonable, and almost certain I’ll have people that want to invest in the venture.
What’s going to happen is that I’ll close down Sanxia and open somewhere else, just don’t know where yet. That’s why I ask your input on the matter.
Is there any chance of getting into the real coffee strip up in Lixianguo? It’s a road down a hill opposite Tung Hai university. Beautiful place . . in parts (or at least it was).
HG
[quote=“Huang Guang Chen”]Is there any chance of getting into the real coffee strip up in Lixianguo? It’s a road down a hill opposite Tung Hai university. Beautiful place . . in parts (or at least it was).
HG[/quote]
And … where would that be?
Okay, it’s in the upper left corner of this Taichung map found on this page. The English name is Utopia Art Street (Lixianguo means utopia), it’s written in pink.
Addit: Might be best to hear what current Taichung residents think, I was there almost ten years ago. Sorry!
HG
Near the Taichung Tesco!!
<-- self-interest on display again 
[quote=“Huang Guang Chen”]Okay, it’s in the upper left corner of this Taichung map found on this page. The English name is Utopia Art Street (Lixianguo means utopia), it’s written in pink.
HG[/quote]
I think I’ve been in the neighbourhood a couple of months ago. Went there to have a look at a new restaurant with a huge garden, old chinese style or something. Than we went to a place nearby with several stores (about 20 or so)and restaurants with in the back a large parkinglot. Just couldn’t appeal to me, looked like temporary stuff. But my companions, who live in Taichung, (not the one from Fengyuan) said that this was the place to be on weekends. After that we had a look at the fishmarket at Taichung Harbour.
It’s a tree-lined street heading down the hill towards Taichung. Quite a few statues and gardened coffee shops (or was) 
.
It did get quite busy on the weekends. A lovely place to sit outside sipping good coffee.
HG
[quote=“redwagon”]Near the Taichung Tesco!!
<-- self-interest on display again [/quote]
Would be nice, interested in investing … I know the area, friends of mine live around there in the recently built new luxury appartments with swimming pool and gyms. Lot’s of new restaurants too, like ‘Little Italy’ … huge crowd everyday they say but the food is mediocre, tried it and it can’t appeal, Italian food you can eat in any ‘Italian style’ restaurant in Taiwan … oh, the pizza sucks.
There was a new hakka restaurant somewhere near wenshin road been there a few months ago, was ok. And there are new restaurants being build and opened in the near future in that area, and there are already so many.
Doesn’t sound much as if you were in Lixiangguo. Next time you come down to Taichung, send me a pm a couple of days in advance, so I can make sure that you find it OK 
Anyhow, I think LXG would make sense (and I wouldn’t mind a decent bakery in my neighbourhood…), but there are also drawbacks: the size of the crowd depends heavily on weather and season. You can make good money in summer, but winter business is low. You don’t want to open in autumn, but in spring. On the weekend it gets pretty crowded on the main street (Yishujie), most of the shops are closed on Mondays and some (like ours) even on Tuesdays. The weather is mostly nice here though.
[quote=“belgian pie”]I know the area[/quote]The way you describe it is more like the area around Carrefour, not Tesco. But yeah, that area would probably be better for you… the customers are a little better educated.
I agree that Little Italy is pretty awful. Only ate there once…
