News

South African fast casual opens in Thailand

November 11, 2019

Dusit International, a Thailand-based hotel and property development company, has partnered with South Africa's Real Foods Group, to bring a healthy fast casual concept — Kauai —  to Southeast Asia. Under the Thai brand name, Real Foods, the first location opened earlier this year in Bangkok, according to FNB News.

Launched 23 years ago, Kauai serves 7.3 million healthy meals each year across its 164 stores in South Africa and the Netherlands. 

"With our extensive experience in food, resorts and hospitality, moving into standalone outlets was an obvious next step for Dusit," Jate Sopitpongstorn, managing director of Dusit Foods said in the story. "The Thai joint venture, Dusit Real Foods, will oversee the opening of several fast casual restaurants in Thailand, with possible expansion into retail ranges."

Real Foods in Thailand will keep the Kauai concept and store design as well as most of the menu, which features smoothies, salads, wraps and warm bowls. It offers more than 100 superfood ingredients, including free-range eggs, collagen, whey protein, spirulina, kale, broccoli and spinach. 

About 30% of the menu, however, has been changed to meet Thai tastes. Additions include soba noodle salad, iced matcha smoothie, Thai red milk tea and iced coffee drinks.

Dusit Real Foods also has three stores planned via its long-standing relationship with Virgin Active health clubs, Sopitpongstom said.

Real Foods will differentiate itself from competitors in the market by serving responsibly sourced menu items that can be customized for vegans and vegetarians as well as those following paleo and keto diets.

The brand owns the territory rights to Southeast Asia and Australia and is exploring possible openings in those markets.