Anybody think there is enough business here for a farrang market or is what we have now enough ?

Ray, I am not yet 'on the ground' in Udon so some of the permanent residents (like you ) will have a far better idea of what is currently available. The only thing that i can say is that from previous posts there seems to be between 500 and 5,000 farang residents in the Udon area, plus I guess a constant, but low (if compared to BKK or the islands) stream of Farang tourists. So that is the majority of the customer 'base' - I guess that some Thais would also be potential customers but price would more than likely take most of them out of the business.
If you also take into account that that is the Udon AREA so many will only actually visit Udon itself rarely and that many of these potential customers have come to Thailand to get away from western concepts and goods (except for occasional 'treats' to remember 'home'). Then I do not think there would be a huge demand.
having said all that I guess if someone was forward thinking enough to believe that there could be a growing demand and they wanted to capture future business by setting up an efficient operation today then I could be a good steady earner!!!!
I have just re-read this and it seems a very long winded way of saying "I don't know" but I have written it so am going to post it...

There is already a thread on this subject started a while back under "Shopping":

http://www.udonmap.com/udonthaniforum/viewtopic.php?t=151

BobHelm wrote:Ray, I am not yet 'on the ground' in Udon so some of the permanent residents (like you ) will have a far better idea of what is currently available. The only thing that i can say is that from previous posts there seems to be between 500 and 5,000 farang residents in the Udon area, plus I guess a constant, but low (if compared to BKK or the islands) stream of Farang tourists. So that is the majority of the customer 'base' - I guess that some Thais would also be potential customers but price would more than likely take most of them out of the business.
If you also take into account that that is the Udon AREA so many will only actually visit Udon itself rarely and that many of these potential customers have come to Thailand to get away from western concepts and goods (except for occasional 'treats' to remember 'home'). Then I do not think there would be a huge demand.
having said all that I guess if someone was forward thinking enough to believe that there could be a growing demand and they wanted to capture future business by setting up an efficient operation today then I could be a good steady earner!!!!
I have just re-read this and it seems a very long winded way of saying "I don't know" but I have written it so am going to post it...

I know a lot of guys do go to Bangkok to buy foods they can't get here, maybe a small market would work a lot of things you can already get here, or perhaps a buyers co-op would be a better idea. I have already found several of the wholesellers out of Bangkok and many deliver here weekly already.

I eat about 70% Thia and I think most of us eat a mix of Thia and farrang.

Of course the other side of the coin a shopping trip to bangkok is a great escape sometimes

Ray, A buyers co-op sounds like a good idea. Has anyone done that sort of thing in Thailand before?? As long as the day to day stuff is managed efficiently it is a real 'win-win' for everyone involved.

BobHelm wrote:Ray, A buyers co-op sounds like a good idea. Has anyone done that sort of thing in Thailand before?? As long as the day to day stuff is managed efficiently it is a real 'win-win' for everyone involved.

Well I've done a good deal of research and this is what I have found to date most of the things can be delivered to Udon on a weekly basis, they have to be ordered in case lots adn prepayed through a bank transfer.

There would be some operation costs in a co-op what those costs would be will take somone with more business background then I have. I don't know of any other co-ops that exist for this purpose. But, I do think that the operating costs would eb less then individual trips to Bangkok.

I think what scares me about the idea, would be the politics that would raise it's ugly head within the membership. You would think that there would be a way maybe through bylaws or something of that nature to keep that to a minimum.

The other thing that I have no idea about would be getting a business license, for such an operation.

Another problem might be that one member wants one item and not a case of it and no one else wants it. That could end up in spoilage and driving up costs for the co-op.

I too would really like to see something of this nature available to the community. I had actually thought about it as a small operation stocking only those things that we can't get locally. But the truth is I'm retired and I really don't want to tie myself down that much. Not to mention the problems that could come out of it with out a work permit.

I think a co-op could be done just not sure of the mechanic of doing it or how much interest the community would have.

There is huge pool of talent here in Udon but how you could utilize that without running afoul of Thai laws I have no idea.

I buyers co-op sounds good. I don't see a farang market as being very profitable. Tastes vary too much among the different nationalities. Honestly, how many non-Aussies want to eat vegemite?

JimboPSM wrote:There is already a thread on this subject started a while back under "Shopping":

http://www.udonmap.com/udonthaniforum/viewtopic.php?t=151

Thanks I reviewed the thread the problem I can see is the variety that you would have to stock, that would take a carefour or something like that, I know there are not enough farrangs for that, even if it were put together as a co-op.

The idea of just running it out of an extra bedroom and just stock what you could, might work and at least pay for itself.

Anything that keeps me out of Bangkok seems a great idea to me.

Someone is absolutey correct I like to explore business idea, have in fact put some of them into action in the past. I have participated in many start operations my own and others. Pretty good at it, what I'm not good at is the long run, get bored very quickly.

It's fun for me to challenge myself a bit, trust me if I ever hit on one that I think would really work I would share the ideas, The nice thing for me now is that I don't have to do it.

Wouldn't it be great if we had a co-op but at the moment nothing more then a dream. Pattaya is great place to shop I like that much more then Bangkok.

At one point I talked to the owner of Villa market he told me he would ship via bus anything that we wanted down here in case lots with a prepayment done through bank transfers, that is another option that could be pursued individually. I didn't get into pricing with him so I would have to say that it would more then likely be retail, plus shipping. But. even that would be considerably less then plane fare.

My biggy is having the ingredients for my homemade Mexican food and that I do buy by the case, since it doesn't spoil. I even had a tortilla press made for that one and get energetic every now and then and actually make homemade tortillas. For me I can find most of what I want here, with three that were mentioned I would also add Nissan Market to that list they have somethings that I haven't found elsewhere, such as good pitted black olives. So for me it really the Mexican ingredients, and I have found the wholesellers for those items, which do deliver to Udon once a week.

Sean got wind of someone setting up a farang food operation.Better to let them do all the hard work Ray.You sit back and consume.

businessman wrote:Sean got wind of someone setting up a farang food operation.Better to let them do all the hard work Ray.You sit back and consume.

Boy I like that idea I think the info came from Harry's bar originally and now there is a possiblity he may be changing his mind. Anyone up to date on this? I hope he dosen't change his mind, I'll certianly do my part to support his business.

It was from a Dutch guy that drinks in Harry's that I got the original email, then i saw Ray's thread on tv.

Havent heard anything since as he hasn't responded to any of my emails

BangkokButcher wrote:It was from a Dutch guy that drinks in Harry's that I got the original email, then i saw Ray's thread on tv.

Havent heard anything since as he hasn't responded to any of my emails

Guess it's time to follow that scoundrel Harry down see if he has heard anything new

Hi Ray, Have given a lot of thought to the dilemma of marketing foreign type produce and this is my pennorth , for what its worth.
Most grocery items have an acceptable substitute available on the shelves of the larger supermarkets, so you would be going head on with the big boys on prices, not a wise thing to do. The items that seem to be most missed by the farangs I have spoken to fall into three main catergories.
1) Bakery. Good European style breads and cakes.
2)Hams and cheeses.
3) Wines.
The third is a no go, due mainly to local taxation policy, and the fact that decent wines, especially reds, simply do not travel well through the different temperat zones between here and the major producers in Europe.There may be a chance with sum of the up and coming offerings from New Zealand and Australia but you stiil have the inflated prices to contend with due to the method of taxing employed here.
So, numbers 1 and 2.
Bakery. Enormous potential, as demonstrated by the successful establishments in areas with a greater concentration of farangs, like Bangkok and Pattaya. I personally used to buy my bread and cakes from the Royal Cliff bakery, who had a Swiss baker, I think.If you didn't get there early, it was all gone. The cream cakes were mouth watering.
Surprisingly they had a large percentage of Thai customers as well. I am sure it wouldn't take long for the word to spread with the richer elements of Udon Thai society.
Now,hams and cheeses. Oh , how I long for a nice salami sandwich, or even a gorgonzola spread.
The answer? Why, a delicatessen_bakery establishment. Making nice bread, cakes, pork pies, sausage rolls. Selling ready filled sandwiches, made with crusty bread.( My mouth is watering already)
I think this would have strong potential, but the outlay would be enormous.The bigest problem is location.It has to be a high profile site with plenty of passing traffic or you would need extensive advertising, which is expensive.So where would you find such a site?The answer is, look at Tesco's or Big C, they have tremendous flow through of visitors.
I realise they would have lease clauses that possibly phrohibit competitive businesses on the estate, but what about a new department inside the store?A whole new delicatassen area. Maybe they would be interested in a franchise arrangement? Just think if it went nationwide? All the stores they have.
The advantage is you wouldn't have to worry about competing on the general items, yours would be unique. They would get increased traffic through their doors, which is where most farangs shop anyway.I would be able to enjoy my pork pie!!!
As a postscript. I have been aware that Big C are entering a code on the till for all farang purchases for several weeks now.Maybe some market research on our buying habits with a view to getting additional product lines?Hope so!

The answer? Why, a delicatessen_bakery establishment

Your a smart chap Val.fdimike is asking how to get hold of bagels on the general thread.

Marcus

valentine wrote:Hi Ray, Have given a lot of thought to the dilemma of marketing foreign type produce and this is my pennorth , for what its worth.
Most grocery items have an acceptable substitute available on the shelves of the larger supermarkets, so you would be going head on with the big boys on prices, not a wise thing to do. The items that seem to be most missed by the farangs I have spoken to fall into three main catergories.
1) Bakery. Good European style breads and cakes.
2)Hams and cheeses.
3) Wines.
The third is a no go, due mainly to local taxation policy, and the fact that decent wines, especially reds, simply do not travel well through the different temperat zones between here and the major producers in Europe.There may be a chance with sum of the up and coming offerings from New Zealand and Australia but you stiil have the inflated prices to contend with due to the method of taxing employed here.
So, numbers 1 and 2.
Bakery. Enormous potential, as demonstrated by the successful establishments in areas with a greater concentration of farangs, like Bangkok and Pattaya. I personally used to buy my bread and cakes from the Royal Cliff bakery, who had a Swiss baker, I think.If you didn't get there early, it was all gone. The cream cakes were mouth watering.
Surprisingly they had a large percentage of Thai customers as well. I am sure it wouldn't take long for the word to spread with the richer elements of Udon Thai society.
Now,hams and cheeses. Oh , how I long for a nice salami sandwich, or even a gorgonzola spread.
The answer? Why, a delicatessen_bakery establishment. Making nice bread, cakes, pork pies, sausage rolls. Selling ready filled sandwiches, made with crusty bread.( My mouth is watering already)
I think this would have strong potential, but the outlay would be enormous.The bigest problem is location.It has to be a high profile site with plenty of passing traffic or you would need extensive advertising, which is expensive.So where would you find such a site?The answer is, look at Tesco's or Big C, they have tremendous flow through of visitors.
I realise they would have lease clauses that possibly phrohibit competitive businesses on the estate, but what about a new department inside the store?A whole new delicatassen area. Maybe they would be interested in a franchise arrangement? Just think if it went nationwide? All the stores they have.
The advantage is you wouldn't have to worry about competing on the general items, yours would be unique. They would get increased traffic through their doors, which is where most farangs shop anyway.I would be able to enjoy my pork pie!!!
As a postscript. I have been aware that Big C are entering a code on the till for all farang purchases for several weeks now.Maybe some market research on our buying habits with a view to getting additional product lines?Hope so!

Great thought process. I'm not jumping simply because I don't want to work. A good deli I would love a good Italian sub sandwhich not subways a real one. I wonder if we were to bring it to the attention of some of the local markets what we would buy?