Pastamania wins Cambodia entry

Singapore foodservice operator Commonwealth Capital Group is to enter Cambodia with two F&B brands – Pastamania Casual Dining Restaurant and Gelatofix Italian Gelateria and Cafeteria.

A franchise agreement has been signed between Commonwealth subsidiary PastaMatrix International and an as yet unidentified local Cambodian company operating in retail and real estate.

“We expect to open the first flagship outlet for both PastaMania & Gelatofix in the third quarter of 2015 at an exclusive heritage site in Phnom Penh overlooking the scenic Mekong River,” said Yin-Yin Yeo, MD of international business.

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“The location is widely frequented by local trendsetters and tourists. It will serve as a landmark site for a memorable dining and chill out experience,” she said.

Commonwealth expects to open six PastaMania and Gelatofix stores in total over the next 18 months.

Yeo said both PastaMania and Gelatofix will provide “more exciting dining and hang out options” for the maturing Cambodian market, she said.

“PastaMania features the widest range of great tasting pasta dishes along with authentic Italian pizza that suit the taste buds of Cambodians. We will also be the first in the market to launch an authentic Italian gelato coffee shop chain under Gelatofix.”

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PastaMania is the largest Italian casual dining chain in Singapore with more than 50 stores in eight countries. It offers affordable authentic Italian cuisine with ambience modelled after the Italian piazza concept.

Gelatofix features creamy gelato cones dripped with dark chocolate created by Italian celebrity chef Ernst Knam and serves up a variety of dishes ranging from desserts to all-day-breakfasts and Italian risottos. The Gelatofix store format was designed by Italian architect Stefano Ricci.

Yeo says Cambodia has strong economic growth running above seven per cent since 2011, a young population (50 per cent aged below 25) and a more open and vibrant market.

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