How is the Cambodia Restaurant Association developing the food & beverage sector in Cambodia?

b.Consulting Food & Beverage, Hospitality Experts Cambodia is a proud new member of the Cambodian Restaurant Association. To celebrate our integration, we are pleased to publish a blog post on the history of this association, which is structuring the food & beverage industry in Cambodia.

We addressed our questions to the Cambodia Restaurant Association team.

What is the Cambodia Restaurant Association ?

The Cambodia Restaurant Association (CRA) was created in February 2010 with the aim to develop, improve and bring innovation to Cambodia's Restaurant and Food & Beverage sector. It is a non-profit association established in accordance with the Laws of the Kingdom of Cambodia, thereby it is organized in the legal form of a business association and complies with the current laws & regulations of the country.

Mr. Arnaud Darc, President of the Cambodia Restaurant Association

The CRA does not work alone: It is a chapter of the Cambodia Tourism Federation and has a close relationship with both the Academy of Culinary Arts of Cambodia (ACAC), where it is headquartered, and the Professional Institute of Excellence Association (PIE).

Its long-term goal is to establish a serene and prosperous relationship between the various stakeholders in the F&B industry. To be the leading, independent and representative restaurant and F&B association in Cambodia is its fundamental vision.

It is important to keep in mind that the F&B industry is one of the leading industries in Cambodia and the second largest private sector employer ! As Representant and Defensor of this industry the role of CRA is vital to the country's economic growth, employment, and tourism.

What services does the Cambodia Restaurant Association offer its members?

The CRA is committed to helping its members’ businesses succeed by: Providing valuable tools needed to develop their own restaurant business

As an example, the Cambodian Restaurant Association decided to write a guidebook on regulatory compliance for restaurants in Cambodia, to help them to comply with the relevant authorities.

Guidebook “Create your restaurant enterprise in 8 days” by Cambodia Restaurant Association

In fact, the regulatory compliance process for restaurants in Cambodia suffers from a lack of organization and explanation that can heavily discourage the restaurant owners from registering their company. Indeed, an entrepreneur who wants to open and register his restaurant business has to look after a multitude of information that is scattered everywhere, in a disorganized way and sometimes the content is not clear nor reliable.

Therefore, the CRA wrote this guidebook which gathers all the information an entrepreneur has to know in order to launch his restaurant in Cambodia. It covers and describes in detail all the mandatory legal obligations on businesses licensing, registration and overall compliance when operating restaurant business in Cambodia.

Launch of regulatory compliance GuideBook

The Cambodia Restaurant Association also improves competitiveness and quality standards in this industry. Its support is also government-wide as they help create a set of standard references in three areas: Health & Hygiene, Employment & Work, Commercial & Quality Label. Thus, they represent its members at the regional and national level with all the Cambodian Government Agencies. Moreover, the CRA generates employment in the restaurant sector.

More specifically, CRA members can benefit from the following advantages:

• Up to date News (government & industry),

• Industry training courses,

• Workshops and seminars,

• Regular networking events,

• Exclusive discounts & access to valuable contents,

• Legislative & regulatory representations

• Promotion of your business as well.

How are they managing to strengthen food and beverages services operations throughout the Kingdom of Cambodia ?

The CRA is an advocate for restaurants and the broad food service industry. The association keeps its members informed about changes in legislation and business regulatory matters at the local and national level that will affect the way they run their company. Hence by the tool of advocacy, the CRA is committed to helping its members’ businesses to succeed.

Furthermore, the CRA is a real intermediary between the government and the F&B sector.

As an example, recently the Ministry of Environment asked the CRA to conduct a survey toward its members regarding the amount to be paid compulsorily to the endowment fund of the Ministry of Environment.

This Survey was aiming to get feedback from its members regarding the implementation of the Ministry of Environment’s Prakas No. 356 dated November 23rd 2022. Pursuant to Prakas No. 356, all restaurants regardless of the number of chairs are subject to an environmental protection contract with the Department of Environment.

Therefore, Cambodia Restaurant Association initiated this survey in order to solicit comments from all members, from which the CRA could make recommendations to the Department of Environment, to determine the specific amount that restaurant must pay to the endowment Fund.

This relevant example testifies to the confidence and credibility that the government places in the CRA. Meanwhile, it ensures transparency and legal certainty for the private sector.

How does the CRA communicate about changes in the food industry?

CRA strives to keep its members informed about the latest trends in the Cambodian F&B industry landscape through regular reports, workshops, seminars, or by merely sending information.

How to be a First-Class Employer? - CRA Workshop

A few months ago, the Cambodia Restaurant Association organized a workshop on new marketing trends in the F&B industry. From this valuable exchange of expertise, they were able to conclude that trends such as healthy food, delivery and take-away, vegetarian and vegan options, sustainability and local products, as well as new technologies (such as POS systems) will be more prominent in the coming years. Restaurateurs have to constantly adapt to their customers’ new expectations in order to remain competitive and increase sales. Staying up to date on the latest trends in the F&B industry is vital for restaurants if they want to attract and retain their clients.

Cambodia Restaurant Association Workshop about the latest trends in F&B industry

What events are organized by the CRA?

On Thursday 27th of July, the Cambodian Restaurant Association organized a workshop upon a crucial issue in Cambodia: Food Safety: “HOW CAN YOU ENSURE FOOD SAFETY?” Stay up to date with the latest food safety regulations & standards. Discover essential tools you need to maximize your customers' security ».

Their 4 panelists who come from both the government and private sectors, shared to participants valuable insights & knowledge about food security in Cambodia.

This was an occasion to discuss these following key points:

• Overview of food safety in Cambodia: current situation and challenges, impact on public health and the economy.

• Food safety regulations & standards: National and international standards, compliance and enforcement.

• Good hygiene practices: Importance of personal hygiene, safe food handling and storage practices, cleaning & sanitation.

• Risk assessment and management: Identifying and assessing potential food safety hazards, implementing risk management strategies.

• Collaboration & partnership: Roles and responsibilities of government, F&B industry, consumers.

The next workshop in august will probably cover the topic of taxation for the F&B sector, and the next one will cover the IT issue (September).

This year the CRA is once again a key organizer and host of the Cambodia National Barista Championship (CNBC), alongside the Ministry of Tourism, Cambodia Tourism Federation, and the KOFI Academy.

Barista competition is a competition focusing on promoting excellence in coffee, advancing the barista profession, and engaging nationwide audiences with an annual championship event in Cambodia.

What is the competition? Each barista is given a time limit, in which they must make four sets of espresso, milk coffee, and signature beverages. Competitors are judged on Sensorial and Technical skills. A barista’s sensorial skill is determined from the taste, texture, flavor, and presentation of their beverages. Judges are on the lookout for a contestant’s skill in harmoniously pairing the taste of coffee with other flavors in their signature beverage. On the technical side, judges want to ensure each barista understands the correct procedures to making coffee, knows how to brew espresso using the approved steps (in the correct order), and leaves the area cleaned according to competition guidelines.

The objectives of this event are:

• To provide a platform for all sectors of the coffee industry to share information and jointly promote consumption and trade.

• To create awareness and promote the coffee industry in Cambodia.

• To represent the coffee industry at national and international forums.

• To encourage young as well as promote barista generation skills across the nation wide..

The CRA is currently fully involved in the competition planning (recruitment of judges, finding of sponsors, registration of volunteers, participants, competitors, logistics,) to make this event a success.

How to become a member of the CRA?

The CRA proposes 6 types of membership, depending on your business size & features.

Anyone with a link to the F&B sector can join the CRA: you can be an individual restaurant owner, an entrepreneur, a large restaurant group, as well as an F&B supplier or consultant.

The membership process is very simple, we can divide it in 5 steps:

1- Submit your membership form:

• Check out CRA membership opportunities & services

• Identify & choose the membership type that is eligible for you or your business

2- Submit the required documents:

• Submit the supporting documents in the online application: Certificate of registration from the Ministry of Commerce or Patent Tax Certificate - Company Logo

3- Review of the application form:

• The completed application will be reviewed by the CRA board of directors

• The approval application will get the Welcome New Member Email

4- Payment:

• The membership invoice will be issued and sent upon the successful applicant/company.

5- Become a CRA member:

• CRA membership gets activated

• Create a company profile on the CRA website

• Join our events and advocacy committees

• Benefit from our exclusive discounts & large range of services

Cambodia Restaurant Association Facebook page - click-here

Cambodia Restaurant Association LinkedIn page - click-here

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• b. Consulting is proud to support Cambodian investments, do you have a project? We are here to assist you. Contact us - click-here

Why is the Concept Development phase important before opening your new food & beverage outlet?

Why is it important to develop a concept before embarking on a food & beverage project?

Concept Development is the process of defining and refining an idea, or a set of thoughts, to make them more explicit and more coherent. This main step involves transforming an abstract notion into a more concrete one.

Example : I want to open my own coffee shop. What are the most important steps to take before opening?

To achieve your project, b. Consulting Food & Beverage Hospitality Cambodia uses critical thinking, research, and analysis techniques.

Each proposition is explored in terms of its advantages and disadvantages, resulting in a realistic project that best meets the customer's needs.

Example of a S.W.O.T. developed for one of our customers who wants to move towards a franchise for their brand.

In the food & beverage and hospitality industry, concept development is used when you want to create a lounge bar, to renovate a restaurant, to open a coffee shop, to build a resort etc…

To realize your project, a number of steps must be followed, such as :

1. Concept Analysis with Market Overview, Competition Analysis Brief, Overall Concept & Products positioning, Concept S.W.O.T, general guideline

2. Analysis of the location and architectural project with several processes to ensure the viability of the project and confirm the overall budget for the project.

3. Business plan and human resources structure development for your establishment

4. Recommendations on overall communication and marketing strategy, such as naming, but not only.

5. Most important step: Retro planning of the project with initial timetable and initial division of tasks by department

In all these steps of concept development, our team of local and international experts has built up a strong experience over the last few years.

By studying several scenarios, we consider the different possibilities to determine which one will be the best and which final concept will be retained.

Indeed, a good idea must be creative and appropriate to reinforce the brand's strategy and positioning.

It communicates the benefits of the offer and differentiates it from the competition.

Finally, a good idea is a concept that will be profitable.

Example: brief for a Farm to Table restaurant concept development project in a Cambodian province. This brief is accompanied by a moodboard for better understanding.

To develop your project successfully, it is essential to follow steps, such as defining the problem, generating leads, representing the concept, evaluating the idea and selecting the best project.

How does concept development work?

b. Consulting, like all consulting firms, uses tools that enable us to achieve a concrete result with a turnkey project.

Among these tools, we deploy :

Brainstorming - is used in group meetings, where participants exchange thoughts on the same subject to come up with a concept or creative idea. This spontaneous discussion leads to a number of proposals.

Mind mapping is a visual representation of notions and concepts, often in the form of a diagram or flow chart. It is a brainstorming technique for organizing ideas. To create it, consultants place the central idea at the center of the page and add related concepts around it. The final diagram shows the relationships between notions and can help identify new opportunities and connections.

Reverse brainstorming is a concept generation technique in which participants generate ideas to solve the opposite of the problem they are trying to solve. Reversing and reframing the dilemma into a solution can help identify potential obstacles or challenges and generate new concepts to solve them. For example, instead of thinking about reducing the size of a restaurant kitchen, participants might think about enlarging it.

Research - is another method of generating notions. By conducting research, consultants can find similar problems and draw inspiration from them.

Benchmarking - involves comparing a competing product with your own project. By determining the characteristics of other similar businesses in the city, country, continent or even internationally, experts can observe which trends work best. In this way, they determine the company's next strategic choices.

Example of mind mapping on a concept development project for a Skybar in Phnom Penh. This diagram is combined with numerous other tools, such as competitor analysis.

The purpose of concept development? To be ready for the unexpected.

Our team of consultants is present to clarify the customer's specifications and determine the context.

We are there to identify a project's critical points and, above all, how to provide solutions. This problem may be logistical, financial, technical or other.

By pinpointing these problems, the experts aim to guide the next steps in the project's realization. The earlier the problem is identified, the more likely the solution will avoid project delays.

During concept generation, the clients and consultants (and sometimes architects) meet to discuss the issue and propose solutions.

Once all participants have established a range of proposals, the professionals (architects, interior design) put them into shape to best imagine the project.

At this project stage, the team has achieved the main components of concept development and can move on to the project development and management phase.

Depending on the size of the project and the deadlines involved, our team will take between a month and a quarter to deliver a concept development with a detailed report giving you all the keys to realizing your project.

b. Consulting Cambodia, the experts team for your Food & Beverage / Hospitality projects

Since its creation, b. Consulting has developed numerous projects on behalf of our clients.

This year, we are developing a number of simultaneous projects at BKK and Toul Kork in Phnom Penh, while continuing to work on long-term tourism projects in the provinces of Cambodia.

Our priority: Trust, this is how we work with our valued clients.

We build a confidence-based relationship. We adapt our working methods to the needs of our partners.

After the concept development phase, comes the project development phase, which goes hand in hand with the construction phase. Each project is unique, but it takes at least 6 months to a year from the initial idea to soft opening.

b. Consulting has developed a 360° program to take charge of your Food & Beverage / Hospitality project from A to Z.

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• b. Consulting is proud to support Cambodian investments, do you have a project? We are here to assist you. Contact us - click-here

Success story of the week - Tatie's Gourmet Boutiques in Phnom Penh

Tatie's is a French artisan bakery opened in Phnom Penh in 2021. Aude, Hélène and Bea have just launched their second location in the capital.

Fresh produce, creativity and emotion are just some of the reasons for their success!

What are Tatie's main core values?

Aude, Hélène and Bea : Founders of Tatie's

At Tatie’s, we uphold three family values: Conviviality, authenticity & sharing.

Our team, whom we have trained and informed about what we offer, upholds these values daily, ensuring transparency and fluidity in our relations with customers.

We are also very present and involved in our two outlets, enabling us to build unique relationships with many customers over the years.

Finally, we try to please ourselves with quality, original, artisanal products; these are the emotions we want to share.

What makes your relationship with your customers unique?

We have a regular clientele looking for products made with French know-how. We know them well, and our valued customers know our team. We know their daily routines and have built their loyalty through personalized service.

Indeed, we create a unique experience through our products and everything that surrounds them: service, customer relations, packaging, social networks.

What we want is simple: to establish a direct, trusting relationship with our customers.

Most of our employees have been with us for a long time and can produce and/or explain our products and services to our clients.

How do you target local clientele? What are their expectations?

We attract a relatively young local clientele looking for new experiences, new places they are not used to. They generally order various things to share to get a total French experience.

Social networks and word of mouth are the best ways of achieving this, particularly with Tiktok, a network we recently joined.

Social networks are now essential for orders, Q&A, bookings…

Another part of the local customer base is looking for products such as raclette, strawberries, or quiche Lorraine with a strong French identity.

The second restaurant opening was a success for Tatie's!

In March, we opened a new restaurant in the business district. The success of our concept is due to the quality of our products and the regularity and variety of our offers.

We are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., so you can have your coffee/croissant at 7:30 a.m., work through the morning with a juice and cupcake, lunch with friends or a business meeting, enjoy a pastry at 4 p.m., and have a spritz with cheese at 5:30 p.m.

We also deliver so you can enjoy all these delicious treats at home or work.

Three French women created Tatie's. How have you managed to showcase French know-how in your dishes?

First of all, we use quality products. We select local products for fruit, vegetables, and fresh milk, French products for butter, certain cheeses and flours, Italian products for charcuterie, and other cheeses. The watchword is "quality".

Of course, this know-how is also passed on at the processing level, thanks to our respective skills. Thanks to our training and experience, we are able to apply French techniques to our products, such as croissants, Paris Brest or our artisan cheeses. But we also add a personal touch that accentuates our identity.

We use slow fermentation for all our bread, natural sourdough for some, Kampot red pepper in our homemade Neufchâtels, and Kampot salted butter caramel biscuits.

How do you choose your ingredients?

This brings us back to the previous question: we choose our ingredients according to their quality and taste to obtain the best possible finished product.

Locally, we work with a farm that supplies us with the milk we need to make all our artisan cheeses. We have a natural link with them because we sometimes have specific needs (raw milk) for certain recipes. We also use local fruit, vegetables, and eggs.

For our selection of French cheeses, we have a close relationship with our supplier, who advises us and lets us taste different products.

We select French products for flour, butter and cream because we can not find them locally. In that case, we would be the first customers!

Tatie’s has a very specific graphic identity that is used on all its media, even the packaging used for deliveries. What strategic choices have you made?

We opened Tatie's towards the end of Covid, so we had to be sensitive to the need for appropriate packaging and marketing. We had all lived through this period and knew that takeaways and deliveries could become exclusive.

So we decided to bring in a branding and brand identity professional who helped us through the whole process. From the logo to the colors, the packaging, the design and the graphic charter, everything was created in the same spirit, in line with our ideas.

The Tatie's colors, the pattern of our tiles, and our typography are strong points that have endured in the Tatie's identity.

We decided to keep these colors and combine them with kraft for the packaging. Plastic is all too present in our society, especially in Cambodia, so it was obvious to avoid it, at least as much as possible.

Delivery does not allow us to have direct contact with our customers, so we have included messages in some of the packaging and ensured that they are of high quality, in line with the values we transmit locally.

What is your outlook for the future?

Our outlook for the future is to stabilize the quality of our offer and services for the time being.

We recently opened our latest entity, so the aim is to stabilize quality and consistency in this new space.

At Tatie's, everything is done by hand, so training and follow-up are ongoing in each of our establishments.

In the distant future, other locations may be considered in different neighborhoods.

Tatie's Gourmet Boutiques in Phnom Penh:

• Tatie's Street 110 - 281Eo Preah Ang Duong St. (110), Phnom Penh 120211

• Tatie's Street 13 - 182 Eo, St. 13, Preah Ang Eng St. (13), Phnom Penh

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• More information about Tatie's- click-here

• Tatie's Facebook page - click-here

• Tatie's Instagram page - click-here

• Tatie's TikTok page - click-here

• b. Consulting is proud to support Cambodian talents, do you have a project? We are here to assist you. Contact us - click-here