PastaMania (Potential IPO)

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http://www.businesstimes.com.sg/premium/...p-20140721

PUBLISHED JULY 21, 2014
PastaMania bulks up to be big food group
It plans to integrate warehouse, logistics and manufacturing in a S$70m building
BYCLAIRE HUANG
huangjy@sph.com.sg @ClaireHuangBT

'In our previous business, we were in some 31 countries and we had something like 1,200 franchisees around the world. We think we can do at least that, if not more, in the food space.'
- Andrew Kwan
- PHOTO: YEN MENG JIIN
[SINGAPORE] It may have kept a low profile over the past couple of years but the company behind PastaMania has been quietly cooking up a recipe to transform itself into a food conglomerate, with a series of aggressive acquisitions in recent years.
By end-2015, the group will mark a milestone as it moves its operations, which are now spread across the island, to a spanking new S$70 million building located in Buroh Lane.
Andrew Kwan, the group managing director of Singapore-owned investment holding company Commonwealth Capital Pte Ltd, said in an interview with The Business Times that the firm has been expanding its food business to include food and beverage retail concepts, warehouse and logistics services, as well as manufacturing businesses, so as to whisk together an end-to-end business model.
Commonwealth Capital, which owns two-thirds of PastaMania, also holds shares in Swiss Bake, Swiss Treats, NYC Bagel Factory and seafood supplier Barramundi Asia.

[greengiraffe]

http://www.businesstimes.com.sg/premium/...q-20140721

PUBLISHED JULY 21, 2014
Key features of the new HQ
BYCLAIRE HUANG
huangjy@sph.com.sg @ClaireHuangBT

Commonwealth Capital owns two-thirds of PastaMania and a number of other outlets such as Swissbake. The building project will boast several key features - PHOTO: SPH
[SINGAPORE] Commonwealth Food Services Pte Ltd will oversee the construction of the new headquarters for Commonwealth Capital's food businesses.
Commonwealth Capital owns two-thirds of PastaMania and a number of other outlets such as Swissbake. The building project will boast several key features.
Automatic storage and retrieval system. The labour-saving and state-of-the-art system is housed within the -28 degrees Celsius cold warehouse. It is meant to last more than 30 years and will be able to store items beyond 35m - heights that forklifts cannot reach, thus freeing up gross floor area for production lines.
R&D laboratory. The new lab is likely to be the site for a joint venture with a Swiss group to develop functional foods. It is expected to have leading edge developments customised to the company's needs.
Training centres.Currently, the group holds classes in pasta-making and baking. Last year, it ran more than 700 such classes for clients including the Singapore Armed Forces and the Education Ministry. The new training centres will allow more such activities to be organised.
Together with a new auditorium, they will also provide venues for trainees to learn and gain on-the-job experience.
Central production.Proprietary sauces, soups, pastas, meats and desserts, among other items, will be produced. These will support the accelerated growth plans of the group's B2B (business-to-business) and B2C (business-to-consumer) customers.