Hurxley, the Japanese operator of the bento chain Hokka-Hokka Tei, has announced plan to expand into the Philippines by selling frozen boxed meals through local retailers by 2025.
These boxed meals are targeted at working families, and will be priced affordably at around Yen 250 (US$1.75), significantly lower than the fresh bentos currently offered at Hokka-Hokka Tei, which start at approximately Yen 460 (US$3.03).
Tatsuya Aoki, CEO of Hurxley, mentioned that the Philippines is a key market in its expansion strategy. The company is looking to buy ingredients in bulk for processing and freezing. This will enable them to sell their bentos at a competitive price, potentially one-third to half the cost of competitors.
Aoki explained that the goal is to keep costs low, with frozen bentos expected to be available in drugstores and other retailers in the Philippines.
At the same time, Hurxley also plans to invest Yen 17.8 billion (US$117.2 million) in merger and acquisition, focusing primarily on frozen food production. This will involve establishing frozen-bento production lines and acquiring plants both in Japan and internationally.
The move to frozen foods is a result of stiff competition in the takeout bento market. Hurxley aims to double its logistics and food-processing sales to Yen 30 billion (US$197.5 million) within 4 years, with the new frozen bentos expected to drive this growth.
