(From left) Founder & President of Baltic System Co Ltd, Yukinori Yoshino and President & CEO of Baltic Asia Holdings Ltd  Joseph Tsui (4th from left) join other well wishes at the chain's opening in Hong Kong

In August 2005, Baltic Asia Holdings Group, a subsidiary of Baltic System Co, Ltd of Japan, established a joint venture with the Harmony Asset Group and Axel Limited of Hong Kong to oversee business operations in Hong Kong.

With an initial investment of over US$2 million for the Greater China region, the company hopes to expand rapidly with plans to open ten to fifteen restaurants in Hong Kong in the next few years, plus many more in the mainland. The company also recently opened a restaurant in Macau.

Founder & President of Baltic System Co, Ltd, Yukinori Yoshino said he is excited about the opening of the first Baltic restaurant in Hong Kong.

The President and CEO of Baltic Asia Holdings Ltd, Joseph SK Tsui, said the opening of Baltic's regional headquarters and first outlet in Hong Kong are of significant importance to Baltic's overall business.

"We could not think of a better location than Hong Kong - the famous gourmet paradise in Asia where consumers can find the largest variety of food and restaurants. We also found that Hong Kong's advantages, such as its stable business environment and the extensive experience of managing businesses in other cities in Greater China, make this city uniquely attractive for investors like us."

"We want to promote genuine Japanese cuisine - tasty, healthy and hygienic food offered in a friendly environment - to the general public in Hong Kong and the mainland at an affordable price level.

"We will develop and oversee our regional expansion strategies from our regional headquarters in Hong Kong. Apart from growing the Hong Kong market, we plan to further extend our reach in the region by opening three to five restaurants in Shanghai during the next six months -- and then gradually expand to other big cities such as Beijing, Nanjing and Chengdu. Hong Kong will be our main base in Greater China."

Established by Mr Yukinori Yoshino and his wife in 1991, Baltic System Co, Ltd has developed into the second largest curry & ramen restaurant chain in Japan, with more than 200 outlets throughout Japan.

The Associate Director-General of Investment Promotion at Invest Hong Kong, John Rutherford, said Baltic's choice "not only shows the investors' optimism toward the catering industry in Hong Kong, but also their recognition of our city's versatility as a business location."

Mr Rutherford added: "Restaurant chains are able to develop the domestic market in Hong Kong and use Hong Kong's strengths to open doors to other neighbouring markets."

Related links
Baltic Curry  
Invest Hong Kong