The sweet scent of success (hktdc.com)


	La Roise Noire owner/founder Gérard Dubois is serving his top quality cakes and pastries to a growing export market

Since he was a child, working with his mother in the kitchen of their home in Switzerland, Gérard Dubois knew he wanted to make the best bread, cakes and pastries in the world.

Later as a chef he joined the Hilton Hotel Group on a "tour de monde" that took him to Istanbul, Tokyo, Guam, Seoul, Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta, Singapore, Shanghai – and finally Hong Kong. Immediately recognising the business opportunities here, Mr Dubois knew Hong Kong was the place to fulfill his lifelong ambition of owning his own establishment.

That led to the set-up of La Rose Noire, a thriving "sweet treat" business with factories in Hong Kong and China, and a staff of around 400 serving its large (and growing) domestic and export markets. His clients include 12 airlines, 100 private customers (restaurants, cake shops etc) and 48 hotels. In addition, La Rose Noire also has 17 outlets in various Hong Kong gourmet food stores.

Start-ups haven

"I always had the idea to one day open my own business, and Hong Kong was the ideal place," Mr Dubois said. "It was and still is the easiest place to start a business, as you don't need big capital, you don't need local partners, you just do what you want with it."

The venture started as a 50/50 partnership in 1991 with one sidewalk café/bakery in Pacific Place, Admiralty. By 1993 staff numbers had risen to 30-40 and a second sidewalk café was opened, followed by a third. By the mid-90s, rising rents caused the business to re-focus. Mr Dubois bought out his business partner, closed the retail outlets, and moved into wholesale. "I saw this as the future," he said. "More and more hotels were starting to buy (their cakes and pastries) from outside and I knew I had the perfect product – the best in the world."

From starting "with zero in my pocket", the company has risen faster than its own dough. "Hong Kong is so conducive to business as the government doesn't interfere at all," Mr Dubois explained.

Ideas encouraged

In addition, he says Hong Kong is a melting pot of different nationalities and ideas. "It's a very encouraging environment for entrepreneurs because if you want to do something, nobody will stop you," Mr Dubois said.

The company enjoys year-on-year growth of 15 per cent. It exports to Thailand, Taiwan, India and New Zealand, and of course China, where "the sky's the limit" for growth.

The booming China market drove Mr Dubois' decision to open a factory in the mainland province of Dongguan, fitted with the best Swiss equipment. While this exercise wasn't cheap, it positions La Rose Noire to aim for servicing upcoming prestigious events like the Beijing Olympics in 2008 and Shanghai World Expo 2010.

Along the way, Mr Dubois has written three cook books, the latest called Passion being launched this month (November). He has a supportive wife who "makes my life very easy" and two children who "love it here (in Hong Kong) as well".

Could he have achieved such success anywhere else but Hong Kong? "In Europe? Impossible!" Mr Dubois replies. "The mindset there is completely different - with so many rules and regulations, it feels like no-one wants you to succeed. But in Hong Kong, the sky is the limit."