Business hatched from a clever idea (hktdc.com)


	Peta Tomich has turned her fledging Chicken on the Run business into a growing enterprise

It was a case of new life, new career for Australian Peta Tomich, a former corporate trainer with a degree in psychology who relocated to Hong Kong for her husband's job.

On seeing the entrepreneurial opportunity in the city, Ms Tomich decided to set up a business that would reflect her passion for healthy living. She identified a niche for high quality take-way roast chicken meals - a concept well entrenched in her homeland, but not yet launched in Hong Kong. In partnership with a friend, Chicken on the Run was born in January 2002.

The retail outlet of the business is located on the Mid-Levels Escalator in Soho, one of Hong Kong Island's top dining precincts. There the partners found a ready clientele of urban dwellers who liked the idea of picking up a quick meal on their way home from the office, or following drinks after work. Word spread, and due to customer demand, a catering side of Chicken on the Run was launched. This has turned out to be a huge growth area for the business, which now has 15 staff.

Free range, jet fresh

"Our edge is that we bring in chickens jet-fresh from Australia, which has among the strictest quarantine regulations in the world," Ms Tomich says. "No hormones are used on our chickens, which are free range and grain fed. We bring in produce twice a week to ensure it is fresh – because once you freeze chicken, it loses its texture and flavour."

In addition to whole chickens roasted on rotisseries in the open kitchen, Chicken on the Run sells hot dishes such as chicken curry, hot vegetables and a range of freshly made, low-fat, healthy salads which are made every day, and change with the season. "We don't keep leftovers – it all goes to charity," Ms Tomich said.

Though she'd had no previous experience in the food industry, Ms Tomich found many willing mentors in Hong Kong.

"Food and beverage is a close-knit community here, where everyone knows and supports each other," she said. "I often go to other restaurants in the area, and no-one is afraid to tell me how they've done it, or who their suppliers are.

"It's such a huge market here that everyone's doing their own thing. We don't feel we need to keep our secrets to ourselves."

Simple procedures

Setting up the business was easy because of Hong Kong's simple regulations, which minimise red tape. "It's very easy to find contractors, and even getting a (liquor) licence is quite simple," Ms Tomich said.

Her business plan over the next two to three years is to target growth. More retail outlets are in the pipeline, and the corporate catering – particularly for picnic-style junk trips – gets bigger by the month. Chicken on the Run also offers a home delivery business, which it now outsources.

Ms Tomich set out to provide "take away food that's actually good for you, that you can grab quickly on your way home". In busy yet health conscious Hong Kong, that's a recipe for success.