AQI will open its doors in HCM City next month. — VNS Photo
Aquarius International Development (AQI), a company specialising in high-end travel experiences, has plans to elevate the gourmet food and beverage industry in Asia including Viet Nam.
It will open gourmet stores with flagship locations in Thailand and Viet Nam, an e-commerce platform, fine-dining restaurants and noodle houses.
The group said it would create an extensive, region-wide eco-system of gastronomic products and services. This forms part of AQI’s ambitious five-year expansion strategy which encompasses new luxury resorts, residences, yacht charters, bespoke bookings, membership services and more.
The growth plan will start with the launch of gourmet and dining stores under the AQ Gourmet & Dine brand, a series of spectacular retail showrooms that specialise in first-class ingredients from all over the world. These sleek and modern shops will feature market-style counters, open kitchens, sushi bars, interactive butchers, fishmongers with tanks of live seafood, fresh fruit and vegetable stalls, natural wellness and spa products, and even Japanese knife stores, all displayed in eye-catching, open-plan galleries.
Customers can browse the store and purchase premium produce, meal boxes with easy-to-follow recipes, or ready-to-eat dishes.
This new retail brand will make its debut in October with an e-commerce platform, which will enable customers to make their purchases online and have them delivered straight to their home, the company said.
The inaugural AQ Gourmet & Dine Store will then open its doors in HCM City in November, and the company’s flagship store in Bangkok is due to launch in the first quarter of 2021. More stores are expected to be rolled out across the region in due course.
The growth strategy will accelerate in 2021, with the opening of the group’s first fine-dining destinations.
Nixon Chung, Chief Operations Officer of AQI, said: “Viet Nam is a country with such a rich culinary tradition that it takes something truly outstanding to stand out from the crowd. With our focus on the best ingredients, top chefs and cutting-edge experiences, AQ Gourmet & Dine will strive to do just that! We want to create a portfolio of unique concepts that will let customers reach the pinnacle of epicurean excellence, either at our restaurants or in the comfort of their own homes. We look forward to raising the bar for dining in Viet Nam and in key locations all across the region as we make five-star cuisine accessible to all.” — VNS