The Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute (IPIM) “One-Stop Service” gives comprehensive support and help to investors during the implementation of their projects. In the “One-Stop Service”, an IPIM staff member is designated to handle and follow up entire investment projects to guarantee that all relevant administrative processes are completed. The service also helps investors find business partners by offering free business-matching services, including an online business-matching service platform, business-matching and project-matching sessions, promotional activities and publications.

IPIM also co-ordinates the Investment Committee, a liaison and evaluation body in which several government departments involved in licensing and approval processes are represented, and that helps implement entire investment projects. IPIM also includes a notary service, which handles all the processes necessary for company registration.

Over the years, many investors have benefited from the IPIM “One-Stop Service”, which has enabled them to develop and expand their investments in Macao. Goobne Chicken is a Korean chain of shops selling oven-roasted chicken. Joe Leong, who brought the brand to Macao, says he came across Goobne Chicken when he visited South Korea two years ago as part of a business delegation organised by IPIM. Mr Leong says he saw great potential in the Macao market for the concept of outlets selling Korean oven-roasted chicken and beer. The oven-roasted chicken offered by GN Food Co. Ltd. is also in line with the trend of offering healthier food options, he adds.

Mr Leong says he was able to secure the licence to be the Korean brand’s agent in the Macao and Taiwan markets. Goobne Roasted Chicken Macao Ltd. was later established, having as shareholders Mr Leong and a company called King Ship Food & Beverage Group Ltd. Mr Leong signed an agreement with South Korea’s GN Food Company Ltd. during the Macao Franchise Expo 2016(2016 MFE).

Joe Leong introduced the Goobne Chicken brand to Macao

Seamless licensing 

Before launching Goobne Chicken in Macao, Mr Leong had some experience of the restaurant business. From what he had gathered, licensing a restaurant was a complex process, since companies have to handle a great number of documents and deal with several departments – a task that required a lot of effort and consumed precious time.

But now Mr Leong says that, with the assistance of the IPIM “One-Stop Service” designated staff member was appointed to follow up the project and communicate with the relevant government departments. It made applying for a licence much easier than before, he says.

Mr Leong says one of the main problems in the past was the time it took to obtain approval, especially if commercial space had to be rented from a third party. In the IPIM “One- Stop Service”, the Institute, realising that a great deal of the investment would be wasted on rent before the outlet began operating, pressed ahead with the application process, giving information promptly so that the investors were aware of its progress.

Bringing a Korean food brand to Macao is a learning process, Mr Leong says. Mr Leong has some experience in catering, but he says he is still learning how to build up his business, including how to manage and develop brand awareness.

Mr Leong says he is planning to increase the number of Goobne Chicken outlets in places other than the Macao Peninsula. Mr Leong has plans to open an outlet on Taipa with the help of IPIM and even open the first outlet in Taipei.

Promoting English

Ieong Seak Meng is responsible for bringing Hong Kong’s Monkey Tree English Learning Center to Macao. Mr Ieong says he came across the opportunity to co-operate with the Hong Kong school during the 2015 MFE, when he obtained information about franchising its business.

Mr Ieong established the first Monkey Tree English Learning Center in Macao in April 2016, having signed a co-operation agreement with his partner-company in Hong Kong at 2016 MFE. Mr Ieong says research he did revealed that students in Macao had little knowledge of English phonics, used by the Hong Kong centre to teach people to read by correlating sounds with letters or groups of letters. He showed interest in getting Monkey Tree’s franchise to Macao, hoping to introduce the teaching method to the Macao market to allow students to be taught English with a more creative model.

Mr Ieong had little knowledge of franchising, but gained an understanding of the business model with IPIM’s support. After obtaining the franchise, a series of other processes had to be completed, given the strict requirements for setting up educational establishments in Macao.

Monkey Tree’s franchisees are required to employ English native speakers as tutors, to ensure the quality of the centre’s teaching. This was another challenge in the Macao market. While preparing to open his first centre in Macao, Mr Ieong says, he faced two big obstacles: applying for a licence and the need to recruit foreign teachers.

Mr Ieong was able to get support from IPIM to overcome the challenges. Via the IPIM “One-Stop Service”, the Institute gave guidance on applying for the licence and recruiting foreign professionals. IPIM also assigned staff to follow up the applications. They actively engaged in the cumbersome process, empathise with the investor’s situation and coordinated with relevant departments to help the centre obtain its licence and its quotas for the employment of foreign teachers.

Mr Ieong says he hopes to open one or two more teaching centres in Macao, following Monkey Tree’s guidelines for developing and ensuring the quality of centres it franchises. He says he also receives valuable support from the Hong Kong company. He adds that as long as qualified teachers are employed, the brand can do a better job and give Macao students a good education.

Ieong Seak Meng brought Hong Kong’s Monkey Tree English Learning Center to Macao