Suki Group expands to offer Halal food, restaurant-grade ingredients

When did the Suki Group start operations in Singapore, and what restaurant did it first run?

Suki Group of Restaurants started operations in Singapore in July 2002 with its first Suki Sushi outlet at Lot 1Shoppers’ Mall . Conveniently referred to as “conveyor belt sushi” or “sushi on train” by many children, it targeted the mass market by offering quality Japanese food at affordable prices. Suki Sushi was later renamed Nihon Mura Kaiten Sushi in October 2010.

The restaurants under the Suki group follow certain concepts. Can you tell us more about each one?

The Suki Group established Sakura International Buffet Restaurant in 2003. It serves more than 200 different selections of international buffet. Catering to the needs of all our customers, it delivers quality and affordable offerings.

In 2009, it opened Sakura Charcoal Grilled & Shabu-Shabu at the Marina Country Club. It boasts self-cook style offering, which is very much enjoyed in Singapore. The charm of steamboat dining lies in the experience. Customers get to enjoy a generous spread of more than 200 varieties of food. They choose from an array of raw and marinated ingredients with possibilities for ingredients, stock and garnishing that are just endless.

Also in that year, Suki Group opened Ishi Mura Japanese Foodstreet–a Japanese-themed food street that specialises in bringing fresh, quality and affordable Japanese cuisine to your table.

The following year, Tsuru-koshi opened. It offers an extensive udon (Japanese noodle made with wheat flour, usually served in soup or broth menu), which ranges from the traditional hot Udon to original creations, such as udon served in creamy sauce. Besides Udon, it also serves a delectable Donburi menu–piping hot rice served with a choice from a variety of topping that will satisfy the appetite.

Momiji Japanese Buffet Restaurant opened its doors in 2011 with its Japanese-themed buffet with more than 150 culinary selection. Its interior decorated with oriental lanterns hanging from the high ceiling–the warm lighting, bamboo furnishings, momiji leaves bind the theme and the restaurant name.

In 2012, Sakura Forte and Nihon Mura Expressed opened.

Sakura Forte aims to delight the palates by providing a lavish and contemporary catered buffet that is delectable and aesthetically-pleasing. We understand when you’re hosting an event; you’ll want nothing less than perfection. We cater to a minimum of 40 pax and the most that we’ve catered for is 700 guests.

Vibrant and dynamic, Nihon Mura Express offers casual dining for those looking for a quick sushi (vinegared rice combined with various toppings) fix. At only $1.50 per plate, it is hard to believe that our sushi & hot dishes are prepared fresh.

By 2013, Suki Group brought in a franchise of Ramen Kagetsu Arashi, which was founded in 1992 in Tokyo and has since expanded to more than 270 chains all around the world. It is best known for its in-house made Tonkatsu (fried breaded pork loin cutlet) & Garlic broth. Kagetsu takes prides in its dedication to serve quality ramen (quick-cooking noodles)–each bowl is an edible work of art.

We also have a joint-venture with Saboten, one of the largest Tonkatsu restaurant chains in Japan, which allows us to bring to Singapore the 48-year old tradition of providing the finest chefs and freshest ingredients to ensure that the highest standards and quality are used to create the perfect Tonkatsu.

Sakura International Buffet was established in 2003, and it started offering Halal cuisine in 2006.

What made you decide to offer Halal dishes at Sakura International Buffet?

Since its founding, Sakura International Buffet Restaurants, under the Suki Group of Restaurants, have been serving up to 200 different varieties of food from Western, Japanese and Chinese cuisines. It has always been a hit with Singaporeans because of the sheer variety it offers and for its spacious outlets that can seat up to 600 people.

We observed that despite the number of Muslims in the area, they could not enjoy our food because we were not Halal-certified so we decided to obtain Halal certification in order to cater to their needs.

The Muslim community is hungry for new Halal cuisines of the world, and we hope to bring it to them. We are constantly looking at ways to provide them a wider taste spectrum.

By 2012, we also extended our Halal certification to Sakura Charcoal Grilled & Shabu Shabu.

What were the challenges that the company faced or the fine tuning that it had to make to obtain Halal certification?

One of the challenges in the beginning when applying for Halal certification was sourcing for suppliers of Halal Japanese products, which were few and far between. To overcome that, we had to spend a lot of time sourcing for good quality products and we had to be creative and innovative in creating our menus.

For instance, sushi rice traditionally contains mirin, a sweet Japanese wine. Because Islamic dietary laws prohibit alcohol, we had to create its own alternative so that its sushi rice would retain its authentic taste.

How do you ascertain that your Halal compliance is carried out in the entire supply chain from sourcing, storage, preparation, logistics all the way to sales & marketing?

We set up a very strong system to ensure our company complies with the Halal requirements across the board. Educating all relevant departments is essential. For example, every time we use the Halal logo in an advertisement, approval must be attained from Muis (Halal-certifying body in Singapore). Purchasing new items have to go through our own Halal department for approval before purchasing the items to be used at all our Halal establishments. At the outlets, strict regulations on “no outside food allowed” within the restaurant for staff are in place and this also applies to guests. Birthday cakes brought in use disposable cutleries and storage of the cakes are separated from our food to prevent cross-contamination.

How much percentage growth in business do you estimate your company has achieved after obtaining Halal certification?

Since obtaining certification, business grew at 15%.

What are the more popular dishes that you offer? Any new dish that you hope to offer to your clients in future?

Our signature dishes are Durian Pengat, Salmon Sashimi & Snow Crab. We are moving toward revolutionising our buffet concept – by introducing more live action stations. Besides being fun and interactive, à la minute (style of cooking where an item is prepared to order) ensures the highest quality of our food is served to our diners.

We now have 29 outlets and yes, we are always in search of fresh concepts to engage our diners.

Do all these branches offer delivery and catering or a dedicated store handles these?

No, individual branches do not offer catering and delivery. We have a different team to handle that.

You mentioned that Sakura International Buffet Restaurant offers more than 200 selection of international buffet. To help put this in context, could you give us an idea how many selections buffet restaurants would have on average?

It’s hard to compare ourselves with the other buffet restaurants because others might only be offering a specific type of cuisine such as Japanese, Peranakan, Pan-Asian, etc. Our selling point is our wide variety of hotel-quality international spread at only a fraction of the price.  

Suki Group has also ventured in e-commerce. How has market response been? 

Yes, Suki Group started its e-commerce business in 2011 with its iChef, which allows clients to buy restaurant-grade ingredients at the comfort of their homes. We are able to offer customers better quality products with a cheaper price as compared to the retail market, because we buy in bulk. Plus, it’s hassle-free because we deliver right to the clients’ doorstep. Business has been picking up since early last year, in-line with our expectations.

Kelvin Ong, managing director

SUKI Group of Restaurants
26 Tai Seng Street,  #03-01, Singapore 534057
T +65 6436 4849+65 6436 4849

F +65 6636 0880+65 6636 0880

W: www.sukigroup.com.sg