Bakeries in China
Matthieu David interviews Pierre Gilson, founder and chef at Stoneground Consulting. When it comes to the bakery & pastry industry there is definitely a paradigm in the context of the Chinese market. While westerners consume baked goods and pastries on a daily basis, Chinese consumers enjoy them on relatively special occasions. Pierre Gilson has been at the forefront of this industry in China, helping Stoneground Consulting’s clients open and adapt their bakeries to China’s market. How long has he been doing this and what type of success he has had over the years? How has the bakery & pastry market changed in China over the last 5 years and why is it that some popular products in the West are not so successful in the Chinese market? Find out the answers to these questions and more in this new China Paradigm podcast.
- 0:00 Guest introduction and current bakery & pastry market state in China
- 8:51 How sweet should a product be in order to satisfy the needs of Chinese costumers?
- 10:30 What other characteristics of a product need to be adapted for the Chinese market?
- 12:33 What is the process of coming up with a good mix of ingredients?
- 14:04 What other ingredients besides Sichuan Pepper does Pierre Gilson consider using for his products?
- 17:29 Does the addition of Chinese ingredients contribute to the marketing strategy?
- 18:55 What was Pierre Gilson’s perception of the Chinese bake & pastry market when he first arrived in China 5 years ago?
- 21:11 How has the Chinese bakery & pastry market changed over the past 5 years?
- 23:05 Do Chinese costumers consume baked goods on a daily basis or does that happen more on special occasions in China?
- 26:32 How do Chinese people approach the consumption of croissants?
- 29:07 What new interesting pastry and beverage pairings has Pierre Gilson discovered in China?
- 30:46 Why are baked goods and pastries overpriced in Shanghai?
- 32:52 What is Pierre Gilson’s opinion on the fact that there aren’t any major French entrepreneurs in the restaurant industry in China?
- 36:36 What type of services does Stoneground Consulting offer on the marketing side of a bakery & pastry business?
- 41:56 What was the experience of opening the biggest Starbucks in the world like for Pierre Gilson?
- 44:15 What other types of market constraints have impacted the way Pierre Gilson works?
- 45:41 What are the challenges of operating a Starbucks kitchen?
- 47:22 Recruitment: how hard was it to find well-trained people?
- 48:49 What is Shanghai Young Bakers and what does it do?
- 51:11 What source of inspiration has impacted Pierre Gilson the most in his entrepreneurial journey?
- 54:08 What does Pierre Gilson do to stay up to date on China?
- 55:02 Should he had extra time what other business ideas would Pierre Gilson pursue?
- 56:29 What is the most surprising experience that Pierre Gilson has had so far in China?
- 57:49 What surprising business success or failure has Pierre Gilson witnessed in China?
A relevant episode
We believe, that China, with 20% of world population and as the second world economy, is impacting every single business, small to big. That is why it is a new paradigm. How does China impact your business is the ultimate question we will answer through those podcasts.
China paradigm is a China business podcast sponsored by Daxue Consulting where we interview successful entrepreneurs about their businesses in China. You can access all available episodes from the China paradigm Youtube page.
