(MY) into aquarium venture

[Guest guest]

Attn: Friends of aapn: More aquariums coming up! Please read the

paragraphs underlined. Really these aquarium business must end. Marine

creatures are better off living in their own environment then life behind

glassed exhibits. Can something be done about this?

 

 

Eden in talks on overseas restaurant, tourism ventures - New Straits Times -

23rd May 2006

 

By Dalila Abu Bakar

 

 

bt

 

 

EDEN Enterprises (M) Bhd, while expanding locally, is also set to gain a

foothold in the food and beverage (F & B) and tourism businesses overseas.

 

Its director of F & B and tourism sector, Abdullah A. Rasol, said the company

has been approached by several parties to set up Eden restaurants in

Indonesia and India.

 

*He said discussions are also ongoing with local investors in India and

Pakistan for the development of two underwater world aquariums, one each in

Mumbai, India, and Karachi, Pakistan.

*

On the restaurant business, Abdullah said Eden is currently in discussions

with a Malaysian investor for a joint venture to set up a restaurant in

Chennai, India.

 

If everything goes as planned, the restaurant, which needs an investment of

about RM2 million, will start its operations in the third quarter of this

year.

 

" If this restaurant is a success, it could be the start of a chain of Eden

restaurants in India. We have charted such a plan for our restaurant

business in India, " Abdullah told Business Times.

 

In Jakarta, he said, talks are ongoing with an Indonesian party to set up a

restaurant which is targeted to open before the end of this year. It will

require an investment of about RM1.5 million.

 

*For the two aquarium projects, Abdullah said, the local parties will be

responsible for the financing as Eden will only provide its expertise in

designing and managing the aquariums.

 

He said Eden will train the staff and manage the aquariums for the first two

to three years, and probably hold a small stake in each venture to reflect

its commitment in the projects.

 

" We are now going through the proposals. They want aquariums like what we

have in Langkawi. We are exporting our expertise, " he said.

 

Abdullah expects construction work for the two aquariums to start in the

first half of next year.

 

*On the domestic front, two Eden restaurants and a cafe will be opened in

Petaling Jaya in the second half of this year.

 

The cafe at the AmCorp Mall is targeted to open in the first week of June.

This will be the flagship of the company's foray into the bakery business.

 

The two restaurants, at The Curve and Subang Parade, will start their

operations in July and August respectively.

 

Abdullah said the company will invest about RM1.5 million for each

restaurant and RM1 million for the cafe.

 

Given these developments, Abdullah expects the company's F & B and tourism

sector to double its contribution to the group's revenue this year.

 

In 2005, they contributed about 14 per cent of the group's RM215.2 million

revenue.

 

The existing four outlets - located at the KL International Airport, Jalan

Raja Chulan, Feringghi and Hutton Lane in Penang - have been performing well

with an average of RM1.5 million revenue a month.

 

*The company also has a cafe at Eden Underwater World in Langkawi.

 

 

*