Organisational behaviour - Four Leaves Bakery and Café (Penang).

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Introduction

Four Leaves Bakery and Café (Penang)

1.0         Four Leaves (Penang) Bakery and Café Development 

Nisshin Flour Milling Inc., one of the core companies of the Nisshin Seifun Group, is the flour milling arm of the company. It supplies basic food materials such as wheat flour and premix products for manufacturing use, as well as other related products such as wheat bran, wheat germ and rye. As one of the leading companies in the milling industry in Japan it is making broad efforts to contribute to food culture and the development of new methods of doing business in the food industry in Japan as well as the rest of the world. Nisshin Flour Milling Inc. is the nucleus of the Nisshin Seifun Group and aims to become the leading international company in its field. (Refer )

        As part of the drive to establish a global chain of related businesses in the region, a bakery chain was established in Singapore. This project is a joint venture of Nisshin Flour Milling Co Ltd which is also the parent company, Nichimen Corporation; a Japanese shareholder and Par Investment Pte Ltd which is a Singaporean company. This bakery chain was named Four Leaves Pte Ltd. The chain is based in Singapore but intends to venture to the South East Asian region.

        Four Leaves Sdn Bhd was subsequently set up in 1993 in Kuala Lumpur and became an overnight success. Four Leaves became a household brand name in Kuala Lumpur. Banking on the success of the flagship branch in Kuala Lumpur; in 1995, Four Leaves management made a decision to set up a new branch in Penang. This would be one of the first branches in Malaysia besides the flagship one in Kuala Lumpur.

The target market of Four Leaves (Penang) Sdn. Bhd. is the middle class. This is the fastest growing income group in Malaysia in general and Penang in particular being the Silicon Valley of Malaysia. These can be teenagers; young, married couples; families; business people; retirees; or anyone who is hungry is our target market. Four Leaves is there to provide quality bread with good nutritional values for consumption purposes and also quality food for pleasure in the café. Beside breads, fresh cream cake, varieties of cream puffs and pudding are also available. Ice cream and soft drinks are also available for customers to take away at the bakery site. On the other hand, the complement café’s target market is on the work force i.e. office workers of the many various Government offices and businesses in the Central Business District where we are located.

One of the marketing techniques for this bakery is the open concept. People are allowed to watch the process of making bread. The importance of this is to give people a good impression of the baking process. It can be shown that the bread was being made in a very clean environment. Breads are made, sliced if needed and packed in front of the customers. No preservatives are added the ingredients. So generally the breads are not able to keep for more than three (3) days. The flour used to make the breads is of a high quality and is imported from Japan from our parent company, Nisshin Flour Milling Inc. This made the breads stand out from other local bakeries. The prices for the breads generally followed the ones of the flagship outlet in Kuala Lumpur.

Four Leaves (Penang) Sdn. Bhd. is a Food and Beverage outlet with a bakery section and a café. The bakery will produce its signature breads, pastries and cakes made with specially milled flour produced by its parent company, Nisshin Flour Milling Inc. The café as an adjunct to the bakery is used to enhance the total product and customer experience where customers can enjoy the pastries and breads in the comfort and ambience of a select café offering premium coffee and beverages to complement the delectable breads and pastries. As a further service enhancement to customers, the café also serves Western styled entrees to round out the palate.

The chain strives to introduce wheat as a major staple alternative to the predominantly rice eating peoples of South East Asia. As such, the outlet offers a wide variety of breads and pastries to satisfy and delight everyone from all walks of life and society.

2.0        Four Leaves (Penang) Sdn. Bhd.

        2.1        Organisational Structure

  • Four Leaves Bakery and Café (Penang) is the first branch to open in Penang. This branch was opened in 1996. A new set of employees was hired to operate this new branch. Four Leaves (Penang) Sdn. Bhd. consists of a bakery and café, each with its own attendant staff.
  • The Penang Branch Manager is in charge of the overall running and operation of Four Leaves (Penang) Sdn. Bhd.
  • The Manager is assisted by a Supervisor who is in charge of the bakery and café sections of this outlet and reports to the manager. The Chief Baker is responsible for the bakery kitchen side and also reports to the manager. He, the Chief Baker heads the bakery kitchen and has an Assistant Chief Baker, three (3) Bakers and four (4) Assistant Bakers under him. There are also three (3) cooks who prepare the meals for the café side who reports to the Chief Baker.
  • The café staff consists of two (2) fully employed and two (2) part time waiters/waitresses. In addition to this, there are three (3) full time and five (5) part time bakery staff. Both the café staff and bakery staff reports to the supervisor of the outlet. Training was provided for all sales staff which enables the staff to perform any tasks required in both the outlets. As such, the staff can rotate their duties and become waiters/waitresses, cashiers or sales assistants when and where required. This enabled the outlet more flexibility and optimises the use of the employed workforce.
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(Refer organisational chart Appendix 1)

2.2        Organisational Roles

  • Manager        

His role is to oversee the general running and smooth operation of the outlet and is responsible for all the staff in the outlet. Mainly he has to make sure the department heads perform their duties properly and correctly. He is responsible for maintaining a liaison and rapport with suppliers to ensure that the outlet is amply provisioned and to also search and locate new suppliers when needed. His subordinates will prepare reports on sales performance and cashflow on a daily and monthly basis. Using these reports and ...

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