HOME-GROWN bakery chain The Hot Bread Kitchen (HBK) has opened its 26th shop at the Arts Village complex in Deuba.
The new outlet will be its first shop to operate 24 hours.
Hot Bread Kitchen group director Vanessa Charters said they looked forward to serving the villages and cooperatives in the Serua province, and members of the general public.
While she did not reveal the investment cost, she indicated it involved “six figures” given the newly built facility and new equipment installed.
“That’s the cost of doing business in an age where you need to make sure that the electrics work, that the hydraulics work and that customers know they can come here any time of day or night and expect to be served,” Ms Charters said.
“We need to make sure when you have a bakery that operates 24 hours that things aren’t breaking down in the dead of night.”
Ms Charters commended the venture with the Damodar group saying this outlet becomes the third venture in a Damodar Group site.
The Hot Bread Kitchen has shops in Damodar City Suva and Labasa, and the third in Pacific Harbour, at the Arts Village.
“What businesses love about being in sites of the Damodar Group is their unerring ability to think of everything in advance.
“Their Suva site became a game changer for retail spaces in Fiji, showing that yes, we can enjoy higher standards and yes, we may indeed have shiny things.
“And today, we stand in the Arts Village, rejuvenated with that same dedication to creating beautiful places, spaces where rest of us can make memories.
“This is our first and probably only shop to operate 24 hours because we recognise the unique nature of the local community, and the hours one must keep to live in this idyllic setting.”
Meanwhile, Ms Charters said the opening also marked the launch of a challenge where customers can suggest and name the product they wanted HBK to have.
Customers must visit the Deuba store, buy any product and complete an entry form suggesting the name of the products.
Winners will receive cash prize and if permitted, public recognition “as the genius who named the new product”.
This year, HBK also marks its 45th year in business and now employs more than 700 people across Viti Levu and Vanua Levu.
