Malaysian chain Bapple adds more sugar to Shanghai

Just two months ago, Malaysian donut and coffee chain, Bapple, began its first international expansion with shops in Thailand. Then, on the auspicious date of May 1, Bapple opened their first branch in Shanghai (in Xinzhuang). They also just opened a branch in Suzhou. And they are surely aiming to sprinkle the Chinese nation with more shops in the coming months. Like we needed more donut shops. Just a few weeks ago, I wrote a column on the sudden proliferation of donut shops in this city, and I had imagined that Krispy Kreme would be the next chain to arrive, but no, Bapple has beat them here.

Supposedly on opening day, there was a long long line of eager patrons who waited a long long time for their first Bapple donut in Shanghai. I mean, srsly?

Well, they do have an astonishing success record. According to Bapple’s website: Within a year of opening, in the middle of 2008 “Big Apple was acknowledged as one of the fastest growing food chains in the history of the nation [Malaysia]. Today, at an average growth rate of one new store a month, Big Apple is going global.”

I’ve yet to taste Bapple donuts (although I did do a taste test of almost every other donut I could find in Shanghai) but I have read that they have lower sugar content, and hence, less calories than other brands. Low sugar sounds like it could make a tastier, less cloying donut, or it could be bad, as in: low sugar = bread-like pastry. But who eats a donut as a low-calorie snack? Sure, a too-sugary donut can taste like nothing but oily white sugar, but a low-sugar donut could taste like boring coffee cake.

However, I’m maintaining optimism if only because I’ve been swayed by the crazed hype over Bapple in Malaysia. Maybe it’s their convincing Chinese slogan? 享受多纳滋，享受新生活 - “Enjoy Donuts, Enjoy New Life”. At any rate, I am looking forward to trying their “California Almond” donut.

Some excerpts from [news about Bapple’s] (http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2009/03/26/business/business_30098890.php) Thailand launch in March: "Bapple Director Mike Chan says that he expects to open 100-150 outlets around Asia this year. Malaysia has 33 Bapple shops."

"Chan said Big Apple would also expand its business to Europe, the Middle East and the US. At present, local investors in Dubai, Australia and New Zealand have approached the company to be master franchisers in those countries."

""Our product is different from others, because we offer freshness and doughnuts with low sweetness. The shop model will operate under the 'open kitchen' concept to show the entire production process. Despite the global economic downturn, the food business still goes well," he said."

Big Apple is also availing itself of the expertise of “American doughnut expert Derek Taylor” (!) to create Bapple's formula and toppings. I tried to find more info about this supposed “doughnut expert” but google had no donuts for me.

At the time of the Thai Bapple opening, Taylor was quoted as saying: "With over 45 years as doughnut experts we are confident that Bapple Donuts will get a warm response from Thais. We have special recipes that maintain softness and our products have lower calories than other brands.”

I will be making a stop at Bapple sometime in the next weeks. If any of you beat me there, do share your taste test results with us.

Bapple address: 5001 Dushi Lu, B1 - 12A, near Xinzhuang subway stop Tel: 3463-3599

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