Sponsor: Nana Pasta Sauce

[longball53098]

For those in the Banchang area we now have the great Nana sauces on the shelf in the Kitch Friend shop here in town. She is trying the product to see how it sells. Show you're support for Kitch for bringing it to us and stop by and buy a bottle or two.

I'm sure anyone living in this area knows where Kitch Friend shop is located on the small soi down the street from the TOT offices.

[NanaFoods]

For those in the Banchang area we now have the great Nana sauces on the shelf in the Kitch Friend shop here in town. She is trying the product to see how it sells. Show you're support for Kitch for bringing it to us and stop by and buy a bottle or two.

I'm sure anyone living in this area knows where Kitch Friend shop is located on the small soi down the street from the TOT offices.

Thanks longball53098 for your help in referring Kitch Friend to us.

We sure hope our sauces can turn over there well.

I've updated our website to include KF in our outlets listing.

...and...as promised, when they re-order we will send you a shirt

[harrry]

Is there anywhere in Chiang Mai that sells your product?

[NanaFoods]

Is there anywhere in Chiang Mai that sells your product?

Yes, indeed.

Rimping Supermarkets

Tops (airport)

Rimping Branches at MeeChoke (off the "super" highway), Nawarat (across the river from night bazaar), near the Airport (across from the Central mall, where Tops also carries our products).

Thanks for asking

Edited January 30, 2010 by ChefHeat

[Goinghomesoon]

Hey ChefHeat how about running some cooking classes in Bkk to show some Thais how to use your products so you expand your market? Yes, yes, there a thread running about where to find Western cooking classes for Thais, and I'm desperate, so thought I'd ask! I know you have the recipes on yr site but my maid is illiterate

[NanaFoods]

Hey ChefHeat how about running some cooking classes in Bkk to show some Thais how to use your products so you expand your market? Yes, yes, there a thread running about where to find Western cooking classes for Thais, and I'm desperate, so thought I'd ask! I know you have the recipes on yr site but my maid is illiterate

Not sure I would have time for that... been quite busy lately since the launch of our salsa line, which has selling quite well from the start.

Is your maid illiterate in Thai language as well?

(and I'm not being a shmada here, in my area there is about a 50% literacy rate)

We do have some of the recipes translated into Thai, just need to click the big "paasaa Thai" button near the top and it will take you to our Thai version website, with some (but not all...yet) recipes in Thai language.

Edited January 31, 2010 by ChefHeat

[NanaFoods]

Hi All,

Just wanted to announce a certain milestone for our website - we just reached 10,000 hits !!

I hope a lot of people are taking advantage of our recipes.

I haven't heard a whole lot of feedback on the recipes, although some.

If you have any comments, corrections, etc... please feel free to post them here.

Thanks to all.

Cheers

[NanaFoods]

For those in the Banchang area we now have the great Nana sauces on the shelf in the Kitch Friend shop here in town. She is trying the product to see how it sells. Show you're support for Kitch for bringing it to us and stop by and buy a bottle or two.

I'm sure anyone living in this area knows where Kitch Friend shop is located on the small soi down the street from the TOT offices.

Thanks to longball3098 for referring this market to us.

Kitch Friend is re-ordering, and so longball3098 has earned a shirt.

We have two choices available - 1. a Nana shirt ...or... 2. an El Sapo shirt.

See below examples, which show front, back, and the design detail for each shirt (3 pics each type).

[Ciocco]

Hello,

am the last arrived, so probably i cannot say nothing on this...

But are you sure about italian words you used?

I mean... grandma is NONNA not NANA... (here in Tuscany, in Arezzo province, Nana it mean duck...)

Also MAZZIA for me italian have no meaning... if a family name it dont sound particularly italian also...

I understand the english speaking people use to associate to italian all the "similar-word-who-sound-italian..." but... but...

Also undertsanding that probably the Customers you are looking are not italians but others foreigners for the reasons you already explained.

Saluti,

ciocco

[NanaFoods]

Hello,

am the last arrived, so probably i cannot say nothing on this...

But are you sure about italian words you used?

I mean... grandma is NONNA not NANA... (here in Tuscany, in Arezzo province, Nana it mean duck...)

Also MAZZIA for me italian have no meaning... if a family name it dont sound particularly italian also...

I understand the english speaking people use to associate to italian all the "similar-word-who-sound-italian..." but... but...

Also undertsanding that probably the Customers you are looking are not italians but others foreigners for the reasons you already explained.

Saluti,

ciocco

"Nana" was discussed at length towards the beginning of the thread.

Try Googling something like... "Nana's Italian Restaurant" or "Nana's Ristorante" and see how many hits you get.

BUT....

"Mazzia" doesn't sound Italian to you?

Please tell me what other language makes fairly common use of the double "z" ??

And...Yes, it happens to be my family name.

My great-grandparents are from Piemonte, Italia.

My grandmother, who my entire family referred to "Nana", is a direct cousin of Salvatore Ferragamo.

That's not Italian enough for you?

....Italians....

But it is interesting to know that "nana" in Tuscany means "duck".

Edited February 18, 2010 by ChefHeat

[Ciocco]

"Nana" was discussed at length towards the beginning of the thread.

Try Googling something like... "Nana's Italian Restaurant" or "Nana's Ristorante" and see how many hits you get.

BUT....

"Mazzia" doesn't sound Italian to you?

Please tell me what other language makes fairly common use of the double "z" ??

And...Yes, it happens to be my family name.

My great-grandparents are from Piemonte, Italia.

My grandmother, who my entire family referred to "Nana", is a direct cousin of Salvatore Ferragamo.

That's not Italian enough for you?

....Italians....

But it is interesting to know that "nana" in Tuscany means "duck".

Please note i was just giving you my impression about the use of "italian" names on labelling.

Is ok, if you used to call your nonna "nana" and am sure it sound very italian for you, but i was meaning about what others people feel about italian names.

I guess Mazzia was a family name, nothing to say about, but thinking you are looking for an italian name to use as a brand i thought you was looking also for something who make immediately understanding the italian origin of your idea...

Just to make a stupid example, Rossini looks italian also for a chinese people... Pinocchio (also if more easy to find Pinoccio) also...

Also "Salsa" is today a tipical italian name who immediately make you thinking at sauces.

Walking abroad (we italians) we use to smile (a kind way to say laughting) looking the "italian-looking-brand" we see everywhere, expecially on fashion shops. Often is just a fake like Ammani, Varentino, or similar, sometimes grammar mistakes like Cabonara, Putanesca, Pinoccio, Sirocco etc, sometime more just fantasy name like Roccia, Casa del Mare, etc etc.

I understand that probably it is enough to recall at mind the italian beauty or design or kitchen... but sound funny for us.

Am sure you need a brand who is a trade union between your product, your name and your italian recipes... but am not able to suggest nothing about this, just to give you my impression from the side of an italian customer who walk in a Villa market and look at the labels around him.

ciao,

ciocco

[NanaFoods]

Please note i was just giving you my impression about the use of "italian" names on labelling.

I appreciate what you are saying. Thanks for your input.

But I think you know, many Italians wouldn't think of using a bottled pasta sauce anyway - regardless of name -- and consider it "gouache". Even in my own family. I gave my dad in the US a sample to try, he put it in the cupboard and made some pasta with clam sauce. That was in December... I still don't think he has tried it yet, as he has given no feedback to date.

-----------------------

Well, I guess now is a good time to post this pic... perhaps some might find it interesting.

It was taken when my Grandparents were visiting family in Italy.

On the far right is my tiny little Nana, Mary Mazzia (maiden name is Ciampi). With her are two of the Ferragamo family... I believe the lady in the middle is one of Salvatore's daughters, so she would be my Nana's 2nd cousin. I believe the youngest one there is her daughter, who appears to be chewing gum.

I think their names are written on the back of the original photo, best I can recall, but I'd have to dig it up amongst 100's or even 1000's of pics to find it.

Edited February 19, 2010 by ChefHeat

[NanaFoods]

Hi folks,

I tested out a new recipe using our El Sapo Salsa Suave, and was rather excited as to how delicious it came out.

So I had to share here with you all.

Its a Mexican meatball soup called Sopa de Albondigas. Our El Sapo Salsa Suave works great in simplifying this dish as it has the mild roasted green chilies in it already, so you can easily obtain a nice Mexican touch.

Recipe is posted here:

http://www.nanaproducts.com/uploads/Albondigas_Soup.pdf

See picture below.

[Sarge]

Well, I guess now is a good time to post this pic... perhaps some might find it interesting.

It was taken when my Grandparents were visiting family in Italy.

On the far right is my tiny little Nana, Mary Mazzia (maiden name is Ciampi)

so there she is, your nonna, she looks like a doting granny. I hope she picked up a better name spelling when in Italy, to pass on you. Ciampi? you're not going to tell us now that she's related to a past Italian President, are you?

back on topic, how's your market penetration going in Isaan provinces (apart from Korat)? are your products for sale anywhere else?

[NanaFoods]

Well, I guess now is a good time to post this pic... perhaps some might find it interesting.

It was taken when my Grandparents were visiting family in Italy.

On the far right is my tiny little Nana, Mary Mazzia (maiden name is Ciampi)

so there she is, your nonna, she looks like a doting granny. I hope she picked up a better name spelling when in Italy, to pass on you. Ciampi? you're not going to tell us now that she's related to a past Italian President, are you?

back on topic, how's your market penetration going in Isaan provinces (apart from Korat)? are your products for sale anywhere else?

It took a while to get back, as I had to consult my Aunt, who is our best family historian.

She doubts we are related to the ex-Pres.

However, she will try to dig up some pics of my Nana (nonna) and "Uncle" Sal (Salvatore).

As for Isaan -- some stores can sell steady, but it seems to be rather slow everywhere there. A lot of towns there just dont seem to have the year-round farang population density needed. Probably Tops in Udon is the best seller. You can see a complete listing, by region and city, on our website home page (click banner at top).

However, we do quite well (and seem to be gaining market share) in farang-dense areas like Phuket, Chiangmai, Bangkok, and Pattaya.

Edited March 1, 2010 by ChefHeat

[dingdongrb]

Who cares what its called or how its spelled.... I buy because it tastes great!

[Sarge]

I see no reseller in KK, the region has one of the largest, if not the largest expat community. You ought to do well there.

I buy because it tastes great!

actually that sounds like a great marketing slogan for your products, just incorporate it on your labels. Given you do well in farang areas, that should go down like a storm with American folks; simple and straightforward message, nothing too complicated. Just as it was intended by the poster

[Jingthing]

Who cares what its called or how its spelled.... I buy because it tastes great!

I just had some for dinner!

[NanaFoods]

Khon Kaen - we were in an independent market ther, Sentosa. Seems their customer base was mostly Thai, so it was slow selling. We just recently pulled out of there. Not sure if Tops carries us there or not. Sentosa was the only independent we could find, as the area is dominated by the larger store chains, Makro, Lotus, etc... We are not in those chains because they require a ridiculous "new vendor fee" that is way out of our budget range at the moment. We had our hopes on another independent market in the area that locals told us about, only to discover it had been taken over by Lotus.

Thanks so much for your support dingdong and Jingthing !!

Edit:

My wife reminds we ARE in Tops, Khon Kaen....and now I recall we had stopped by and spoke to the section manager (who just happened to be checking stock on the pasta isle), and he told us our product sells fairly well. So I have updated our home page to include Khon Kaen Tops. Thanks for the "heads-up", Sarge.

Edited March 2, 2010 by ChefHeat

[NanaFoods]

*** ANNOUNCEMENT ***

We are now in all the Fly Now Outlet (aka "FN Factory Outlet") branches.

Originally we were just at FN Outlet Inburi(Singburi) and dealt only with the store manager. Many months later we (wife and I) stopped by FN Pakchong on the way back from Isaan. We showed them that Inburi had good turnover (they can verify in their barcode system), and the manager agreed to try us out there as well.

We tried for Pattaya previously... but they had no food section. So no dice.

However, FN Pattaya has recently installed a food section.

OK, so... we recently received a PO from FN Headquarters placing orders for all their stores (normally the two initial stores would order individually and directly to us). That was last week....so they should all have pasta sauce and salsa on-hand by now.

New additions for FN Outlet are:

Kanchanaburi

33/3 หมู่ 3 ถ.แสงชูโต ตำท่าล้อ

อำเภอท่าม่วง จ.กาญจนบุรี 71110

Hua Hin

35 ซ.จรัญสนิทวงศ์ 66/1 ถ.จรัญสนิทวงศ์

แขวงบางพล้ด กทม. 10700

Petchaburi

99/11 ม.1 ต.ต้นมะพร้าว

อ.เมือง จ.เพชรบุรี 76000

Pattaya

19/1 ม.1 ต.หนองปรือ

อ.บางละมุง จ.ชลบุรี

So we finally have a few more venues in the southern region, with FN Petchaburi and Hua Hin.

Been wanting to test the market in Kanchanaburi for some time.... finally.

For those who live in in the above areas, especially Kanchanaburi, please spread the word.

Thanks much

[CNF55]

Dear Chef,

I am a fan of your products which I usually buy at Villa Soi 33.

The one 'complaint' I have is that I find that the jars open too easily i.e. the lid comes off (including the shrink foil) without any resistance and the usual 'plop' which you get when opening a glass jar for the first time. It might not matter but to me there is always a small doubt as to whether the product is fresh.

[thaigerd]

*** ANNOUNCEMENT ***

We are now in all the Fly Now Outlet (aka "FN Factory Outlet") branches.

Originally we were just at FN Outlet Inburi(Singburi) and dealt only with the store manager. Many months later we (wife and I) stopped by FN Pakchong on the way back from Isaan. We showed them that Inburi had good turnover (they can verify in their barcode system), and the manager agreed to try us out there as well.

We tried for Pattaya previously... but they had no food section. So no dice.

However, FN Pattaya has recently installed a food section.

OK, so... we recently received a PO from FN Headquarters placing orders for all their stores (normally the two initial stores would order individually and directly to us). That was last week....so they should all have pasta sauce and salsa on-hand by now.

New additions for FN Outlet are:

Kanchanaburi

33/3 หมู่ 3 ถ.แสงชูโต ตำท่าล้อ

อำเภอท่าม่วง จ.กาญจนบุรี 71110

Hua Hin

35 ซ.จรัญสนิทวงศ์ 66/1 ถ.จรัญสนิทวงศ์

แขวงบางพล้ด กทม. 10700

Petchaburi

99/11 ม.1 ต.ต้นมะพร้าว

อ.เมือง จ.เพชรบุรี 76000

Pattaya

19/1 ม.1 ต.หนองปรือ

อ.บางละมุง จ.ชลบุรี

So we finally have a few more venues in the southern region, with FN Petchaburi and Hua Hin.

Been wanting to test the market in Kanchanaburi for some time.... finally.

For those who live in in the above areas, especially Kanchanaburi, please spread the word.

Thanks much

Could you pm your product list please. We have 2 shops down in Phuket.

thx,

Gerd

[NanaFoods]

Dear Chef,

I am a fan of your products which I usually buy at Villa Soi 33.

The one 'complaint' I have is that I find that the jars open too easily i.e. the lid comes off (including the shrink foil) without any resistance and the usual 'plop' which you get when opening a glass jar for the first time. It might not matter but to me there is always a small doubt as to whether the product is fresh.

Hi CNK55,

Thanks so much for your comments.

Interestingly, when we first started, we heard a few complaints about the jars being too difficult to open, so we adjusted our lid sealing parameters (less torque) and ran reliability studies to be sure there were no issues with yield (meaning, no changes in number of jars that did not achieve vacuum after heat treatment).

We get about 99.5% yield, and FA (failure analysis) of rejects almost always shows the problem is with the lid (so, about 1 out of 200 lids is defective - either damaged/bent or they simply don't lock down onto the jar sufficiently).

Bacteria generate gases and will not only dissipate the vacuum, but the lid centers will pop up, indicating positive pressure, and you don't get that "pop" sound upon opening, but more of a hiss (blowing out). If you are hearing a "pop" upon opening, that is good, as that is a result of the vacuum being broken upon opening - meaning vacuum has been preserved. If vacuum is preserved, this means the product is sterile and safe.

But please be assured, if we are not putting enough torque on the lids, we would see it first at the factory in the form of lower yields.

We have not seen any such anomalies to date.

We definitely don't want lids opening up by accident during routine handling and in-store customer inspection. We have not had any reports of this happening as of yet either. But we can certainly pay close attention on the production line and make sure we have enough torque on the lids.

Thanks again for your feedback.

Edited April 19, 2010 by ChefHeat

[NanaFoods]

ANNOUNCEMENT

A couple more Southern venues that you can soon find Nana Pasta Sauces and El Sapo Salsas,

including our deepest point south to date: Chumphon.

We expect product to be on their shelves by the 25th of this month (April).

---------------------------------------------------

Chumphon

Ocean Mall (in the supermarket)

188/111 ถนน ศาลาแดง ต.ท่าตะเภา

อ.เมือง จ.ชุมพร 86000

Tel: (077) 504-150 (~5)

** This group also operates a small chain of mini-marts throughout the city called "The Big One", and may test our products in those stores as well. So if you live in Chumphon, please keep an eye out. Thanks.

----------------------------------------

Hua Hin

Gee Un Teung Supermarket (pronounced "ji-an teung")

จี้อันตึ๊ง ซุปเปอร์มาร์เก็ต5

7/12 ถ.ชมสินทธุ์ อ.หัวหิน

จ.ประจวบคีรีขันธ์ 77110

Tel: (032) 513-400

Gee Un Teung is an independent market located just outside the busy areas of the city, and may be more convenient for some folks who live in the rural areas, as opposed to going to Villa. We saw a healthy number of farang shopping at Gee Un Teung, so we are quite hopeful it will work out.

---------------------------------------------------

Both are not-so-big supermarkets where about the only other offering is Prego (Gee Un Teung also offers Agnesi), so please tell your friends who live in the area to try us out. THANKS !!

[CNF55]

Chef,

Did you stop producing Amatriciana and Arrabiata? Can't find any at Villa already for a few months - only Mushroom, Regular and Artichoke (which I thought you discontinued some time ago) - and I really miss the Amatriciana!

[NanaFoods]

Chef,

Did you stop producing Amatriciana and Arrabiata? Can't find any at Villa already for a few months - only Mushroom, Regular and Artichoke (which I thought you discontinued some time ago) - and I really miss the Amatriciana!

Thanks for letting us know.

Which branch of Villa are you referring to?

Could be a matter of purchasing....

If you let us know which branch, we can contact them, review inventory, and make sure they order correctly.

If you like, you can also request to talk to the section manager, and ask that he order what you need.

If they have excess inventory at another store, sometimes they can transfer product fairly quickly.

Their ordering cycle with us is once a month.

- We still have some cases of Artichoke remaining at the factory - once those are cleared it will not be available.

Cheers.

[CNF55]

Chef,

Did you stop producing Amatriciana and Arrabiata? Can't find any at Villa already for a few months - only Mushroom, Regular and Artichoke (which I thought you discontinued some time ago) - and I really miss the Amatriciana!

Thanks for letting us know.

Which branch of Villa are you referring to?

Could be a matter of purchasing....

If you let us know which branch, we can contact them, review inventory, and make sure they order correctly.

If you like, you can also request to talk to the section manager, and ask that he order what you need.

If they have excess inventory at another store, sometimes they can transfer product fairly quickly.

Their ordering cycle with us is once a month.

- We still have some cases of Artichoke remaining at the factory - once those are cleared it will not be available.

Cheers.

The Villa at Suk 33.

Thanks.

[NanaFoods]

The Villa at Suk 33.

Thanks.

OK, got it.

The wife will follow up with Villa.

Thanks again.

[NanaFoods]

The Villa at Suk 33.

Thanks.

OK, got it.

The wife will follow up with Villa.

Thanks again.

My wife says that store stopped ordering our Amatriciana because it was not moving "fast enough".

Villa Thong Lor (Suk 55), Ambasador (Suk 11) I think are the nearest locations that still carry Amatriciana and Arrabbiata. Certain Tops stores with high farang customer base (not sure which store near you might that be) carry Amatriciana.

Failing that, you can order from us directly. but min. is one case (12x, but you can mix flavors).

Edited July 14, 2010 by ChefHeat

[CNF55]

The Villa at Suk 33.

Thanks.

OK, got it.

The wife will follow up with Villa.

Thanks again.

My says that store stopped ordering our Amatriciana because it was moving "fast enough".

Villa Thong Lor still carries it as does certain Tops stores with high farang customer base (not sure which store near you might that be).

Failing that, you can order from us directly. but min. is one case (12x).

Thanks, Chef, will check at Villa Thonglor.