Expat Community In Ubon

[hellyes2oo2]

I have posted this on another forum(western food in thailand) but I think this one will get me a better response.I am thinking of opening a shop in Ubon Ratchatani. Specialising in quality meats, cooked meats, bacon, sausages, cheeses,and a range of dry goods, tea bags, sauces, biscuits,and lots of other things that you can buy in your local supermarket back home.I have already got a reliable supplier so that is no problem. What I am trying to find out is if there is a big enough expat community in and around Ubon to make the business a viable proposition.I would really love some input from any expats living in or close to ubon.One other thing, if anyone can help me with is the rental prices on shops in Ubon.I would be looking for a nice sized single unit, or a double unit, so that I could possibly incorporate a cafe in the shop.Thanking you all in advance for any information.

[phibunmike]

I for one would be interested in good sausages and other charcuterie, and cheeses. I don't need sauces or biscuits and I can get Ceylon Tea, Earl Gray, etc. at the existing outlets.

There is quite a large, and increasing, expat population in Ubon. In addition to those seen at Wrong Way, N-joy, etc., there are the many more seen in Tesco and Ubon Watsadu.

You might try asking at Pepper's, or the bars mentioned, for further info. I think off the main road a single shop unit is about 5k. Others know better than I.

Good luck,

Mike

[anthoma]

I would be very interested in a shop like that. I live 100 km south of Ubon city and i go to the city 2 times every month to shop in Tesco ore Makro. I miss good beef-meat, bacon and sausages. As i am making bread in my breadbakingmachine i also would be very interessted in buying dark flavour to make dark bread. Impossible to get that in Ubon. So count me inn as a regular customer.

[lockman]

I have posted this on another forum(western food in thailand) but I think this one will get me a better response.I am thinking of opening a shop in Ubon Ratchatani. Specialising in quality meats, cooked meats, bacon, sausages, cheeses,and a range of dry goods, tea bags, sauces, biscuits,and lots of other things that you can buy in your local supermarket back home.I have already got a reliable supplier so that is no problem. What I am trying to find out is if there is a big enough expat community in and around Ubon to make the business a viable proposition.I would really love some input from any expats living in or close to ubon.One other thing, if anyone can help me with is the rental prices on shops in Ubon.I would be looking for a nice sized single unit, or a double unit, so that I could possibly incorporate a cafe in the shop.Thanking you all in advance for any information.

Well I live outside Mukdahan & visited Ubon trying to get stuff the used to have there without much success, Now shop at Makro in Roiet, and go to Udon Thani to Carrefour and a larger Tops, and now Chern Chim has cheese. Found decent Beef at Thai French outside Sakkon Nakon. Only stuff now I get elsewhere is Pinto beans and cornmeal in BKK if I go there. Ubon is closer, know some guys who go there to shop occasionally from Mukdahan. PM me if you want specifics.

[thrilled]

Udon Thani is the place,but competition will be heavy ,look out

[SantiSuk]

There was a thread a couple of months ago that asked Tv readers to 'vote' where they lived. I seem to recall that Ubon was a very small community compared to Burilam, Khon Kaen and Udon. I think the order was sort of 12% for Burilam and 2% for Ubon to give you an idea of magnitude.

Much though I would love you to open and would be a regular (twice a month?) customer, I think you would struggle. Much better to look for an existing business that might take your products on (the new Italian run by the Italian from Soho London?) and then republicise through Tv.com. Ask around at all the bars and restaurants recommended for expats in the various Ubon threads.

Sorry Ubon guys I know we would love him here, but better he succeeds than comes and goes; yes I know the Ubon community is growing very fast (there seem to be 10 falang on every AA plane whereas there were half that 3 years ago) but its from a small base.

[troehr]

I would certainly enjoy getting some real bacon. However, I doubt you could make a go of it off just the Expat community. I think it is a very small community, others may differ. Khon Kaen, Burriam, Khorat, and of course Udon Thani have much larger Expat communities. I often go a week or two or three without seeing another farang here outside work.

Tim

[MarcoH]

I have to say that i consume good bread from Peppers and my speciality Finnish Bread i got from Chiang Mai(Posted)

Sausages i got from Tesco(Thai german), But if thre would be new meat products with tesco like prices i would sure be a ones a week customer as i buy weeks worth product always and frost it home,, i live only 40K out from town and visiting several times every week, usually Droping in Peppers to chat with lads and have someting to bite.

Ubon expat community is very large, larger than TV poll let to understand as many guys do not post in tv and wanna just be and not make them selfs heard.

I and few other guys organized Expat dinner 24 Feb 2006 and got ctually really nice pack ot from the woods i think together with all GF's, & wifes we got around 75 persons, it was great fun out.

So here is some but the question is, how to get them out...

[hellyes2oo2]

Well I have been on several websites covering the areas I am looking at, and from the advice given, I think that I need to belooking at a central point to cover all the areas, and I have come to the conclusion that ROI ET might be the ideal location. anyone got any thoughts on this.

[sabang]

To make a success of an imported foods store you will need to get the word out to affluent locals as well as expats in Ubon, I would think. There are no shortage of them- Ubon is a regional military, gov't and educational hub, and has it's share of affluent business types. How to reach them, another matter. Certainly the 'non-pub' type upmarket and western restaurants in Ubon rely on their trade more than the expat community.