By CHERYL LIM

ESTABLISHED homegrown food-and-beverage businesses are finding new ways to entice their customers.

Some, like seafood restaurant chain Fish & Co., have come up with cheaper fast-food versions of their signature cuisine. Others, like Donut Factory, have gone a step further to expand into the fusion-cafe business.

Fish & Co. recently opened its fast-food restaurant, Fish & Co. Express, at Downtown East in Pasir Ris, offering seafood and burger meals at $5.95.

In comparison, a set lunch at Fish & Co. restaurants starts from $12.

Mr Ricky Chew, the managing director of the chain, told my paper that the new concept aims to 'target the fast-food restaurant segment' by offering seafood at affordable prices.

More branches are in the pipeline, depending on the availability of suitable locations and rental rates, he added.

Donut Factory, which has four branches, launched a casual eatery, Urban Pantry, that serves 'Asian-inspired Western food' like tom yum seafood pasta and spicy tomato soup. Prices start from $3.50.

The eatery, situated at Velocity in Novena Square, hopes to complement the Donut Factory branch beside it.

'There is a natural complement to the two concepts by offering our customers a much larger variety of products from which to choose, especially during meal times,' its managing director, Mr Gunter Rahim, said.

He added: 'This is exactly the right time as our prices are very low and our portions are big. So, in times of recession, customers can spend less but still feel very satisfied.'

There are plans to open more Urban Pantry outlets, but the company hopes to expand its menu first, he said.

Veteran nightclub Zouk has turned the space which its deli used to occupy into a concept store selling T-shirts, magazines, CDs and accessories from Tatty Devine and Irregular Choice.

Zouk's assistant marketing manager, Ms Mari Muramoto, said: 'Being on the scene for 18 years, we're no longer just Singapore's pioneer clubbing institution. We have evolved into a subculture and lifestyle.'

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