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"It's our strategy to go out and reach customers rather than just wait for them to visit our 13 restaurants in this current situation. We are confident that our Oishi brand is strong enough to attract consumers in the modern trade channel," vice president Paisal Aosathaporn said last week.

Oishi this year wants to build its prepared food business by tapping convenience stores, supermarkets, hypermarkets and supercentres rather than just keep opening restaurants as before.

The company already has two frozen dishes and two chilled dishes and is developing more menus. It also offers delivery and catering services.

CEO Tan Passakornnatee said the company would use part of its total advertising and marketing budget for this year of Bt5 million-Bt10 million for a TV commercial to promote its variety of menus and also for marketing events, including product sample tastings.

The company expects chilled and frozen foods to account for 3-4 per cent of its total food and restaurant sales.

Oishi is also negotiating with three or four Japanese firms to open restaurant chains in Thailand. It already has clinched a deal to open a Maido food shop in November at Centre Point in CentralWorld.