STRICTLY BUSINESS CPL keen for growth
Having introduced PNG consumers to barista-made coffee (Boncafe), pizza (Eagle Boys) and multiplex cinemas (Paradise Cinemas), CPL has shown itself keen to launch new businesses in PNG.
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million, 5000-square-metre store at Waigani Central. Having introduced PNG consumers to barista-made coffee (Boncafe), pizza (Eagle Boys) and multiplex cinemas (Paradise Cinemas), CPL has shown itself keen to launch new businesses in PNG. Its next move has been into fashion, with the opening of the Jacks of PNG apparel outlet at Waigani Central. Jacks, which originated in Fiji, offers casual wear to consumers and may represent an opportunity for clothing manufacturers in PNG once it is established. “What we want to do is bring that in, but then start rejigging PNG designers to do PNG custom-made clothing,” says Patel. Meanwhile, Boncafe, another profitable business for CPL, grew to seven outlets in 2014 after the latest store opened at Waigani Central. Some of CPL’s other brands have proved more challenging, but Patel is confident of
improvement as they become more efficient and effective. Eagle Boys Pizza, for example, has required a change of approach since CPL launched the Australian brand in 2013. “What we didn’t realise was we had the wrong demographics, because people who eat pizzas here could only afford to eat it at hotels. Our pizza was for the mass market, but the pricing is not quite mass market pricing,” Patel says. He says Eagle Boys management also found that Papua New Guineans preferred thinbased pizza instead of the thick base that was initially offered. “It really comes down to smarter market research,” Patel says. Of all of its brands, Hardware Haus was the only CPL business to record a loss in 2014. Viewing this as an opportunity, Patel says new management has been appointed and an efficiency improvement process is being implemented for the business. n