MK HISTORY

The restaurant business is one of the most competitive industries in Thailand.

Food outlets are everywhere, from small carts dotting every street and alleyway to five-star restaurants at some of the world’s finest hotels, and everything in between.

New restaurants face the challenge of differentiating themselves from their more established competitors. While Thai food remains by far the most popular, the number of varieties and new concepts are constantly on the increase. Within the Thai food sector there are a number of successful restaurant chains, including several offering Thai suki, or just “suki” as it is known to Thai people.

Suki was first introduced to Thai consumers more than three decades ago. While the name suki might sound Japanese – and most people might assume it is a variation of Japanese shabu shabu – suki is actually a twist on a Chinese steamboat dish. But it is uniquely Thai.

Perhaps more than any other restaurant sector, the suki business is dominated by large chain restaurants. MK Restaurants, one of Thailand’s suki chains (formerly known as MK Suki), has been serving Thai consumers for more than twenty years. More recently, it has taken its successful formula to several destinations overseas, with a total of twenty restaurants opened outside Thailand in the past eight years. MK serves a wide range of customers. The great taste of MK’s suki and the enjoyment customers get out of cooking their own food at their own table appeal to all age groups, from children and teens to adults and seniors. Suki is also a popular choice for dining out in large groups. The high concentration of vegetables combined with quality cuts of meats and seafood as main ingredients – all boiled rather than fried – has allowed suki to capitalise on the growing trend of healthier eating among the population at large.

ACHIEVEMENTS
MK Restaurants was the first suki chain to use electric suki pots at every table. Before MK, suki restaurants in Thailand used gas stoves which were dangerous and has been the cause of numerous explosions and fires around Thailand. MK also introduced an innovative serving plate called “condo” to alleviate the problem of limited table-top space. Condo plates can be stacked high to help free up table space.

In recognition of its consistently high standards, MK Restaurants has been awarded ISO 9001: 2000 status for attaining exceptionally high quality in manufacturing ready-to-cook products (fresh food, suki-sauce, dim sum, roast duck and dessert) and best practice among chain restaurants: service for food , beverage and home delivery. Along with its ISO status, MK Restaurants has also received HACCP and GMP certification.

In addition to frequent recognition for the quality of its food and high management standards, MK has been recognised frequently in recent years for outstanding advertising campaigns.