Entrepreneurship - Sarpino's Pizzeria

I've just heard the news from my mother. Sarpino's had set up a branch at the Singapore Discovery Centre. Another branch at Sentosa Beachfront will be opening soon. My uncle, who is one of the shareholders, is now planning to set up yet another branch at the Singapore Science Centre, in a unit somewhere near Snow City.

I have only ONE thing to say about this, “TAKE IT EASY, Sarpino’s!” It has been less than a year since the 1st Sarpino’s Pizzeria had been set up in Singapore, and around October this year, there will be a total of 6 branches in Singapore? That would be 6 branches in around 15 months!

I understand that the government of Singapore is encouraging its people in becoming entrepreneurs, but let’s think about it, the prices in Sentosa are higher than that of Singapore Mainland. The branch at East Coast isn’t doing very well either. I don’t know about the branch at Eastpoint (Simei), but I don’t think it’s a right choice to open so many branches so soon. Sarpino’s should at least help resolve the problem at East Coast first. Hello, there’s something called publicity, you know.

In my opinion, it’s also not a very good idea to set up a branch near Snow City. The branch should be either set up in an area near the Annexe Building or beside McDonalds. Why? I’ll tell you my analysis: If the branch is set up near Snow City, the flow of customers varies directly to the number of visitors to Snow City (with the exception of the minor percentage whom ordered via the hotline). According to my “market survey”, there aren’t many visitors to Snow City on normal schooldays, and that is an abysmal sign.

But, it if the branch is set up beside McDonalds, it might be slightly better. McDonalds is the only F&B place, where the visitors of the SSC, Omni-Theatre and Snow City could get a decent meal that fills you up at a more affordable price, in the SSC area. Other F&B places in the SSC area serve either snacks only or meals at a much higher price. Naturally, visitors would visit McDonalds for their meals, and by setting up Sarpino’s could give the visitors a wider variety of choices and there’s no better place than beside McDonalds. It could be seen once visitors approach the main entrance of the SSC to purchase their admission tickets.

I can’t understand why NTUC Income offered that unit (that is near Snow City) to Sarpino’s anyway. Are they trying to promote Sarpino's? Maybe.