How much does gourmet food account for in the total of a trip? The domestic and international surveys show that "it's the number one." In 2023, data analyst POLLS surveyed Taiwanese travel preferences. The results showed that 40.8% of the respondents were most willing to increase their budgets for gourmet food, which is 7.6% higher than that for the second-place attraction. In 2024, the international online survey analyst YouGov announced the same. In 17 countries, the interviewees most likely spend their money on food/eating out, which is 3% higher than that on the second place of attractions.

Mr. Wu Bo-yang, born in 1976, foresaw the outcome and dedicated himself to paving the way for Kinmen's businesses in the post-pandemic era. He collaborated with the partners from the "Multi-Employment Promotion Program" to bring together over 50 local businesses to establish an innovative business model for the gourmet food supply chain. After 2 years of continuous refinement, the "General Soldier Banquet" was officially launched in 2024. So far, the Association's overall operations are growing steadily.

As the Chairman of Kinmen Jincheng Houpu Commercial Area Development Association. Mr. Wu Bo-yang said "General Soldier Banquet" is the most important business model design during the development of Houpu Commercial Area and the main reason for the 2 years of preparation and experiment.

The Dishes Introduction of the "General Soldier Banquet" Creates Both Gourmet Food and Listening Enjoyment
Mr. Wu said, "Kinmen is a small county. Houpu Township is the main town center, which has nearly 400 various small shops that we hope to collaborate with.

The business model of the General Soldier Banquet is to present guests with all the local Minnan street foods on one table so that the diners can enjoy the local delicacies in one meal. By the model, the consumers save time waiting in various street food vendors, the vendors increase sales channels, and the commercial area creates job opportunities and forms culturally distinctive catering models, forming a win-win-win strategy.

He also mentioned that all the dishes are purchased from various local street food vendors and are highly popular among the guests. Therefore, the Association doesn't prefer any particular vendors, but it takes turns purchasing so that all the specialty dishes from each vendor have a chance to be served at the General Soldier Banquet.

At the same time, to satisfy the luxury imagination that the diners had for the "General Soldier Banquet," the staff brainstormed to design an introduction for the total of 18 dishes (including Sorghum Sausage, Kinmen Vermicelli, Oyster Fritter, Cantonese Congee, Kinmen Moghania Root Soup, and Beef Soup, etc., depending on the actual situation). Before the dishes are on the table, the servers use their locals' view to introduce the resources of each dish to the diners. For example, the traditional Glutinous Rice Sweet Cake that adds peanuts or red beans is the tea time refreshment made by readily available glutinous rice and peanuts in a time of scarcity. The smooth and sweet texture is similar to that of a sweet rice cake.

Creating a Storytelling Commercial Area for an Immersive Experience
Mr. Wu knew that "uniqueness" is the lure that makes tourists purchase, but he also noticed that there is not much difference between the local gourmet foods due to the similarities in the ingredients. The only way to increase sales is to customize the product packages. To create a "Storytelling Commercial Area" that is closer to the tourists is the right way that the Association first applied for the "Multi-Employment Promotion Program (MEPP)."

The Association strived to apply for the one-year social type of MEPP in the first year. The two MEPP staff walked through all the local businesses to build a local business database and tried to organize a historical drama. Over the next two years, the Association implemented the one-year social type of MEPP, but the staff gradually increased to four. The second year focused on holding small markets, guidance tours, and culture-created products. The third year added the green energy pick-up service by four-wheel electronic assistance bicycles, building the foundation of the micro-economic type of MEPP.

In the Association's plan, the first three years not only created the business foundation but also applied for the digital tools to realize the goal of "Combining with stories and cloud and polishing the Commercial Area brand." Therefore, apart from the traditional guided tour model, the Association also designed an immersive experience that allows visitors to travel through time and space to look at Kinmen's history.

The Tourists Become Soldiers and Travel Through the Past and Present for Tasks
The Association used the entire Houpu Township as a performance scene and the tourists as the soldiers of the General Military Department after they changed their clothes. The Association changed the traditional guide map into a general order, and the soldiers walked step by step from Mofan Street to Houpu 16 Art Zone to complete one task after another.

The entire tour lasts 2-3 hours and costs NT$1,350. It suits individual hipster travelers, especially those interested in "A suitcase of overseas Quemoy" suitcase craftwork. Mr. Wu Bo-yang proudly emphasized, "This alternative tour allowed us to win the championship in the 'Hipster and Literary' category in the '2023 Commercial Area Super Expert Tour Competition' organized by the Small and Medium Enterprise and Startup Administration, Ministry of Economic Affairs.

In 2024, the Association applied for the three-year economic type of MEPP and increased to 9 staff. When hiring the senior staff aged between 50 to 60, he chose the ones who had shop management experience. "Because they are used to communicating with strange customers and know the history of Kinmen. So, they don't need to memorize the scripts of the historical drama."

Use Digitalization to Sell Historical Products and Attract Other Commercial Areas
There's an old saying, "Poverty leads to change, change leads to prosperity, and prosperity leads to longevity," which can be the description of Kinmen. Revising our business thinking in the digital era with an open mind and observing the trends is the creed Mr. Wu encourages with the Association's staff. The "Storytelling Commercial Area" business model has created a ripple effect, attracting many commercial areas from Taiwan island to ask for sister commercial areas. Mr. Wu suggests the 300+ commercial areas in Taiwan that want to be seen by tourists. "The only way is to figure out your unique selling points that are highly recognizable, no matter whether new or old."

Kinmen Houpu Commercial Area Development Association

 

▲The Association uses the entire Houpu Township as a performance scene, asking tourists to change their clothes and transform into soldiers of the General Military Department and turn tour guides into patrols walking through the streets.

▲The large "General Soldier Banquet" for 10 people costs NT$5,000 with a bottle of free Kinmen Sorghum Wine during the promotion period, a great value for money.

▲The Kinmen Houpu General Soldier Banquet allowed consumers not only to enjoy the local gourmet food but also to be amazed by the vision of the dishes.(Photo provided by Kinmen Jincheng Houpu Commercial Area Development Association)
 

Case Story: Multi-Employment Promotion Program
Interviewee: Kinmen Jincheng Houpu Commercial Area Development Association

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Please attribute this article to “Workforce Development Agency, Ministry of Labor.”