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Featured Vendor: Mr. Waffle

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This week’s featured vendor is Mr. Waffle. Come to the market this Saturday to get a taste of this fluffy and sweet treat!
How did Mr. Waffle get started?
The idea of selling real authentic handmade Belgian waffles here in Shanghai was born somewhere in 2011, but it was just an idea back then. I only made the decision to fully go for it after the company I worked for (and that brought me to China mid 2010) retreated from the Chinese market last year. In July 2013 I started off with searching for the most authentic recipes, testing, testing and more testing. In September 2013 I finally opened my online shop and later in the year I did my first (Christmas) markets. In January I came to Jiashan market for the first time, liked it a lot, and now I’m here to stay!
 
What makes Mr. Waffle unique?
All my waffles are all handmade following the most authentic Belgian recipes and using the highest quality local and imported ingredients. I don’t use any artificial flavouring, preservatives or anything else not natural. No shortcuts are taken, which means lots of work, but you will taste that in the end result. And that is what counts!
Next to the most famous fresh Belgian waffles (the Brussels style and Liege style) I also have an assortment of cookie style waffles that can be enjoyed as coffee, tea or anytime-of-the-day snack. The Liege waffle and the cookie waffles are sold also online on my website, TaoBao shop and more recently also on kateandkimi.com and at Juicycle, a healthy juice shop on 35 Nanyang Rd, behind Plaza 66. I hope to add more sales points soon and eventually I want to open my own small waffle house, of course!
The Brussels waffle can only be made and served fresh and is therefore currently exclusively for markets and events.
 
What has been your favorite thing about running your own business? 
It always has been my dream to start my own business, and so far it has been great for sure! The thing I like the most is the total freedom you have and to see your hard work paid off if your customers really like it and taste the difference!
My ultimate dream is to built a brand that people associate with healthy, natural and handmade and it’s great to work for that everyday.
Shanghai is a perfect place to do that, since there’s so much interest, by locals and expats alike, in food specialities from around the globe and it’s great and motivating to see there’s so many others doing something similar (and succeeding in it!)
 
Have there been any challenges? If so, how did you overcome them?
Challenges in running you’re own business are numerous, and important! They will tell you what to do, will push you to go further, try harder, grow & exceed  your own capabilities. It’s what other people get from having a great boss, business owners get from a good challenge!
So far the biggest challenge for me was to register and set up the legal side of the business; which, as most things in China, took a lot of patience and time. Fortunately I got a great agent to help me on that!
Another, more waffle related challenge, is an ongoing one: to adopt great Belgian recipes to local taste. I want every waffle to be most authentic, but at the mean time also appealing to the local taste. My ‘Mons’ matcha waffle is a great result of that: the base recipe is a typical Belgian waffle, but slightly changed to local taste by adding Matcha green tea to it.
This approach I want to continue following when developing more waffles in the future!
 
What is your favorite thing about the Saturday markets?
Definitely the community spirit! Since the focus of the market is international food, it’s great to meet and talk to others, exchange ideas and challenges, get and give tips and just have a good time!
I’ve only been here 3 times now, so not the greatest weather so far, but I can already imagine the space on a sunny Spring morning, great food smell everywhere and just people chilling around having a good time!
What is your favorite place or thing to do in Shanghai?
Oh, so many things! On the top of the list is biking or strolling around my favorite area, the FFC. Second is chilling on a lazy afternoon at the West Bund area.
And sunny afternoons on one of the many great rooftop bars, drinking 1 or more Duvels and thinking how great it is that Shanghai has so many Belgian beers available. And now they have great waffles too. Life’s good.
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Blog

March 1st Market Recap

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Even  though it was cold outside, our fearless vendors were out in full force. Tables of handmade goods and homemade food were looking beautiful and delicious. In addition, the Shanghai Rugby Team revved everyone up with the Haka. Thanks to everyone who braved the weather to join us!

 

 

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Blog Featured Vendor

Featured Vendor: Staxx Wine

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Today we have an interview with Steve and Mat of Staxx Wine, one of the original vendors at Jiashan Market. Come taste a sample of their delicious wine offerings this Saturday from 11-4!

How did Staxx Wine get started?

Mat Morgan and Steve Hitchcock first started talking about a general idea in 2010 with general musings about the lack of good wine for a good price.  In early 2012, we started talking more in detail and by that Spring we started searching for our shop location.  We opened Staxx for business September 1st, 2012 on Jiaozhou lu in JingAn.

What makes Staxx unique?

Staxx offers good value wines at discounted pricing based on single order sales volume.  The spirit is simple, to offer a curated selection of quality wines at great prices.   By design our shop environment is very casual and relaxed to welcome customers both foreign and local.

What has been your favorite thing about running your own business?

We are able to get fairly creative with our brand and activity, and the best thing about this freedom is we receive good results.  Meeting satisfied customers that enjoy our selection is probably the high point.

Have there been any challenges? If so, how did you overcome them?

This was our first hands on experience with a brick & mortar retail business.  Along the way we’ve encountered many challenges, cultural and technology driven issues seem to be the big and constant ones. Overcoming challenges is really about team work, putting our heads together and working through our options and actions, after all two heads are better than one, right? We are both pretty proud what Staxx has accomplished, it’s become a neighborhood destination for dependable wines and we believe offers something unique to Shanghai’s retail landscape. We are not perfect yet, but we hope that makes the shop a little more endearing and give us some character.

What is your favorite thing about the Saturday markets?

It’s social and it’s fun.  Every market seems to have its own personality depending on the people and weather that comes through that day.  Over the years, we’ve made many friendships with fellow vendors and customers.  Many people we may never have met, but that s the beauty of market life, it’s a hodge podge of great people and great products.

What is your favorite place or thing to do in Shanghai?

For Steve, it’s riding my mountain bike from home in JingAn out through Baoshan until reaching the Yangze River with ChongMing Dao off in the near distance.

For Mat, it’s finding great food to go with the wine I take home form work, addition I like to skate one of the few miniramps in Shanghai when I find time, but I admit that is getting harder with work, age and a slowly in increasing waistline.

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Blog Featured Vendor

Featured Vendor: Infinite Twist

 

Today we have an interview with Cate from Infinite Twist. Come see her beautiful hand dyed yarn and cozy knits this Saturday from 11-4!

How long have you been in business?

Infinite Twist will celebrate its second anniversary this May. What a wild ride it’s been!

What is your background? How did you end up in the business you’re in?

I used to do Product Marketing for Apparel and Accessories, and that’s what initially brought me to China.

After finding my corporate experience unfulfilling, I was ready to take the leap and do something different. Infinite Twist was born out of the dream to create something of my own, based around what I love most – yarn!

Now, I spend my days dyeing yarn and fiber, designing knitwear, making kits, and teaching classes for knitters of all levels. I love what I do!

What has been the biggest challenge so far in the running and setting up of your business?

Time – why is there not more of it? It’s true what they say – you work so much harder when you’re working for yourself, but the work itself is a lot more fun. I just wish there was an extra day in the week.

Out of all your products, which is your favourite?

My favorites are the Paintbox knitting kits. They contain around a dozen different yarns, 500 yards in all, each a different color. They’re really fun to make, and to knit with!

Have you any advice for someone setting up a market stall for the first time?

Tell your friends! It’s always a treat to see a friendly face, and the people who already know and love you are the ones most likely to come down and support your new venture.

What do you enjoy most about the Shanghai Saturday Markets?

The quesadillas! I spent my childhood in San Diego, and the pesto chicken quesadilla is my soul food.

I also love being able to do my weekly shopping directly from the purveyor – getting my cheese from Daniel, jams and chutneys from Amelia, and olive oil from Kastro’s is truly a delight!

Finally, what is your favourite place in Shanghai/thing to do in Shanghai?

I love the trimmings market on Renmin Lu. It’s a great place to let your creative imagination run amok in a four-floor paradise of buttons, ribbon, pompoms, feathers, beads, rhinestones, and more.

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Featured Vendor: The British Kitchen

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Today, we have an interview with James from The British Kitchen. Come on down to Jiashan this Saturday, 11 – 4, to see all his amazing baked goods!

How long have you been in business?
The British Kitchen has been open for business since June 2012 so we have been selling our products for just over a year – and what a year it has been!

What is your background? How did you end up in the business you’re in?
Interesting enough my professional background isn’t food related, but rather the design Industry. I decided to set up The British Kitchen as I love eating and making food, but found it impossible to find some of the most interesting traditional British desserts I typically enjoy eating back home. This has formed the cornerstone of what we make for the markets – to this day I have yet to find someone else who makes Lemon Drizzle Cakes, Peppermint Caramels and Apple and Plum Crumbles here in Shanghai.

What has been the biggest challenge so far in the running and setting up of your business?
Without a doubt is has to be balancing a full time Architect’s job with what feels like being a full time baker! I do most of the cooking for the Markets after work on a Friday after work and so all too often find myself icing fairycakes or wrapping caramels at 1am. I secretly quite enjoy the all the craziness though!

Out of all your products, which is your favourite?
Tough question! If I was pushed though it would either be our Lemon Drizzle Cakes, British Brownies, or Gingerbread. In fact the Gingerbread we make is quite unique and takes its inspirations from a small yet world famous shop in Grasmere, England. We even make our own preserved ginger for the recipe – that’s how serious we are about flavour!

Have you any advice for someone setting up a market stall for the first time?
Make sure you’re organised and write a list for everything you think you’ll need. Also think about how you want your display to look before you come – you might have the best product in the world but it has to grab the attention of the customer within the first 5 seconds. And of course the selling is so much fun so don’t forget to enjoy yourself!

What do you enjoy most about the Shanghai Saturday Markets?
I really enjoy just talking to customers and other stall owners, both regular and new – whether it be about food, their next holiday, or just simply life in Shanghai, it always feels like a big family gathering.

Finally, what is your favourite place in Shanghai/thing to do in Shanghai?
Food of course, but at risk of sounding like a total glutton I will say watching lightening storms. The Architectural Practice I work for is quite high up in the sky, and I remember being glued to the window for an hour last year during a particularly intense one. Every 30 seconds there would be a dazzling fork of lightening, followed by a rumble so loud it made the glass shake.