Sourcing internationally raises concerns of quality control. How do you maintain a clean product? We’re looking very closely at where our raw materials are coming from. We want to have a fit and healthy finished product so we’re looking for the right raw materials to go in there. We can only get the right raw materials from places that are farming the fish and growing the vegetables where we know the process they’re adopting and also their neighbors. You’re not going to be able to get great-tasting fish if the farm has the best practices but it’s located next to the marine shipyard.

Now that the international economy is weakening, are you changing your expansion plans at all? After expanding aggressively in the past few years, it is a good time to take stock of our current situation. While we are still open to new markets and new opportunities, we will assess very carefully before going into the new markets.

As for our existing markets, we are consolidating and might close down stores that are not profitable. By releasing resources from unprofitable stores, we can then look into expanding in areas that have more potential.

In short, we will continue to expand prudently as we believe in being ahead so that when the economy recovers, we’ll be where the bucks are.

Having said all that, we will definitely be keen to explore new ideas and niche markets. We want to be there to tap the next wave of growth. In fact, we are very excited with the opening of the first sushi drive-thru in Singapore in November.

Are the poor-performing stores the fault of franchisees or the markets? It can be multiple factors. Before we enter a market, we do a lot of research, but ultimately there is still risk. We need to manage that risk, but sometimes in certain markets in certain locations it’s just too early. Way back in 1985, conveyor belt sushi was brought to Singapore, and it was too ahead of its time and never took off. So we realize that even though we research the market, there are still unknowns. You can research anything you want, but sometimes ultimately there are some areas that you have to come to the conclusion that it’s too early.

Where do you project the brand to be in five years? We hope to expand into several other markets, including the Middle East.

Is an expansion into the U.S. still on your agenda? Yes, we do not plan to stop at two stores in the U.S., but we will focus on New York. We are definitely here to stay and hope to grow Sakae Sushi farther and build it into the Starbucks of sushi.

Why focus on New York? Originally we wanted to enter the U.S. market in 2001. We were talking to someone in Los Angeles but we had to shelf that plan. Then a couple years ago I was speaking in Pennsylvania about the Asian business perspective and the conclusion at the end of the day was that Sakae Sushi should enter the U.S. market, No. 1, through Chicago and, No. 2, through New York and No. 3 California. I was much more familiar with New York, but Chicago was interesting because it came with a few recommendations in regards to the market competition and the price comparison. But we weren’t able to get a person over there who could open the market.

We found someone in New York, and most people say that that’s the toughest city. If we can make it there, we can make it anywhere.

So, we’re putting on the same crazy hat we did in 1997 while opening our store in Singapore during the Asian financial crisis.

Has there been any franchising interest from the New York locations? We’ve had a lot of inquiries since opening, not just franchising but private equity. But with the current financial state, they have slowed.

We still think of ourselves as a very small enterprise but one with a very big dream. So in America, we’re still on the journey to spread our footprint. That’s why our logo is the frog. A frog doesn’t walk, he hops.