What's a company to do when sales slump and interest in its product or service fades? One option: A major makeover. Tammy picked a couple of examples which are familiar in Taiwan from the article "Big Name makeovers 2008" on WalletPop to share with all my friends!
M&M's
高檔巧克力市場不斷擴張的今天，M&M's 製造公司 Mars 當然也不會放過這區塊，推出了 M&M's Premiums。1941年上市，特地為戰場上士兵所設計的零食，強調『只融你口、不融你手』的 M&M's，如今也增加了新風貌.....
The high-end chocolate market is expanding, so Mars is trying to cash in with M&M's Premiums, a specialty line of the candy which was launched in 1941 as a treat for soldiers that wouldn't melt in the battlefield.
The new version comes in brightly-colored boxes, rather than small bags, and comes in flavors like chocolate almond, raspberry almond, mocha, triple chocolate and mint. The biggest difference is that the new version does not have that signature crunchy candy shell, but instead has a softer glaze and each nugget is larger than a regular M&M.
Iced tea is more popular than ever, and so Nestea has decided to make its bottles look as different as possible from traditional soda bottles.
Sales in the tea category went up 24 percent in 2007 -- with green tea sales skyrocketing in particular -- and so now Nestea wants tea to stand on its own. The new bottles are sleek and thin with clean graphics that call out the antioxidant content and all-natural elements of the flavoring.
Judging by the sudden surge in popularity, you might think iced tea is a relatively new phenomenon, but Nestea, which is owned by Coke, has been around for 50 years.
※ 殘念的是，上面這些新產品＆新設計，台．灣．通．通．都．沒．有.....
※ Too bad is, all of those new product line & new designs CAN'T BE SEEN IN TAIWAN.....
Located @ the area where are always lots of students & youngsters, the old time Taiwan style bakery works hard to fight the higher and higher raw material costs, insist to provide their merchandise with same prices as before.
However, the good bargain breads in the past, is now cannot help but shrink to such cute size, smaller than Tammy's palm.....
Been to Taipei a few weeks ago. Since I still had some free time, I had lunch @ Breeze Center @ 2nd floor of Taipei Train Station.
逛了一圈下來，主要目的就是尋找這家店啦～ Rambling around the center, the main purpose was looking for this store~ 拉麵花月 嵐 (日本らあめん花月官網請由此進)，自去年10月底微風美食廣場開幕以來，看過一些介紹，就一直想找機會嚐嚐，看它是否真如報導所言的好吃。
Ramen Kagetsu Arashi (Click Ramen Kagetsu to Japan's official site). Tammy had read some articles about it since Breeze Center was open, and always wanted to have a try.
MENU 設計還蠻精緻的呢～ Menu's design looked nice~ 泰咪媽點的大蒜拳骨拉麵 (原湯口味) 嗯～有達到一定程度的水準，不錯！ Tammy's mom ordered Ninniku Genkotsu Ramen (soup made of garlic & pig's bone). Mm.... it reached a certain level, not bad~ 泰咪的大蒜拳骨白濃拉麵 這個湯頭好喝哦！但過熟的水煮蛋有點令人感到遺憾啊..... Tammy had Ninniku Genkotsu Ramen Shiro (soup had same base as above, plus natural salt from Japan). This soup was tasty! but I didn't like the egg was too well-done..... 特製嗆辣韭菜 (真的會辣吔.......) Specially made spicy leeks. (It was really hot!!) 花月嵐特製秘傳拉麵醬油 (有大蒜味) MENU上介紹如果覺得湯頭味道不夠，可以加這味，但泰咪把它拿來沾稍後的煎餃。 Specially made soy sauce for ramen (with garlic flavor) Said on menu this can be added to the soup if you think it is not salty enough. Tammy used it as dip for gyoza (fried dumpling). 煎餃上菜～ 味道普普，而且表皮煎得不夠酥脆 Here came the gyoza~ The taste was nothing special, and the skin wasn't crispy enough. 麵條煮得有點過軟，而且不是日本一般拉麵慣用的那種麵條，大概在台灣難找到相似的吧？ Ramen (noodle) itself was a bit overcooked (too soft), and it was not the same ramen used in Japan. Guess it might be hard to find the same kind in Taiwan? 叉燒肉還不差，油脂還算適中。不像大多數在台灣的日本拉麵，為了考量一般人怕吃肥肉，都選用太瘦的腿肉。 不過，那肉片能切得這～麼薄，老實說真令人佩服....... Chashu pork was not bad, enough fat in it. Not like most Japanese Ramen in Taiwan, consider that most people don't like too much grease, and use the lean. One more thing, I had to admire that they can slice the pork to such thin slices..... 點餐時店員告訴我們，他們的湯頭比較濃，如果到時覺得太鹹，可以請他們加水。泰咪 & 泰咪媽喝過之後的一致結論是：的確比之前吃過的別家店好很多，但還是沒日本的濃啦！ The staff told us their soup is stronger than others, they could add hot water for us if we weren't used to this kind of flavor. After give it a try, Tammy & mom's conclusion was : It did really taste better than others, but still not rich enough as the real ramen soup in Japan!
整體來說，進軍到台灣的拉麵花月 嵐，在製作、取材環境都不同的條件下，雖然仍舊比不上日本道地口味是必然的結果，但它已經是泰咪目前為止在台灣吃過最夠水準的日本拉麵了！(或許還有比它更好的，只是泰咪孤陋寡聞不曉得啦～) Generally speaking, facing the different ingredients & production conditions, I've always known it'll be a sure thing that Ramen Kagetsu Arashi in Taiwan still couldn't reach the regular level in Japan. However, it was truly the best Japanese ramen I've ever had in Taiwan so far! (maybe there must be some more better ones out there, just I don't know yet.)
推薦給各位和泰咪一樣愛吃的好友們，也找機會去試試吧！ If you like to taste any different stuff as Tammy, I recommend all my friends to try it!
Postscript : The High Speed Rail Tammy took at that day looked a bit old & rusty. After seeing this sign I'd just known it actually was the very first Taiwan High Speed Rail Train, and start being on active duty since 30th, January, 2004!
The Momofuku Ando Instant Ramen Museum, quietly locating at the suburb of Osaka, an area where let Tammy felt : It must be great if I can live in such environment......
催生世界第一包泡麵的人 ─ 安藤百福 (吳百福)，是個台灣人呢！ Inventor of the world's 1st instant ramen (noodle), Momofuku Ando. And he was a Taiwanese!
和化石有著相同地位的偉大發明?!?! The epochal invention as great as the fossil?!?!
世界第一包泡麵就在這小屋裡製造出來的唷～ Where the world's 1st instant noodle was born.
好大的 CUP NOODLE 呀～ Wow, BIG CUP NOODLE!
蔥還蠻真的耶！ Green onion looks quite real!
古早的 CUP NOODLE 販賣機 (讓泰咪想起早期台灣也有的，現沖熱咖啡或加冰塊杯裝汽水的販賣機) CUP NOODLE vending machine in the old time.
開始製作屬於自己的 CUP NOODLE Start making my own CUP NOODLE
嗯... 該畫些什麼好呢??? Thinking about what to draw on the cup......
埋頭苦幹埋頭苦幹~~ Everybody concentrated on drawing~~~
將將～ MY CUP NOODLE 完成！(其實對畫圖苦手的人還真是種折磨啊.....) MY CUP NOODLE is done!
轉轉轉，把麵塊裝進碗裡 Spin the handle to put the noodle in.
選自己專屬的湯頭和配料 Choose our own soup flavor & trimming
蓋上杯口，等待送上刑台.... (啊，不是啦，是等待下一個步驟啦~~~ XD) Cover it up
封上熱縮膜 Seal the cup
大功告成！還有個充氣袋可以保護心愛的 CUP NOODLE 呢！ Completely done! It even has an air bag for protecting my own CUP NOODLE!
記念館內還有販售各地區限定泡麵的販賣機哦！這是 JAL 商務艙以上限定的泡麵呢～ Some specific areas limited flavors are sold in the museum. These are served in JAL flights, BUSINESS CLASS (or higher) ONLY!
It's the experiencing class of making the world's 1st instant noodle - Nissin Chicken Ramen. From mixing dough to packaging, you can produce a totally your own pack of noodle! Too bad the class was already full 1 month before we visit the museum.....
好久沒到通天閣所在的「新世界」附近去了，不曉得附近可有什麼變化..... It's been long time Tammy didn't visit the "New World" area which Tsutenkaku was at. Wonder if there's any change over there.....
地鐵站出口看到的通天閣 View of Tsutenkaku from the exit of subway station.
