ScandAsia South East Asia - February 2015

FEB 2015
Malaysia
Indonesia
Philippines
Vietnam
Cambodia
Laos
Denmark opens new
Embassy in Manila
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Norway Asia Summit
2015
When: April 16 – April 18, 2015
Where: New Delhi, India
Photo: Norway Asia Summit 2015
The fifth edition of the Norway-Asia Business
Summit will present opportunities for Norwegian
companies in the region, as well as for colleagues
coming from Norway, for a rich mix of discussions on
business in Asia, Asian economics and Asian politics.
This time, in addition looking into developments in
the host country, India and discussing the possible
regional impacts of these and how Norwegian
businesses can contribute.
While Asia continues to entice, India is
currently the new appealing country on the block.
Mr Narendra Modi, India’s new Prime Minister,
promises to make India the most attractive
destination for business, with several new initiatives,
and rectification of old challenges. Amongst them,
PM Modi’s call to “Make in India” has sent out a
positive message across the globe.
Of course, to top all of this, you will also get
to acquaint yourself with India’s rich culture and
gastronomic experiences.
Time to block your calendar for this event!
Further details will follow here and on the Summit
web page.
Visit Norway-Asia Business Summit Facebook
Page for news and updates about the event.
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SWEA weekend outing
to Cameron Highlands
When: April 18-19, 2015
Where: Cameron Highlands resort, Malaysia
For inquiries: nasha@malaiadventures.com
Photo: Malaysian government’s tourism
promotion agency
Bring your family and join us SWEA up in the cool
mountains of Cameron Highlands. We organize
a weekend outing for all members of the family
at special prices and free ‘afternoon tea’. We
NBCP Gala Dinner
When: March 26, 2015
Where: To be announced
For inquiries: +63 2 759 2246
or info@nbcp.com.ph
Photo: Nordic Business Council Philippines
have access to a limited number of rooms so the
reservation is on a first come, first served basis.
Package Price: RM370 per person sharing a
double room
Nordic Business Council Philippines, a business
support organization serving the Nordic business
community in the Philippines, will hold a Gala
Dinner to mark its second anniversary.
The NBCP was founded to help bringing in
more Nordic investments to create jobs and to
fuel the growth of the Philippine economy.
One highlight of the evening will be the
presentation of the NBCP Awards to Philippinesbased
Nordic companies which have done well in
business and CSR activities.
The Nordic Business Council of the Philippines,
Inc. (NBCP) is a Filipino registered non-stock, nonprofit
organization that promotes and facilitates
trade, commerce, industry, and investment between
the Philippines and the Nordic (Denmark, Finland,
Iceland, Norway, Sweden) and Baltic (Estonia,
Latvia, Lithuania) countries.

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News Brief
Vietnam waives visas for Nordic tourists
The Vietnamese government on December
29, 2014 issued a resolution on waiving
visas within a certain time period for tourists
from seven countries, starting in January.
The waiver will be applied to citizens from
Russia, Japan, South Korea, Denmark, Norway,
Sweden and Finland, according to the Vietnam
News Agency.
Tourists from those countries whose
temporary stay in Vietnam does not exceed 15
days are eligible for the visa waiver irrespective
of the kind of passport they are holding and the
purpose of their trip.
The waiver is to be applied to tourists from
the said countries within five years, from January
1, 2015 to December 31, 2019, before renewal is
considered.
Photo: Aung San Suu Kyi
Photo: Claude TRUONG-NGOC @ WikiCommons
Suu Kyi to
Scandinavia:
keep pressure
on Myanmar’s
generals
New Volvo truck range gains traction
in SE Asia
Barely a few months into its Asia launch, the
new range of Volvo Trucks so impressed
customers that key agreements have been
inked to supply regional hauliers. Pak Nam Po
Transport of Thailand, Felda Transport of Malaysia
and PT.PEC-Tech Services of Indonesia are among
the first to benefit from the new range. volvotrucks
Comprising of the completely redesigned FH,
FM and FMX, the new Volvo truck range leapfrogs
the market standards in the crucial areas of uptime,
productivity, fuel efficiency and safety.
Shortly after the new trucks’ Asian premiere in
May this year, Volvo Trucks continued its momentum
of delivering better services and maintenance to
key markets across Asia Pacific, with significant
investments amounting close to US$150 million.
The most recent development was the opening
of Volvo Group Thailand’s flagship dealership in
Bangna as well as new headquarters which will
provide regional oversight for Thailand, Myanmar,
Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam and the Philippines.
Three years after the regime in Myanmar
opened up for reforms and democratic
development, the country’s iconic
opposition politician Aung San Suu Kyi says that
the reform process has almost come to a halt.
In an interview with the Danish national
broadcaster DR, she urges Scandinavian politicians
not to be blinded by the economic opurtunities
in the country and put a pressure on Myanmar’s
generals.
“We have always appreciated the support
from Denmark and the Scandinavian countries
in the battle for democracy and freedom here
in this country. But now we will ask you to, once
again, keep a close eye on the development
and not to be too optimistic,” Aung San Suu Kyi
said to DR.
Some of the biggest investors from Scandinavian
countries are Danish brewer Carlsberg that is
building a DKK 400 million brewery in Myanmar
and Norwegian telecom Telenor that has a selfproclaimed
goal to become market leader in the
country.
4 ScandAsia.South East Asia • February 2015

Vietnam on Finnair’s scheduled flights next winter
News Brief
Finnair is offering new scheduled flights to
popular holiday destinations for next winter
season, including Ho Chi Minh City, Eilat,
Lanzarote, Fuerteventura and Madeira. Several of
these destinations have previously been served
with flights chartered by tour operators, but by
now offering scheduled services, Finnair is catering
to increasing demand from travelers who prefer to
tailor their own holiday experience. Finnair-A330-
300-OH-LTM-10Grd-S
Flights to Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City are
operated once a week between 10 December
2015 and 24 March 2016. Ho Chi Minh City,
previously named Saigon, is the largest city in
Vietnam, with 9 million people living in the
metropolitan area
Norwegian salmon exports soar
Norwegian salmon is selling like never
before, all over the world. Both prices and
production have jumped, despite the loss
of major markets in Russia and China, and profits
are expected to rise even higher next year.
Norwegian salmon raised in farms like this
Cermaq facility is selling briskly, despite Russian
sanctions and blocked markets in China.
Norwegian salmon raised in farms like this
Cermaq facility is selling briskly, despite Russian
sanctions and blocked markets in China.
“No one saw this coming,” Christian Chramer,
a director of the seafood marketing association
Norges Sjømatutvalg, told newspaper Dagens
Næringsliv (DN). “When Russia closed its borders
to Norwegian salmon in August, and relations with
China got worse, many thought that exports of
salmon would be hit hard. Instead, we sold much
more to the EU and the US.”
Norwegian salmon producers also started
selling more to Asia, even though China blocked
imports as part of its ongoing diplomatic freeze
with Norway. “The industry has the ability to
adapt quickly and work towards new markets,”
Chramer said. “We have increased sales to Asia,
to strong markets like Indonesia, Thailand, Taiwan
and Singapore.”
Kotkamills invests in Malaysia, Finland
will increase the production capacity of Imprex
overlaying films in its mill in Kotka in Southern
Finland. In addition to the capacity increase, the
new line will also enable the expanding of the
Imprex product range.
There are altogether about 90 persons
working for the Imprex business area in Finland and
Malaysia. The Imprex products are produced by
converting the Absorbex paper which is produced
in the company in Finland. The customers of the
Imprex products are the plywood and the laminate
industries.
The leading producer of laminating paper
products, Kotkamills, starts an about
13 million euros two-phase investment
programme to strengthen its position as the leading
global supplier of overlaying films for plywood
industry. kotka
In the first phase the company invests in a new
impregnation production line in its subsidiary, L.P.
Pacific Films, in Malaysia. The new line will start up
by the end of the year 2015.
According to the plan, in the second phase of
the investment programme in 2016 the company
February 2015 • ScandAsia.South East Asia 5

News Brief
Singapore-based Swedish
firms visit Indonesia
Photo: Embassy of Sweden in Singapore
A
Swedish Business Delegation comprising high-level representatives
from twelve companies, largely based in Singapore, visited Jakarta on
25-27 January 2015.
The event was organized by the Embassies of Sweden in Jakarta and
Singapore in close cooperation with the Swedish Business Association of
Singapore. The Business Delegation was led by the Ambassador of Sweden to
Indonesia, Johanna Brismar Skoog, together with Håkan Jevrell Ambassador of
Sweden to Singapore.
The purpose of the visit was to identify business opportunities and to
get a better understanding of the economic and political developments in
Indonesia.
EU doubles aid to Philippines
The European Union on January 13 renewed its seven-year support
strategy to the Philippines and more than doubled the figure for its
development aid for 2014 to 2020. eu_phil
Ambassador Guy Ledoux of the European Union Delegation to the
Philippine signed with NEDA Deputy Director General Rolando Tungpalan a
letter confirming a new P17 billion (US$313 million)grant, which climbed from
P7 billion ($156 million) for the 2007 to 2013.
“The fact that the governance has improved and that the current
administration certainly also played a role in increasing EU assistance to the
Philippines, in a sense that we suddenly feel that EU aid to the Philippines has
more impact,” Ledoux said in a press conference.
Ledoux said that the EU will be focusing on the rule of law and energy in
the coming years, while dedicating a significant chuck of its aid to conflicted ares
of Mindanao in support of its upcoming transition to the Bangsamoro region.
EU member states also reaffirmed their commitment to the country’s
development, and presented a diversity of projects.
Danish Ambassador Jan Top Christensen, meanwhile, urged Manila to
address the income gap between the rich and the poor and to further work
on its relations with the EU.
“It is important to mature relations between the EU and the Philippines,
to move from the grand level to the commercial level, because that’s where
you get really substantial change,” Christensen said.
He also vowed that Denmark will continue to be present whenever the
Philippines encounters humanitarian problems, such was the case after the
wrath Supertyphoon Yolanda in the Visayas.
Embassy launches
“Viking Biking” trips
Two Danish Embassy employees going for a cycling trip in a Danish cargo-bike
“Christiania Cykel” to promote the new initiative. Photo: Danish Embassy in
Indonesia
The Danish and Norwegian embassies are starting a new bi-monthly
bicycle trip to promote cycling and Scandinavian cycling culture in
Indonesia.
The first Viking Biking trip will be in Jakarta on February the 6th, where
the embassies together with local cycle promotion organization Bike2Work
Indonesia invite people from the political, cultural and private sector to join
cycle enthusiasts and show some support to bicycle commuting.
In Copenhagen 50 percent of the population uses a bike to commute, in a
press release the embassies and NGO express a hope that one day the bicycle
will become the preferred vehicle for commuting in Jakarta, a transition that
would have a positive impact on both pollution and public health.
6 ScandAsia.South East Asia • February 2015

February 2015 • ScandAsia.South East Asia 7

1
Denmark
opens new Embassy in Manila
By Lasse Henriksen
2
After a 13 year blackout, a new
Danish Embassy officially opened in
Manila Thursday the 22ndJanuary.
Attending the opening were a
trade delegation consisting of 18
Danish companies, eager to explore Southeast
Asia’s fastest growing economy.
On the 11th floor of the 11th Corporate
center on the 11th Avenue in Manila’s fast
growing largely commercial neighborhood Fort
Bonifacio Global City, Thursday the 22nd January
2015 the ribbon to the new Danish Embassy
were cut by the Philippines Secretary of Foreign
Affairs Albert F. Del Rosario and Danish Trade
and Development Minister Mogens Jensen.
“I’ve been to a couple of Embassy openings,
in my time as a Minister, and this is by far the
biggest crowd I have seen, it is very promising
for our presence here. It looks like Philippine
and a lot of Danish companies have been missing
a Danish Embassy,” Trade and Development
Minister Mogens Jensen started his opening
speech.
The large interest from Danish companies
and investors, were matched by the new
Ambassador Jan Top Christensen’s optimism,
one of his personal goals is to double the Danish
exports to the
Philippines in his years of service. The
opening, were mainly attended by Danish and
Filipino companies, politicians, bureaucrats and
NGO’s.
Ready for business
Like the crowd, the speeches from new
ambassador Jan Top Christensen, Danish
Minister Mogens Jensen and Albert F. Del
8 ScandAsia.South East Asia • February 2015

3
4 5
1. Danish Trade and Development Minister
Mogens Jensen cutting the ribbon together
with Albert F. Del Rosario, Secretary of
Foreign Affairs of the Philippines.
2. From the Embassy you can see Manila’s
Fort Bonifacio Global City taking shape, an
area that was a military camp until 1995.
3. The new Danish Ambassador to the Philippines
Jan Top Christensen.
4. All interior is imported from Denmark,
from carpet to coat hanger. Here is one of
the guests at the opening of the Embassy
testing an adjustable desk.
5. Quite many people attended the opening
ceremony of the new embassy - including
next generation beneficiaries.
Rosario were focused on business. Mogens
Jensens speech highlighted the recent years’
impressive growth rates, the initiatives that
have been taken to fight corruption, drastic
improvement of the Philippines ranking on
Transparency International’s corruption index
and the vast range of reforms introduced by
President Benigno Aquino’s government since
2010 were applauded.
“20 years ago, Denmark supported the
Philippines with development assistance, today
our economic ties have matured and are mainly
based on commercial relations. However, should
a major catastrophe strike again, you will find
a friend in Denmark,” Mogens Jensen said and
added that what was once the economic and
political ugly duckling of Southeast Asia is on its
way to become a beautiful swan.
The wish expressed on behalf of Denmark
to engage in a more extensive business
cooperation was followed up with a seminar
on January the 23rd. Attending was the Danish
Trade delegation consisting of companies and
interest organizations and their Philippine
counterparts. The seminar focused on 3
different sectors, sustainability, healthcare and
agriculture.
February 2015 • ScandAsia.South East Asia 9

Danish Trade Minister expects
larger market share in the Philippines
Philippine Secretary of Trade and Industry Gregory L. Domingo (left) and Danish Minister of Trade and
development Mogens Jensen (right) at the Danish Trade and Investment Seminar in Manila.
After a Danish
trade seminar
and bilateral talks
between the Danish
and Philippine Trade
ministers, the Danish
Minister expressed
confidence that
Danish companies
will gain a larger
share of the
Philippine market.
The conference room in Dusit Thani
Hotel, Manila was buzzing with life in
the morning January the 23rd. A Danish
Trade delegation that flew in from
Vietnam the day before to witness
the opening of the new Danish Embassy in the
Philippines, were having a seminar with potential
new business partners.
The seminar was divided in three, covering
the sectors agriculture, sustainability and healthcare.
Danish Minister of Trade and Development
opened the Seminar together with his Philippine
counterpart Secretary of Trade and Industry
Gregory L. Domingo. After opening the seminar
the ministers went into a secluded room for
bilateral negotiations. From outside the meeting
rooms loud laughs were frequently heard.
“Yes there is a reason to be cheerful, we
are re-opening our embassy, and there is a great
interest from Danish side, to further engage with
the Philippines. Of course, we are already present
with more than a hundred Danish companies,
but we brought another load with this delegation
and it looks very, very positive in terms of further
cooperation,” Mogens Jensen says.
Gregory L. Domingo, also seemed pleased
with the prospects of future cooperation, he
presented several ideas that combined the high
cost and high value of Danish with the low costs
in the Philippines. One example was that because
of the 250.000 to 300.000 Philippine seafarers
worldwide, there are a lot of Maritime Schools
in the country, and Denmark happens to be a
producer of simulators that can be used in these
educations.
As a vast archipelago a lot of the Philippines
7000 islands are not connected to the
main power grid, Mogens Jensen suggested that
putting up Danish wind turbines on secluded islands
would be a mutually beneficial cooperation
between Denmark and the Philippines. Naming
several other Philippine sectors that would be
suitable for Danish investments, Mogens Jensen
expressed confidence that Danish companies
can gain a larger market share compared to other
foreign investors.
“The companies that come here from Denmark,
are world leading in the technologies,
products and services they offer, so I believe
Danish companies are really competitive,” he said
“Presently the Philippines is not that important to
Danish exports (in 2013 the export was worth
DKK 700 million according to Mogens Jensen’s
advisor), but it is not relevant what it is now, the
relevant thing is that we can expand and from
our side we have a goal, or the ambassador have
a goal, of doubling the export,”
10 ScandAsia.South East Asia • February 2015

Denmark-Vietnam trade registered
healthy growth in 2014
News Brief
Norway seeks
closer cooperation
with Cambodia
Visiting Norwegian Vice-Foreign Minister
Morten Hoglund said in Phnom Penh on
January 20 that many Norwegian investors
are interested in doing businesses in Cambodia
and his visit was to observe Cambodia’s potential
sectors for investment.
Hoglund made the remarks during a meeting
with Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and
Foreign Minister Hor Namhong.
Hoglund said Cambodia has vast potential
for investment and the two countries have much
room for economic cooperation.
“When I return, I will encourage Norwegian
investors to come to Cambodia so as to increase
bilateral cooperation in economy, trade and
investment,”he said.
Photo: Danish Embassy in Vietnam
Bilateral trade revenue between Vietnam and
Denmark hit around 480 million U.S. dollars
in 2014, up 6.45 percent year-on-year, said
Vietnam’s Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT)
on January 20.
Addressing the Vietnam-Denmark business
conference held in Hanoi on Monday, Tran Tuan
Anh, MoIT deputy minister said Vietnam’ s export
revenue to Denmark in 2014 witnessed a year-onyear
increase of 14.9 percent to reach nearly 300
million U.S. dollars.
Denmark ranked the 25th out of 101
economies investing into Vietnam, with focus on
industrial manufacturing, construction, agriculture,
forestry, and service among others.
At a press conference in Ho Chi Minh City
the Danish Minister for Trade and Development
Cooperation Mr. Mogens Jensen summed up the
key results and events from his visit to Vietnam in
January.
At the press conference the Minister said
that the fruitful meetings during his visit, including
meetings with representatives from some of the
many Danish companies in Vietnam, have given him
a good impression of Vietnam as a vibrant society
that is developing fast.
The Minister also highlighted that Danish
companies have strong and unique competencies
which match the needs and challenges Vietnam is
facing right now within a wide range of sectors.
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February 2015 • ScandAsia.South East Asia 11

Sweden’s Ambassador to Malaysia:
“Malaysia is a bit forg
By Joakim Persson
12 ScandAsia.South East Asia • February 2015
When Ambassador Bengt G.
Carlsson arrived to Malaysia
for his first head of mission
posting, he had a re-start as
beginning: the re-opening of
the embassy following on a Swedish government
decision to first close it down and then reopen
it again.
“We arrived here in early September 2012
when just over a year had passed by since the
closure of the previous embassy,” begins the
Ambassador.
The new embassy is situated in an office
building at walking distance from KL City Center -
with a slightly slimmed organisation compared to
the old embassy. A new residence has also been
acquired.
The Ambassador’s new deputy, Counsellor
Louise Bonbeck arrived in 2014 from the Ministry
of Foreign Affairs in Sweden. A Stockholm-based
Defence Attaché also comes and goes, depending
on events and activities.
“Defence trade with Malaysia goes back all
the way to the 1960’s,” says Bengt G. Carlsson.
“And there are several deals on the cards and at
various stages. So that’s no secret.”
Promoting the military defence systems from
the SAAB Group, with the JAS Gripen fighter as
an element, is naturally part of it.
“And to assist the promotion, we have a trade
promoter; Jenn Lew, re-recruited from the previous
embassy team.”
“This is first and foremost a trade and business
promoting embassy – we should be concentrating
on offensive tasks, such as supporting business
activities, and of course we have a consular
service.”
As for regular passport service for Swedes
normally the mission in Singapore handles this
these days.
“Sweden now has a policy to concentrate
passport service around the world. There are
other embassies in the region that can offer full
service, and Singapore is not really far away,” explains
the Ambassador.
“We can issue emergency passports but to
Swedes living here we also recommend them to
renew their passports when they visit Sweden – it
is much cheaper and easier.”
Malaysia forgotten
Bengt G. Carlsson also compares to the much
larger Swedish embassy in Thailand, where he has
also worked previously in his diplomatic career –
and draws a connection: there is this big difference
in visitors from Sweden, where Malaysia enjoys
significantly fewer arrivals.

otten in Sweden”
“Since I know both places – and without saying
anything negative about Thailand; it’s a great
tourist destination – I find this a bit remarkable.
Here we also have so many things to experience!
I think Malaysia is a bit forgotten in Sweden; flying
under the radar.”
After two years in Malaysia the Ambassador
himself feels that he now should travel more and
explore the many things he has yet to discover in
the Southeast-Asian nation.
“I would like to see more interest in various
ways. Everyone knows Thailand and Singapore,
but less the country in-between… and which is a
bit of a mix as well. A lot here, such as the infrastructure,
is also more modern and advanced than
in Thailand, and it’s half the population.”
“I am happy to make the case for Malaysia’s
variety and would welcome more Swedish tourism
– and vice versa.”
The embassy promotes tourism to Sweden,
as much as it can, and partake when there are
opportunities to do so.
Innovation as umbrella
Sweden has new recently elected government is
drawing up its policies and strategies. From the
Swedish Embassy we can still get a broader sense
what we can expect ahead.
Innovation is a matter of the heart that the
Ambassador wants to continue exploring as
theme.
“The previous embassy started a broad and
strategic innovation initiative in 2011. And it’s
something where Malaysia now has a large interest
in and where we [Sweden] have a lot to offer.
The government here is very clear with that, in
order for the country to achieve its grand 2020
vision of becoming a high-income nation – now
they are in the middle-income trap and treading
water but working hard to reach there. Then
they must become more innovative. And the
government here is emphasizing this a lot and
we collaborate with authorities, universities and
investment agencies.”
“And by matching the different needs and
talents we believe we have found a good umbrella
– being innovation – to work with. And within
this you can include a wide variety of things, and
various sub-branches. We try to support those
Swedish companies already present here. That
incorporates for instance transportation where
we have world-class companies established with
assembly plants. Then you per default get matters
of interest concerning road safety, urban transportation
and planning etc. There are also “opportunities
for SMEs, consultancy services etc. of interest
within this,” highlights the Ambassador.
I would like to see more
interest in various
ways. Everyone knows
Thailand and Singapore,
but less the country inbetween…
and which
is a bit of a mix as
well. A lot here, such
as the infrastructure,
is also more modern
and advanced than in
Thailand, and it’s half
the population.
Within official Malaysia as counterpart the
embassy collaborates first and foremost with
the Ministry of International Trade and Industry
(MITI.)
“This is a very important ministry here and
they continue to be interested in Sweden. By
nature this is the ministry to collaborate mostly
with and focus on. There is also an innovation authority
under Prime Minister’s Office that we have
teamed up with together with Business Sweden
and our companies.“
“We are, among other things, working on doing
a roundtable discussion on innovation, trying
to bring that up on a high level, including ministries
and corporate leaders on various sides – for
instance within productivity. We have Swedish
companies such as SKF, Volvo, Scania, Mölnlycke
etc. that could have a lot to contribute when it
comes to increasing productivity in Malaysia.”
Team Sweden
Bengt G. Carlsson says he has been around and
done promotion work in several countries and
the talk of potential is always there. But on this
front he thinks that this is something that Malaysia
really has.
“I think we underperform here. Swedish
companies, in particular SMEs, ought to be able to
have much more success here! So the challenge
is to make Malaysia more visible to companies in
Sweden.”
“We, in the region, have discussed having
more joint promotion activities, and we are considering
doing a smaller road show in Sweden in
the spring, to meet the market so to speak. I think
it would have larger impact if many countries do
this together rather than just one.”
“We like to view ourselves as a part in ‘Team
Sweden’, where there are other legs here. Business
Sweden is one and then we have the companies
that we are here to support. All of us
should be involved in this, and different companies
depending on the activity what we are doing at
the moment,” suggests the Ambassador.
“Then, whether it should be purely innovation-based
or in a more specific sector such as
health care or clean tech, I think it’s important that
we work like this but stand united.”
“We do various activities and it’s of course
important to have the Swedish companies along.
That has worked well. And it’s also important to
involve also the academic world in this, to share
research and ideas and as expertise.”
On the Swedish side the new government
must find its way and decide which countries to
visit in the near future.
“Malaysia is probably not on top of the government’s
travel agenda; they are likely to start
closer to home. But we’re hoping the new government
will be interested in Asia and Malaysia;
we’ve had very few ministerial visits here. Again,
I think that has to do with this country being
quite unknown. But this is my job to bring this
to a higher level and making the country more
visible back home. And not just praise and embellishment;
rather giving an informed and nuanced
view. However this is after all a country with many
advantages, among the top in the world as far as
the ‘Ease of Doing Business’ index is concerned,
and a very pleasant and nice country to live in or
visit, one cannot deny that!”
“In our yearly planning we submit promotion
plans and present what we would like to do, and
then we can apply for funding for example to do
these innovation efforts and to attract attention
in media and elsewhere. For us working actively
with promotion and events out here, it is definitely
very important to have access to these resources
so we can combine them with funding and cofinancing
from other stakeholders, such as our
companies here. Successful promotion events are
normally very costly, there is a lot of competition
from other countries as well.”
February 2015 • ScandAsia.South East Asia 13

establishes
new business
region in Asia
Arla chose Kuala Lumpur as location
for new regional Head Quarters
serving China and all of South
East Asia
Arla Foods is integrating its
markets in China and South East Asia in a new
regional market called Business Unit Asia. The
regional office will be placed in Kuala Lumpur,
Malaysia, as of March 1st 2015.
Asia is vital to Arla’s ambitions to grow
and to increase earnings for its cooperative
farmer-owners in Europe. As the world’s fastest
growing economic region with a raw milk deficit
and a total population of 2.3 billion people,
Asia holds great potential for dairy export, in
particular for family nutrition products.
China is a strategic growth market for Arla,
while South East Asia (SEA) has been identified
as a region, which could potentially become a
new strategic growth market. The expectation
is that revenue for the region will exceed 1
billion Euro within the next five years. The
consumer needs in China and SEA have many
similarities and therefore possible synergies
within brand and product portfolio, marketing
and innovation.
“In close cooperation with our partner
Mengniu, we have developed our market in
China. We have gained important experience
and insight, which will be levers to accelerate
our expansion in Asia. We have strengthened
our presence in several SEA countries and
it’s time to move the senior management
and main leadership functions to the region,”
14 ScandAsia.South East Asia • February 2015

says Executive Vice President Finn Hansen,
head of Arla Foods’ business group, Consumer
International.
The new Business Unit Asia management
will be based in a regional office in Kuala Lumpur
and will be setting the strategy for all retail and
food service activities in Asia. The unit will cover
the Chinese retail sales through the partnership
with Mengniu Dairy China as well as the SEA
market. During 2014, Arla has established or
strengthened the country management in
Bangladesh, Indonesia, Myanmar and Philippines,
and these as well as the management in Japan
and South Korea and distributor sales in SEA
will all report to the regional office.
New head of Asia
To head Arla’s new Business Unit Asia Jesper
Colding is appointed as Senior Vice President
as of March 1st. Jesper is currently holding
a position in the executive management of
Mengniu Dairy China as Vice President for
Marketing. From 2009 to 2012, Jesper Colding
was Senior Vice President in Global Categories
in Arla with responsibility for cheese and the
BSM category. Earlier in his career, he was based
in Malaysia as associate director in P&G with
sales and marketing responsibility for Malaysia
and Singapore.
“Jesper has a broad strategic and commercial
experience and an in-depth knowledge of
the consumers in both China and South East
Asia. I am confident that he is the right profile
to continue the development of China even
further and to lead both the new regional team
and country managers to a successful delivery
of growth in Asia,” says Finn Hansen.
Jesper Colding is excited to relocate to
Kuala Lumpur to take up a new challenge for
Arla:
“Asia holds so much potential. There is a
growing affluence among people and they are
becoming increasingly aware of the importance
of good health and choice of nutrition. We
will build on the great foundation that has
been created to refine our approach to the
market in order to accelerate delivery of the
strategic ambition. I am fortunate to have the
opportunity to lead the next phase of Arla’s
journey in a region I have lost my heart to.”
Current head of Arla’s Business Unit
China, Frede Juulsen, will take up a new role
in Arla, which includes responsibility for TPM
(Third Party Manufacturing), Global Infant Milk
Formula and the Supply Chain in Consumer
International.
February 2015 • ScandAsia.South East Asia 15

“It’s All About Survival”
The financial base of
Ho Chi Minh City’s
many children shelters
is shaking as Western
donors are withdrawing
their support. New
ideas are needed if
they are to survive.
By Jonas Wirke Schlein Andersen
Blood is running from the eyes of
the young bar maids as they receive
us. Luckily it turns out to be fake
blood painted on their faces, and we
are greeted with smiles and green
welcome drinks. We are at a charity party and the
theme is Halloween.
Fundraising events like this is no rarity in Ho
Chi Minh City, where an increasing number of
charitable projects depend on private donations
as Western donor countries are outphasing their
development programmes in Vietnam, now a
Middle Income Country according to the UN.
The organizer of this evening’s charity is ILA,
an English language school which along side its
commercial business offers free English courses
for the city’s shelter kids.
In a way the scary Halloween costumes of
the evening fits well with the situation at the
shelters. A case in point are two shelters, formerly
supported by Denmark’s embassy and the Danish
Vietnamese Association (DVA). They have both
lost their support, and if no alternative support
is found, the future looks sinister for the the city’s
vulnerable kids.
For a number of years Little Rose Warm
Shelter received financial support through DVA’s
“Shelter Project”. But the project was terminated
by the end of 2013 and now the shelter has to
manage without this source of income.
“Of course we knew this day would come”
explains Ole Riis, former project coordinator
of the Shelter Project, before cautiously sipping
from his toxic-green drink, “so from day one, we
were focused on securing the shelter’s ability
to raise funds on its own. One initiative was
the foundation of The Shelter Collection. Other
initiatives were to employ a fundraiser at the
shelter and to teach the staff how to raise money.
We also appeal to Danish companies and other
potential benefactors out here.”
The humidity is higher than usual tonight, and
the sweat is trickling from Ole’s forehead. He has
black circles around his eyes after a long day’s
work. It is hard to find donors and there is far
between the success stories. But suddenly Ole’s
face brightens up. With excitement he tells that
today he managed to get an appointment with
the CEO of a company that has once before given
a substantial donation.
In Denmark, Ole is a primary school teacher
but presently he is on a three months leave in Ho
Chi Minh City in order to boost the fundraising
effort.
Boys sent back home
Also the boy shelter The Green Bamboo, housing
8 to 16 years old boys is facing financial challenges
since support from Danida - the national Danish
development agency - was terminated. From
2005 the Danish embassy in Hanoi supported
The Green Bamboo directly, but now it is over.
Consequently, the shelter had to cut down the
number of boys living in the shelter. The shelter
has room for 20, but now they can afford to
house no more than 12-14 at a time.
Beds were left empty when some of the boys
grew too old and moved out, but the shelter
was also forced to send back home some of the
younger boys.
Lunch Restaurant
The situation has forced the shelter to be
innovative, and with the last donation from the
Danish embassy the shelter was able to establish
a lunch restaurant in the ground floor.
The restaurant sells between 60-80 meals
a day. The cooks are themselves former users
of the shelter but are now working
as professional chefs and
volunteering in the restaurant
in their spare time. Every
morning at 5 am a cook
and the leader of the
shelter goes shopping
at the local market and
at 6 am the cook starts
preparing the meals with
help from the shelter staff
and the shelter boys.
16 ScandAsia.South East Asia • February 2015

Q&A
Reader profile of the month
Jan
Jørgensen
When at a visit to the shelter I ask if it is
not child labour Brad - a Canadian volunteer -
answers promptly: “it is all about survival! - That’s
how it is in Vietnam, you know that,” he says. “But
they are not being exploited. They themselves
benefit from the profit. They help out on a
voluntary basis, get paid for their work, and they
learn a lot from the work they do. Many of the
boys wants to become chefs, so they are actually
happy to work here. And we make sure it doesn’t
affect their school work. Some of them goes to
school in the morning, others in the afternoon as
they have always done.”
A Modest Profit
The restaurant is popular with the locals, not
only because it offers good food at a low price.
The staff speculates that some of the guests eats
there from solidarity with the boys. But despite
the popularity the restaurant cannot provide the
shelter with financial security. A meal is sold for
the price of VND 23,000 and the profit is as
little as VND 8,000 per meal.
If the shelter could get the attention of
the backpackers, they could charge a far
better price, but unfortunately the shelter
is situated in a narrow alley far from the
backpackers, so the shelter will have to settle
with the modest profit the neighborhood can
provide.
Jan Jørgensen is a 48 years Dane. He
is the Managing Director of Atlas
Pearls & Perfumes and moved to
Indonesia in 1994 because of a job
opportunity in the pearling industry.
As a child in Nykøbing Falster he
was fascinated watching and reading
about pearl divers sinking into the
deep blue. Jan studied Aquaculture in
Perth, Western Australia, and started
his pearling career in Kupang, West
Timor. Now 20 years into his Indonesian
adventure he lives on Bali with his
wife and their two boys.
Working in Indonesia has taught me...
infinite patience and religious tolerance, to
the degree where I can’t see how otherwise I
would ever have developed such tolerance. A
major part of our operations is to develop relationships
and ultimately agreements with local
communities surrounding our remote pearl
farms and this is very much the most crucial
aspect of operating here in Indonesia.
The best thing about doing business in
Indonesia is...
the process of developing trust, once you have
trust then you are friends and partners for life,
very loyal and hardworking people.
In Indonesia I could do without..
the pollution there is so much more we can
do to help steer this in a better direction.
My best advice to a newcomer in Indonesia...
is to first observe and never to think that
business can be done by taking shortcuts and
without permits. Work within the rules and
regulations and always calculate in benefits to
the traditional stakeholders.
Since 1994 Indonesia has...
changed in unbelievable ways, I relied mainly
on ferries to get around the various islands but
occasionally used airplanes which back then
had open policy in terms of allowing smoking
inside the cabin(not something I ever want
to re live). These days flying around Indonesia
have become a much smoother experience.
To have seen the Indonesian middle class
gather pace so quickly, ownership of cars, motorbikes
and houses and having expendable
income is an incredible achievement.
Living outside of Scandinavia has made
me realize...
that it takes all races, religions and beliefs to
make this world go around, regardless of who
we are we all have very similar needs and concerns
in regards to profession, family and life
in general.
Since I became an expat Danish traditions
have...
become somewhat limited but we do maintain
traditional meals for Christmas and Bali being
so packed with variety I am able to sneak in
some marzipan and nougat on occasion! I have
known many Scandinavians during my time in
Indonesia, there have been some real characters
living in very remote parts of the country
and it is amazing to see how they always tend
to keep a slice of their home traditions and
values with them wherever they go.
In Indonesia I have picked up the habit...
of drinking “mud coffee”, this is what I call it
anyway using a table spoon of “kopi kapal api”
and letting it settle in a large glass of boiling
water and of course having a good selection
of Batik Shirts when meeting representatives
from the government.
I go home to Scandinavia..
hardly ever, the last time I was home I was
invited by my Grandfather to stay at his home,
even though this was in June I gave in after the
first night and asked if I could move a mattress
into his sauna, once set at 25 degrees I was
able to finally sleep without freezing. I doubt
I will be able to return to Denmarks climate
after my time in Indonesia.
Eventually I want to leave for Australia...
because my Parents are based in Perth and
our 2 boys are very close to their Grandparents,
Perth is where we had a home for over
10 years and have returned for holidays to
visit family and friends so definitely Perth is on
our radar.
February 2015 • ScandAsia.South East Asia 17

Cinnamon rolls key to success
for Bali-based Swedish family
The Lassesson-family from Stockholm, Sweden, dreamed of a different life.
An internet ad opened the opportunity to move to the paradise island of Bali.
Nine years later they have built their dream life - and it was grandma’s recipe
for cinnamon rolls that led the way.
Text & Photos: Michael Töpffer
On Tamblingan, the main street in
the Sanur-area of paradise-island
Bali, two towering blond figures
are sitting comfortably in the
shade of a lush tree at a café,
drinking freshly squeezed orange juice.
The name of the café is solid Swedish: Café
Smörgås, or Café Sandwich. Guests entering here
will see large photo-prints hanging on the walls,
showing beautiful and well selected images from
well known locations in Sweden, like Stockholm
old town and the archipelago.
Café Smörgås is a Swedish oasis in the middle
of a tropical paradise.
The two Swedes drinking juice in the shadow
of the tree are Johan and Lotta Lassesson. Café
Smörgås is their brainchild.
It’s somewhat hectic at the café, customers
are coming in a steady stream to find a seat and
place their orders. The staff are busy serving coffee
and juice, sandwiches with Swedish specialities
like meatballs and salmon, and also one-plate
meals, like pasta and, of course, fika - the Swedish
term for a cake or a bun with coffee.
Bestsellers are Swedish cinnamon rolls and
Swedish style apple-pie.
Johan and Lotta look relaxed and have a
healthy appearance. While Johan is wearing paradise-suitable
shorts and a t-shirt, Lotta is wearing
her trainer outfit. She will soon be off to her
yoga-course.
“Our café is now almost fully operated by our
staff. We mostly take care of bookkeeping and
payroll,” Johan Lassesson, 50, explains.
“We have a lot of family-time together, both
for our hobbies and for each other. We are truly
living a lifestyle we just a few years ago only could
dream, says Lotta Lassesson, 48, and continues:
“To take that step and to try to realize our
dreams is the best thing we ever did,” she says.
Ten years ago, they were living a very different
kind of life.
The family was living in the suburb of Bromma,
just outside Stockholm. Johan had his own
company in construction-business, with 16 staff.
Lotta was an administrator working at state
owned company, Svenska Spel.
Both of them were busy with their careers,
and especially Johan was suffering from constantly
being under pressure as an employer. Time was
always in short supply and daily life felt very
predictable.
“Both of us had for long been thinking of
making a change in our lives, but we didn’t know
how, Johan explains.
They had been thinking of moving to a different
area, or maybe selling the company to
move abroad, maybe to Croatia or Mallorca for
six months, mostly for the fun and the adventure
and to get a rest and to recharge.
“I always dreamed of moving abroad”, says
Johan.
But somehow, their dreams never materialized.
Their first daughter, Siri, was born around
that time. A comment from Lotta’s sister really hit
them in the stomach.
“My older sister told me that ‘remember
that children very easily get sick during their first
years at kindergarten and need a lot of attention
and to stay at home’. Then I felt I did not want
to go through that period and having a stressful
job. I really started to think that it was time to do
something else,” says Lotta.
That moment came in 2005. Johan was looking
at some Internet ads.
“Suddenly there was Swedish man selling s
small hotel in Bali. It sounded too good to be
true,” he says.
The price was the equivalent of USD226,000.
Both him and Lotta had visited Bali as tourists
before, and loved the island. Johan got on the
phone and called Lotta.
“I just told him: ‘Let’s buy it’,” says Lotta.
Then everything went ahead very quickly.
In the summer of 2005, they travelled to
Bali to see the hotel. They made up their mind
18 ScandAsia.South East Asia • February 2015

and wrote a contract. The transfer date was set
to the coming new year.
Back in Sweden, Johan sold his company, and
Lotta quit her work.
They started to sell their belongings and put
ad out to sell their apartment.
Many of their friends were impressed by their
bold decision to leave the security and safety that
comes with living in Sweden, to give it all up and
throw themselves into the unknown.
By now, they also had a second daughter, Sara,
to take care of.
“Some of our friends said ‘Wow, I wish I could
do the same’,” but I just told them ‘just do it’,”,
says Johan, who also admits that other friends
made efforts to come up with excuses not to do
something similar.
“They could claim they owned a horse or a
dog and that this made it impossible for them to
move abroad,” says Johan.
Even though the Swedish couple was preparing
well, setbacks were inevitable.
In October 2005, Bali was the scene of a devastating
terrorist attack. Some suicide bombers
blew themselves up in the middle of the tourist
area. 26 people died and hundreds were injured.
Suddenly tourists stayed away from Bali. This
was definitely the wrong moment to start a hotel
business. But the deal was sealed and there was
no way out for the Swedes.
“Our worst-case scenario was that we will
soon be bankrupted. But should that happen, we
could always return to Sweden, look for work,
take a new mortage and buy a house,” they
explain.
The next setback was that it turned out it
was almost impossible to sell the apartment in
Sweden. The money was needed to invest in the
hotel, but no one seemed interested in buying
the apartment.
“Only two days before our departure to Bali
we managed to sell it,” Johan says with a smile.
December 22, 2005, they left the cold in
Sweden. With them, they brought three suitcases,
a few CDs, computers, books and toys for the
children.
Clothes they planned to buy when in Bali.
The first year they stayed in their own hotel.
It was practical and cheap and gave them time to
look for a more suitable home to rent. Siri was
enrolled at a kindergarten, and Sara was taken
care of by a nanny. The hotel had a staff of four.
Johan and Lotta were focusing on running
the hotel which only had ten rooms. But they
were happy, and full of excitement for their new
lifestyle.
“When we first arrived, all felt great and
it kept on getting even better and better, but
after six months, reality started to set in. We got
depressed and thought of moving back to Sweden,
but this feeling too evaporated and soon
it started to feel good again. It was probably a
delayed culture-shock,” says Johan.
It also turned out that many of their hotelguests
were longstayers. They could stay at the
hotel for many months. That meant there was
very little work for Johan and Lotta.
“They never checked out so there wasn’t
much for us to do,” says Johan.
Slowly, they started to look at other business
opportunities. How about something that was
missing in Sanur? A Swedish cafe?
They kicked off the project and found a suitable
location in Sanur. They signed a lease and
started on a very small scale. The premises was
tiny and there was hardly a kitchen. Instead, they
prepared cakes and salads at home and had it
delivered by motorbike.
Initially, sales were very slow. But success
came with the Swedish-style cinnamon rolls. They
became very popular in Bali. And later also their
Swedish apple-pie.
“It was my mother Kerstin’s recipes. The cinnamon
rolls should have granulated sugar on top,
while the apple-pie should have a crusty bottom
and a freshness, not like those thick, american
apple-pies with a top crust,” Lotta explains.
February 2015 • ScandAsia.South East Asia 19

But even now, running a hotel and a café in
Bali wasn’t easy. Costs were high and revenues
uncertain.
“There were times when we could hardly
afford to fill up our car at the service station,”
says Johan.
Lotta remembers the hard times.
“It was very stressful. We never knew if we
would make it. It took us quite some time before
we knew we could afford the school-fees for our
children,” she says.
But the Swedes kept on working to achieve
their dream.
After three years running Café Smörgås, the
financial situation was so good they felt they can
start to relax a bit.
In the meantime, they had had an offer to sell
the hotel, which they did. That meant they were
able to recoup their investment plus a profit, and
could focus in running the café.
Today, Café Smörgås, is a well-known eatery
and café in Bali. But competition is fierce. Almost
every week, a new café or restaurant opens.
“You need to have a niche, a speciality. Ours
is being Scandinavian, or Swedish, and we try to
keep a high level of quality,” says Johan.
“Recently, we baked and delivered Swedish
Princess-cake and Toast Skagen for a wedding
party here in Bali. It was a Swedish man getting
married to a woman from India. That was great,”
says Johan.
Their business has now also expanded into
school catering and they have a staff of 25.
Most of the work is now handled by an Indonesian
man who used to live and work as a chef
in Sweden. He speaks Swedish and knows the
Swedish cuisine and tastes.
Johan and Lotta spend a lot of time with their
hobbies. Johan is into scuba diving, and Lotta loves
yoga and Qi-gong.
Both are into outdoor activities.
“Sometimes I take my motorbike and my dog
and drive down to the beach to go jogging. It’s
great to be able to do this,” says Johan
Siri and Sara have now turned 11 and 9, and
both go to an international school nearby.
Apart from a nanny taking care of the children,
there is one worker taking care of the swimming
pool and the garden.
When housework is outsourced, there is a lot
of time being with the family.
“It’s so easy to meet here. You can just make
a few phone calls and people will come over.
In Sweden, you always have to plan many days,
sometimes weeks, in advance, People there are
so busy,” says Johan.
When Scandmedia visits the family in their
nice villa, Johan and Lotta have invited some
friends over for a barbeque.
At the barbeque, there are guests from Spain,
Denmark, Australia and America. Some work in
diving, others run their own businesses, or are
able to work from home for companies located
elsewhere.
Many have brought kids with them, and they
soon join Siri and Sara in front of the TV.
“Our children have friends from all over the
world. They speak English with them, Swedish
with us and Indonesian with the nanny. It’s very
fascinating,” says Johan.
Johan and Lotta have taken great care in giving
their children a Swedish upbringing, with access to
Swedish children’s books and TV. They have also
been back to Sweden many times.
“They think that Sweden is the best country
in the world. They often ask when we are going
to return next time,” says Johan.
During the Lassesson-family’s time in Bali, they
have seen many other Scandinavians coming to
try to settle and starting a business, but most have
failed. Many have the wrong strategy.
“They come here, but keep one foot back in
Sweden. They might have a house or something
that makes them stay connected to Sweden. Then
they don’t focus 100 percent on their project in
Bali and it is much easier for them to give up as
they can always very easily return to Sweden,”
says Johan.
“We never had that option. We had nothing
to return to and were very focused on making it
here in Bali. We were under pressure to succeed,”
Johan and Lotta say.
A few hundred meters away, the waves from
the Ocean are rolling on to the beautiful beach,
where tourists are relaxing in the shades of
umbrellas.
This is exactly the paradise Johan and Lotta
used to dream of. Now it’s their dream come true.
20 ScandAsia.South East Asia • February 2015

February 2015 • ScandAsia.South East Asia 21

When Erika’s cafe
“Fika” opened on
the 17th of January,
this counter was full
of semla, cinnamon
buns and other
Swedish pastry.
Erika to teach
Malays how to
“Fika”
With a Masters Degree in
International Relations and an
ambition to start an NGO in
Malaysia, opening a Swedish
“fika” café in Georgetown might
not seem like the obvious choice
for Erika Teng, none the less
Erika has chosen this, as a way
to inspire people in Malaysia and
as her first step on the road to
start an NGO.
By Lasse Henriksen
22 ScandAsia.South East Asia • February 2015
In a narrow lane of moldy looking colonial shop houses in the UNESCO
heritage neighborhood of Georgetown there is a house with a fresh
painted facade. At first glance this looks like any other of the few newly
painted houses on the street, but if you study the small painted frieze
on the building you will see an elk and what appears to be blackberries.
Here in an anglo-oriental atmosphere from the 19th century the 32 year old
Swede Erika Teng is opening a Swedish themed café.
“I don’t want a trendy or hyped café. I want a café with a relaxed atmosphere,
a café that welcomes everyone as they are. I want to make sure
local people can afford to go to, so the prices won’t be too high,” Erica says.
This approach is in contrast to a lot of the cafés in photogenic Georgetown,
where you will find cafes as the #SelfieCoffee, where baristas paint
pictures and logos on the coffee foam. This is a city where a lot of newly
opened cafés seem to focus on interior design and where the cakes tend to
look better than they taste.
But Erica has another mission, even though the café is quite stylish with a
row of retro window shutters decorating a wall, simplistic white surfaces and
pinewood details, she wants people to come for the social experience rather
than the visual. She wants people to come for the so called “fika” experience.
“Fika is usually one of the first words you learn when you come to Sweden,
it means sitting down having a break together with friends, colleagues
or family, having a cup of coffee and a cake, and then talk about things. It can
be just ordinary things or political, and I really feel that in Sweden the coffee
break, either with your friends or at work, is where things actually gets
decided and evolves,” Erika says.
Pastry of change
The good talks that Erika knows from the Fika-tradition are very important
to her. She wants the café to be more than a café. It should be a source
of inspiration to Malays, by showcasing Swedish culture and values through
posters and small cards with facts about Sweden. A fact like there is free
education in Sweden, the percentage of men that goes on maternity leave
and similar information that might surprise locals and show them that there
are many ways to build a society.
“It’s not about showing that Sweden is the best country in the world,
and that we do it the right way. I think every country should develop its own
way. But it is important that young people feel that they can make a change
or difference,” Erica says.
People starting to discuss gender issues or social inequality in Malaysia,
rather than taking selfies, is not going to happen by itself. The main tool to
secure this is to disconnect the Wi-Fi and have chat with people that are
surprised that they can’t get online.

The cafe is located in a shop house. Traditionally you would have a shop downstairs
and live upstairs. This inspired the couple to have a cafe in their home.
Baked Salmon
Fillet in Foil
Erika knows that she, in many ways, are more privileged than the average
Malay, but she hopes that a good talk can show locals that it is possible
to do things in new ways and inspire them to become active players in the
society rather than spectators.
Let’s talk cake
Well, coffee is coffee, and even though Erika plans to sell a European rosted
fair trade version, the main focus is on the pastry.
Even though the menu will be constantly changing and the recipes
adjusted a bit to suit the Malay taste, some things will stay the same. There
will always be sugarfree options baked with natural sweeteners, some of
the pastry will be baked using whole grain flour and of course classics like
Semla or the Swedish cinnamon bun will stay on the menu throughout
the year.
In addition to cakes, the café will serve traditional Swedish breakfast
with homemade müesli youghurt, bread with cheeses, shrimp sandwich
and possibly also a cold salmon sandwich.
The light interior is inspired by the simplicity of modern Scandinavian
design, but Erika have learned that with Malaysia’s bright sun, it can be
blinding if every surface is painted white. When the cafe opens, there will
be cards with facts about Swedish society on the tables.
The family gets it
Erika is married to Malay man with Chinese ancestry, and she has used his
family to test what pastry they like and to see if the family approved of the
“fika” concept. The family turned out to be a valuable source of feedback.
Even though she felt they were being a little harsh in the beginning, her
husband explained to her, that the criticism was actually a positive thing.
“The more they talk about it, the more they like it. Because then they
think it can actually be improved to be really good. So they just want to hint
you in the right direction. If it is hopeless they won’t say anything,” Erika says.
The family has also embraced the talking and togetherness of the traditional
fika. Gathering the family is not a new thing, but traditionally they
have done it over dinner and not a cup of coffee.
Erika opened her café named Fika on January the 17th and she hopes
that this will just be the first step of a larger journey. It is located in Lorong
Toh Aka number 20.
“When I moved here my main purpose was to do something for the
society. I thought how do I start up a NGO in Malaysia from scratch, I need
to know more about the place and to get in contact with people, and so
I got the idea of opening up a café to start with and then it can evolve to
more than just being a café,” Erika says.
Not only is this an easy way to bake fish, but preparing salmon fillet
with savory rosemary and vegetables makes this a delicious and
flavorful meal. It is a known fact that seafood is healthy food and
that salmon, especially, is very rich in Omega 3 Fatty Acid, which lowers our
cholesterol.
Baking the fish in aluminum foil makes the clean-up easy, so this recipe
has numerous benefits. This recipe is for four people.
Ingredients:
1 pound fish fillet - skin on
1 small onion, thinly sliced
Fresh rosemary, chopped.
1/2 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 tablespoon lemon zest
1/2 tablespoon lemon juice
Ground sea salt
Coarsely ground black pepper
Aluminum foil
Preparation:
Brush olive oil on a large piece of aluminum foil. Place rinsed and dried fillet,
skin-side down on foil. Sprinkle lemon zest, salt, pepper and rosemary
Vegetables:
Broccoli florets
Sliced red peppers
Sliced yellow squash
Thinly sliced red skin potatoes
Arrange vegetables over fish. Spritz lemon juice and sprinkle ground sea salt
sparingly. Fold foil tightly around the salmon fillet and vegetables and place
on a baking sheet in a preheated oven at 350 C.. Bake 20 minutes.
Serving Suggestion:
Place serving platter on top of the foil-covered salmon fillet. Turn platter
over and remove foil. Remove skin from fillet. Garnish with tomatoes,
parsley sprigs and lemon slices.
This is a great fish recipe and believe me,
Norwegians know how to cook seafood.
February 2015 • ScandAsia.South East Asia 23

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