Durian is not what most people would think of as a buffet option. But the Chinese love for the "king of fruits" has made it a popular buffet choice over the past two years.
Robust demand has prompted various retailers, from malls to supermarkets and hypermarkets, to offer durian buffets this summer.
Tesco Lotus offers durian parties, while The Mall Group, the owner of The EmQuartier, and Central Food Retail Co, the operator of Tops supermarket and Big C hypermarket, are launching their own buffets next month with different approaches but the same target customer: Chinese tourists.
Seat management has been arranged this year to cater to growing customer demand, while the dates for the events have been extended.
Ek-Chai Distribution System Co, the operator of Tesco Lotus, Thursday hosted its durian and seasonal fruits buffet at Tesco Lotus Rama IV.
The company increased its purchase order for durian, rambutan, mangosteen and other fruits from local farmers by 50% over the same period last year to 7 million kilogrammes for this season's volume.
To invite customers to enjoy quality fruits at affordable prices, Tesco Lotus is hosting a four-day durian buffet until Sunday.
Salinla Seehaphan, Tesco Lotus's corporate affairs director, said Tesco Lotus offers quality fresh food at affordable prices every day.
"Through our direct sourcing programme, in which we purchase produce directly from farmers and agricultural cooperatives, the company is able to ensure quality products and affordable prices for customers," she said. "During the fruit harvest, the company plans to purchase more than 7.1 million kilogrammes of seasonal fruits to sell in 80 hypermarkets nationwide."
In collaboration with the Internal Trade Department, Tesco Lotus invites customers to enjoy an unlimited amount of durian and more than 10 other types of fruits for a fixed price of 399 baht. The retailer prepared 10,000 kg of durian for the four days. There are five buffet rounds a day, for one hour per round, running from noon to 8pm.
