Understanding user needs and aiming to improve satisfaction

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In September 2016, "Manpuku Dining", run by Chen Zihao, a student Department of Business Administration at the School Faculty of Commerce and Business Administration, opened in the Student Venture Cafeteria. The restaurant's popular, hearty rice bowl menu has earned it an excellent reputation.
Chen, who had been aiming to start his own business, conducted a survey of over 100 students. Based on the results, he created a business plan to meet the needs of customers and was selected as the new manager of a student venture cafeteria.

The entrepreneurial opportunity you've been waiting for

The Student Venture Cafeteria is a campus cafeteria initiative run by Chiba University of Commerce, which is committed to practical education, to support students with entrepreneurial ambitions by providing them with the opportunity to run restaurants on campus.
Because the university is entrusted with the important business of providing food to students and faculty and staff, which is related to their lives, the university evaluates the business plans of students who wish to open restaurants in terms of "motivation/purpose for opening a restaurant," "menu/price," "business type," "management structure," "safety and hygiene management," "business income/expense plan," and "business continuity," and selects the best business overall.
In May 2016, Chen applied for a position to open a new restaurant for this restaurant.
Chen had a dream of starting his own business, and when he was a high school student thinking about studying business management at university to make that dream come true, he learned about our university's Student Venture Cafeteria. He enrolled in Department of Business Administration Faculty of Commerce and Business Administration Economics, with the desire to try opening a restaurant while he was a student. In the spring of his second year, the long-awaited opportunity arrived.

A business plan that balances academics and business management

Upon learning about the recruitment, Chen felt that it was important for the cafeteria to "incorporate the opinions of the students who use it," so he conducted a survey of 116 students. He used the results of a detailed survey on how often students used the Student Venture Cafeteria, as well as the places and methods they used for lunch, and the factors they considered important for lunch, in formulating a business plan. He wanted to open a restaurant that would best reflect the needs of students.
When applying for the Student Venture Cafeteria, which has an important concept of balancing academic studies with business management, Chen carefully considered his class schedule after opening the cafeteria so as not to interfere with his studies, and even made careful preparations to arrange part-time work while attending classes. Chen's completed business plan not only captured student needs, such as a menu centered on cheap, filling rice bowls based on the results of a survey, and opening after lunch hours, but also showed methods of advertising and promotion to raise awareness of the Student Venture Cafeteria as a whole and attract people to the store. His meticulous planning and preparation, as well as his strong desire to open a store, were highly praised by the university, and Chen, as the new manager, has begun work on opening in late September.

We focus on volume, affordability, deliciousness, and serving time.

Before opening a store, it is necessary to obtain food hygiene manager qualifications, business permits, and submit a personal business opening notification. In addition to completing these procedures, Chen personally constructed the store's interior and arranged for fixtures, while also working on creating the menu for the store's opening. Although Chen usually cooks for himself, he received advice on cooking methods and seasonings from his parents, who have experience running restaurants, and he focused not only on portions and low prices, but also on flavor and speed of service. As the store would be operating in a limited space, he put a lot of thought into how the products were displayed and served, and even decided to sell boxed lunches outside the store.
The name of the restaurant was chosen with the desire to fill students' stomachs. The restaurant opened with the strong desire to become a popular restaurant with a menu that would fill you up, and to revitalize student venture cafeterias as a whole.

Aiming to expand business

Chen's shop has been bustling with many students and faculty members since the first day it opened. In addition to the extremely popular pork stamina bowl, he serves five to six types of rice bowls and set meals every day. When he first opened, he only served rice bowls, but after hearing from customers, he decided to offer set meals and changed the way fried chicken is served on skewers instead of in cups. Despite repeated trial and error, he has continued to do well in business.
On the other hand, management is also facing challenges, such as how to secure student part-time workers during busy times. Having worked part-time at a restaurant, Chen is also beginning to realize the importance of being a manager and showing careful consideration.
Chen feels that he has grown as a person in the short time since opening the restaurant. He has realized that he can improve by not only trying to manage the restaurant but also learning theory in class and applying it to practice, which has increased his desire to learn on his own. "If you want to try something, start with something small, something you can do. It's more important to act than to think," says Chen, whose next goal is to expand his business and open a restaurant outside of the university, and he will increase his knowledge that will be useful in the real world from managing Manpuku Dining.