Old School Meets New School: How Kee Wah Bakery Uses Mobile to Connect With Customers

TLDR

Kee Wah Bakery has been making traditional pastries for over 50 years. To adapt to changing times, they teamed up with Per Diem to offer online ordering through an app. This lets their customers order on their phones while sticking to traditional recipes. During the Mooncake Festival, the app boosts downloads and excitement for the bakery's handmade mooncakes. This shows that old-school baking can succeed in the digital age with mobile solutions. Kee Wah's family recipes are still loved by customers, thanks to technology keeping them close.

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Kee Wah Bakery: A Century-Old Hong Kong Tradition in LA

Founded in 1938, Kee Wah Bakery brought its Hong Kong traditions to Los Angeles in 1985. For three generations, this family-owned bakery has maintained its legacy of high-quality goods and personalized service.

Traditional Techniques and Ingredients

Kee Wah is renowned for its handcrafted mooncakes, which contain a sweet filling wrapped in a soft pastry. Each autumn, customers flock to buy these delicacies to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival. The bakery also produces other Hong Kong favorites like pineapple buns, egg tarts, and cocktail buns using time-honored recipes and all-natural ingredients.

Merger of Old and New

Although Kee Wah honors its roots, the owners recognized the need to adapt to modern tastes. In 2019, they began offering customers the convenience of mobile ordering through the Per Diem app. Customers who download the app receive extra points and same-day pickup, incentivizing its use. The bakery promotes the app on its website and in-store, merging century-old baking traditions with cutting-edge technology.

A Sweet Tradition, Now More Accessible Than Ever

By blending the artisanal quality of the past with the efficiency of the present, this bakery has ensured that its sweet traditions will endure and become accessible to more customers than ever before. Kee Wah Bakery proves that history and innovation can be a recipe for success.

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Offering Mooncakes and More During Mid-Autumn Festival

Leveraging Tradition and Technology

Kee Wah Bakery has been handcrafting mooncakes, a traditional delicacy, in Hong Kong since 1938. Today, the bakery brings its time-honored recipes to Los Angeles, where customers can enjoy mooncakes and other signature pastries year-round.

However, Kee Wah Bakery also utilizes modern technology to connect with customers. The app, built by Per Diem, enables online ordering and loyalty programs. By leveraging tradition and technology, Kee Wah Bakery provides an authentic experience for new generations.

Celebrating Mid-Autumn Festival

During the Mid-Autumn Festival or Mooncake Festival, a harvest festival in Chinese culture, Kee Wah Bakery offers festive gift boxes and mooncakes featuring fillings like lotus seed paste, egg yolk, and red bean. The bakery’s retail selection swells, evoking nostalgia for the festival’s traditions and bringing families together.

For bakery owners, festivals create opportunities to strengthen customer engagement and brand loyalty. Kee Wah Bakery builds personal connections by tapping into cultural memories and a sense of belonging. Their mooncakes and merchandise become a vehicle for customers to share their pride in their heritage.

By honoring cultural traditions while utilizing modern technology, Kee Wah Bakery demonstrates how businesses can achieve growth while maintaining their core values and mission. Anchoring promotions around festivals helps create meaning for both customers and companies. Kee Wah Bakery proves that the old school and the new school can meet and even benefit one another.

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How Kee Wah Bakery Uses the Per Diem to Streamline Operations and Drive Sales

Ordering and Payment Made Easy

The Per Diem mobile app allows customers to conveniently place and pay for orders using their mobile devices. By streamlining the ordering and payment process through Apple Pay, Kee Wah Bakery is able to reduce wait times and improve the customer experience. Customers appreciate the convenience and efficiency of mobile ordering and payment.

Real-Time Data for Improved Operations

The app provides them with real-time data on orders, sales, and other key metrics monthly. Using this data, the bakery can closely monitor demand and make adjustments to optimize production and staffing. The data also gives insight into customer preferences and habits which helps in product development and marketing decisions. Access to real-time data allows the bakery to maximize operational efficiency and better meet customer needs.

Loyalty Program and Exclusive Rewards

Kee Wah Bakery utilizes the Per Diem app, integrated with Square POS, to manage its loyalty program and provide exclusive rewards to members. App users can earn points for purchases which can be redeemed for cash back and other perks. The loyalty program and exclusive rewards offered through the app increase customer retention and drive repeat business. By rewarding and incentivizing customers through the app, Kee Wah Bakery strengthens its relationship with loyal patrons.

In summary, the mobile app allows the Bakery to provide an enhanced customer experience, optimize operations, gain data-driven insights, and build customer loyalty. By leveraging modern technology, this century-old bakery is well-positioned to continue serving customers for generations to come.

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Final Thoughts

As Kee Wah Bakery shows, embracing technology does not mean abandoning tradition. By leveraging mobile apps and online ordering, they make their decades-old recipes and artisanal offerings accessible to modern customers. Their story demonstrates how small businesses can honor their heritage while innovating for the future. Consider your own strengths and values, then take inspiration from Kee Wah. Blend the old school with the new school to better serve your community in the digital age.

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