Melbourne’s largest retail destination west of the CBD, Highpoint, has welcomed Australian-first, one-stop Asian emporium, Foodle. The new store described as ‘anything but traditional’, officially opened with a spectacular public event and ribbon-cutting ceremony on Friday, 9 June.

Located on level three of Highpoint, the opening event included Japanese drumming, tapping the sake barrel, and more.

Open daily from 8am-10pm, Foodle will offer an in-store Asian dining experience, unlike any other supermarket or grocery store. Chinese, Vietnamese, Japanese, and Korean products sourced directly from Asia and internationally will be available fresh in-store daily and hand-crafted to enjoy as a dine-in experience or to take home.

Created by one of Australia’s leading Asian food entrepreneurs, David Loh, founder of leading brands like Sushi Jiro, Old Beijing, Dragon Hotpot and more – the exceptional Foodle dining and shopping experience gives customers a chance to see fresh dumplings being made by in-house chefs right before their very eyes before diving in to eat or selecting from the broadest range of Asian ingredients and fresh grocery to take home and cook themselves.

Chris Barnett, The GPT Group’s Head of Retail and Mixed Use, said, “We are absolutely thrilled to be welcoming Foodle to Highpoint, as the only destination in Australia to combine the diversity of Asian supermarket staples and flavours with a fresh dine-in experience. The addition of this unique first-to-market concept further builds on Highpoint’s reputation as a place where shoppers can be excited by one-of-a-kind experiences every day.”

Foodle creator David Loh added, “We are thrilled that Highpoint will be the first Foodle destination in Australia. Foodle is an opportunity for customers to enjoy their favourite Asian cuisines and exciting new experiences – in-store, hand-crafted by our Chefs, and ready to take home, to enjoy or create themselves from an incredible range of ingredients and farm-fresh produce. Our mission is to deliver the best of Asia at everyday low prices”.

“We cook what we sell and sell what we cook. Using the freshest and best from all of Asia enables anyone to recreate an authentic Asian meal at home. The idea was simple: to gather under one roof high-quality Asian food at everyday low prices, celebrate the diversity of Asia, and create an informal, natural, and inspiring place to eat, shop, and learn,” said Loh.

In addition to an in-store Dumpling, Oyster and Sushi Bar, Foodle includes:

• A full-line Asian grocery and everyday essentials
• Bakery preparing sweet and savoury buns, cakes, pastries and bread daily
• Handmade dumplings and noodles
• Asian and Premium Wagyu butchery
• Fresh and live seafood – including live lobsters, crabs and fish; prepared by fishmongers direct from the tanks
• An Asian Liquor section (coming soon)