Macao crockery has long been part of Goan culture, as it dates to the time of the Portuguese. At the height of their power, when the Portuguese established rule over Macao and Goa in the 16th century, it was kind of inevitable that the trade links would be established in such a way that people in Goa would enjoy a lot of products made in Macao and vice versa.
It was thanks to these trade relations that Goans started importing crockery manufactured in Macao. Soon cups, saucers, plates and tea-sets made in Macao were being spotted in the homes of elite Goans.
Times changed. First in 1961, Portuguese rule came to an end in Goa. Then in 1999, Portuguese had to give up their rule in Macao to China. Goan families continued to have such crockery, as it was passed on to them from one generation to another. But, getting new Macao crockery in Goa wasn’t as easy as it was in the times of the Portuguese.
This is where Maria Simoes and her husband, Andrew Simoes, spotted a huge business opportunity. Says Maria Simoes, “When I was small, my mother used to serve us food in Macao plates. There has been a long tradition to use such crockery in Goa, especially at times of festivals and when relatives would visit. Recently, I went to Macao and saw same sort of crockery, which was available there at very affordable prices. We thought we would bring it to Goa.”
The Simoes family subsequently opened a crockery showroom called ‘Casa Macao’ in Panaji. Maria Simoes also confirmed that they also sell such crockery through their furniture store called ‘The Living Concept Furnitures’ in Nerul.
Johnson Simoes, son of Maria Simoes, said, “We did a survey in Goa and realised that the demand for Macao crockery is huge, but the supply wasn’t that much. That’s when we decided to step into this market by making Macao crockery available to Goans at a very affordable prices.”
So what can you buy at Casa Macao? Maria Simoes replied, “We have an entire range of Macao crockery. We have dining sets, tea-sets, serving plates for bibinca, bowls for xacuti or chana masala, plates, cups and saucers.”
At the moment, Casa Macao has all this range of crockery available with beautiful and intricate design in blue colour. But, very soon, they are going to get crockery with design in different colours like green and red as well.
Such beautiful crockery can be used for multiple purposes. Some people use it to serve food, while others also mount it on walls or keep it in the show-case as a show-piece.
The Simoes family is banking upon the affordability and the quality of their crockery. Johnson Simoes said, “Our plates start at Rs 200 a piece. We sell a set of 8 plates for Rs 3,000. The smallest plate in this set is of 5.6 inches and the biggest is of 18-19 inches. We have a set of 6 cups, 6 saucers and a teapot for Rs 900 and this goes up to Rs 2,000 depending upon the finish”
But, reasonable price doesn’t mean that Casa Macao makes any compromise, when it comes to quality, as Johnson Simoes explained, “This crockery goes through a five-time heating process, which makes it very strong. It is not easily breakable.”
People are always on a lookout for crockery, which is not easily breakable, as western cuisine like pasta has become a part of life for which ceramic based plates are the best.
As of now, predominantly, Goan families are the clientele of Casa Macao and the response has been excellent. The shop opened on February 23rd and since then it has already sold 75 percent of its stock. In the coming days, the response is expected to be even better, as the word spreads about Casa Macao.
Johnson Simoes said, “We are marketing ourselves through Facebook and also through pamphlets. Besides, we are located in Panaji, where we expect a lot of traction to come from. But, the biggest thing we are relying on is word-of-mouth publicity.”
What also makes Casa Macao unique is although it is a wholesale outlet, it even sells to retail clients and is also open to a single buyer. Meanwhile, Johnson Simoes also informed that a new consignment from Macao is expected anytime now and it will include a variety of different kinds of pots, cups and saucers.
He further informed, “I am getting another premium product from Macao, a 1.2 meter long plate, which can be used as a showpiece and it will be priced between Rs 40,000 to 45,000.”
With more crockery-sets to come in, Casa Macao will have a range of products from affordable to mid-segment to very premium. The newly-opened crockery shop has created quite a brand for itself in a short period of time and
it seems that it is set on an exciting
journey.
