A cautionary China tale

ABR Holdings' attempts to make an imprint on the Chinese market reads like a cautionary tale.

In the early 2000s, the company obtained the Swensen's franchise for China and started restaurants in Shenzhen and other cities. But the company ran into problems trying to control their franchisees, which did not buy ice cream from ABR's suppliers.

"Franchisees operated their business under the name of Swensen's but sold ice cream from other sources," executive chairman Keith Chua said.