World’s most travelled hot dog stand spreads joy in China

- to support a home for abandoned kids in Henan Provence.

Yï hot dog quan bu
Hot dog with all, hot dog med det hele, hot dog con tutto, hot dog mit alles, hot dog quan bu – a cute kid has many names.

Hottie’s debut in China
This is China. Is a saying Søren Hot Dog Agent and I, Fanny Hot Dog Girl has heard a lot since we came Friday the 11th of October. Most challenging was, when Hottie, seven hours later than expected, came on an old truck and had flat tires.

It was full moon and 7pm the day before our debut in China. The driver, who was a local, had no ramp and a lift was nowhere to be found. He only spoke Chinese and told us with body language that we could take it down with 10-20 persons and then he went out for dinner. This is China.

Challenge or not – we were very happy that Hottie had arrived. The day after we were to have our debut at 11.30am when the media visited the Danish House at Shanghai Creative Industry Week 2008. In total seven countries are represented on 10.000 m2. Denmark, Australia, Netherlands, Germany, Taiwan, Hong Kong, New Zealand and China. Denmark has 2500 m2 and 50 companies participate.

Wauv, it is so lucky that I have a creative Hot Dog Agent on the team. Just like that and with help from one, two, three, four and at a time eight Chinese persons he created a solid ramp to get Hottie down. The posters came up last before vi drove “home” to get 2½ hours sleep. Now we just missed the sausages.

We got to know that our goods were through the customs when we came Friday the 11th. Despite that it was Monday, then Tuesday morning and then Tuesday afternoon before they were released and still we needed a stamp. Some other Danish exhibitors still hadn’t got their, so we were among the lucky ones. This is China.

There is no doubt that only because of DSV’s and the Danish Consulate’s hard work, the 15th of October 2008 we could serve hot dogs with all for the first time in Asia, for the first time in China, for the first time in Shanghai.

Hottie on a pedestal
Hottie came down the truck and then up again. This time on a podium in the middle of the foyer to the Danish, Dutch and German Houses. The area is full of Danish design furniture and is designed as café and lounge.

At 11.30am we served hot dogs from a shiny Hottie, that was energized from cosiness. All the exhibitors were in place and it was the media that came to search for good stories. Without a doubt they noticed this piece of Danish culture that has come all the way to Shanghai to support a home for abandoned kids in China.

First visitor was our own consul-General Carsten Boyer Thøgersen and after that curious Chinese people came to Hottie to get a Danish hot dog and to support Kids.
Two volunteers from Morning Tears came together with a translater to communicate our dream and purpose.

For a couple of hours hot dogs were served and the Danish Consul Commercial Mette Knudsen came with her team. Mette was the one who took initiative to get Hottie to China, so she absolutely deserved a hot dog from Hottie that always serves with love.

Shanghais mayor and unpredictability
Later that afternoon Hottie went outside in a beautiful and warm fall night. The opening ceremony was outside the Danish House from a stage. The smell of hot dogs wandered out and when we started about 20 Chinese people stood in line right away. In the middle of light, music, speeches and firework for about 3000 people we served hot dogs while people donated Chinese RMB for the kids.

After about an hour we were going up the red carpet to be at the entrance to the VIP-reception. The mayor of Shanghai and the top of the communist party came, so media and lots of guards. As promised we stood by the entrance and the hot dogs were jumping of excitement on the pans. It went very well until a Chinese guard came in our way.

He guarded the entrance and didn’t know about a Danish hot dog stand. We ran around trying to navigate in the Chaos, while he tried to pull Hottie away. After some Hottie-pulling and no luck to change the situation, Hottie was taken 40 meters away by four Chinese guards.

Too bad for us and at the same time we acknowledged the guards for doing such a good job keeping the entrance secure. Imagine if the mayor had a bite of Danish culture – he might end up having a cosy time.

What a debut
The world’s most travelled hot dog stand has now for the first time served hot dogs in Shanghai to Chinese people, who all appreciate what we do and with great pleasure ate Danish hot dogs with all.
There is no doubt. Chinese people really like our delicious hot dogs, Hottie, the idea, the concept and that we support kids in China. Danes living in China have been longing for a tasty and genuine Danish hot dog.

Hottie and the Hot dog Team are very proud after a glorious debut and is looking forward handing out hot dogs both Saturday and Sunday and Tuesday when our Danish Hot Dog minister…ah no our Prime Minister is visiting together with the Shanghai Mayor. We will get a second chance to meet him.

Next week we will go to Xi’an, the second oldest city in China, to seve hot dogs for a Morning Tears children’s village.

Nihâo, Zàijiàn, Bù kéqi, hot dog quan bu – Fanny PølseWoman Xièxie nî – Thank you so much

The hotdogstand is sponsored by following companies:
DSV
Hummel
Paaskebrød
Tulip
Kaffe Clothing
Grundfos
Centrum Turist
Alm. Brand
Rosenkilde Aqua
First Travel
Junckers
Cocio
Interlex
Vangsgaard
GN Resound
Teknologisk
DanishFashionInstitute
Konsulatet
Kontutto





Click on the link to see more pictures at www.kontutto.com