Filipino franchisers see growth despite hard times
Despite hard times, a group of Filipino franchisers still see growth for the year, hoping to improve their sales by a fifth this year.
Rommel Juan, president of the Association of the Filipino Franchisers Inc., said they see a 20-percent increase from the group’s sales of P13 billion in 2008.
“The franchising industry remains vibrant. We have the most vibrant franchising industry in the region," said Juan, who is also the president of the Binalot Fiesta Foods Inc.
The group is also expecting membership to grow from its current 80 members and total number of stores of 4,000 by also 20 percent, respectively.
Food Asia Corp., who owns and operates Bibingkinitan, Tea Square, and others, and Global Quality Waters and Environmental Solutions Technologies Inc., which owns and operates water station Aquabest and Aqu@quest.com, among others, is targeting to expand overseas.
Richard Sanz, Food Asia president and chief executive officer, said he is in the final stages of negotiations with a Singaporean national to bring “Bibingkinitan" which sells mini native delicacy cakes, to Jakarta, Indonesia.
“This person contacted me after we were featured in a magazine. He went to our store, he tasted our products and he liked it. He said the taste would suit Indonesians’ palette. He has several businesses in Indonesia," Sanz said.
Initially, Bibingkinitan will have 10 stores in the Indonesian capital and will start the roll out of these shops either late this year or early next year.
Sanz said that raw materials for the product would be initially sourced from the Philippines and if the product proves to be a hit among Indonesians, the company would eventually need to put up its own commissary in Indonesia.
The company is currently trying to get a halal certification.
Aquabest, on the other hand, is looking to put up three stores in Indonesia by November this year.
Neil Delgado, Global Quality Waters general manager and chief operating officer, said the company is negotiating with AFFI’s counterpart in Indonesia to bring the store to Jakarta.
Two stores in Ho Chi Minh in Vietnam are also planned for October.
Expansion in India through shops in New Delhi and Mumbai is also in the works.
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Lovi Poe
Rhian Ramos