Focus
Posted on 06:42 PM, August 06, 2015
Manila Food & Beverage Expo:
Tales from the kitchen
Nickky Faustine P. de Guzman
FOOD, besides being a necessity, is a business. And business is doing good for the food and beverage (F&B) industry, be it in corporate meetings or gatherings of friends, among other occasions anywhere in this country with its diversity of cuisines.
The Manila Food & Beverage Expo (MAFBEX), one of the biggest food celebrations in the country held at the World Trade Center, is one veritable festival of food. The latest expo was attended by 500 exhibitors from around the archipelago who showcased their products ranging from fishballs and corn dogs to veggies, chocolates, and Chinese noodles.
In the recently concluded MAFBEX, Senator Cynthia A. Villar, who incidentally heads the Senate Committee in Agriculture and Food, noted the SMEs, including those in the F&B industry, which comprise 96% of businesses in the country. They provide 50% of the country’s employment, she also pointed out, adding that the remaining 4% make up the big companies, located in Metro Manila and other developing areas like Cebu.
MAFBEX also held talks and seminars to aspiring chefs, F&B businessmen, and food lovers. One of the symposiums was about the growing opportunities on bars and catering.
MOBILE BARS
Bartender Paul Ceron remembers mobile bar becoming a hit in the United States and United Kingdom in the mid-2000s. So he and six of his friends decided to bring the booming concept to the country. They started the local mobile bar scene in 2007 and called their business Flaming Olives, which caught on, and in just a year, they decided to part ways to create their own mobile bar business. It’s a friendly competition among peers, Mr. Ceron said. In 2008, he started his own mobile bar, Twisted Lemon, from a capital of P50,000 to customize his own mobile bar station and buy his own drinks and glasses.
“Business is a gamble, and you should be willing to take your risks,” he said. “The competition among my friends was quite steep because we all share the same business knowledge and strategies.”
Mr. Ceron didn’t expect to break even in the first few months. He would sometimes shell out more money than it was coming in, but that was par for the course. Even while he was growing his business, he said it never crossed his mind to take for granted even the small birthday occasion because they were opportunities for word-of-mouth marketing.
“Huwag manghinayang kung barat o maliit lang ang kita. [Don’t be discouraged by the haggling or small income.] Look at the bright side. Debut parties usually invite teenagers, who would also want to have a mobile bar for their own 18th birthday party kasi maiinggit sila [because they would be envious]. This is where free marketing comes in,” Mr. Ceron said.
From debut parties to corporate meetings, he now handles big company gatherings like that of Rockwell and Emerson, to name a few. He still accepts debut parties, but is now choosier. Unlike in the beginning, he could now afford to turn down clients who haggle too much. He said this is only keeping up with the growing branding, “considering we were among the pioneers.”
His bestsellers include mojito, tequila sunrise, strawberry margarita, and piña colada, among others. “Know your drinks, plan well, and always be customer oriented,” Mr. Ceron said.
But the income generated from his business is seasonal. The peak is usually during the “ber” months.
Mr. Ceron wasn't born in a well-to-do family. He started working early at 16. He was service crew first, then worked his way up to being a drink specialist. Now 37, he has invested in other income sources like a fitness gym and a soon-to-open coffee shop.
“Take risks. Kapag hindi ka sumugal, habang buhay kang empleyado. Kung natatakot kayong sumugal, isipin ninyo na lahat ng nadadapa, nakakatayo. [If you don’t take risk, you’ll forever be an employee. If you’re scared to take chances, always think that those who fall can always stand up],” Mr. Ceron said.
He quoted his favorite businessman, Bill Gates: “If you are born poor, it’s not your mistake. But if you die poor, it’s your mistake.”
FETING THE CARDINALS
To have a successful F&B business, one must keep up with the zeitgeist, the spirit of the times, and heed the customers’ wishes -- no matter how whimsical they may be, said chef Mae Montalban, a member of the College of Saint Benilde culinary faculty. She was among the speakers who gave advice on how to start and grow a food business.
Ms. Montalban has two decades of culinary experience that includes working at Hyatt and New World Hotel. She served the cardinals when Pope Francis visited the country in January. She recounted her experience and told BusinessWorld that they preferred Italian comfort food like bread, potato, salads, and jam. They didn’t touch any of the Pinoy food served, so she left that out in the next servings.
“Follow your customer’s request, no matter how quirky they may seem,” Ms. Montalban said. She remembers one of the weirdest requests she got from a client was a combination of bacon and ginataang mais (corn and sticky rice with coconut). From a chef’s perspective, the flavors seemed amiss, but she obliged. Then there was an unforgettable experience with Manny Pacquiao in 2008. Manny stayed in Hyatt, which is known to serve continental, but he was craving for Filipino food, particularlykare-kare. How could she whip up a local delicacy without the ingredients? Ms. Montalban said she called the Aristocrat, the popular Filipino restaurant which happened to be nearby, and personally attended to the take-out orders because the streets were closed to give way to Mr. Pacquiao’s motorcade.
Another time, Ms. Montalban remembers being commissioned to serve 2,000 people in a wedding party. She knew somehow this was impossible, but she said yes anyway. She and her team were able to serve the guests, but because the devil is in the details, they also encountered such problems as melting ice and not enough utensils. In hindsight, she realized, “Huwag lang basta tanggap nang tanggap [Don’t take in more than you can handle].”
So these are the difficulties in catering, which is otherwise a fulfilling enterprise in many ways. It’s a much older enterprise than the mobile bar, but it’s a growing market, Ms. Montalban said. The income is considerable, especially during the peak season (the “ber” months). But Ms. Montalban knows as well as any caterer that her business must be complemented by other income sources.
An F&B entrepreneur should also be updated with trends in the industry. Customers nowadays have a more diverse palate, Ms. Montalban said and the trends nowadays are fusion food, farm-to-table concept, low fat, vegan, and organic.
In the recently concluded MAFBEX, Senator Cynthia A. Villar, who incidentally heads the Senate Committee in Agriculture and Food, noted the SMEs, including those in the F&B industry, which comprise 96% of businesses in the country. They provide 50% of the country’s employment, she also pointed out, adding that the remaining 4% make up the big companies, located in Metro Manila and other developing areas like Cebu.
MAFBEX also held talks and seminars to aspiring chefs, F&B businessmen, and food lovers. One of the symposiums was about the growing opportunities on bars and catering.
MOBILE BARS
Bartender Paul Ceron remembers mobile bar becoming a hit in the United States and United Kingdom in the mid-2000s. So he and six of his friends decided to bring the booming concept to the country. They started the local mobile bar scene in 2007 and called their business Flaming Olives, which caught on, and in just a year, they decided to part ways to create their own mobile bar business. It’s a friendly competition among peers, Mr. Ceron said. In 2008, he started his own mobile bar, Twisted Lemon, from a capital of P50,000 to customize his own mobile bar station and buy his own drinks and glasses.
“Business is a gamble, and you should be willing to take your risks,” he said. “The competition among my friends was quite steep because we all share the same business knowledge and strategies.”
Mr. Ceron didn’t expect to break even in the first few months. He would sometimes shell out more money than it was coming in, but that was par for the course. Even while he was growing his business, he said it never crossed his mind to take for granted even the small birthday occasion because they were opportunities for word-of-mouth marketing.
“Huwag manghinayang kung barat o maliit lang ang kita. [Don’t be discouraged by the haggling or small income.] Look at the bright side. Debut parties usually invite teenagers, who would also want to have a mobile bar for their own 18th birthday party kasi maiinggit sila [because they would be envious]. This is where free marketing comes in,” Mr. Ceron said.
From debut parties to corporate meetings, he now handles big company gatherings like that of Rockwell and Emerson, to name a few. He still accepts debut parties, but is now choosier. Unlike in the beginning, he could now afford to turn down clients who haggle too much. He said this is only keeping up with the growing branding, “considering we were among the pioneers.”
His bestsellers include mojito, tequila sunrise, strawberry margarita, and piña colada, among others. “Know your drinks, plan well, and always be customer oriented,” Mr. Ceron said.
But the income generated from his business is seasonal. The peak is usually during the “ber” months.
Mr. Ceron wasn't born in a well-to-do family. He started working early at 16. He was service crew first, then worked his way up to being a drink specialist. Now 37, he has invested in other income sources like a fitness gym and a soon-to-open coffee shop.
“Take risks. Kapag hindi ka sumugal, habang buhay kang empleyado. Kung natatakot kayong sumugal, isipin ninyo na lahat ng nadadapa, nakakatayo. [If you don’t take risk, you’ll forever be an employee. If you’re scared to take chances, always think that those who fall can always stand up],” Mr. Ceron said.
He quoted his favorite businessman, Bill Gates: “If you are born poor, it’s not your mistake. But if you die poor, it’s your mistake.”
FETING THE CARDINALS
To have a successful F&B business, one must keep up with the zeitgeist, the spirit of the times, and heed the customers’ wishes -- no matter how whimsical they may be, said chef Mae Montalban, a member of the College of Saint Benilde culinary faculty. She was among the speakers who gave advice on how to start and grow a food business.
Ms. Montalban has two decades of culinary experience that includes working at Hyatt and New World Hotel. She served the cardinals when Pope Francis visited the country in January. She recounted her experience and told BusinessWorld that they preferred Italian comfort food like bread, potato, salads, and jam. They didn’t touch any of the Pinoy food served, so she left that out in the next servings.
“Follow your customer’s request, no matter how quirky they may seem,” Ms. Montalban said. She remembers one of the weirdest requests she got from a client was a combination of bacon and ginataang mais (corn and sticky rice with coconut). From a chef’s perspective, the flavors seemed amiss, but she obliged. Then there was an unforgettable experience with Manny Pacquiao in 2008. Manny stayed in Hyatt, which is known to serve continental, but he was craving for Filipino food, particularlykare-kare. How could she whip up a local delicacy without the ingredients? Ms. Montalban said she called the Aristocrat, the popular Filipino restaurant which happened to be nearby, and personally attended to the take-out orders because the streets were closed to give way to Mr. Pacquiao’s motorcade.
Another time, Ms. Montalban remembers being commissioned to serve 2,000 people in a wedding party. She knew somehow this was impossible, but she said yes anyway. She and her team were able to serve the guests, but because the devil is in the details, they also encountered such problems as melting ice and not enough utensils. In hindsight, she realized, “Huwag lang basta tanggap nang tanggap [Don’t take in more than you can handle].”
So these are the difficulties in catering, which is otherwise a fulfilling enterprise in many ways. It’s a much older enterprise than the mobile bar, but it’s a growing market, Ms. Montalban said. The income is considerable, especially during the peak season (the “ber” months). But Ms. Montalban knows as well as any caterer that her business must be complemented by other income sources.
An F&B entrepreneur should also be updated with trends in the industry. Customers nowadays have a more diverse palate, Ms. Montalban said and the trends nowadays are fusion food, farm-to-table concept, low fat, vegan, and organic.
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