BusinessMirror

by Catherine Pillas

February 2, 2016

FILIPINO comfort food concept Binalot is keen on entering three Asian markets in its bid to reach the growing Filipino community in the region, and is vying to close master franchise deals within the year.

Rommel Juan, Binalot president, reiterated his plans of venturing into other Asian countries this year, specifically Taiwan, Hong Kong and Singapore. “We don’t have (presence) in the Asean ye. We are still looking for master franchisees. But we want to enter into deals within the year,” Juan said.

The three countries stand as “priority markets,” owing to the burgeoning Filipino communities in these areas. Other countries targeted for future expansion include Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia and Japan. Binalot has already ventured into the Middle East with a franchising agreement with the diversified conglomerate Al Ahli Group last year. Its first overseas branch was set up in Al Muraqqabat last September, bndled under the Al Ahli’s “Little Manlia” food concept, which includes five other Filipino food and beverage brands.

The Al Ahli Group is eyeing to open another Little Manila branch in Abu Dhabi this year.

As of end 2015, Bnalot had 34 stores, 10 of them company-owned.

Published PM
February 02, 2016

Updated 12:58 PM
February 02, 2016

Armed with a beefed-uo menu and steady following, Binalot plans to increase its franchise-owned srores in the coming years

MANILA, Philippines-After itsinitial foray into food franchising in Dubai, Binalot Fiesta Foods,Incorporated plans to expand in Asia, particularly in Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand.

“Filipinos are everywhere, dominating the world’s care industry…We want to offer Filipino comfort food that our countrymen will enjoy while they work abroad,” Binalot president Rommel Juan said in a statement on Tuesday, February 2.

Buoyed by the success of its Dubai food franchise, Binalot said it is now actively seeking more foreign franchisees especially whre thre is a large Filipino community.

“We are looking at countries around the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) region such as Singaore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia-and even in our other Asian neighbors such as TAiwan, Hongkong and Japan,”Juan said (READ: ASEAN integration and better opportunities in PH)

Binalot, best known for its food items wrapped in banana leaves, hhas 34 branches nationwide in the Philippines.

Armed with a beefed-up menu and steady following, Binalot said it plans to increase its franchise-owned stores in the coming years.

“In the Philippines, our growth is generated by the increase of the call center or business process outsourcing industry, which is set to match or even exceed the overall revenues of OFW remittances by this year,” Juan said.

“For our foreign venture, we are ready to offer our food to the Filipinos abroad who are mostly professionals and do not have time to prepare their meals themselves. Binalot already has the systems and franchise support in place for foreign franchisees,” Juan added.

Established in 1996, Binalot operates using quick-service restaurant business model and is based in Sun Valley Subdivision, Parañaque City with 94 employees, according to its website- Rappler.com