Binalot pivots to residential, community-based “Cloud Franchises” amid pandemic

By 2nd Opinion April 20, 2021

Filipino fast food chain Binalot has never been shy in introducing new and innovative concepts in the food industry. And this time, amid this pandemic that saw the dramatic increase in food delivery, welcome “cloud franchises”.

From being the first truly Filipino fast food franchise when it started in 1996 to becoming the poster child for SME CSR when it set up its DAHON program in 2006, Binalot has always had the pioneering spirit.

Judee Morente, Operations Manager of Binalot says that since the start of this pandemic, Binalot has never stopped its operations. “We focused on how to keep our employees busy and more importantly, keep them employed. Binalot came up with the Bayani (Biyaya at Yaman Alay Natin sa Inang Bayan) program which enabled good-hearted individuals to donate food for both our medical and non-medical frontliners”.

“Truly, this pandemic has affected the food industry worldwide. And Binalot was not spared. Sales decreased to less than half as people stayed home, they stayed away from the malls and office spaces and factories became vacant. Thus, most of our current sales are in the form of delivery sales”. 

But the pandemic stretched on, with a second round of enhanced community quarantine in place in Metro Manila and surrounding provinces. And with almost no end in sight, Binalot has decided to pivot to a new business model. 

Introducing the Binalot home kitchen-based franchise or Binalot Cloud Kitchen for short. Morente explains that now, you no longer need to find a space in a commercial area to open your own Binalot franchise. “With our cloud franchise, you can simply open one at your own home. All we require you to have is your kitchen and a dedicated refrigerator and freezer for the Binalot stocks. Binalot will train you and your staff on operations, food handling, marketing, human resources and will even set up your delivery system. Food service is going to be fast, convenient and affordable because of reduced overhead costs”. 

Binalot CEO Rommel Juan says that with more people working from home nowadays, residential area food deliveries are up. “We and our prospective franchisees aim to target this new, rapidly-growing segment by focusing on residential area cloud franchises. And with our Binalot Cloud Kitchen, you can do it from the comfort of your home kitchen”.

“At Binalot, we try to see the opportunity in every crisis. Problems are seen as challenges that need to be addressed. There is a need and we provide an opportunity to fill this need. So now we want to give this opportunity to offer Binalot to cloud franchisees to serve their own residential areas and have a profitable business for themselves”.

For inquiries you may email ilovebinalot@gmail.com.  Or visit www.binalot.com

Read More: https://2ndopinion.ph/

Binalot Story

By: Jerry Jao

I was a new a graduate around 20 years ago... I was fired and I was looking for a job...pero natagalan ako s apaghahanap so I opted to do networking, insurance a real estate salesman... so to make the story short, All around salesman parang electrolux man. Everyday I would be going around Ortigas for seminars client meeting etc, etc. But due to limited money, I think 200 lang dala ko kada araw kasama na dun ang transpo and I have to be in ortigas by 9am until sometime 4am the next day..lam mo na trabahong networker after 6pm ang client. So with limited money in my pocket araw araw I would go either Robinson's Galleria or Sharilla Fast Food area to take my lunch & dinner, at ang palaging order ko yung Adobo Rice with Egg kasi yun lang ang budget ko and afford ko. There are times na palapit pa lang ako sa cashier pinupunch na order ka kasi alam na nila yun ang oorderin ko nanaman. Minsan tinanong ako bakit yun lagi order ko so I just answered "Yan kasi paborito ko"...(well, partly true) and di ko masabi na yan lang kasi kaya ko (during that time P25 lang yan). There are times ma may kasama akong fellow networker na kaya lang sumasabay sa akin para makalibre ng lunch and I would buy 2 packs nyan ang kakain kami at minsan nagsabi din sya sa akin yun lang daw nililibre ko sa kanya puro Adobo Rice with Egg lang...(Kainis ng nagpalibre lang nagreklamo pa...) If you know Ismael Abaya o Bart Abaya...I was dealing with hin na din during that time. And During that Time nababasa na kita sa Entrepreneur Magazine but di pa tayo personally magkakilala. I was so inspired about your story and the story of where the adobo Rice came from that after a few years I decided to go to business and Invited my friends to start lunch delivery services in Binondo gaya ng ginawa nyo. I tried not to get commercial space kasi napakamahal and I could not afford it. We called it Sa Kusina ni Mang Tabby... literal yun kusina lang meron kami at wala nang iba no dine in no nothing. And Tabby is what my family calls me kasi tumataba na ako during that time. Sad to say, to business last only 1 and a half year. and wit this I loss my friends who became my partner. Hangang nang makilala kita sa PMA... Until now i can't forget how your story and your brand have been part of my struggling years. And how your story inspired me to become an entrepreneur.

Binalot Fiesta Foods Wins HeroBrand Awards

BINALOT Fiesta Foods, Inc. received a HeroBrand Awards uder the Established Hero category. The franchise was recognized for its contributions to the good of society. HeroBrand Awards celebrate those companies and brands that are making the world a better place.

 

Read More: ressreader.com