Tuesday, May 22, 2007 Tapsilog eateries serve needs of new, young Cebu market By Ace Matthew Togonon Sun.Star Staff Reporter
WITH the modern Cebuanos’ fast paced lifestyle demanding for quick services, Cebu’s food entrepreneurs have ventured into the tapsilog business to capture a new market’s needs.
Franklin Veloso, 27, co-owner of four-month-old Zilog located on F. Cabahug St., Mabolo, Cebu City believes that people today want their food hot and fast.
Having started a tapsilog shop in 2001 in his billiard place in Mabolo, Veloso said the tapsilog style food is very easy to sell since it is affordable and can be served anytime of the day.
Demand
Joshua Magtulis, ow-ner of Sugbo Silog, and Veloso attribute the increase in the demand to the emergence of call centers since most of their customers are call center agents who work on night shifts.
Magtulis, who established Sugbo Silog in late 2004, added that customers favor Sugbo Silog because it is affordable, has quality and offers good services.
Branches
With the growth in their market share, the business now has four branches with the newest one located in Paseo, Magtulis told Sun.Star Cebu.
For his part, Resty Seville, 55, owner of Sinangag Express Urgello and Guadalupe branches (soon to be known as Golden Gisangag Express) agrees with Veloso and Magtulis and said that customers are satisfied with what they get for what they pay.
Seville, with a partner, started their first store in Mabolo in 2003 with a burger counter-style tap-silogan, with an initial capital of P20,000.
With the positive market response, he now has two branches that cater to customers who include students and agents who want quick and affordable meals, and even foreigners and patrons who drive BMWs and Mercedes Benzes.
Beyond Sinangag
Magtulis said he also decided to capitalize on express Cebuano dishes to distinguish Sugbo Silog from the rest in the market.
The eatery also offers Cebuano favorites, such as grilled dishes, and house specialties like adobo, bangus, fish fillet, beef patty and sisig, Magtulis said.
“I’m proud to serve the Cebuanos with their favorite foods. In fact, we are a National Shoppers Choice Awardee in Filipino Food Express in Metro Cebu,” he added.
Similarly Veloso’s Zilog is not only limited to tapsilog, it also offers sandwiches, noodles, rice bowls, toppings, sizzling dishes and other house specialties.
Success
The owners of the tapsilog businesses also owe their success to regular customers.
Magtulis said that most of his customers have already made Sugbo Silog as their regular choice.
For Sinangag Express, Seville says that they became famous through word of mouth.
“We had no publicity yet we continue to thrive,” Seville added.
Veloso and Magtulis agree that one should know his business for him to effectively run it.
“Being hands-on is important,” Magtulis said.
Seville, on the other hand, emphasized the importance of choosing a good location, as well as maintaining the outlets to ensure that the service remains good.
