Saturday, December 08, 2007 Red Ribbon eyes more stores
A MAJOR cake and pastry chain in the country opened yesterday its first franchise outlet and announced plans to open three to four more stores in Cebu next year.
Michelle Leslie Llanos, head of commissary and operations for Visayas and Mindanao of Red Ribbon, said the bakeshop chain will be opening one more booth at Gaisano Mactan, an outlet at JY Square in Lahug, Cebu City and another at the future Parkmall 168 mall at the North Reclamation Area.
Red Ribbon officials joined the company’s franchise-holder, Joly-Red Cebu Inc., in opening the chain’s first franchise outlet at Foodasavers in Consolacion, Cebu yesterday.
Thadeo Jovito “Jonkie” Ouano of Joly-Red Cebu said the company is applying for another franchise outlet in Carcar.
“We’re waiting for Red Ribbon to approve it. They will be conducting a feasibility study (on the site),” he told news reporters.
Cebu growth
Llanos said that while Red Ribbon has confidence in Joly-Red, which also holds several franchises of its mother company Jollibee, it is also optimistic about the growth of its market in Cebu.
“We’re doing very well in Cebu. Growth sales this year is 20 percent higher than that of 2006,” Llanos said, adding that Cebu accounts for 39 percent of Red Ribbon’s operations in Visayas and Mindanao.
She said Red Ribbon Consolacion is also “very promising as many people came here even before its opening to inquire.”
“This is an ideal location,” Ouano said. “It’s the first town going to the north and (a good distance away from) SM. (Customer) traffic is also very good with Consolacion developing very fast,” he added.
He said Red Ribbon Consolacion can accommodate only 12 seats and occupies about 57.5 square meters of space in front of Foodasavers.
Renovation
The outlet is designed to serve mainly take-out orders, which is why it has a small seating capacity, Llanos said.
“We expect 70 percent of transactions to be take-out,” she added.
Aside from network expansion, Llanos said Red Ribbon, which was bought by Jollibee in 2005, will be renovating all its outlets in Cebu. “All Cebu stores will have the new vibrant look of Red Ribbon,” she added.
She noted that the Consolacion branch has already incorporated the new design of Red Ribbon stores.
To accommodate its growth, Red Ribbon has moved its commissary to a bigger location in Alang-alang, Mandaue City. The first commissary was located on Molave St., Cebu City.
“The commissary ensures that our cakes are freshly baked every day,” she said.
With its planned expansion, Llanos assured that all Red Ribbon outlets will provide the same “high quality service and great tasting food.”
She said that to ensure quality, the company conducts monthly audits through internal auditors and mystery shoppers. (LAP)
