Monday, July 14, 2008 Figaro opens another branch in Cebu
POISED to brew nothing less but fresh and aromatic blends true to European café tradition while staying near to its aficionados, Figaro puts up a café in Cebu’s newest dining alley, The Walk in Asiatown IT Park.
Being the third branch in Cebu, Figaro in The Walk aims to cater to Cebu’s night owls to stay close to the ICT community.
Giving more to its costumers and taking advantage of its street side location, the branch will be open to serve breakfast and will stay open until midnight.
“Cebu needs a Figaro that is located near the hotels and the IT community,” said Janice Go, Figaro franchisee who trained in the Manila training center together with her opening crew.
Figaro offers its signature coffee blend, “Figaro House Reserve,” its famous line of Figaro Frost (regular and light versions), breakfast, pasta, sandwiches and pastries.
Now on its 15ht year, Figaro’s thrust is to open more branches in the Visayas and Mindanao area. So far, Figaro is present in Iloilo, Bacolod, Davao, Cebu and soon in Cagayan de Oro.
The coffee shop opened in Ayala’s Gloretta Mall as a small café born out of a hobby among friends who all loved coffee and travel. It expanded through franchising and received an ISO 9001:200 certification for Franchising Services, the first in the country.
By expanding in the Vismin area, Figaro has 70 branches in the country and two in Shanghai, China.
Franchises in secondary cities are usually awarded to franchisees who live in the area. “Local knowledge is important,” said Irene Lucas, country operations manager.
“We get a lot of applicants especially for tourist destinations, but we prefer locals who can operate it hands-on, speak the local dialect, and know the community,” Lucas said.
She said, “its not just having the financial requirements. It’s about loving coffee and having a passion for people.
For more information on getting a Figaro franchise, email franchise@figarocoffee.com or visit www.figarocoffee.com.
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