REGIONAL delicacies are gradually becoming a “franchisable” business, according to the Philippine Franchise Association (PFA).
“The trend now is the mainstreaming of the regional delicacies as a franchise concept,” PFA representative and Franchise Asia Philippines 2020 chair Debbie Rodolfo said.
“Some regional delicacies that have started mainstream because of franchise are empanada, yema cheesecake, pancit palabok, mango, and even lechon,” she said.
She said these products from Davao Region have also spread out in other parts of the country and products from other areas expand here.
Because of these, the PFA urged brands offering regional delicacies to participate in Franchise Asia Philippines 2020, a franchising show on March 25 to 29 at SMX Convention Center, SM Mall of Asia in Pasay, Manila.
She noted most of the franchising brands in the previous expositions are in the food industry.
In 2018, out of an estimated 1,800 brands, 44 percent of the participating brands are in food, 29 percent of it are in retail, and 27 percent are into service businesses.
“Food is the most franchisable. May mga ibang booths din that they started small but during the next year, lumalaki which means their business is growing (There are booths which started small but it grew in following years),” she said.
Rodolfo also said the franchising industry has contributed about 7 percent of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) or an estimated US$25 billion of sales.
She said Southeast Asia is also the franchising’s biggest market.
She added among the qualities that makes a business franchisable are that it is unique concept, profitable, and systematized or replicable.
“The market is there and they are able to fulfill the demand in the market. Mao na naka grow siya in one to many, nakainvite siya og daghan investors or franchisees,” she said.
Other businesses which have also joined in franchise expos coffee kiosks, shawarma, and lemonade, self-service laundry, and microlending, among others. (RAG)