FOR four years, Rolando “Yom” Pendon Jr. walked hospital hallways as a medical representative, pitching pharmaceutical products to doctors and making his rounds with clinical precision. But outside the nine-to-five grind, one craving never left him—burgers.
Not just any burgers, but the kind he grew up eating: simple, juicy, no-frills sandwiches slathered with cheese, veggies and memories of late-night street stalls and family cookouts.
“When the Covid-19 pandemic hit, I thought of getting into business. I used the lockdown period to cook and eat—especially my favorite, burgers,” said Yom, the owner of Yom-
big Burger.
In 2021, at the height of the lockdowns, Yom traded prescriptions for patties. What began as a childhood craving has grown into a promising burger brand with two locations—at The Outlets at MEZ2 Estate (formerly The Outlets at Pueblo Verde) in Lapu-Lapu City and SM City Cebu—and one more branch opening in September this year.
Flipping careers
Armed with savings, taste-tested recipes and zero experience in the food industry, Yom took the leap. He used his P200,000 savings to open a 500-square-meter stall of Yombig Burger at The Outlets at MEZ2 Estate.
“I knew how to sell. That came from pharma. But this time, I was selling something I personally loved,” he said.
He focused on what he knew best: taste. Yom said he revived the traditional burger—patty, cheese and vegetables, all in one hearty bun—that customers of all ages could enjoy. He developed a secret sauce he claims sets Yombig apart from the rest.
“What I wanted was to bring back traditional burgers. Once we got that right, we began to innovate—like combining chicken and beef in one burger,” said Yom. He believes Yombig may be the first to offer such a combo, which he proudly calls the ‘Chi-be Burger.’
In 2025, Yom opened his first in-line store at SM City Cebu. The brand quickly gained traction for its straightforward menu, affordable pricing and excellent customer service.
“Our burgers are comfort food,” he said. “And that’s what keeps people coming back.”
Yombig Burger has since expanded its offerings to include rice meals, and Yom said the reception in Cebu City has been overwhelming.
Lessons from the sales floor
But getting into the food business wasn’t easy. Supply chain issues, rising ingredient costs and managing a kitchen team were all unfamiliar territory.
Yom applied lessons from his pharmaceutical sales career to navigate the challenges. One of the biggest hurdles was securing affordable local chicken. Due to rising feed costs, Yombig currently sources chicken from Korea and Taiwan, while the rest of the ingredients are procured locally. Yom even grows his own lettuce in a greenhouse.
Flooding is another concern, especially in mall-based locations where bad weather can prevent customers from visiting and slow down sales.
“These are just some of the concerns entrepreneurs learn to navigate on their own,” he said. “I’m thankful I grew up with entrepreneurial parents who gave me early lessons in business. That gave me the confidence to take this on.”
Yombig has already received franchise inquiries, but Yom is taking a measured approach.
“Franchising can help us expand faster, but we want to prove the strength of the brand first,” he said. “We want the business to grow and live on. We want to protect the quality of the food we serve.”
Over the next three years, Yom aims to expand aggressively, with plans to open eight new branches backed by P80 million to P100 million in capital.
“It’s an ambitious project, but I want to get there,” he said. The expansion could create jobs for over 100 people. Currently, Yombig employs 16 workers across its two branches.
As he flips patties on the same grill where it all started, Yom recalls what pushed him to take the leap.
“You don’t always need a grand idea to start a business. Sometimes, it’s enough to follow a craving and give it your all.”
He added: “There’s no easy money in business. You have to work hard for it, too.” / KOC