The Mindanao Basket, Davao’s well-known specialty grocery store that offers premium steak, seafood and deli from around the world, as well as Japanese skincare, haircare, and beauty products, wines, and popular desserts from Manila, has officially expanded to Cebu with the grand opening of its branch at OneTree Plaza Hotel, R. Duterte St., Banawa, Cebu City. This marks The Mindanao Basket’s fifth branch nationwide, with two branches in Davao City, one in SM Cagayan de Oro City, and another in Cotabato City.
The expansion marked the brand’s growing presence beyond Mindanao, offering same-day express delivery within the city to make high-quality products more accessible to local customers.
Owners Arnel and Arielle Echavez led the ribbon-cutting ceremony, joined by family, friends, and guests from Cebu’s food and business communities. The event celebrated not only a milestone for the brand but also the couple’s journey of perseverance and faith.
“First, we would like to thank our Lord Jesus Christ for blessing us this day,” said Arnel Echavez in his speech. “There were a ton of challenges to reach this day. But again, we thank God for giving us the knowledge to tackle what we don’t know, the courage to face tomorrow and the wisdom to deal with the hardships.”
He also expressed gratitude to their team, suppliers and loved ones who supported them throughout their business journey. “Thank you, no words can describe how thankful we are to be able to do business with you,” he said. Addressing his wife, he added, “Despite all the ups and downs, my love, we’ve been through building, rebuilding our business, we still managed to stand and approach things headstrong.”
In her speech, Arielle Echavez shared the humble beginnings of The Mindanao Basket, which started during the pandemic in 2020. “We started at home with nothing but a small dream,” she said. “From supporting just one family of our employee, today, The Mindanao Basket now supports over 50 employees and their families.”
She described the Cebu branch as “historic” for being their first store outside Mindanao and their flagship store in the Visayas. “This represents a bigger vision,” she said. “By God’s grace, there will be more branches across the Philippines.”
Arielle also announced their plans to open scholarship opportunities under The Mindanao Basket, emphasizing its commitment to giving back. “We believe in building a future where more dreams can come true,” she said. They are also opening for franchise opportunities next year to reach more communities nationwide and bring their products closer to Filipinos across the country.
Above all, both owners dedicated the milestone to their faith. “This business is not ours alone. It is God’s,” Arielle said. “And we give back all the glory to Him today.”
The Mindanao Basket’s Cebu branch stands as a testament to perseverance, partnership, and purpose — bringing a taste of Davao’s finest to the Queen City of the South. The Specialty Grocery Store is open daily from 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., welcoming Cebuanos to experience its signature premium selection of steaks, imported meats, seafood and gourmet goods.