‘Binalot’ chain eyes expansion in 2023 | Business and Politics
Rommel Juan, EVAP chairman and owner of the ‘Binalot’ food chain, talks about the early beginnings of ‘Binalot’, he wanted to promote traditional Filipino food instead of putting up another burger joint. He adds that now that business has returned to pre-pandemic levels, his company is aiming for more franchises this year.
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Rommel Juan, EVAP chairman and owner of the ‘Binalot’ food chain, talks about the early beginnings of ‘Binalot’, he wanted to promote traditional Filipino food instead of putting up another burger joint. He adds that now that business has returned to pre-pandemic levels, his company is aiming for more franchises this year.
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Check out our Podcasts:
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NewsTranscript
00:00 Well let's switch it up a bit because you know I knew you as a food guy.
00:04 You started Binalot and then you were in the think of the franchising association trying to promote franchising.
00:12 How's the Binalot business? I know this is a big part of your concern but Binalot is really I think your very own.
00:21 That's still my passion. That's my baby. Binalot is still my baby.
00:25 I'm still a food guy. Whenever we go to these ASEAN trips, I try to revolve the schedule around where we will eat.
00:36 I have a lot of friends who are commercial counselors. So in Bangkok there's Ella Burgos, in Vietnam there's Rico Mariano.
00:48 They really help us. Rico is one of them. We even eat together.
00:55 Any industry they will help you. That's one thing. The business people don't know this.
01:00 If you go to any country, look for the commercial counselor because they're there to help.
01:07 Binalot is great now but of course we just came from the pandemic. The pandemic was really difficult.
01:17 I guess it was difficult for everybody. Mostly for the food industry.
01:22 Because of course, especially with Binalot, we have a lot of mall locations.
01:28 Nobody went to the malls during the pandemic.
01:31 How did you survive? What kept you afloat?
01:35 It was really hard. We had to close our head office. We moved everything in the commissary.
01:41 Thank God we have Grab and Foodpanda. But of course it still wasn't enough.
01:50 There were still other places that had a dine-in.
01:52 So 40% of sales we got from your deliveries. But 60% was still not enough.
02:00 So of course we had to tighten our belts. We had to let go of a lot of people.
02:06 I guess I always believed that with difficulties, with trials like this, it makes you stronger.
02:16 And I guess that's what happened with Binalot. Because we were able to tighten our belts.
02:23 And now that it's coming back, we're more efficient.
02:27 Are you back to pre-pandemic?
02:29 Actually we are. We are now.
02:32 But it was very, very slow.
02:36 Pre-pandemic level, we just got it 2-3 months ago.
02:42 And now it's really back to pre-pandemic.
02:47 There is a revenge economy that's happening.
02:51 And we're happy. There's a lot of demand now for franchising.
02:58 So a lot of people are applying for franchises now.
03:00 There's going to be a franchise show in October also.
03:06 So Binalot is strong with franchising now.
03:10 We just opened a store in 168 Mall in Ayala.
03:15 We're going to open another in Dragon 8 in Cavite.
03:20 So there's a lot of interest now.
03:23 And it's exciting.
03:26 Because of the pandemic, we had to let go a lot of people.
03:31 Now our team is like a kid again.
03:34 So they're very energetic. They're full of ideas.
03:39 And I'm happy because I'm doing TikTok.
03:42 I can see the food trends now.
03:45 So I said, let's try this.
03:46 So now, every meeting in Binalot, we have food tasting.
03:51 The vibrance is back.
03:53 And I'm really, really excited about Binalot.
03:56 I wanted to ask you this.
03:58 A long time ago, when of course Mang Inasal was bought by the Jollibee group.
04:05 I was wondering how that changed the landscape.
04:08 Is there complementarity between you and Mang Inasal?
04:11 Or is it more of a competition?
04:14 Or what is the landscape like now?
04:17 Mang Inasal is really a different level.
04:20 So you're not head to head?
04:23 We're not in that level.
04:24 They're QSR.
04:25 They're really quick service.
04:28 And that level, you only reach that level when you surpass, I would say, about 200 outlets.
04:35 So there's only a few.
04:39 There's Jollibee, McDonald's, Greenwich, KFC, Mang Inasal.
04:45 I was going to ask you if you were going to become the next youngest Filipino billionaire.
04:51 No, but too late for that.
04:53 But what I'm saying is, I'm not thinking about that so much.
05:00 I'm enjoying what I'm doing.
05:02 I'm enjoying Binalot.
05:04 I'm enjoying our team.
05:05 We have a very strong team.
05:08 My CFO is a senior.
05:13 So he...
05:14 I have a bit of adult supervision on the finance side.
05:21 On the operations side, I have a very seasoned COO, Judy Morente, who has a vast experience also in the food service.
05:29 It's going full circle now.
05:31 Because Judy had a crew before, in Figaro.
05:38 Oh, I see.
05:38 Which was founded by your auntie.
05:41 Before.
05:42 Then it became a franchise.
05:44 Yeah.
05:44 So now, she's my franchisee.
05:46 Before, Judy was like a step-daughter to our COO.
05:51 So now, she's a franchisee.
05:52 It's nice.
05:55 And we're constantly evolving.
05:58 I'm introducing Pastil now.
06:02 You're familiar with Pastil?
06:03 Yes.
06:03 That's the Magindanawan Binalot.
06:06 I'm excited.
06:08 When I go to other countries, I look for their version of Binalot.
06:11 Malaysia has the Nasi Lemak.
06:13 You were talking to me about how you were...
06:15 There's the story how it came about.
06:18 With the banana leaves.
06:19 Can you quickly recount that?
06:21 How the Binalot concept came about.
06:24 It started...
06:25 Binalot has always been there.
06:28 It's our traditional way of packing food.
06:32 Banana leaves.
06:33 Banana leaves.
06:34 In the province before, the farmers would wrap their leaves with banana leaves.
06:39 But with us, of course, the idea came with my mom.
06:43 Because my mom used to wrap our food in banana leaves.
06:46 When we go to Alfonso Cavite, we had a little farm there.
06:49 And then...
06:50 Imagine opening it like that.
06:53 The rice is really hot.
06:56 And there's adobo on top.
06:58 There's also kintab.
06:59 And the tomatoes are red.
07:01 And there's salted egg.
07:02 And it's oily.
07:03 It's so good.
07:05 So that's the idea.
07:07 And then, this was right after college.
07:11 And of course, I come from an entrepreneurial family.
07:13 And it's encouraged by our parents.
07:17 Put up your own.
07:18 So my brother and I, Rafi, I told him, "Let's put up a restaurant."
07:23 I said, "Let's not do hamburgers, hotdogs, siopao, siomai.
07:31 Let's do Filipino food."
07:32 I said, "Do you remember what mommy used to wrap?"
07:35 "Binalot." That's what we did.
07:37 And it was a hit.
07:38 Of course, we invited our friend who's a chef.
07:41 He makes all the recipes because we don't know how to cook.
07:45 And it's nice.
07:47 Auntie Chit also calls it...
07:49 Auntie Chit is also part of binalot.
07:52 She said, "Romel, that's called joyconomy."
07:55 It brings joy to the economy.
08:00 Because I was just eating with my friends yesterday.
08:04 Binalot. And they were so happy with it.
08:06 "Romel, it's still delicious."
08:08 One of them said, "I hope my husband learns how to cook something good."
08:12 But you know, it's something traditional.
08:19 It's something really Filipino.
08:22 It's eco-friendly.
08:24 You know, Filipino food is still the go-to food.
08:29 Sure.
08:30 For my food, of course, there are different kinds.
08:33 But Filipino food is still the one you'll go to after a while.
08:37 So I'm happy with the direction of Binalot now.
08:42 And we welcome the new franchises.
08:46 And we're very active now again.
08:52 And we're introducing new dishes and everything.
08:56 What's in the pipeline for this year in Binalot?
08:59 Are you looking to open more stores?
09:01 Yeah.
09:02 Or is it okay?
09:03 Yeah, we're looking for more franchises.
09:05 Even if it's a small place like 20 square meters, we can make it a satellite store.
09:12 Provincial. We're slowly going back to provincial.
09:17 Sadly, the provincial stores closed during the pandemic.
09:21 But the provincial stores like Iloilo before,
09:25 Kagen de Oro, they were doing well.
09:27 Bacolod.
09:28 So we hope we can reopen.
09:30 We had a branch before in Dubai also.
09:33 Is there a convergence between Binalot and the other things we're talking about?
09:38 Because I'm thinking in my mind, Amazon using these electric vehicles for delivery.
09:44 Or are we going to see Binalot at your conference, the EVAP conference in October?
09:48 Of course, in anything I do,
09:57 we try to put a feel-good aspect in it.
10:01 Of course, with electric vehicles, it's really for the environment.
10:07 Even with Binalot.
10:08 Binalot, of course, it's really for the environment.
10:11 You're not using Styrofoam.
10:13 And of course, we have that DAHON program.
10:16 It's a foundation.
10:18 You had a foundation.
10:19 Well, it's a program now.
10:20 It's not really a foundation.
10:21 It's just a CSR arm of Binalot.
10:24 And we've been supporting this community for 13 years.
10:30 And we even support their daycare center.
10:33 That's great.
10:34 We're the ones giving the allowance to the teacher.
10:37 A lot of kids went to school there.
10:38 The kids are all grown up now.
10:40 When we go there, they're all grown up.
10:42 I said, "I knew you before."
10:44 But it's continuous.
10:46 The nana's are still working.
10:48 They work like two, three hours a day.
10:52 And they supply us with all the banana leaves.
10:54 And we're doing a new project with them.
10:57 We're trying to develop salted eggs.
11:00 Out of chicken eggs.
11:03 Because chicken eggs are cheaper than duck eggs.
11:05 But it's harder to make because the skin of the chicken eggs are thin.
11:09 So these things.
11:10 We want--
11:11 I said my scorecard is how many people are being helped.
11:18 So that's what we should do.
11:19 We want to try to help more with Binalot.
11:22 And then seriously, about your conference.
11:25 Is it open to the public?
11:27 Or who should attend?
11:29 I mean, what can they expect?
11:30 I think everybody should attend.
11:32 But specifically the guys who are interested in electric vehicles.
11:35 Electric vehicle technology.
11:37 The electric vehicle industry.
11:39 But it's interesting.
11:42 Everybody should learn more about it.
11:46 It's here.
11:48 The technology's here.
11:50 The industry's here.
11:51 So how can we make it work?
11:54 How can we make it better in the country?
11:56 We're going to talk about that all at the EV Summit.
11:59 So the EV Summit is going to be at the SMX in Malavesia.
12:05 October 19 to 21.
12:06 So there's a conference there.
12:08 And there's an exhibit.
12:10 So go to our website.
12:12 At the Electric Vehicle Association of the Philippines.
12:14 You have a Facebook page.
12:15 You can register there.
12:17 Is it free?
12:18 Or how much does it cost to attend?
12:19 I think it's free right now.
12:20 OK.
12:21 And who are some of the speakers?
12:23 We've memorized the speakers right now.
12:26 OK.
12:27 But definitely industry players?
12:29 Industry players.
12:30 Policy makers?
12:30 And international speakers also.
12:33 From the EV industry.
12:35 Interesting.
12:35 Ano mga, can you give us a preview of what they think?
12:38 I know you said you went to Vietnam and other countries.
12:42 And you were amazed at their technology.
12:44 Are we going to see a glimpse of what you have been seeing going around the region?
12:51 Or are we going to meet the key makers?
12:54 There are a lot of key people who will be talking at the EV Summit.
13:00 And I'm excited.
13:02 Maganda talaga yung displays.
13:03 There will be...
13:05 As you said, tatlong ano na.
13:06 Yeah, there will be three halls already.
13:09 So there will be mga sports cars talaga.
13:12 And yung magagandang...
13:13 So, surprise na lang.
13:16 Alright.
13:17 Well, Romel, it's been a pleasure seeing you again after all these years.
13:23 Anytime.
13:24 Anytime.
13:24 And I'm really thankful that you made time.
13:26 But before you go, maybe you want to leave our audience with a message?
13:30 OK.
13:31 So maybe I'd like to invite everyone to go to visit the Electric Vehicle Summit.
13:37 It's going to be in October 19 to 21 at the SMX in Molovesa.
13:45 So we'll be there.
13:46 And there will be a lot of electric vehicle displays.
13:50 And not just the vehicles, but the charging stations as well.
13:53 And there will be a conference.
13:55 So there will be a lot of speakers where we will learn more about the electric vehicle
13:59 industry in the Philippines.
14:00 And also, pag-gutom kayo, mag-binalot kayo.
14:04 What's the Facebook page name again?
14:08 Binalot.
14:08 No, no, I mean the conference, EVAP.
14:11 Is it EVAP?
14:11 EVAP lang.
14:12 EVAP.
14:22 [BLANK_AUDIO]