June 29, 2012 Malaya Business Insight CORPORATE NEWS PLDT Alpha, PFA present FAP 2012 PLDT Alpha Enterprises has renewed its partnership with the Philippine Franchise Association (PFA) as co-presentor of Franchise Asia Philippines (FAP) 2012, Asia’s biggest and grandest 4-in-1 event slated on July 25 to 29 at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City. The business management arm of the country’s largest telecommunications company, PLDT Alpha Enterprises handles relationships with top-tier enterprises in the country and is the product of the PLDT Corporate Business Group’s evolution as a premier ICT provider. FAP 2012 is the latest evolution of the annual Philippine International Franchise Conference and Expo and last year’s milestone international event, Franchise Asia 2011, which gave the Philippines, through PFA, the honor to host the convergence of top leaders in the international franchise community, aside from registering record-breaking attendance at the International Franchise Conference and the International Franchise Expo. Bannered by the theme “Asia to the World, the World to Asia”, FAP 2012 aims to sustain and strengthen PFA’s core mission of affirming the Philippine’s position as the Center for Franchise Development in Asia, and its role as a synergy agent for Asian franchising. The four integral components of this much awaited international event are: the International Franchise Conference ( July 25 and 26 ), featuring local and international franchise gurus and experts who will present the latest trends and development in the global franchising arena; the International Franchise Expo ( July 27-29 ), a one stop shop showcasing the best unlimited business opportunities ranging from established and successful brands- both local and international, to new and promising franchise concepts covering every sector at various investment levels , including petroleum and related business opportunities in the PetroBusiness Pavilion; the Educational Franchise Seminars, to be conducted concurrent with the Expo, serving as an excellent forum for business matching between franchisors and would-be franchisees; and the Certified Franchise Executive (CFE) Program ( July 23 and 24), a mini- MBA course on Franchise Management to be held at the AIM Conference Center. -Jovy Hernandez (center), Vice President and Head, Corporate Business Group of PLDT Alpha Enterprise and Jose Magsaysay Jr, CFE (left), President and Chief Executive Officer of Cinco Corporation/ Potato Corner, and overall Chair of FAP 2012, seal their renewed partnership with a handshake at the accord signing that formalized the tie-up between the two organizations for Franchise Asia Philippines 2012. With them is Robert F. Trota, CFE (right), President of Max’s Restaurant, and Chairman of PFA.-
June 28, 2012 BUSINESS MIRROR (page B2-4) AGRICULTURE/ COMMODITIES POTATO CORNER to launch 4 new brands this year CINCO CORPORATION, owner of Potato Corner, is launching four new brands in the country within the year that are expected to hike the company ‘s total sales by 50 percent starting 2012. Also, Cinco Corp., President Jose P. Magsaysay Jr. told the BUSINESS MIRROR that the company is now setting in motion an aggressive expansion plan in the United States, with the goal of establishing 100 additional Potato Corner outlets there in three years. “We are preparing already the business plan ( for the four new brands). After that, maybe by the end of July, we will start looking for sites and hopefully by September we will start operations. We will have proof of concept stores first, maybe one or two each, but if they succeed , we will offer them for franchise immediately.”, Magsaysay said. These new brands , he said, will all be in the food category, ranging from food carts to fast- food dine-in restaurants. For the US, Magsaysay said the company has been getting a lot of inquiries from prospective franchisees, which is why they are now building up their management and manpower capabilities to support the expansion there. Potato Corner now has eight outlets in the US and is opening about three of four more this year, he said. “We are now in the mainstream in the US and I believe Potato Corner is one of only two Filipino brands that got the clearance to set up franchise outlets in all the States in the US. We see 100 new outlets in the US in the next three years because of Franchising and Potato Corner USA will be bigger than Potato Corner Philippines,” he said. Magsaysay, who is the overall chairman of the FAP 2012 scheduled at the SMX Convention Center from July 25 to 29, said Filipino brand owners need to acquaint themselves better with franchising as it is the best tool to “achieve rapid growth or hyper growth”. Through franchising, he said Potato Corner managed to establish about 250 outlets in the Philippines, 22 outlets in Indonesia, and one each in Malaysia and Panama in its 20 years of operation. Potato Corner, he said, expects a 50-percent sales growth this year in its Philippine operations alone. -Max V. de Leon-
