Proudly Pinoy - Planters Development Bank

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COVER STORY proudly pinoy BY VERONICA VELARDE PULUMBARIT 10 A Filipino company is setting the bar not only for the local food industry but the international market as well. SME.COMmunity.PHilippines
BINALOT FIESTA FOODS, INC. has been gaining the respect of its peers in the food business mainly for two valuable reasons: the consistently good performance of the company and more importantly, its dedication to promote Filipino values and culture. Business experts have been encouraging companies around the world to have a definite identity, to have a concrete notion of the corporate values, culture, mission, and vision. Binalot is one company that truly knows its identity: it is a Filipino company dedicated to promoting Filipino values and culture and committed to uplifting the lives of marginalized Filipinos. Rommel Juan, president of Binalot, says “I think it’s all encapsulated by the vision of the company, which is to be the number one truly Filipino fastfood in the Philippines which promotes Filipino culture, Filipino values and Filipino humor.” Binalot is a chain of around 40 fastfood restaurants across the country. The company began in 1996 as a food delivery business in Makati City with a capital of P50,000. More than a decade later, it has grown into a company with an estimated value of P60 million. Binalot calls itself the “Pambansang Tsibugan” (National Eatery) of the Philippines. Each Binalot outlet expresses its Filipino identity right from its themed restaurant design down to its menu and even its promotional materials. The “banig” (woven mat) design is used as a wall accent in Binalot restaurants. The banig (sawali) design is an element of the “bahay kubo,” the traditional Filipino house. “It has to be modern, iconic, fastfoody, but still has to be traditional Pinoy,” Juan says. The murals inside the restaurants feature traditional Filipino imagery such as “bayanihan” (mutual aid) or “salu-salo” (a family sharing a meal together). Its menu features classic Filipino cuisine such as adobo, tapa, sisig, bistek, and others. However, Binalot added a little Filipino humor in the naming of their culinary offerings: Fiesta Adobo, Tapa Rap Sarap, Sisig na Makisig, Bistek Walastik, and so on. One of Binalot’s promotional flyers says, “Ang Saya, Ang Sarap Maging Pinoy!” (How fun, how great it is to be a Filipino!) It adds: “Walang kasing saya ang Pistang Pinoy. At wala nang mas sasarap pang ihanda kundi ang lutong Pinoy.” (Nothing beats the fun of a Filipino feast. There’s nothing better to offer than Filipino cuisine). Juan says they want to give their customers a glimpse of the Philippine values and culture when they dine at Binalot. He says they even have a marketing effort to promote traditional Filipino games such as piko or tumbang preso. He says, for Binalot, “it’s more than just a business, it’s an advocacy” to promote Philippine culture and values, especially to the younger generation of Filipinos. THE BANANA LEAF Binalot is a Filipino word that means “wrapped”. Each Binalot meal is wrapped in banana leaf. In the traditional Philippine culture, the banana leaf played an important role in food preparation. Filipinos believe that food wrapped in banana leaf tastes better and stays fresh longer. Even in large feasts, Filipinos used to serve food in containers or bowls lined with banana leaves. It was a Filipino custom to place whole banana leaves on the table. Those leaves would serve like a communal plate or dish for eating. This practice, however, has declined because of the dwindling supply of banana leaves, especially in the urban areas. The problem with the steady supply of banana leaves has inspired the owners of Binalot to All time Pinoy favorites Left: Sisig na Makisig Below: Tapa Rap Sarap 11 VOL. NO. 03 / ISSUE NO. 03 04
Page 1 and 2: A Plantersbank publication sme .COM
Page 3: FROM THE PUBLISHER’S DESK / STAFF
Page 6 and 7: HOTLINE Reaching the Stars with the
Page 8 and 9: HOTLINE The Small Business Corporat
Page 10 and 11: 8 SME.COMmunity.PHilippines Keep Yo
Page 14 and 15: FOR BINALOT, THE BOTTOMLINE IS TO A
Page 16 and 17: Getting Into Cart and Kiosk Busines
Page 18 and 19: MILMAR DISTILLERY INNOVATING ON THE
Page 20 and 21: INSURANCE FIRE INSURANCE... PROTECT
Page 22 and 23: HOW TO CHO (bottom) Asian business
Page 24 and 25: TOOLKIT IMPR VE Y UR MILEAGE With t
Page 26: BOOK REVIEW 24 SME.COMmunity.PHilip

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