SaladStop!, the largest healthy food chain in Asia that originated in Singapore, is currently making waves in the Philippines. With outlets in Makati, Bonifacio Global City, and Greenhills in San Juan, the brand gained recognition for serving Signature Salads and Wraps made with ingredients freshly delivered every day and never kept longer than overnight.

Eat Wide Awake at SaladStop! every bowl is the result and catalyst of a positive cycle of change

This coming September, the stylish salad bar that is also present in Japan and Indonesia, is bringing its brand of healthy food to a part of the world known for its heritage and high-end lifestyle: Europe. SaladStop! will open its first branch there at Balmes 193 corner Travessera de Gracia in the heart of Barcelona, Spain. 

The big leap is made possible after Philippines-based MFT Group of Companies recently acquired the SaladStop! master franchise and saw the potential of serving the large urban area with a population of about five million. "Barcelona is a magnet for investments with its diversified economic structure," described Mica Tan, CEO and President of MFT Group. "Europeans are now craving for something healthy and Spain has a rich food and gastronomy culture."

For those who are not familiar with the MFT Group, it is a diversified financial holdings company that adheres to the principles of restructuring corporate blueprints and helping businesses grow to establish sustainable financial footing. At present, the company has 20 subsidiaries from diverse industries including retail, fashion and lifestyle, medical equipment, pharmaceutical, technology, food, manufacturing, and finance and investments. It has presence in the Philippines, Hong Kong, Singapore, Japan, United States, and Europe. 

MFT Group ventured in the food industry through its strategic partnership with Pol Parareda, a finance and investment banker from Spain. During MFT's visit to the European country two years ago, they saw the increase of restaurants serving salads and customers lining up for a table. Even the supply of vegetables in the region's agricultural industry has been increasing year on year.

"Healthy conscious eating is a global trend already," affirmed Joanne Atienza-Cabaero, MFT's Regional Marketing Head who believes that SaladStop!'s homemade fresh dressings without artificial colors and flavorings will be a big hit in Spain as they will also be creating localized items for customers there. 

A pescatarian, Mica expressed, "We are thrilled to bring a great brand of nutrition, health, and wellness from Asia to Spain. I find SaladStop! to be a brand fit for health-conscious individuals like me. Not only do we contribute to SaladStop!'s health movement, we also add to the industry's bullish trend leading to economic growth." This millennial executive further added how glad they are to be chosen as a strategic partner in SaladStop!'s wellness movement.

Emma Skoog, a Swedish-born chef who has been in the F&B industry since 2001, will take the helm at SaladStop! Barcelona owing to her significant experience in Spanish lifestyle and eating habits. She moved to Spain in 2004 and was a cook at Barcelona's Market Hotel and Restaurant. She later became kitchen chef at Menjador's A Famous Tapas Place.

With a dream team of individuals who have embraced the wellness movement in the food and beverage industry, SaladStop! is sure to have a successful reach outside of Asia with plans to open more outlets in the coming years. 

Given how far SaladStop! is literally willing to go, this expansion to Europe is definitely a huge factor that will contribute to the brand's success. 

Shopping, for many people, is an enjoyable activity. However, there are factors that can turn a supposedly fun task into a dreadful one: super long lines, a hot environment, and difficulty in finding stuff that you're looking for, among other things.

Super8's house brand, Great Buy, offers various household products

According to Alvin Lim, Chief Executive Officer of Super8 Grocery Warehouse, they recognize that many of their customers are shopkeepers and mothers who appreciate not only saving money but also saving time. "Our focus is not really in the products we sell but how we do things. We put a lot of value in service. So we not only provide shoppers with affordability, but convenience and accessibility as well." 

Super8's Alvin Lim and Armand Mendoza

"When they go to Super8, we hope we have lesser lines and more products so they won't have to look for them anywhere else," he explains. "At the end of the day, we are very customer-centric. Whatever we do, it has to always lead up to the customers having a better experience inside our stores. And we want to be consistent about that."

bundled canned goods

"Hindi nauuso sa amin ang pababaan ng presyo kasi, nakamura ka nga, pawis-pawis ka naman, masama ang loob mong namili ka, na-hassle ka pa. We found those out based on the customers we have," he reasons. "Sometimes, value is not really monetary but the balance of comfort and how the store understands customers' needs."

first day of Super8's Fun Fest

These past three days, Super8 held its annual event to bring together its key business partners and to thank its loyal customers for their continued patronage. On its fifth year, Super8 Funfest showcased numerous shopping deals, entertainment numbers from popular celebrities, and exciting raffle prizes and freebies. "This is our way of saying thank you to our cardholders," affirmed Armand Mendoza, Super 8 General Manager. "Here, shoppers easily get at least 12% savings plus freebies and entertainment."  

a promo girl with one of the cute mascots during the Fun Fest

Funfest attendees had a treat visiting various booth presented in a Bida Ka Sa Savings Serye theme. The creativity of the designs definitely embodied the event's goal to be the biggest savings serye to hit primetime shopping. Held at the World Trade Center in Pasay City, Super8 Funfest gave shoppers chances to win gadgets, appliances, gift certificates, motorcycles, and a brand new Toyota Avanza apart from offering more than a thousand good shopping deals.

creative booths inside World Trade Center

When asked how they named the grocery warehouse, Lim shared, "Super is the mindset of how we look at things. Anything we start we really want to make it super while eight means lucky. So, super lucky." He also described how the business grew as the customers evolved.

fun fishing activity at the Oishi booth

For instance, aside from the Super8 Rewards Card, the store has launched a mobile app so customers can easily track their points and check the latest promos. "To be relevant, we have to evolve with our customers," Lim pointed out. "Now, we can engage with them electronically and digitally via the app and I think it will help us be more successful at communicating with them better."   

freebies at the Unilab booth

With 60 stores already in existence, Super8 is planning to open 10 stores a year in the next three years. "But, more than telling people we have these many stores, for us, it's just a number. What's more important is knowing how many happy people we are able to serve. I think that is a better way to gauge how successful our company is," concluded Lim.

These days, more and more people are turning to entrepreneurship to reach their financial goals. Unfortunately, not everyone succeeds because they failed to keep in mind the important things they should do when starting and managing a business.

attendees of the seminar (that's me in the yellow shirt)

Recently, I attended an Ephesians Management Corporation seminar entitled Creating Wealth and Managing Finances held at the Alabang Country Club to further my knowledge on handling my personal finances and be wiser as an income earner.  There, I gained a lot of insights and tips from speaker Jose Feron "Dodong" Cacanando, owner of Moriah Farms located in Manolo Fortich, Bukidnon and founder of Semilya sa Kinabuhi, Inc., a foundation that aims to bring the Bible and the church to where people work -- in their businesses and in their farms.

Here are six valuable lessons he shared about starting a business and managing it from then on:

1. Always know and start with what you have. Disclaimer: I arrived late and didn't get to hear his explanation about this tip. But, I think this meant capitalizing on the things you already have and using them to earn money. In my case, this translates to me having a laptop and the ability to weave words which led to accepting writing and editing jobs from clients as well as blogging projects.

2. Work, work, work, work. And remember that while your income increases, you should be able to even lower your expenses. "In the past, there are less crimes because people were busy working," described Sir Dodong. "Work is a very important part of life. You get more money if you spend more time working. Additionally, do not spend money you do not have."

3. Set financial targets. "If you want your business to prosper, you have to focus on the profits," he advised citing the Bible story of Joseph who prepared for the impending seven years of famine in Egypt. Sir Dodong recommends to not only think in terms of 'income - expenses = profit.' "Set your profit target and know what you need years from now." For instance, preparing for your child's education early because that would entail big expenses.

4. Pay yourself first. "Because you want to buy your future," he reasons. "Bring down your expenses and have an 'income - savings = expenses' mindset."

5. Work on a budget by knowing your actual expenses and finding which of these you can further cut down. "Challenge your expenses!" encouraged Sir Dodong. "Look at the budget not to ask 'Are you on budget?' but to know 'What else can we bring down?'" If you're having difficulties in budgeting, he suggests going back to the basics and using the envelope system to physically manage your money. "This is still the best budgeting tool and I continue to use it." To learn more about the envelope system, read this post.

Sir Dodong also advises to remove 'leakages' or else the wheel of your life will become flat. "Leakages are vices like cigarettes and liquor, as well as regular cups of expensive coffee and even cell phone loads. They rob you of your capacity to create wealth!" Still, it's also not good to be always depriving ourselves of little treats or luxuries. So he clarifies that if you really want to buy something, learn to save up and wait until you can buy it. Do not make hasty or impulse purchases.

6. Regenerate. That means developing new abilities by building upon your current capabilities. For example, if you are good at cooking, you may want to venture into opening a small eatery first before deciding to operate a restaurant. "Start small. A business does not grow because of money but because of abilities. Use your savings to grow your means first. Later, your business will grow according to your abilities because opportunities come to those who are ready."

Keep updated on upcoming Ephesians Management Corporation events by liking and following https://www.facebook.com/EMCTRAININGS/.

The Philippines Statistics Authority reported that last year, restaurant and hotel spending grew by 11% (from P345.2B in 2014 to P383.2B in 2015). These figures indicate that today's consumer lifestyles are indeed very much geared towards dining out and enjoying the food experience. 

"While Filipinos spend at least 42% of household expenditure on food and beverage, customers today are also more informed and discerning in their choices," described May Juan, President of Phil. Asia Conferences and Exhibitions, Inc.

As such, this coming March 2-4, 2017, the Philippines is set to have its first sourcing platform dedicated to the restaurant cafe and bar industry. The Philippine Restaurant, Cafe, and Bar Expo (Philresca) 2017 will run as a trade-exclusive event for the industry's established and emerging buyers and sellers. It will also feature a series of educational and competitive events sanctioned by World Coffee Events (WCE).

During a press conference recently held at the World Trade Center, WCE Creative Director Amy Ball, shared how many processes it takes before coffee can travel from the tree to a consumer's cup. She described and affirmed how and why this beverage is an inclusive commodity that has a big global impact. Thus, WCE will be bringing international coffee experts and industry leaders to the country to talk about themes such as farming, retail strategy and marketing, trends (where coffee's been and where it's going), success stories, and more.     

The three-day B2B exhibition aims to match buyers with suppliers, distributors, manufacturers,and service providers of commercial kitchen equipment, cafe, alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, baking and pastries, specialty food, delicatessen, and other allied services. 

Aside from being able to source their requirements, professionals from the F&B and hospitality industry, HRM, and culinary and tourism schools, and international buyers will also learn new tricks of the trade during the exhibition.

As the first of its kind in the Philippines, the expo stands to carve out its own niche in the world of food and beverage where about 50% of visitors in food trade exhibitions come from the restaurant, cafe, and bar industry. As per government data, the restaurant, cafe, and bar industry is predicted to employ 795,000 people by 2017. 

"It's not enough to open a restaurant. Supplier partners are key," explained Ms. Juan. "The winners in the business are those who can source the right ingredients that will cater to today's taste."

Prior to the exhibition proper, Phil. Asia Conferences and Exhibitions, inc. and World Coffee Events will co-organize Re:Verb Manila on March 1, a one-day symposium that would focus on connecting stories to introduce and expound upon the world of specialty coffee. As I mentioned above, there will be speakers brought in by WCE as well as media who will create conversations among participants. 

Moreover, Philresca will feature this year's Philippine National Barista Championship and Philippine National Latte Art Championship. Winners will be sent to world championships to compete among the best in the coffee industry. 

According to Ms. Juan, "Beyond business, we envision Philresca as an educational venue to discover new talent and sharpen the craft of future service leaders. We are glad to host [the championships] and help bolster the position of Filipinos in the global coffee industry." 

Philresca is supported by UCC Ueshima Coffee Phils., Inc., MK Kitchen Equipment & Supplies, Barista Depot, Allegro Beverage Corporation, Fly Ace Corporation, Blu Coffee Distributors Corporation, Equilibrium Intertrade Corporation, Goldbell Philippines Impex Corporation, Ricmas Commercial Eqpt., Ltd., HORESCA Concept Specialist, Inc., Cafe Amadeo, California Milk Advisory Board, Bote Central Inc., Manila Bambi Foods Corp., Culinary Generals & Razor Chef Philippines, and El Kapitan Food Enterprise.

To register as a buyer, book a space as a seller or inquire about sponsorship opportunities, send an email at info@phil-ace.com or call 02.5097767. For more information, visit www.philresca.com.

Owners of food establishments and bakeries, even home cooks and bakers, know how inconvenient it can sometimes be to hop from one store to another just to find all the ingredients and equipment needed to create delicious dishes. 

Switch to convenient shopping! The newly-opened Restaurant Depot in Pasay City gives its members access to a large selection of ingredients, food supplies, and kitchenware. This membership-only warehouse club guarantees that buying in bulk translates to big savings. 

Restaurant Depot was built for people involved in the foodservice industry like caterers, home bakers, and chefs as well as those who own canteens, food stalls, and restaurants. Membership is free! You just have to fill out the registration form in their website or in the store.

Security Bank Corporation is celebrating its 65th founding anniversary and part of this milestone is the BetterBanking Stories campaign that shares the triumphs and struggles of real bank clients who all have a good relationship with Security Bank.

The BetterBanking Stories kicked off with a set of TV Commercials featuring Security Bank's relationship with three of its famous clients Dr. Vicki Belo, Erwan Heusaff, and Janine Gutierrez. However, the stories do not end with these celebrities. Security Bank likewise brought attention to its other clients who found success in their own fields through the bank's promise of Better Banking. 

Patricia Tan, First Vice President and Retail Marketing Division Head of Security Bank, notes how surprised they were by the positive feedback from their clients and general viewers on the TVCs. "That resulted in the decision to magnify our purview and share the BetterBanking Stories of other customers."

What do former House Speaker Feliciano "Sonny" Belmonte, Blas Ople, Wigberto Tanada, and Alberto Romulo have in common? All of them are alumni of Manuel L. Quezon University (MLQU)! These men, and countless others, are just a few of the Filipinos who helped forge the Philippines' political foundation and the government on which this country now stands. 

MLQU's list of notable alumni

MLQU was founded in 1947 as a law school by Dr. Leoncio Monzon and eighteen other lawyers and justices. Formerly known as Manuel L. Quezon Institute, the establishment later received university status in 1958 and started offering several other undergraduate courses such as Architecture, Engineering, Education, Arts and Sciences, and Criminology. 

former House Speaker Sonny Belmonte

It is exciting to shop for kitchen needs especially when you have a lot of dishes in mind that you’d like to prepare for your family or your food business. However, it can be frustrating when you find yourself at the kitchen tools aisle in a supermarket or department store but couldn’t find exactly what you are looking for. 

The solution to this problem can be found at Mall of Kitchens (MOK), a one-stop-shop for kitchen needs for both commercial/industrial and residential use. It is known as the first foodservice mall in the Philippines that’s fully stocked with quality kitchen equipment, utensils, foodservice furniture, as well as laundry equipment.

MOK is a 2,500sqm. facility featuring set-ups (or business models) for a Café/Bar, Bakery, Hot Kitchen, Gelateria, Wine Room, and Show Kitchen. Each module features all equipment, small wares, and furniture needed to set up a business. For instance, anyone putting up a professional hot kitchen could easily find a combi steamer oven, fryer, grill/griddle, wash water commercial kitchen hood with UV light, and a conveyor pizza oven in just one place.

"People leave managers, not companies." 

"Employees don't leave organizations, they leave bad bosses."

"Workers resign from their jobs because of their leaders."

However one wants to say it, the idea in these statements is the same. Majority of dissatisfied workers resign from their jobs because they couldn't stand their superiors anymore. That happened to me in the past; several times, in fact. This is one of the reasons why I totally love being a freelancer -- because I can choose who to work with.

No matter how much we like our jobs, sometimes, we end up leaving a company due to supervisors and managers who don't treat us well. The funny thing is, only a handful of bosses still seem to recognize this truth! 

Recently, I had the pleasure of meeting Sir Ronald Mascariñas, President and General Manager of Bounty Agro Ventures, Inc. (BAVI) during my trip to Cebu and I learned so many things from him about running a business, the huge benefits of treating employees well, and other interesting stuff about the Philippine economy. 

Ten years ago, Jazz Burila left her job at a multinational firm to pursue a dream. She founded Beauty Elements Ventures Inc. (BEVI) with the certainty that the Philippine market needs a skin lightening product that works. 

Through extensive research, Burila and her collaborators were able to develop a whitening soap that do not contain harmful ingredients. Soon, BEVI was able to launch the original kojic acid soap formulated the traditional Japanese way but added with high-grade virgin coconut oil to make it even better.

Fun and laid-back -- that's how it is in South Metro Manila where residents like us still get to enjoy city life blended with nature and the suburban spirit. Here, there's a nice commercial destination that's considered a "village within a big village." 

Westgate Center combines innovative dining, retail, and lifestyle concepts in a street-style, neo-cosmopolotan setting. It shows off the Alabang lifestyle -- a passionate, relaxed, and artistic one where this southern city reveals its more playful side.

This community-within-a-community feel has just been reinforced with Westgate's recently completed renovation. Now, its new look features a corner plaza with a green wall, a landscaped activity park, and even more refreshing greenery.

If someone asks you if you are making the right choices every day, would you be able to say YES and be 100% confident about it? Why or why not? Can you also say that you are able to maximize your talents in achieving your goals?

In a blogcon recently held at Kuppa Roastery and Cafe in BGC, coach Ryan Salvanera of StrengthsCoach.Ph defined talent as a naturally recurring pattern of thoughts, feelings, or behavior that can be productively applied. He also shared with us that: Talent x Investment = Strength.  

To better illustrate the equation, Ryan showed us a photo of himself playing basketball and admitted that his talent in the sport is only a 2 while Michael Jordan registers as a 10. So, even if he invests the same amount of time playing the game, his 2 x 10 = 20 will never be good enough for Jordan's 10 x 10 = 100. 

More and more Filipinos living in Metro Manila are finding it harder to commute to work every day because of the worsening traffic. I know of people who are looking for extra ways to earn especially when they do decide to work from home.

With e-Commerce and online shopping booming in recent years, business-minded individuals now have the option to put up their stores via the Internet. And why not? Here, sellers don't need to pay exorbitant amounts to rent space for a physical store, helping them save on overhead costs and giving them more time to focus on earning instead. The same is true when you become an affiliate, which is different from being a seller.

Let your shirt do the talking! We often have thoughts we wish to share with others and yet, these mostly remain unspoken or just posted as statuses on our social media pages. 

let your shirt do the talking

BrownrootsPH encourages Filipinos to turn their shoutouts, ideas, and creative designs into printed shirts and other stuff such as hoodies and canvas bags. Beyond fashion and style, the idea is to spread individualism, positivity, and good vibes to Filipinos worldwide through excellent products and services. 

“BrownrootsPH strives to be a catalyst of pride and positivity through individuals wearing our statement products and letting our shirts and lifestyle talk on their own,” said founder Maria Celia Alamo. “We want to drive a new era of self-worth and growth on behalf of this great country.”

Whether you simply want to have a shirt made or earn from your idea of a good design, contact BrownrootsPH!

I love eating fruitcakes although it's hard to find variants that really taste good -- moist, packed with tiny bits of nuts and fruits, and not too sweet. So I found myself sticking to brand names that I've proven to really produce delicious baked goodies. I am so happy to discover a new name to add to my list of favorites!

Ju.D's classic fruitcake P950/pc.

Ju.D Lao started selling fruitcakes back in 1975 when a two-pound loaf of fruitcake at the time was only P50.00 and the Philippine population was at 35 million with the average salary at about more than a hundred pesos a day. Over the years, Ju.D's business endured despite the times when imported ingredients became scarce, rotating brownouts were the norm, devaluation of the peso was inevitable, plus other series of uncontrollable events.

Ju.D Lao

Personally, I am very happy that Ju.D's is still here and is celebrating its 40th Fruitcake Season this 2015. She makes really yummy baked goodies! Her classic recipe, which took six months to develop, was inspired by a trip to Switzerland where she "met" the kind of fruitcake she enjoyed. 

my favorite fruitcake partner? coffee!

Many of us have experienced being scammed one way or another. Whether the amount (or effort) you invested was big or small, having someone else run away with your money (or fees you deserve to be paid) the feeling of disappointment and heartbreak of being duped are the same. 

get-rich-quick schemes can get you into trouble, protect yourself against scams!

These past years, more and more people are being reported in the news to be scammed by fly by night corporations that offer too-good-to-be-true returns of investments. Nobody is exempted as victims range from the very poor to the very rich. 

This year, Sun Life Asset Management Company, Inc. (SLAMCI) is taking a stand against investment scams by launching a multi-media campaign aptly called "Slam the Scam." This is the organization's response to the need to address alarmingly escalating concerns about the proliferation of investment scams. 

Matteo Guidicelli talks about making wise financial decisions

This October, one of the Philippines' top favorite dining establishments is celebrating its 70th "birthday." Max's Restaurant, home of the famous fried chicken, can be literally described as a palatable source of Filipino pride.

For many Pinoys, especially those who come home as balikbayans from abroad, Max's is the go-to place for perfectly seasoned, satisfyingly crispy, and delightfully comforting fried chicken dish made from a recipe that has been passed on across generations. It is said to comprise much more than secret seasonings and undiscovered cooking techniques. 

Jim Fuentabella, Max's VP of Corporate Marketing, shares that it is their goal to carry the same taste to all of their stores. "They say that the chicken at our original branch tastes better, so it is a priority for us to replicate this experience of excellence in each restaurant."