Even the most unlikely food businesses can become profitable. Have you seen Angel’s Burger’s commissary in Marikina? Who knew that a buy-one-take-one burger business model could fund a big building like that? 

Of course, profitability is not limited to just selling burgers. You can look at other examples of a food business, such as bakeries or stores that exclusively sell ice cream, fruit shakes, shawarma, or french fries. We bet you can name various brands that are successfully selling those and are making good money! 

But if you’re still on the fence about starting a food business, read our five reasons to create one. You might find yourself convinced at the end of the article-especially since The Bailiwick Academy can make things easier for you to start!

*Note: This was originally published on August 12, 2021. This was updated today, August 19, 2023.

Reason 1: Food businesses are always wanted.

The pandemic that occurred in 2020 caused many businesses to close down or reduce operations because they were declared as “non-essential.” However, many food businesses, such as sushi bake and ube pandesal sellers that became the “in” food, also popped up. These, the Philippine government classified as essential and important.

See? Having a food business in the Philippines during a pandemic means your income-earning capacity is pandemic-proof (although, hopefully, this never happens again)!

Also, your food business can be about anything, and people here would buy. Check out Facebook Marketplace alone, and you’ll see what we mean. People sell coffee beans, pizza, shawarma, milk tea, etc.

In other words, all food business ideas you can think of are valid because Filipinos love to eat! And now that the pandemic is over, Filipinos can roam and gather freely again. That makes for a great opportunity for you to put up your food business now!

Reason 2: You don’t need to be a chef to run a food business.

Unlike specific jobs, you don’t need to pass a civil service exam to have a food business. You don’t even have to be a professional chef, although that will help.

But think about it: not all chefs are also business people. Some would not want the headache of running a food business all while cooking at the same time. What’s important is that you have an idea and a target market that will buy from you. 

Of course, make sure to legitimize your operations by registering your business, even if it’s a small one. That’s the best way to start a food business in the Philippines – make it official.

Think about it: eventually, you might find yourself wanting to expand. You won’t be able to without the required paperwork, so make sure to fulfill the necessary requirements and save yourself a lot of headaches in the future. 

Reason 3: You can run a food business from anywhere.

Check out various food businesses in the Philippines. They are situated in bus terminals, near schools, or are food carts in malls. You won’t see the business owners or any franchisee of Jollibee running the store-they hire other people to do that.

The same goes for a catering business and other food businesses. If you plan to have a business outside your home, you need other people. Don’t think of it as additional overhead costs; instead, think of it as a way to multiply yourself.

Just make sure you train them according to your specifications and wants. Then you can relax at home and spend even more time with the family, all while earning passive income. Just make sure to quality-check your employees occasionally to ensure that they’re running your business smoothly.

Reason 4: You have many options.

What’s the best food to sell in the Philippines? Well, we can’t really answer that. As we mentioned in reason 1, Filipinos LOVE food.

So any of your business ideas would probably have a market. We recommend enrolling in The Bailiwick Academy for food recipes for business in the Philippines. Studying in our classes might give you ideas of menu items you’d like to sell; classes include making dimsum, doughnuts, and even taho!

But you don’t have to if you can’t think of any original food ideas. There are plenty of food business brands in the Philippines offering franchises. You can check out the aforementioned Angel’s Burger, Mang Inasal, or Red Ribbon as examples.

Again, we can’t say which food franchise is the best in the Philippines. Instead, we suggest checking the franchise fees to see if you can afford them and how they treat their franchisees. Also, implement a good marketing strategy for your food business in the Philippines to ensure you’ll make a profit.

Reason 5: Getting the word out about your food business in the Philippines is easy.

Word of mouth is essential when it comes to any business. If you treat a customer well, they’ll be so happy they’ll talk about you to their friends. That would bring more attention to your business, hopefully, more sales for you. And we know Filipinos love to tell stories, whether online or in person.

But you know something else? Filipinos love using social media. According to Statista, as of 2019, there were around 74 million Filipino Facebook users.

That means if even only one person posts about your food business, plenty of people will get to see it! And using social media is free. In fact, social media is one of the tools you should use for your online business.

If you are not using it now, you’ll be missing out on many customers who might be looking for your product. And that’s only for organic reach.

What if you started using paid Facebook ads to get the word out about your business? You can drive even more traffic to your business with the correct targeting and budget, get more sales, and immediately earn back what you spent on ads.

Want help starting your food business in the Philippines?

If you’re still unsure about starting a food business, why not start a food trailer business? It takes a smaller capital than starting a restaurant, it can help you earn more than a home-based business, and you get a mixture of mobility and flexibility.

Plus, you can experience the following benefits:

• Customization: From your trailer’s design to the menu, you have the freedom to define every aspect of your brand.
• Flexibility: Found a hot spot in town? Move there! Rainy day? Take a break. A food trailer gives you the liberty to operate on your terms.
• Fewer Staff Requirements: No need to manage a big team. Often, it’s just you, the cook, and maybe an assistant. It simplifies operations and reduces overheads.

If you’re thinking, “This is intriguing, but where do I start?”, you’re in luck! The Bailiwick Academy is opening up a new master class called Food Trailer Fundamentals!

Whether you’re an OFW seeking a profitable venture or a home baker wanting to level up and share your goodies with the world, the Food Trailer Fundamentals master class is your guide to success on wheels. Dive deep into the intricacies of this business, learn about potential pitfalls, and discover best practices from industry veterans.

It’s not open yet, but click here to join our waitlist and be the first to know when you can enroll!

Final Thoughts

Has this list convinced you? If yes, we can’t wait to see what food business you’ll start, whether home-based or a food cart franchise. Just remember, like anything worth doing, running a food business in the Philippines will take plenty of work.

But if you work hard and keep at it, you’ll definitely achieve success! 

Again, if you’re looking for food ideas to start your food business, you can find plenty of ideas here at The Bailiwick Academy! Sign up now and start browsing through our courses!

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Keep coming back to The Bailiwick Academy blog for more kitchen tips, tricks, and much more!

The post Food Business In The Philippines: 5 Reasons To Start One In 2023 appeared first on Online Baking and Cooking Classes - The Bailiwick Academy.

Well, it could be argued that it’s because of Chef Anthony Bourdain calling lechon “the best pig ever”. Or could it be because there’s what’s called a Lechon Festival that brought lechon to prominence in the Philippines? (Although I’m not sure about the history of the Lechon Festival.)

There’s actually a simpler reason. Ask the question, “Is lechon good?” and you’ll likely get a resounding yes. The meat is crispy, crunchy and juicy, and oh so flavorful!

Here’s another reason: is lechon expensive? That’s also a yes – and according to the Wall Street Journal, that’s a way the host shows their prestige during their special event. Plus, when the host of a party prepares lechon and invites you, that means you’re important! 

There’s now even lechon for smaller occasions, called the conchillo, arguably made famous by Marvin Agustin. 

And that’s why lechon is popular, whether the occasion is big or small, and whether it’s in a hotel or a remote barangay. It not only tastes good, but it also symbolizes prestige, importance, value, and of course, a lot of good feasting!

But wait, where did lechon come from in the first place? And did you know that there are different ways of preparing it, and that it also has many variants?

Let’s take a closer look at this Filipino party staple and learn more about it, shall we?

*Note: This was originally published back in November 28, 2020. It was updated January 27, 2023.

Key Takeaways

• There’s a simple reason why lechon is popular in the Philippines: it tastes good!
• What does lechon mean to Filipinos? It means good food, feasting, and prestige. And if you get served this, it means you’re a valued guest.
• There are different ways of preparing lechon, depending on which part of the Philippines you’re in, as well as different variants.

What is the origin of lechon?

Where did lechon originate? Well, despite lechon being found pretty much everywhere in the country, it did not originate here – it’s actually of Spanish origin (like the basque burnt cheesecake). The Spanish word lechón means suckling pig.

And it’s entirely possible that it was indeed the Spaniards who came up with how lechon is made. Various versions of lechon in the world can be found in Latin countries – and most of those have been colonized by Spain.

However, it can also be argued that it wasn’t the Spaniards who invented lechon. After all, many food historians and chefs think that pigs and wild boar were already being cooked by native Pinoys. Plus, it could also be possible that it was Chinese traders who showed Filipinos back then how lechon is prepared.

I guess we’ll never truly know. One thing I do know, though? We’re glad lechon is around and is famous, making it easy to find and order!

How is lechon cooked?

The answer to this depends on where you get your lechon. Get your lechon in Cebu (arguably the most famous place for lechon) and you can expect that it will be stuffed with lemongrass, tamarind, or other fragrant local herbs. The lechoneros will also add spices to the lechon meat and roast the pig over a bed of hot coals to give it the distinct Visayan lechon flavor. 

If you get lechon in Luzon, you’ll get a lechon that has fewer herb components. Cooks will also roast it over wood for a different taste, and it’s served with a lechon dipping sauce for added deliciousness.

If you get the chance to try both, you should! 

What are some variants of the famous lechon?

Why is pork so popular and famous in the Philippines? Aside from it being delicious, it’s versatile! You can make many variants of the lechon, such as:

Lechon de Leche or Cochinillo

I mentioned this above in passing. Cochinillo refers to a small pig that’s between three weeks to a month old and has super juicy flesh and thin skin that gets crunchier while getting cooked. The crunch is important – that’s why you’ll see people cracking one using a plate! As I also mentioned earlier, it’s a great choice for smaller special events.

Lechon Belly

The pig’s belly is known for being very flavorful, which is why it’s a popular choice for the part of a pig. You’ll know it for its appearance: a thick, roasted tube with lemongrass in between. It’s great for intimate gatherings as well.

Crispy Pata – a famous lechon variant in the Philippines

Making lechon is actually a long process (think hours), so if you don’t have time to wait since you’re hungry, you can just eat crispy pata. And would say no to this pork meat dish that has tender meat and super crispy skin? I don’t know anyone!

Is it possible to just make lechon at home?

There are times when there is no special occasion but we just crave for lechon. Do you really have to buy one? Is it possible to make this famous dish at home by yourself? 

Yes you can! Check out The Bailiwick Academy’s class by Chef RV Manabat: The House of Lechon and Paella.

In this class, you’ll be making delicious bellychon, a modified version of lechon, in the simplest way possible. But it won’t be ordinary lechon either: you’ll learn Chef RV’s secret for keeping the lechon skin and meat juicy and flavorful for a whole 24 hours!

What’s a good accompaniment to the famous lechon?

If you noticed, the class has two things to teach you. One is bellychon, and the other is paella! 

And not just one type of paella , too. Chef RV will share his master formula of a paella recipe which he learned from Spain. It will let you produce as much as a hundred variations of paella!

Chef RV doesn’t stop there either. He includes in his class bonus recipes for Garlic Baked Salmon and Strawberry Shortcake!

You know what? You should just check out our class teaser and hear from Chef RV himself!

In short, not only will you get to make a variant of lechon, you’ll also get three delicious accompaniments to make a really complete meal! You can even start a food business with this class – and I’m sure you’ll more than get your return of investment.

So what are you waiting for? Sign up at The Bailiwick Academy today and start making the famous lechon (and more) today!

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Keep coming back to The Bailiwick Academy blog for more kitchen tips, tricks, and much more!

The post Why is Lechon Famous in the Philippines? appeared first on Online Baking and Cooking Classes - The Bailiwick Academy.

Anyway, if you’ve read our blog about the basic rules of baking for beginners, you’d know that one of our rules involves having the right tools. And if you’re looking for the right tools, there’s none better than the ones Buji.Ph carries!

Join me as we take a deeper look at Buji.Ph and what you can buy from them. And read until the end, because The Bailiwick Academy and Buji.Ph have a special treat for you!

What is Buji.Ph?

Buji.Ph, as I mentioned earlier, is THE exclusive Philippine distributor of USA PAN. The word “buji” is Japanese, which can mean safety, security, peace, or quietness. Buji’s logo also carries the phrase “Cook and Bake with Love”.

This is just my own interpretation, but I’m guessing that when you buy from Buji.Ph, you can rest assured that your products will arrive safe and sound; that your products are original and of high quality; and you can cook and bake with love as a result.

I can definitely say I’m pretty happy with my tools from Buji.Ph!

What products does Buji.Ph carry?

Buji.Ph gives you access to only THE BEST brands for baking and cooking, including:

USA PAN

According to their About Page, USA PAN was founded in 1959 by brothers John Sr. and Russell. Having been in the commercial baking industry for five decades, they decided to make bakeware even for home bakers with the same high-quality and heavy-duty features as that of commercial bakeware. 

And in 2009, the USA PAN brand was introduced. And they guarantee that whether you’re an avid baker or one who is just starting out, their bakeware can help you with kitchen success stories. They last a long time and are also very easy to clean.

How good are the products? Well, NYTimes tested a bunch of cake pans, and they found out that USA PANS came out on top. And that pretty much represents the rest of their products, wouldn’t you agree?

Buji.Ph carries the following items from USA PAN:

Cuisipro

Cuisipro is a Canadian brand that was started in the late 1970s by Peter Browne (of Browne & Co). For Peter, his vision to revolutionize the food service industry was to craft the best cooking tools so that you get only the best possible cooking experience.

The brand promises innovation and products that will give you years of use and joy. I personally love this brand because not only do their tools look amazing and pleasing to the eye, they really work! Google reviews for this brand, and you’d be happy to see that all of them pretty positive.

Buji.Ph carries the following items from Cuisipro:

Thermopro

Thermopro is a home appliance company that claims to be the number 1 best-selling brand of affordable thermometers. Well, they also do have over 3 million users of their products, so that is definitely not something to look down on.

Of course, it also helps that the brand has already been featured on CNN, USA Today, and CNBC. You can take the guesswork out of grilling and cooking with one of their products!

Buji.Ph carries the following Thermopro products:

Others

Aside from these three, Buji.Ph also carries the AccuWeight 201W Digital Kitchen Scale, various books, and homecare products. I bet more selections are added as time goes on!

Why should I buy from Buji.Ph?

Well, for one thing, if you want to buy from, say, USA Pan, you’ll see that they only ship to areas in the USA also. 

Same with Cuisipro, but this time, they ship only to Canada.

And sure you can buy from Amazon, but Amazon is more expensive! Check this comparison out. Buji.Ph sells the ThermoPro TP03B Digital Instant-Read Thermometer for only Php880 (as of this posting, at least).

Now compare that to the price of the same product on Amazon:

That’s a lot more expensive, especially with the Philippine peso currently weakening against the dollar. Plus, Amazon will also charge you for shipping, making what you’re paying for almost double!

So Buji.Ph is definitely a better choice! 

Another thing to consider is that Buji will give you free shipping for orders over Php5000. That’s an awesome discount! 

And speaking of shipping, Buji promises “Next Business Day Shipping” on their Instagram account. So at least you’ll know when your item is on the way.

But wait, here’s the best part! Remember the gift I mentioned that The Bailiwick Academy and Buji.Ph have for you? It’s a coupon code that gives you a discount!

That’s right! The coupon code is BAILIWICK. Make sure you type it in all capital letters. Simply enter it at the checkout screen, where you’re asked to enter your code:

Click the “CLICK HERE TO ENTER YOUR CODE” part and type in BAILIWICK.

Press APPLY COUPON and this should appear:

And if you scroll down, you’ll see the discount applied. It’s that easy!

So what are you waiting for? Don’t let 2022 pass by without upgrading your baking and cooking tools. Buy from Buji.Ph today!

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Keep coming back to The Bailiwick Academy blog for more kitchen tips and tricks, and so much more!

The post Buji.Ph – Your Supplier of Amazing Baking and Cooking Tools! appeared first on Online Baking and Cooking Classes - The Bailiwick Academy.