A fruitful endeavor for this entrepreneur

MANILA, Philippines - With the sweltering heat of the summer sun, Filipinos are in constant search for ways to cool down.

Refreshing sips, such as fruit shakes and fresh fruit juices, have become summer staples because they quench thirst and provide relief (albeit temporary). But if you can’t make one on your own, you can always visit a Fruitas store.

Over the years, Fruitas has become a household name, thanks to its healthy and affordable beverages. The brand’s story may seem like a typical tale of a successful business venture—but yes, it is.

According to Gilbert Sison, he and his partners tried getting into other types of businesses before they finally found success in the fruit shake and juice enterprise.

“It was basically a trial-and-error thing. So you really have to study your market and every detail of the business you’re getting into,” said Sison. “Sometimes, it’s also about timing.”

When they opened the first store in February 2002 in SM Manila, Fruitas found itself competing with relatively older and more mature players in that specific market. Sison recalled that at the time, the market was not yet ready for fresh fruit shakes.

They were just fortunate that Fruitas already has market presence when Filipinos started getting more and more conscious about living healthy and choosing healthier food options.

“During that time, my partner Lester Yu was really into fruit juice as they were a part of his diet. He saw that the fruit juice industry was sustainable because more people were shifting to a healthy lifestyle,” shared Sison.

“Before, you would only find fruit juice bars and stores in high-end areas like Makati, where most of the working class were. So competition in that market was really high.”

Then the Fruitas partners saw their niche: fruit juice and shakes for the middle class. Catering to people in malls and supermarkets as well as in thoroughfares not only in the metro but in smaller cities and nearby provinces as well, Fruitas started setting up store after store to accommodate the increase in the demand for their products and to offer them to more locations.

On its 10th anniversary in 2012, the Fruitas Group of Companies opened its 500th store in the Philippines—a feat only a few brands in the Philippines can claim.

Today, the growing Fruitas Group of Companies boasts of more than 700 stores across the Philippines. It now carries various brands, including Fruitas, Buko ni Fruitas, Juice Avenue, Black Pearl, Mango Farm, Fruitas Ice Candy, Buko Loco, Tearex, Yes Yes Yo, Friends Fries, The Flying Saucer, House of Desserts, Big Chop, Saba Republic, Cocktales and Halo-Halo Island.

“We were lucky we were at the right place, at the right time. We were there when the trend for healthy living started. Fruit shakes were a healthier alternative to softdrinks,” observed Sison.

“The business has evolved throughout the years. When we started, we only had a few flavors, the basic fruits. As we went along and knew our market more, we added more and more flavors. And more brands under the group.”

The road to entrepreneurial success, however, was not without rough patches. But what brought the brand to its top position now is the hard work and dedication of each member of the company.

“Everything we have now, we achieved it through hard work. We’re not afraid to get our hands dirty. We value hard work, we earn our keep. And you love the company more when you invest hard work into it,” mused Sison.

“To be successful in business, you must have a vision and you should know how to turn that vision into a reality. One must also have the determination to succeed and the passion for business and make it successful no matter what. Finally, the success of your business lies greatly on how you manage people. So treat them well,” he said.