After 28 years of providing high quality baked and pastry goods to Cebuanos, Cares Fountainhead Inc., goes nationwide while diversifying its services to establish a chain of Fountainhead Bakeshops and Cafes through franchising.
Now managed by the second generation of family members of founder Erlinda Francisco, this distinct Cebuano brand of baked and pastry goods is trailblazing with the fast changing preference of the metropolis market, joining the coffee-shop bandwagon while employing franchising in expanding its network.
According to Ramon P. Torneros, the company’s franchise director, he said Fountainhead has to “go with the flow” in the modern business landscape, and that since Coffee Shop is already a trend, it’s strength in the pastry and baked goods could well complement with the Coffee Shop business.
After its franchise offering last May of this year, about six more Fountainhead Cafe will be opened in Metro Cebu, and Cagayan de Oro within 2006.
The company has designed an affordable franchise package with a franchise fee of as low as P795,00 for a counter-kiosk outlet, and P3.6 million for a turn-key franchise package, including already a commissary facility, especially for out of town franchisees.
The company also developed its own pre-mixed flour and other raw materials, in preparation for its out-of-Cebu outlet expansion, especially in the Cagayan de Oro outlet, that is set to open this coming September.
Torneros said Fountainhead would like to conquer the Visayas and Mindanao areas, including the Luzon areas, considering that Fountainhead brand had already been established as a Cebuano-bakeshop brandname and that it will also be made available in other parts of the Philippines.
The brand is stronger in the class B market, from local residents, to tourists, and Filipino transients in Cebu.
It has also become one of the Pasalubong items of some out-of-town visitors in Cebu.
Fountainhead brand has gained several awards, such as “Best Tasty Bread in Cebu”, “Best Tasty Bread Maker,” by the National Product Quality Excellence Awards. – Ehda M. Dagooc