Japanese restaurateur expands Nonki chain

CEBU, Philippines - The steady growth of tourism and business activities in Cebu has prompted a Japanese restaurateur to expand his semi-fine dining Japanese restaurant in Cebu called "Nonki."

Akira Machida, together with Boholano wife Ligaya, recently opened a 170 square-meter authentic Japanese restaurant on Mactan Island, this is the third outlet opened by the couple since its started in food business five years ago.

"Although, there is a slight slowdown in the dining traffic, because of the economic crisis, restaurant business is still profitable in Cebu," said Ligaya Arong-Machida in an interview during the opening of their new outlet.

Aside from slowly increasing a number of Japanese tourists that are coming to Cebu, Nonki chain of restaurants here thrive because of strong tourist arrivals, and domestic-corporate dinners.

For the opening of the Mactan outlet, the couple spent about P5 million. According to Ligaya, although profit margin is shrinking steady traffic can sustain the restaurant's lifespan.

The Machida couple is now managing three Japanese restaurants in Cebu, located in A.S. Fortuna in Mandaue City, and in SM City Cebu shopping mall, and the recently opened Mactan outlet.

Ligaya said it is practical this time to make investments in the tourism hotspots like Mactan, as food expenditure of travelers will sustained, compared to other products.

As the Nonki brand had been patronized by the discriminating high-end market in Cebu, she said there are still encouraging number of local diners, even from Cebu that are frequent in their two restaurants in Cebu.

Because of competition and financial crunch, Ligaya said Nonki has not move up its food prices, rather the company is absorbing the high cost of food raw materials, rentals, and other operational expenses.—  Ehda M. Dagooc