Healthy Start: From school project to thriving business

CEBU, Philippines - Eight students are now enjoying the success of their business and are thinking of continuing what they have started which was initially made for the compliance of their course as Business Administration students.

Jonabelle Rosaroso, manager of V Healthy partnership that produces the Veggie shakes and Pita sandwiches said that they will be discussing possibility of continuing their business which is now called the “Healthy Start.”

Rosaroso, in an interview with The Freeman, said that since they started over a year ago with their business as part of their requirement in their entrepreneurial course, they have reaped support from the market and have proven this through the awards that they have achieved in their school.

Starting off with a kiosk in the Cebu City Sport Complex where their target market was mostly seen, who are the health conscious and the weight-watchers, Rosaroso said that they were encouraged with the positive feedback that their customers gave them.

She said that during the summer, when they started their business, they had a lot of buyers in the areas since a lot of people were going there. But during the start of classes, Rosaroso said that they needed to find a place where the business would be more anticipated.

Rosaroso said that it was perfect timing though since they were one of the few groups that was offered by their school, University of San Carlos, to put up their business inside their campus.

She said that they saw this as an opportunity to also expand their market target not only to the weight conscious but also to those who does not have too much time to sit down and eat a heavy meal since they offer food that could be eaten on the go but still makes the consumer full and healthy at the same time.

Rosaroso shared that initially there were two different groups and they decided to merge and serve the Pita sandwiches and Veggie shakes as one group. But Rosaroso said that both had reservations in the start if their products would be accepted since people had a different notion on healthy food, especially vegetables.

She said that they were surprised with how the public positively acknowledged their products and have helped them gain back the capital of 45,000 that they all put in.

But Rosaroso said that if they would based it on the net income rather than the capital, they still need to work more to gain back the money but they are optimistic that they could do it in little time.

Rosaroso said that they were happy with their decision to choose food as their business considering it as a necessity. She said that the competition they have for healthy food is strong but they make sure that they have and edge over the other like the lower price for food that could serve as heavy meals already.

Healthy Start offers Pita Sandwhiches with various filling like Ham and Cheese, Chicken, Tuna, Hotdog, and Pita Veggie for only P25. they also have the Pita Butter for P15 and the Cheezy Pita for P20. All this could be with a Half Wheat Pita or a Whole Wheat Pita for an additional P5.

They offer their healthy shakes like Carrot Banana, Mango Carrot, Mango Banana, Mango Cucumber, Mango, Green Mango, Carrot, Cucumber, Avocado and Watermelon for P25, P30 and P35.

Rosaroso said that after they graduate and if they all decide to pursue with the business, they would want to expand and put up stalls in malls and schools.

Rosaroso shared that they have been asked by a number of people if they are open for franchising but said that they would need to focus on it first as part of their studies since they have not yet graduated. But she said that they are pleased with how the business has turned out especially in their grades which have helped them garner high grades from their teachers.

As young entrepreneurs, Rosaroso said that it is on starting small and aiming big that makes one successful and being passionate with the business that one has ventures in to and this is an advice she would want to extend to budding young business-minded people like her. – AJ dela Torre