Cebu has enough room for new resto investors

CEBU, Philippines - Despite the entry of national and international players in Cebu’s restaurant industry, a homegrown restaurateur noted Cebu’s expanding playing field in the dining business.

Winglip Chang, who has been in the restaurant industry for nearly 30 years now, said that local players continue to compete well with increasing operators in Cebu, as the market has also adjusted well keeping competition in the restaurant business healthy.

Chang, who started the Grand Majestic restaurant among other brands since 1985, said that the expansion and tremendous growth of Cebu’s dine-out market, has not only attracted international players but also inspired local players to expand and invest more in the sector.

Chang, who also operates other restaurant brands like Kuya J, iKitchen, and Seafood City,  said Cebu needs facilities including restaurants and convention centers to complement the province’s tourism growth.

Given this, the new Grand Convention Center  recently completed a major renovation, to cope with the growing sophisticated local and international customer base at the same time take advantage of Cebu's charm as leisure, business and MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibits) destination in the country.

"Everybody wants to be in Cebu right now," he said adding that this has made local players even more active in terms of expansion and providing additional restaurant concepts, getting its way ahead of the investments from other restaurateurs around the world,

"Our group has the financial resources to grow the business in a big way," he said adding that for the Kuya J brand alone, it now has six outlets, three of which are in Manila. It is planning to open two more restaurants in Manila, while looking for good location in Cebu for stand-alone or mall-based spaces for expansion.

The new Grand Majestic building which is owned and developed by iHoldings Incorporated has opened its modern accommodation as a MICE facility. It houses three restaurant brands including the anchor Grand Majestic restaurant.

The restaurant outlets managed by Chang's company, 101 Restaurant City Incorporated will provide wide choices for dining out market inside the convention facility. (FREEMAN)