Kenneth Lim’s ‘love project’

CEBU, Philippines — Most businesses started out of passion. Some were built from certain inspirations and causes.

While, there are those that are born basically to make profit.

It's likewise a different story for homegrown food brand, Dessert Factory Restaurant and Bakery.

It started as a "love project" but has since grown to become one of the go-to restaurants among Cebuanos.

Owner Kenneth Lim started the business because he wanted to marry his girlfriend back then.

"The Dessert Factory was a love project. At the time, I was working for the family business. However, I was looking to start my own business so that I could marry my girlfriend," the Cebuano entrepreneur shared to The FREEMAN.

Kenneth was a lucky man, indeed.

He married his girlfriend eight months after he first opened his store.

"Yes," he said when asked if he was successful in his "love mission".

"We tied the knot eight months after our first store opened," the 49-year-old restaurant owner recalled.

He could be the happiest man at the time with his 'relationship goals' becoming true.

Moving forward since then, Kenneth also was able to turn his business goals around.

Since he started his first store in May 2001, his dessert restaurant business has eventually grown to five outlets in Cebu.

His stores are located in Ayala Center Cebu, Ramos, J Centre, Parkmall and Salinas Drive.

And for more than a decade in business now, staying relevant in a dynamic market like Cebu remains one of his challenges as an entrepreneur.

"Staying relevant in a very dynamic market with so many new entrants and changing tastes," he said when asked what keeps him challenged.

"Also attracting talent against firms in international markets."

As in any business, it really is not just a "walk in the park" endeavor.

Challenges

Kenneth also had his share of challenges along his entrepreneurial journey.

Being in the restaurant business, he considers maintaining the quality of his food and service in all his stores as the top challenge.

"This is our current focus. With one store, I could stay the whole day and even help prepare the fold and tutor the staff," he said.

"Now that is difficult so we have to install systems that will ensure quality. We are not there yet, but we hope to achieve that goal soon," he shared.

Competition is any business' challenge. But Kenneth looks at it as an opportunity to innovate to keep up with the demands in the market.

"I never go to another store and look at what they are doing so I can counter. I am content with doing my own thing and hope that the guest likes what we provide," the entrepreneur said.

"Having said that new stores opening all over, your overall sales do take a hit so you have to keep on innovating," he said.

Kenneth is also adjusting his operations amid the rising inflation and wages.

"Prices of all our supplies have gone up by 10 percent to 15 percent in the last 3-4 months. We have been forced to adjust our prices and our cost control measures, even to the point of reducing our staff," he pointed out.

"Don't worry we did not retrench anyone. We just did not replace those who have left."

Homegrown stores are also faced with competition for labor.

"As a service provider, our biggest competitors for our skilled labor are firms in other countries," he said.

Looking at expansion, Kenneth is hoping a new store in October at Il Corso in South Road Properties.

The branch in Ayala will also be renovated.

"Hopefully we can explore additional stores in 2019 but next year's plans are highly dependent on how high borrowing rates will be towards year end," he said.

For Kenneth, maintaining quality of food and service is very crucial especially in the restaurant venture.

"I have not changed any recipe to control costs. We have increased on occasion portion size when we found a supplier that offered a better price of the same item," the Dessert Factory owner said.

"I always tell my wife, you don't fool around with something that is working," he said.

Values a boss

For many years of managing his business, hardwork plays a very important role in everything he does.

"Hardwork. Nothing beats this," he asserted.

Humility is also important for him.

"While I have poured my heart and soul developing every item on the menu, I must accept the truth when it does not sell or someone tells me it is not good," he said.

Being a boss, he puts premium on being firm but fair.

"Firmness with fairness (means you) treat your people fairly but firmly. This has to permeate the whole company. Quality is paramount not cost," the businessman said. (FREEMAN)