CEBU, Philippines - A pizza company of similar name to Alberto’s Pizza claims to have been affected by the controversy experienced by the latter.
Alberto Biaño of Alberto Biaño Homemade Pizza yesterday held a press conference to clarify that they are separate and distinct from the Alberto’s Pizza.
Last week, some customers at B. Rodriguez branch of Alberto’s Pizza experienced alleged food poisoning.
“We are distinct and separate from Alberto’s Pizza which is under temporary closure due to lapses in securing sanitation and health card permits as well as business permits,” Biaño said.
He also said five of their branches suffered a decrease in sales by about 50 to 60 percent as a result of the misconceptions.
Biaño asserted he originally started the pizza business in March 2007 at his residence in barangay Mabolo, this city.
His first target market at that time was his neighbors, to provide them an alternative cheaper pizza than those of the famous brands and he got a positive response.
Upon seeing the potential of his pizza, Biaño’s friends offered to be his partners and investors and a deal was sealed January last year.
They opened the B. Rodriguez branch and he said he temporarily closed the Mabolo branch to concentrate on the new one.
Eventually the business became vibrant and he was assigned to handle the recipe while the partners had their respective roles.
They opened the next branch in Zamboanga, which eventually owned the rights of the trade name Alberto’s Pizza from the Department of Trade and Industry.
This prompted him to teach the recipe of the dough and the sauce to some of the staff to cope with the increase in demand.
After four months, Biaño demanded an increase in his share which his partners refused.
Biaño eventually decided to withdraw from the partnership and buy out his share. The conditions of the buy-out included the non-use of the trade name in B. Rodriguez.
“Despite that B. Rodriguez continued to use the trade name of Alberto’s Pizza,” he said
The partners, he said, were quick to say that the right to use the name is extended from the Zamboanga branch which was the first to register the trade name.
Because of this, he registered his own brand under the name of Alberto Biaño Homemade Pizza.
“Come to think of it, none of the partners are named Alberto, so be wise in buying the genuine and the original,” Biaño said.
He has four other branches aside from Mabolo, one along A.S. Fortuna in Mandaue City and the rest in barangays Labangon, Urgello and Capitol Site in Cebu City.
The city government ordered the closure of Alberto’s Pizza pending completion of certain permits. — Ferliza C. Contratista/BRP (THE FREEMAN)