Secrets to a successful Meatshop franchise

Selling meat as an ideal business and the success of the Monterey Meatshop franchise were reaffirmed at the recent convention of the country’s 130-plus Monterey franchisees, held in Crowne Plaza Galleria.

Jose Alberto B. Arellano, AVP for marketing of San Miguel Foods Inc., and who has been spreading the Monterey Meatshop franchise nationwide since 1990, stressed these points during the event.

Arellano is among the pioneer franchisees of the Meatshop. He said that unlike food shops, bars and restaurants which are tried by customers once in a while, Monterey Meatshop is not a fad and has regular customers.

 “During hard times, the household will reduce buying other things except food,” Arellano said. “Because our customers are suki, they keep coming back.”

Making it a worthy investment for Filipino entrepreneurs is the Monterey name because the franchise comes with seven recipes for success. These formulas are actually the operational standards of Monterey Meatshops, which Arellano shared at the convention dubbed “Built to Last.”

He said the goal of the franchise program is to make every Monterey outlet a showcase of excellence in professional retailing, so that all stores have the best displays and customer service.

The Meatshop is a one-stop shop for the household’s kitchen needs. Special cuts, timplados, sausages, and complementary cooking products with the San Miguel Foods label or other brands are available to help housewives complete their dishes.

 “When a housewife enters the Meatshop, all the ingredients she needs for, say, kaldereta, are there. She doesn’t have to go elsewhere,” said Arellano.

Monterey Meatshop promotes better nutrition, and all its products meet the demand of health-conscious customers. Its beef is from imported Australian cattle, lean and soft; its pork comes from imported breeders, and has thin layers of fat and skin.

Clean, well-lighted, air-conditioned, and staffed by courteous and helpful people, the Monterey Meatshop offers a good meat shopping experience and builds customer loyalty. The staff’s duty of suggesting alternative cuts for a dish enhances the store’s role as a meal solutions provider while improving the store’s income.

Monterey Meatshop also attracts more customers and generates more sales through its innovations like special cuts, timplado, Magnolia Chicken Station, adjustable counters, free delivery, credit card payment, electronic customer listing, raffles and rebates for buyers.

“It’s not easy to get into our business,” Arellano admitted. “You have to have a stable supply of quality meat among other challenges.” But with a Monterey Meatshop, the potential for success is high because the franchise is backed by an institution like San Miguel Corp. (SMC). “We are not a fly-by-night franchise,” he assured.

Monterey-branded beef, pork and lamb are produced by Monterey Foods Corp. (MFC), an SMC subsidiary since 1980. SMC conceptualized and introduced the Monterey Meatshop in 1990.

For more information, call the Business Development Group of MFC at 702-5569 or log on to www.monterey.com.ph.