Enjoying the Fruitas of his labor

MANILA, Philippines - After being employed for more than two decades, former banker Gene Ledesma is now running a number of franchise outlets of well-known Filipino brands such as Fruitas, Tea-Rex (a brand of milk tea), Buco ni Fruitas, Friends Fries and Buco Loco. Why franchising?

“The fact that these brands have been there for years is already proof to the patronage and loyalty they have built, the quality of the product and service they give, and the soundness of their business structure. These factors take away most of the guesswork and give the franchisee the time to concentrate on managing the business,” he reasons.

It was the closing down of a family business that inspired him to look at the franchising business more closely. Several family members shelled out money to invest in two franchise acquisitions in 2010. The businesses, established in his native Bacolod, did not perform as well and soon faced closure. Wanting to help his relatives reclaim their investments, Ledesma felt obligated to try and recover the loss.

Ledesma recounts the gradual but steady rise of his businesses: “I talked to the owner and told him I wanted to have my own franchise of Fruitas. It started with one outlet in SM Fairview. After that I added two more in SM Bicutan. I then looked south and established another branch in Fast Byte in Alabang. From then on, nadagdagan na ng nadagdagan.” Today, apart from the three Fruitas branches, Ledesma has added more outlets — five in Zamboanga City, one in Shopwise Sucat and Rockwell, and a newly-opened store in Cabanatuan City.

“The food business presents some specific challenges. First, the products have a shelf life so you have to study how much stock you need to have on hand. Since it is consumed, you have to keep a close watch to determine if your inventory matches your sales. You have to do this on a daily basis to make sure that all consumption is accounted for,” he advises.

Physical presence is also a must, says Ledesma, because this gives the owner the chance to personally manage the staff.

Fruitas, he says, enjoys a clear edge over its competitors. “In as far as fresh fruit shakes and juices are concerned, Fruitas was the first to offer shakes made from real fruits, prepared right in front of the customer. That gave it its unique appeal.”

 For inquiries, call 0938-7888888, 330-2889 or visit House of Fruitas at 68 Data St. corner Cordillera St., Brgy. Don Manuel, QC.