The “Mango Magic” story: Rising from the ruins of Yolanda

CEBU, Philippines — Theirs is a story of courage, faith to succeed and strength born from devastation, a catastrophe that nearly claimed their lives.

Kristoffer and Kristine Chan are the young couple behind the mango shake craze brand called “Mango Magic,” which has outlets all over Leyte and recently in Cebu.

This entrepreneur couple is one of the brave survivors of Typhoon Yolanda, which hit Tacloban City and other areas in the Visayas in 2013, a year after they opened their first kiosk at Robinsons Mall in Taclaban.

Mango Magic, which sells mango shakes and mango juices, is a business that was six years in the making.

Just as the couple was about to celebrate their journey as full-fledged entrepreneurs, their dreams were shattered in just a “blink of an eye.”

But years after the life-changing Yolanda experience, Kristoffer and Kristine have become bolder as they aim for bigger dreams. In fact, they are planning to bring “Mango Magic” to all corners of the country via franchising.

Lovers bond

The creation of perfect fresh mango shake, now the flagship product of “Mango Magic,” started as an activity that Kristoffer and Kristine used to do as their bonding time when they were still lovers.

It took them six years until they discovered the perfect blend of a mango shake which tastes like no other.

Ironically, while mango shake is the most common comfort drink in the Philippines, the Chan couple was able to make this usual drink a hit. Consequently, customers brand their version of mango shake as “the best mango shake ever.”

What used to be their “bonding time” is now the couple’s ticket to bigger success. Who knows, this venture may not only turn into a national brand but achieve international fame as well.

Bounty after the storm

Five months after Yolanda wiped out everything they had, the couple decided to rebuild their dream and reopened a small kiosk along the highway hoping to bring back the magic of their mango shake.

“It was a painful process,” Kristine recalled as they were both rebuilding their individual lives at the same time trying to pick up the shattered pieces of their dream business.

But like what everybody says, when you hit the rock-bottom, there is no other way but move up.

Before long, the bounty after the storm started to show up, and the couple was more encouraged to use up what’s left in their savings after the storm to rebuild the business.

The magic

After Robinsons Mall reopened in Tacloban, Mango Magic also restarted its business inside the mall.

From then, the magic started.

It was as if a magic spell had also hit their business after its rebuilding. “People were lining up, and we raked huge sales,” Kristoffer shared.

Braver and bolder with their new found life after Yolanda, the couple was able to branch out to different parts of Leyte and eventually offers the business for franchise.

Helped by the country’s well-known franchise consultancy firm Francorp, “Mango Magic” brand is now traded for franchise to help more Filipinos become entrepreneurs.

The couple’s magic is not only to reap the after-storm bounty for themselves, but also share their success to everyone who want to venture into business.

Mango Magic’s franchise fee ranges from P360,000 to P400,000. It is a turnkey package which gives the franchisees a ready-made business that all they have to do is to start the business at once.

By the way, the true magic of their mango shake, Kristine revealed, is fresh mango. They do not use puree, mango concentrate and mango powder. What they employ is 100 percent fresh mango harvested from different mango farms in the country.

Mango Magic Cebu

Kristoffer and Kristine considered their entry to Cebu as their gateway to national expansion.

Mango Magic opened its first kiosk at the Robinsons Galleria Cebu early this month.

The first Cebu kiosk is a company owned and Kristoffer said they are planning to open three more branches here that will be operated by the company.

But they are also open for interested franchisees who may want to operate “Mango Magic” kiosks in other parts of Metro Cebu.

Cebu is the couple’s launching pad for their plan to become a national brand. “Prayerfully, by God’s will,” they said.

First, Kristoffer said they have to penetrate the Visayas and Mindanao markets before invading Metro Manila.

This early, the business already consumes at least 15,000 kilos of (carabao) mango fruits a month. A commissary facility has already been established in Tacloban City.

The couple is also looking at building a Cebu commissary to support its expansion plans here.

Rising strong

For Kristoffer and Kristine, their lives started after Yolanda since everything happened before the super typhoon, were somehow washed away by the storm.

Conversely, the Yolanda experience taught the couple to celebrate life every day and face it without fear in order to rise.

Taking risk is a normal thing for them after they survived the greatest test in their lives.

In the next five years, Kristoffer and Kristine hope to build at least 150 Mango Magic stores all over the country.

Sharing their business through franchise, the couple hopes to see franchisees succeed through tasting the magic of mango fruit.

Success becomes real and sweet if shared, otherwise, as they say, “it is lonely up there up.” (FREEMAN)