ISLANDS Group will open five more Islands Pasalubong shops in Cebu that will serve as a platform for the firm’s new inclusive business model.
They have started offering old-time favorites or the Pinoy kakanin into their newly opened Islands Pasalubong shop along Salinas Drive in Lahug, Cebu City, the sixth shop in Cebu, said Jay Aldeguer, Islands Group president and CEO.
“This is the first time we included a Pinoy Kakanin area in the pasalubong shop, and it proved to be a hit initially among locals and now tourists like the Koreans who buy in many pieces,” said Aldeguer.
The Pinoy Kakanin area offers Cebu delicacies including Mandaue City’s bibingka and puto-sikwate, Bogo’s bodbod, palitaw, kuchinta, sapin-sapin and more.
Aldeguer said they really went to the communities like Mandaue City to talk to vendors and asked them to supply for them.
Two of his suppliers occupy space outside the Pasalubong shop in Lahug to serve the shop’s clients. They are Cora Bercero who sells bibingka and Nora Macachor who sells puto-sikwate.
Aldeguer said that they are now trying to adopt a more inclusive business model that will help the cottage industries in Cebu.
“We are seeing a lot of new businesses opening here now and the economy expanding in the process. Now is the best time to find a way to allow them (micro and small businesses) to be able to participate. One way is through our supply chain.
That has always been the thrust of the DTI (Department of Trade and Industry) and we’re adopting that,” he said.
Macachor sells puto-sikwate as early as 4 a.m. in both Mandaue City and in the Lahug shop.
She now sells 50 to 60 kilos of puto and earns about P600 net profit daily.
Bercero, on the other hand, also sells 16 kilos of bibingka and earns P3,000 a day.
Both women rely on their businesses as their main sources of income.
Aldeguer said they want to help more entrepreneurs like Macachor and Bercero and help them to also grow their businesses using the Pasalubong shops as the channel to sell more.
There are six Islands Pasalubong shops in Cebu: Marina Mall in Mactan, Magallanes, Archbishop Reyes Avenue, Raintree Mall, Punta Engaño and one in Lahug.
The shops will increase to 11 once the five new shops will be completed.
Aldeguer said their compnay invests P3.5 million for every Pasalubong shop.