October 9, 2024 | 12:00am
MANILA, Philippines — Fruitas Holdings Inc., the listed operator of multi-format food and beverage stores, is targeting to invest in another legacy business, this time a lechon manok brand.
The STAR learned from industry sources that Fruitas’ next potential investment is a more than 20-year old lechon manok company.
This comes as no surprise as Fruitas, chaired by its president and CEO Lester Yu, has been expanding its food portfolio through acquisitions and joint venture deals with different legacy brands in the market.
In July 2022, the company acquired Ling Nam, a 72-year old chain of Chinese restaurants in the country.
A month before that, it also acquired Balai Pandesal Corp., marking Fruitas’ foray into the bread and baked products business.
Early this year, Balai ni Fruitas then acquired 40-year old Sugarhouse, which is known for its baked goods and pastries. The company also has a catering business.
Fruitas also has been diversifying its channels through the investment in Fly Kitchen, a cloud kitchen platform.
The potential investment in the lucrative lechon manok business is in synergy with Fruitas’ Sabroso Lechon brand, which serves retail clients and some of the top hotels in the country.
Fruitas has also been strengthening its distributorship business through Balai, which recently sealed an agreement with D’ Famous Red Box Corp. to exclusively distribute the iconic Polland Hopia brand in Cebu and Zamboanga.
Polland Hopia has been cherished by Filipinos since 1966.
The company had previously entered an agreement with Bukidnon Milk Company (BMC) to exclusively distribute BMC’s products in Metro Manila.
“We look forward to introducing even more innovative offerings from Fruitas in the future,” Yu said in July.
At present, Fruitas is the leading operator of small-footprint food and beverage retail stores in the Philippines.
From a single Fruitas stall opened in 2002, the group now operates over 25 brands in its portfolio, which includes food concepts Fruitas Fresh from Babot’s Farm, Buko ni Fruitas, De Original Jamaican Pattie, Johnn Lemon, Juice Avenue, Black Pearl, Friends Fries, The Mango Farm, 7,107 Halo Halo Islands, Tea Rex, Kuxina, SHOU La Mien Hand-Pulled Noodles and Sabroso Lechon.
It recently launched Fruitas dairy-based ice cream and the Soy & Bean soy product line, including Soy & Bean soy-based ice cream. It is also opening a number of Babot’s Farm, Soy & Bean and Balai Pandesal community stores.
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