French food and bakery and viennoiserie

[shaper 0]

One more asshole asking for help...a frenchman, this time ...I hope I will be member of the "bashing team" later...

 

Dear ancients,

 

I am 54y old, have money to create a french bakery-viennoiserie-chocolaterie in a nice mall in Cebu (around $60,000investment) or a luxury beauty salon in association with a filipino

estetician in a nice (mall?) place, in the richs'neighbour. I am a physio, specialised in back pains and rehab, etc, and a in estetic "with no surgery". High-tech methods :use of ultrasound to eliminate cellulite, fat, radiofrequency to achieve liftings, phototherapy, electrostimulation to make a brasilian ass to any girl, etc.. I was formed in Buenos Aires by masters.

 

In my left hand: creating a french bakery or other french food factory, under the "orders" of an old french traveller of 70y., no drink no smoke, full shape, who has the experience of creating small businesses (he was paid for this by IMF) during 25 years + creating one dozen of bakeries of all sizes.

 

A man who says: " I have been able to make crusty bread and excellent croissants even in Madagascar, Seychelles, Cambodia, Thaïland, and Panglao, why not in Cebu ? "

And apart from this, bakery etc, he is an excellent cook, a gourmet. Used to find which product to make on any specific market. To make it, pack and sell it to shops, restaurants.

 

Which way would you push me ? French food, with lot of possible future developpments and respecting indigens's feet (because french) OR the estetic option, which is less subject to grow ?

 

Thank you, oldies!..be kind for a poor old frog who spent no more than 9 years in France till now..

[Stranded Shipscook 2,856]

Do all of the above, its always good to have more than one business. Bakery, Parlor, but not the medical stuff,you aren't licensed for that and they have plenty of "body formers" already.

Edited June 9, 2012 by Guenther Vomberg

[SkyMan 23,692]

Do all of the above, its always good to have more than one business. Bakery, Parlor, but not the medical stuff,you aren't licensed for that and they have plenty of "body formers" already.

And if the bakery does really well, it's customers will then need the services of the other.

[Faluango 119]

I'm not sure if 60,000$ is enough to open a place in Ayala for example... (the only nice Mall in Cebu)

 

But... you can always start for even less in one of the strip-malls

Edited June 9, 2012 by Faluango

[shaper 0]

Thanks all! But ?? Do you find some good various breads like in France and some good croissants in Cebu ?

[Faluango 119]

No, but the demand is small.

 

There is a bakery that sells French baguettes for 50 PHP in Ayala though

Edited June 9, 2012 by Faluango

[Cuda 54]

Thanks all! But ?? Do you find some good various breads like in France and some good croissants in Cebu ?

 

There is a French Baker store in SM . If you catch bread and croissants fresh from the oven, pretty good .

[Alfred E. Neuman 5,791]

There's a small French pastry/resto owned by a French guy and all the food made by the French guy so I guess it's Frenchy enough. It's located near the Capitol building and Cebu Doctor's Hospital called Mango Tango(if I'm not mistaken).

[shaper 0]

OK. But: when I say "French bakery" it means much more that french baguettes and croissants: it means several natures of breads, different sizes, shapes, and more: it means tens of different sandwiches, different croissant fillings, quiches, pies, pizzas, and some pastries and meals-in-a-box.

I think that "The French bakery" does it also. But the 3 frenchies who I have contacted all said me that their bread, croissants are not good, far from what it could be- question of know-how.

Does anyone knows this "French bakery" well ?

(and: it's a big company. Do we have to fear any bad competition spirit from them?...)

[Cuda 54]

Best would be to visit your competitors( especially the one in SM mall ) and see if you can sell your product. Sometimes the better will be too pricey to sell in volume.

[smokey 21,911]

Thanks all! But ?? Do you find some good various breads like in France and some good croissants in Cebu ?

 

 

 

SM has a place called the french baker and i think i saw the same company with a place in robinsons manila and one if mall of asia so they must be around i usually buy the food more then the bread but the bread seems to be ok to me reminds me of new york style at times

Edited June 10, 2012 by smokey

[Faluango 119]

The French Bakery in SM and Robinsons is good enough for the Filipinos.... most of them won't really taste the difference

[Headshot 29,349]

OK. But: when I say "French bakery" it means much more that french baguettes and croissants: it means several natures of breads, different sizes, shapes, and more: it means tens of different sandwiches, different croissant fillings, quiches, pies, pizzas, and some pastries and meals-in-a-box.

I think that "The French bakery" does it also. But the 3 frenchies who I have contacted all said me that their bread, croissants are not good, far from what it could be- question of know-how.

Does anyone knows this "French bakery" well ?

(and: it's a big company. Do we have to fear any bad competition spirit from them?...)

 

The owners of The French Baker have done what many others who have gone into business have had to learn. Filipinos have different tastes than you will find in the West. For instance, most bread you will find here has some sugar in the dough to make it sweeter. That is what Filipinos expect in their bread. Therefore, if you want to sell to Filipinos as well as to Westerners (which you pretty much have to in order to survive), you will, at the very least, make more than one style of bread. From what I have seen, most Filipinos do not appreciate a good crusty loaf of bread (unless like in The French Baker it is serving as a bowl for soup).

 

The French Baker is as much a restaurant as it is a bakery. Yes, they make breads and croissants that they sell for take out or serve in their restaurant, but they also have an eclectic menu to attract customers. Rather than simply bringing a little piece of France to Cebu, they have somewhat adapted their French cuisine to Filipino tastes. You have to do that here if you want to survive long-term. It still seems to be French enough for most foreigners as well, since the place does a thriving business with both Filipinos and foreigners alike. Of course, that doesn't necessarily mean that the average foreigner here has the most discriminating tastes.

Edited June 10, 2012 by Headshot

[shaper 0]

Thank you very much to all of you, mates! THIS is a forum !

[smokey 21,911]

The owners of The French Baker have done what many others who have gone into business have had to learn. Filipinos have different tastes than you will find in the West. For instance, most bread you will find here has some sugar in the dough to make it sweeter. That is what Filipinos expect in their bread. Therefore, if you want to sell to Filipinos as well as to Westerners (which you pretty much have to in order to survive), you will, at the very least, make more than one style of bread. From what I have seen, most Filipinos do not appreciate a good crusty loaf of bread (unless like in The French Baker it is serving as a bowl for soup).

 

The French Baker is as much a restaurant as it is a bakery. Yes, they make breads and croissants that they sell for take out or serve in their restaurant, but they also have an eclectic menu to attract customers. Rather than simply bringing a little piece of France to Cebu, they have somewhat adapted their French cuisine to Filipino tastes. You have to do that here if you want to survive long-term. It still seems to be French enough for most foreigners as well, since the place does a thriving business with both Filipinos and foreigners alike. Of course, that doesn't necessarily mean that the average foreigner here has the most discriminating tastes.

 

 

 

i like the soup in a bread bowl and the quiche sbarro also had to adapt and add sugar to the sauce i went to sbarro as a kid its a new york place where they got their start... the white sauce is yukky to me but the locals love it ...very sweet..i wonder if taco bell would do well as Mexican food could appeal to the Philippines with its spices...

Edited June 10, 2012 by smokey