Expanding for the first time outside its home market of Korea, cafe chain Hi Brunch is set to make the Philippines its number three market.
Korean food franchisor Sim Woo has partnered with Filipino-American entrepreneur Susan Barlin, for the Hi Brunch Philippines and Southeast Asia franchises. Barlin is a real estate executive who also owns a multi-level marketing business.
Hi Brunch Philippines will offer porridge and desserts along with coffee.
Formed in 2015, Sim’s holding company Midang FC already has 250 stores in Korea and two in Tokyo. The company is eyeing franchise stores Taipei, Taiwan, Kazakhstan, China, and Southeast Asia, particularly Singapore, Indonesia and Malaysia.
Hi Brunch Philippines is set to open a store in Robinsons Galleria in two to three months.
It will also open in Bonifacio Global City, Alabang, Tagaytay and Cebu. Barlin said the master franchise in the Philippines will open six company-owned stores among the 25 outlets planned for one year.
Barlin said the food will be prepared in Korea and shipped frozen to the Philippines for cooking. Authentic Korean dessert bingsu (snow ice flakes topped with sweets) will also be offered at Hi Brunch.
“We will not only import but we’ll make things here,” Sim said, adding that if food products are available in the Philippines, these may be locally sourced. For example, for the snow ice flakes, fresh Philippine mangoes are better than frozen, he said.
Inside Retail Asia
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