Chicken Deli growth spurs partnership renewal with Pepsi Philippines

Val is a big chicken inasal fan. I remember when we were still in Manila, one of our go-to places was the newly opened Chicken Deli branch in Ayala Fairview Terraces. The food is delicious yet very affordable. Not to mention they also serve unlimited rice. 

During Val's 30th birthday, we celebrated it with family and friends by enjoying the authentic  Chicken Inasal plus other local favorites such as Kare-Kare and Pork Sisig. Thus, we consider Chicken Deli a significant part of the life of an ordinary Filipino like us.  

So, when we arrived in Bacolod in 2015 -- we were actually surprised that this humble family diner is big in the City of Smiles. We had no idea that the restaurant actually originated here in Bacolod and we are very happy and proud of the success of our favorite inasal restaurant. 

Now on its 35th year, Chicken Inasal is celebrating a renewed partnership with bottling firm, Pepsi-Cola Products Philippines Inc., (PCPPI) the "Bidang Inasal ng Bacolod" restaurant will continue its aggressive expansion, serving their unique authentic chicken Inasal partnered with Pepsi products across their channel of almost 50 stores nationwide.

According to RC Ciocon Jr., Director for the LC Group of companies, "This is the collaboration of two very reliable brands with parallel missions and visions to reach. Chicken Deli and PCPPI have similar Corporate Social Responsibility platforms sharing the same dedication to service and love for the environment." The partnership came naturally as both companies shared common advocacies in excellent business practices and serving their communities. 

Chicken Deli plans to expand its business to 150 - 200 stores in the next five years through business evolution, franchising, and strategic corporate partnership--all while maintaining the original chicken Inasal recipe that made them famous.

"Back when Chicken Deli was set only in Bacolod, PCPPI's Bacolod plant was exclusively distributing our products to their restaurants," said PCPPI Senior General Manager Lyndon Cuadra. "Now with Chicken Deli's nationwide presence and today's partnership renewal, the company has become our modern trade partner and key account to be serviced by different plants across the country."

(L-R) PCPPI General Manager for Bacolod, Delfin Dizon; PCPPI Senior General Manager, Lyndon Cuadra; PCPPI Head of National Sales, Domingo Almazan; LC Group Director RC Ciocon Jr.; LC Group Chief Operations Officer, Danilo Pumarega; LC Group Director, Malou Granada

Spicing up the food industry

Chicken Deli opened franchising opportunities to local entrepreneurs in 2011 and has since appealed to businessmen that in the seven years that followed, the number of franchises across the country more than tripled against its 12 company-owned stores.

In the beginning, its founder and the Ciocon family matriarch, Mamang planned to settle Chicken Deli's lone store solely in Bacolod to keep the authenticity of her signature heirloom recipe. With locals and tourists making a visit to the restaurant a habit, it eventually sought to expand the business by opening more stores in the Visayas region and seeking franchise partners.

Mamang opted to cook Inasal through the long process of manually marinating the meat, then cooking it fresh as opposed to pre-cooking before storage followed by hasty preparation. Upholding integrity in their service as demonstrated by his grandmother, Ciocon underlined that it was this same quality they were looking for from franchisees.

"People often think as long as they have the money, they will be viable to franchise the business, but we are looking for partners who are deeply committed to and involved with their business on a daily or at least weekly basis," he said.

A third-generation owner of the restaurant, Ciocon highlighted evolving the business while staying true to its roots as a primary focus in appealing to the bigger market they now have. Apart from opening franchising opportunities, Chicken Deli has structured operations through the support of their commissaries in Bacolod and Manila.

"We also invest in our people," Ciocon said. "One of our challenges in the past was finding the right talent to employ, but we eventually built a system which preferred hiring fresh graduates and investing in their training through a comprehensive and continuous program throughout their employment."

Also in the business of caring for their surrounding community, Chicken Deli expressed their anticipation of partnering with PCPPI for Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives in the region and nationwide. Noting the bottling firm's recent programs for environmental preservation like tree planting and estero clean-ups, as well as social drives such as feeding programs and gift giving for children during December, Ciocon is optimistic that the partnership will be able to achieve more than business prosperity.

"We officially welcome Pepsi as one of our valuable partners, and I am confident we will help each other thrive through a continued successful and mutually beneficial partnership."

About PEPSI PHILIPPINES

Pepsi-Cola Products Philippines Inc. (PCPPI) is the exclusive manufacturer of PepsiCo beverages & snacks in the Philippines, with a relationship spanning 70 years. PCPPI is a listed company in the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE: PIP) with Lotte Chilsung, one of the biggest beverage companies in South Korea as the lead shareholder co-managing with PepsiCo. PCPPI manufactures and sells well-known food and beverage brands: Pepsi-Cola, Mountain Dew, 7-Up, Mirinda, Mug, Gatorade, Tropicana, Lipton, Sting, Premier, Sips, Milkis, Let’s Be, Aquafina, and Cheetos. It has established 14 manufacturing facilities across the country, serving more than 700,000 outlets and providing employment through its extensive distribution network.

PCPPI is committed to creating a positive impact on society with programs focused on environmental sustainability, nutrition, education, and livelihood. For more information, visit www.pepsiphilippines.com.