A Guide To Franchising a Food Cart Business

Looking for a franchise opportunity that’s built to last?

That’s probably the dilemma of all start-up entrepreneurs who wanted to take the franchising route. I have learned that there are several advantages to the franchising business but the most important benefit is that in franchising, you are given the opportunity to go into business for yourself but not necessarily by yourself.

You see, franchising offers its ‘business partners’ an easy start-up to a different kinds of businesses from food to services. What franchisors usually sell are the convenience of an already built-up brand and a proven technology.

But there are just too many of them out there and sometimes there’s almost no way of telling which are the better brands. And looking for that franchising business that will really click is the ultimate challenge for any entrepreneurs. There are a lot of factors that could make or break your franchising business:

First, the FRANCHISE itself. Is it built on solid ground? Are the owners credible enough?
Second, LOCATION. Is your franchised business based on an area that attracts your target market?
Third, SUPPORT. Are your franchisors sensitive enough to address your needs as a business partner and provide you critical assistance to help you grow your business?
Fourth, YOURSELF. Are you really ready to do this? Are you financially capable to at least put a capital? Is your heart and mind on the right place?

The last factor, you’ll have to figure out for yourself. But for the first three, you can do a bit of research to help you choose the right kind of franchise business that will suit you.

Take for instance, STALLMART.

I was just at their office a couple of weeks ago to try their products and find out more about the businesses that they are currently offering.

It’s basically a new venture having been established only last year (2012). But to put it into perspective, let’s just say that STALLMART is a newborn baby with a very old soul. Why is that? Because, the company was founded by the same group responsible for Mister Donut – and that translates to over 30 years of experience and business success.

What STALLMART did was translate those 30 years worth of experience and expanded their product lines and brands from donuts to other food items that seems to have caught the fancies of the taste buds of Filipinos.

Brands like Tik-Tok, Siomai Central, NYC Fold n’ Roll, Thritea and Little Mexico.

MS. MICHELLE PINO guided us to a food-tasting of all the key products from all the five (5) food brands that they are carrying.

Ms. Pino has been with Mister Donut for more than 15 years already managing the franchising and operations of Mister Donut, the 2013 International Master Franchise Awardee of DTI and the Philippine Franchise Association.

Here’s a brand-to-brand guide to my food-tasting experience of STALLMART’s Magic Five!

TIK-TOK: Patok Na Manok

This brand offers different chicken innovations that aim to tickle the pinoy taste buds. From their awesome tasting FRISAW (Isaw Fries) to the heavy-on-the-stomach ANGRY BALLS (Chicken Balls) down to the CHIBOGERS or their version of an affordable Chicken Burger. My favorite is still their CHICKEN SKIN, I always try to grab an order of that whenever I have time and usually inside the Metro Rail stations.

It is also good to know that MISTER DONUT, STALLMART and KFC are sister companies. So when you’re eating a Tik-Tok food item it feels like your eating hawker foods made by a world-class food brand.

Investment starts at PhP160,000

Delivery Charge: 2%

Royalty Fee: 2%

SIOMAI CENTRAL

Who says Pinoys have had enough of Siomai? And when you thought that all Siomai’s have reached its highest point, out comes SIOMAI CENTRAL which is aimed at elevating the standards of the Chinese dimsum food cart business here in the Philippines.

Their siomai tasted really great, it’s the closest to the authentic Chinese siomai that I’ve tasted. Siomai Central also serves Siopao.

Investment starts at PhP40,000 ( No Delivery Charge and Royalty Fees)

NYC FOLD N’ ROLL

Fold N’ Roll is a New York Style Folded Pizza which originated in the early 1900s. Folded pizzas is a new concept here in the Philippines but it has its advantages – Folding the pizza makes it juicier, it keeps them warm longer and you can eat it easier and while on the go without worrying about its dressing falling one piece at a time on the ground.

Investment starts at PhP100,ooo (the lowest pizza franchise so far)

Delivery Charge: 2%

Royalty Fee: 2%

THIR TEA

The brand offers one of the lowest priced milk tea products in the market at 35 Pesos only. Their tea base is Ceylon and they offer them in different flavors like Wintermelon, Taro, Caramel, Acai Berry and Chocolate.

Investment starts at PhP80,000 (No Delivery Charge)

Royalty Fee: 2%

LITTLE MEXICO

This is their latest among the five (5) food brands and just from the name you’ll already know that it serves Mexican delis like tacos, quesadillas, burritos and nachos. I love the nachos! 🙂

Another thing that’s really wonderful about STALLMART is that they offer these brands for franchising with NO FRANCHISE FEES plus the Lowest Investments and the fastest ROI plan!

After that food tasting event and that brief orientation and Q&A about what STALLMART has to offer, I believe that these are viable business options that are suitable for first-timers and even business moguls who wanted to explore new territories.

How to own a FRANCHISE BUSINESS?

Submit a Letter of Intent together with the exact address of your preferred business site.
Upon checking the proposed site and some background checks, the franchisor may request your presence for several interviews.
After the assessment period and passing the criteria set by the franchisors, franchisees are then asked to produce any proof of billing, bank statements, valid IDs, DTI Registration of the intended company name to be used for the operations of the business plus other relevant documents needed for processing the franchise agreements.
That’s it. You’re good to go!

Another thing that I just discovered when I visited the Stallmart office is that aside from KFC and MISTER DONUT, TOKYO TOKYO is also a sister company of STALLMART. All under the RAMCAR GROUP OF COMPANIES.

For more about STALLMART and their brands visit their site at www.stallmart.com.ph or call (02) 370-1236 or email [email protected]