Questions you must ask yourself before you even think about exporting:

Who’s your market? Food holds the highest potential among exportable commodities. Rosemarie Castillo, chief of the Food and Food Preparations Division of the bureau of Export Trade Promotion, suggests you try exporting ready to eat food or gourmet food, segments that are growing fast as a result of consumers’ changing lifestyle.

Can you meet your market’s needs? You must have all the resources to supply your market with the volume it needs. Your food must also pass the quality requirements of the importing country, so make sure you produce excess stocks to replace those that are rejected.

How do you enter your market? Identify your distribution channels abroad and then decide if you need to set up a foreign office or tap exclusive distributors. But first, you’ll need the following before you can export anything:
•    A license to Operate and a Certificate of Product Registration from the Bureau of Food and Drugs
•    Microbial analysis for your product and tests to determine the presence or absence of bacteria such as aflatoxin or salmonella
•    A Good Manufacturing Practice certificate. You need this certificate to be approved for Hazard Analysis Control Point. Like the GMP certificate, Hazard Analysis certifies that your product is safe and made under hygienic conditions
•    Correct labels for your product. Different import markets have different labelling requirements. The European Union, for instance, requires labels in both English ans French. Food bound for Muslim countries must be halal, and those intended for Jewish consumers must be kosher.

Exporting questions:
Bureau of Export Trade Promotions
Tel.: (02) 899-0107

Exporting seminars:
The Philippine Exporters Confederation Inc,
Tel.: (02) 833-2531
Email: communications@philexport.ph

Philippine Trade Training Center
Tel.: (02) 831-9988; (02) 834-1344 to 49 local 315

entrepreneur magazine jan-feb 06 issue

Step 1
Create an account in one of the many available blogging sites. Try Blogger.com, Livejournal.com, Wordpress.com, or even the blogging functions of Friendster.com or Multiply.com.

Step 2
You don’t need to be well versed in HTML, CSS or any of those complicates jargons. These sites above offer design templates for your blog that you could choose.

Step 3
Promote your blog. Send your URL to your friends or to get new people to visit your site, add your site to blog directories such as Blogflux.com, Pinoyblog.com and Pinoyblogosphere.com

source:  cosmopolitan philippines december 07 issue

By Ted P. Torres Updated July 21, 2009 12:00 AM

MANILA, Philippines - One of the major features of banking today, and in the near future, is convenience banking, be it for the corporate or consumer segment.

That means not having to visit the bank’s branch, have to deal with volumes of paper work, or even going to the automated teller machines (ATMs). Instead, bank clients are maximizing the telephone, computer, the Internet, and mobile phones.

“Our penetration rate for Internet banking rose from 15.1 percent in 2007 to 23 percent, as of the first quarter of 2009,” Jaime L. Araneta, senior vice president and E-banking head for Philippine Savings Bank (PSBank), pointed out.

PSBank already services 23,000 client via its remote banking systems, meaning the telephone, the computer and mobile phones.

Bank clients save on time and effort, while increasing efficiencies in terms of documentation and cost savings. The branch meanwhile reduces over-the-counter transactions thus freeing up more personnel for in-branch marketing and sales.

Todate, PSBank operates 164 branches and 168 ATMs nationwide.

full story

The food business owned by Panderia Antonio currently has 41 carts located in all major malls, 15 of which are company-owned. The investment for a Plato Wraps cart ranges from P375,000 to P400,000, inclusive of P150,000 franchise fee.

The business started in Dagupan City in Pangasinan where Antonio Seen grew up with the smell of baked goodies in his father’s 50-year-old bakery.

Plato Wraps is a budget meal wrapped in round flat bread and grilled hot to serve. It comes in choices of all time favorite fillings as chunky chicken, ham & cheese, yummy tuna, wrap n’ roll, pizza and the very veggie for the health buff.

Plato Wraps was launched on February 2001 in Dagupan City. It is become their flagship product and has caught fire as the hottest food craze as evidence by the numerous inquires and application for franchising.

Franchise Package Includes

* Assistance for site evaluation
* Complete set-up of plato wraps
* Proprietary cart and chiller
* Training
* Opening assistance
* Central purchasing
* On-going assistance
* Research and development

Contact

301 Crisologo Comp., Tapuac Dist.,
Dagupan City, Pangasinan
Tel No. (02) 532-3177, (075) 523-1034
Email: platowraps_greatmeals@yahoo.com.ph

“Chicharific” by: LAPID’S” food carts are known for their delicious crunchy chicharon and imported-quality products. Founded by sisters Erlinda “Lapid” Dioquino and Estrelita “Lapid” Montanido in 1997 (It was their father who started and popularized the name “Lapid’s” as the leading manufacturer and retailer of chicharon in 1977), “Chicharific” products use only the finest raw materials and cooking procedures. Several outlets in various Metro Manila locations provide customers with quality products at very reasonable prices, efficient customer service, and well-trained personnel.

Aside from regular chicharon varieties such as “Chicharon May Laman” and “Cocktail Chicharon”, Crispy Pata (crispy pig’s thigh) and Crispy Ulo (crispy pig’s head) are also available. Today, “Chicharific” by: LAPID’S” continues to provide quality food products that the “LAPID’S” name has been known for. Open for provincial franchise opportunities.

Franchise Investment PackageApproximate Total Investment:

* Php 200,000.00 ( Metro Manila )
* Php 220,000.00 ( Provinces )

Initial Fee: Php 100,000.00
No Royalty Fee
No Marketing Fee

Total Investment Includes:

* Cart
* Equipments
* Utensils and Wares
* Franchise Terms 5 years

# 8 Kamachile St., own & Country Village,
Marcos Highway, Antipolo City
Tel. No. : (0632) 645-7936 Cell. No. 09178466704
E-mail: info@chicharific.co, inquiries@chicharific.com, chicharific@hotmail.com
Web: www.chicharific.com