Food Cart Idea. Siomai. The Greatest and Longest-living Foodcart.

JCM FOODLINK FOODCART

If anybody is planning to go into the Food cart business, then it has to be Siomai especially the Steamed version.

At P25.00 per order for 4 pieces, it is just enough for the wallets of most working Filipinos.  Some add Rice to make it more filling for just P30.00 for the whole meal.

And when it comes to the Siomai foodcart, many have decided  having their own brand of siomai as the veteran Siomai franchises like Siomai House and Master Siomai are just too expensive for them (P280,000 and up just for the franchise package).  Most siomai makers will even provide a steamer free of charge so long as you order your siomai with them.  One such outfit is JCM Foodlink.  I know they are famous as I get a lot of inquiries in my blog asking for their contact numbers (which I will provide later in this post).

JCM FOODLINK foodcart offer

During the MAFBEX 2012, JCM Foodlink offered several ways of going into business with them:

1.  Be a Master Franchisee for P88,888 wherein you get an Area Distribution Exclusivity (meaning you get to supply JCM products within an area)

2.  Setup a Food cart business for just P38,888.

3.  Sell JCM products such as siomai and siopao.  If pickup, the price of siomai is P2.17/pc or P8.68 for an order of 4. Selling price is P25.00 for 4-pcs.

       For delivery, the price goes up slightly to P2.25 for a minimum order of P3,000.

JCM Foodlink Menu board

JCM FOODLINK HOTLINE      254-3305





By the way, I would like to invite you to visit my Sulit Homepage as there are some business opportunities that you guys might be able to help me out with. If you are interested, just click the Sulit Logo below:


By the way, I am conducting a One-on-One Consultation on How to Setup and Operate Your Own Lotto Outlet. Topics include How to Evaluate a Site for Lotto, The Proper Way to Apply with the PCSO, Actual Operations, How to Prevent Fraud, How to Compete Against Other Lotto Outlets and many more. Please allot at least 2 hours for each session. My fee is only P2,000 per person (Group discount available). Just text me your full name and "Lotto Setup" to 0922-8831225 or call 514-2905 for details.

Acquiring a Lotto outlet is a lot cheaper than purchasing a Franchise from Zagu (P320,000) or Siomai House (P250,000) and it is simple to operate.

Latest news: PCSO has lowered the Cash Bond requirement and an individual is now allowed to own 3 lotto outlets.

As Their Flyer Stated "Start Your Own Siomai Business" ---- KJA Summit is Looking for Dealers

KJA Siomai @ AFFI Franchise show

As with JCM Foodlink, I saw another huge booth at the AFFI Filipino Franchise offering siomai and siopao products but more importantly, they offer a chance for people who do not have much capital a way to start a business and hopefully, compete with the big boys.

KJA's flyer claims to have been in the business for 8 years and their clients are hotels, caterers, restaurants, canteens and much more.

Selling prices:
    Jumbo siopao              P132/ 12-pcs

    Pork siomai                 P130/ 60-pcs

    Sharksfin                     P168/ 42 pcs

KJA Start Your Own Siomai Biz

KJA Menu board. Study it.

Pork siomai works out to P2.17/pc  or P8.68/ order of 4pcs versus selling price of P25/order or Food cost of  35%.  Try to compute and see if this is better than having a Master Siomai or Siomai HOuse franchise.  You have to take note that in the case of the Siomai House, they handle all your logistics needs.

You could sell their products on retail, be a dealer or even a provincial distributor.  This company might be worth looking into.

Contact Al Gillera (342-4891 or 542-3716) and tell him you got his contact numbers from Richard Joseph Siy blog.

For those interested in going into the Lotto Outlet business, I offer a One-on-One Consultation on How to Set-up and Operate Your Own Lotto Outlet.  Topics will include Site Selection, The Proper Way to Apply with the PCSO, How Much to Set-up a Lotto Outlet, Actual Operations, How to Attract Lotto Players, Hiring The Right Lotto Operator and How to Protect Your Business from Fraud and many many more.  I will share with you my Actual Experiences as a Lotto Agent.  My fee is only P2,000 per head.


   If you are interested in availing of my Lotto Consultation, you may text me at 0922-8831225 for details. See ya guys.
By the way, I would like to invite you to visit my Sulit Homepage as there are some business opportunities that you guys might be able to help me out with.  If you are interested, just click the Sulit Logo below:

After Siomai House, Master Siomai & Magic Siomai, Now Comes Shanghai Siomai!

Shanghai Siomai @ AFFI Filipino Franchise Show

Shanghai Siomai Franchise Package

      Indoor                       P250,000  (versus P280,000 for Master Siomai)

      Outdoor                    P270,000

Similar to other siomai foodcarts, the Shanghai Siomai package includes the following:

1.  Cart (Indoor or Outdoor)

2.  5cuft Freezer

3.  Storage box

4.  Gulaman dispenser

5.  Stainless steamer

6.  Initial inventory and supplies worth P6,000

7.  Site assistance

8.  No Royalty

9.  Franchise term 3 years

To reach Shanghai Siomai, call 376-6052 or 0922-9989789 and tell them you got the Shanghai Siomai tel from Richard Joseph Siy blog.

For those interested in going into the Lotto Outlet business, I offer a One-on-One Consultation on How to Set-up and Operate Your Own Lotto Outlet.  Topics will include Site Selection, The Proper Way to Apply with the PCSO, How Much to Set-up a Lotto Outlet, Actual Operations, How to Attract Lotto Players, Hiring The Right Lotto Operator and How to Protect Your Business from Fraud and many many more.  I will share with you my Actual Experiences as a Lotto Agent.  My fee is only P2,000 per head.


   If you are interested in availing of my Lotto Consultation, you may text me at 0922-8831225 for details. See ya guys.
By the way, I would like to invite you to visit my Sulit Homepage as there are some business opportunities that you guys might be able to help me out with.  If you are interested, just click the Sulit Logo below:

A Pair of Similar Siomai Food cart Combatants: Master Siomai versus Magic Siomai

I think siomai food carts are everywhere.  If you go to the Ever Grand Central Supermarket area, you will find maybe more than 5 Siomai House, more than 5 Master Siomai and I do not know how many other brand siomai foodcarts yet.  If you go to the Balintawak and Roosevelt LRT Stations, there are 2 Master Siomai foodcarts  at each station.  At the Trinoma MRT Station, there are both Siomai House and Master Siomai foodcarts side-by-side.

Am not sure how do they earn or maybe they are company-owned but the fact remains, Filipinos eat a lot of siomai.

I saw one innovation at the Master Siomai in Munoz is that they started offering Rice for a nominal fee.  Making Siomai with rice one of the cheaper rice meals in the market today.

Master Siomai @ AFFI Filipino Franchise show

Master Siomai claims to have 300 or more outlets and both Master Siomai and Siomai House are battling for the Number One spot.

Master Siomai Franchise Package             -          P280,000

Franchise package includes -
  1 unit Japanese inspired food card (per their flyer)
  1 unit 5cu ft Chest Freezer
  1 unit stainless electric siomai steamer\
  1  plastic juicer
  Asstd kitchen wares
   Initial inventory
  Cleaning supplies and marketing collaterals

Contact Master Siomai at Tel 282-4941.

Magic Siomai with same Black-Red-White colors of Master Siomai

For those interested in going into the Lotto Outlet business, I offer a One-on-One Consultation on How to Set-up and Operate Your Own Lotto Outlet.  Topics will include Site Selection, The Proper Way to Apply with the PCSO, How Much to Set-up a Lotto Outlet, Actual Operations, How to Attract Lotto Players, Hiring The Right Lotto Operator and How to Protect Your Business from Fraud and many many more.  I will share with you my Actual Experiences as a Lotto Agent.  My fee is only P2,000 per head.


   If you are interested in availing of my Lotto Consultation, you may text me at 0922-8831225 for details. See ya guys.
By the way, I would like to invite you to visit my Sulit Homepage as there are some business opportunities that you guys might be able to help me out with.  If you are interested, just click the Sulit Logo below:

Can't Afford a Siomai House or Master Siomai Franchise? Don't Feel Bad. . . Why Not Startup Your Own Siomai Haus with Help from JCM Foodlink!!!

JCM Foodlink booth at the AFFI Franchise Show

One of the booths that showed long lines was the JCM Foodlink towards the back of the exhibit hall but fronting the Stage.  I have seen JCM on several franchise and foodcart shows and to tell you the truth, I get a lot queries for how to contact JCM Foodlink.

Take note of the following facts:

1.  A Siomai House or Master Siomai franchise would cost you about P250,000 or more  (not including the Mall rentals, cusa, etc).  With that amount, you could probably test-market your own brand of siomai.

2.  JCM Foodlink offers their siomai at P2.00/pc or P8.00 for an order of 4pcs.  Siomai House sells one order of 4pcs at P25.00 or a gross margin of P17.00 per order!

3.  If it were Siomai House, your food cost is 80% (you keep only 20%) versus JCM Foodlink of only 32%!

4.  Of course, Siomai House is proud of their Supply Chain (ie just text the deposit slip data and they will deliver to your outlet) vs if you do it thru JCM, you will have to pick it up from them and deliver to your outlet.  Do the math and see which is better in the long run, in terms of time and cost.

5.  I tasted the JCM Foodlink siomai and it is about the same as most siomai on sale.

6. They also sell sharksfin, japanese siomai (like Master Siomai), beef siomai, burger patty, noodles, chili sauce ( no need to make yourself), gulaman powder & grass jelly (partner of siomai) and more.

7.  Siopao is P10.00 per piece.

8. Their flyer claims BFAD approval.


JCM Foodlink
No. 91 Sto Domingo Avenue, Quezon City
Tel 887-0122 or tell Joel Magtagnob (Mobile 0927-3176495) that you got his cell number from Richard Joseph Siy blog.


By the way, I would like to invite you to visit my Sulit Homepage as there are some business opportunities that you guys might be able to help me out with.  If you are interested, just click the Sulit Logo below:

Before You Sign That Franchise Contract, Find Out If Your Franchise Can Stand Head-to-Head with the Competition???

  Yesterday, I was at the MRT Boni Station and I noticed that Siomai House and the Master Siomai outlets were in front of each other.

This is the same scene at the MRT Taft Station (the busiest MRT station, I think) were the two outlets are side by side.

Again at the MRT Ayala Station, both Master Siomai and Siomai House outlets are within spitting distance of each other.

It seems Commercial Spaces Lessors do not care about protecting the tenants by zoning like-products and in fact will put like-products together.

Now, if it so happens that your selected Franchise is placed in front of a similar franchise (but of a different brand), make sure you have the NUmber ONe.  (At MRT Ayala, visit the place at 10pm and you will notice that the Master Siomai outlet is probably already closed for the day but the Siomai House is still serving lines of customers.

I am not saying Siomai House is better but it pays to study the strength of your franchise as these franchise packages are not cheap.

If you want to request for further information, send me a message or comment on the above post, please kindly click the "comment" button below this post.

As a NEW FEATURE ON MY NEW BLOG, I am conducting a Reader Survey on "What You Think Is The Hottest Small Business in Manila today". On the Top Right part of this blog is my Survey Poll. Please click your choice as the Best Small Business in Manila and then click "Vote" button.

To see the results of the survey todate, just click the “Show Result” button

2010 AFFI FILIPINO FRANCHISE SHOW: Set-up Your Own "Siomai Haus" or "Mrs. Siomai" and Invest Less/Earn More!!!

To get a branded Siomai Franchise (Siomai House or Master Siomai, The Number 1 and 2 in the country now) will mean the following:

1.  Franchise Package of P250,000 (excluding mall or store improvements)

2.  Your Food Margin on the Siomai is a low 20% (which means YOU HAVE TO SELL MANY SIOMAIs TO EARN)

3.  You have to follow the Franchisor's instructions to the letter. THE FRANCHISOR IS YOUR BOSS AND BUSINESS PARTNER.

What if you do not want have a boss, want to earn bigger margins and do not want to spend (or do not have) P250 thousand to spend?

Lines forming at the JCM Foodlink booth

ENTER JCM FOODLINK.  They will sell you the siomai and siopao. You put-up your own brand and sell.

  Branded siomai franchises will sell you the siomai at 20% less than your selling price of P25/order of 4-pc siomai or P20.  JCM will sell you their siomai at P2/pc or P8/order and you sell at P25 for a MARGIN OF 68% (vs 20% of the branded siomais).

  Of course, Siomai House and Master Siomai have brand-recalls. You will need to promote your products LOUDLY but still, a 300% difference in margins is something serious. 


Given the high rent from most malls, a siomai foodcart should sell at least P15,000 to P25,000 a day at 25% markup.   In fact, some siomai foodcarts exceed that as in the case of the Siomai House in Ayala MRT that reportedly sells as high as P60-70 thousand a day!!!


JCM Contact Nos. 887-0122

If you want to request for further information, send me a message or comment on the above post, please kindly click the "comment" button below this post.

As a NEW FEATURE ON MY NEW BLOG, I am conducting a Reader Survey on "What You Think Is The Hottest Small Business in Manila today". On the Top Right part of this blog is my Survey Poll. Please click your choice as the Best Small Business in Manila and then click "Vote" button.

To see the results of the survey todate, just click the “Show Result” button

Asia Food Expo: Roasted Chicken is a Hit!!! (Check-out Chooks-to-Go at the Supermarket for P169 only)

Chooks-to-Go is a product of Bounty Fresh and thru their partner-Supermarket, they are selling so much!!! The chicken is marinated and for the price, it is even cheaper than Andok's or Baliuag. AND IT TASTE SO GOOD!!!

At the Asia Food Expo 2010 or AFEX 2010, I saw displayed at the HKR booth a Henny Penny Rotisserrie, which is like the Mercedes-Benz of Rotisseries made in USA. It runs on electrics (as required by some malls) and costs a heart-stopping P365,000, more or less. There are LPG-powered units that cost a lot less but check first with the mall if they allow LPG-fired rotisseries.

This could be another Fad or it could stay for a long time if you can keep the cost down. Shopwise has been selling their hickory-flavored, garlic-flavored etc roasted chickens and they used to always get sold out.

Beats having to cook at home when both couple are working.

ASIA FOOD EXPO 2010: For The Do-It-Yourselfers, Where to Buy Affordable Kitchen Equipment??

During the AFEX 2010, visitors saw a plethora of foreign-branded kitchen and restaurant equipment for sale and selling at huge prices. What if the would-be small business entrepreneur cannot afford these brands and is looking around for affordable local suppliers?

Don't fret. At the Asia Food Expo 2010, I saw 2 outfits, Gomeco and Binondo Metalcraft selling affordable kitchen and restaurant equipment.
(pic courtesy of gomeco)

Other choices but did not exhibit is Almedah (they are a long-time fabricator of grillers, ovens, stoves etc to local burger franchises and you can also try going to the Quinta Market in Quiapo where there are many stores selling kitchen and restaurant equipment.


(courtesy of binondo metalcraft)

Scramble Wars Heats Up!!! Icebreaker Scramble Opening in Megamall Bldg B September, 2010. BuzBox Scramble Is Already Making A Killing.

Yup, that's right I heard that Icebreaker Scramble is opening in Megamall in Building B this month.

Buzbox Scramble has been in Megamall Foodcourt (Building A) for the past few months (PIC COURTESY OF BUZBOX SCRAMBLE MEGAMALL BR) and you can see the lines of teens forming at their outlet.

It will be interesting to see how this battle will go though both are located on opposite ends of the huge Megamall complex. Then again, the distance may not matter when these 2 Scramble guys duke it out on who is the REAL SCRAMBLE KING!!!!

AFEX 2010: ASIA FOOD EXPO: Want to Start Your Own Mr. Softy or Snowpy Soft Serve Ice Cream? Then, You Need This.

At the huge Technolux booth is the Taylor Soft-serve Ice Cream made in the US of A. High-Quality. Maybe the Rolls Royce of Soft serve ice cream. This is the same machine used by Jollibee for all their Rocky Road sundaes. The machine is not cheap, about P265,000 (vs maybe P50,000 for the Taiwan brand) but Technolux claim a higher 40% more yield per kilo of soft serve ice cream mix!!! Do the math.

For those who cannot afford a Rolls Royce, there were also soft serve ice cream machines made in Taiwan, Korea (cost as much as Taylor, don't know why) and China, I think.



Don't decide on cost alone. You have to think about yield (or how many cones can you do with a kilo of mix, after sales service when it breaks down and it will, availability of parts etc).

AFEX 2010: ASIA FOOD EXPO: Food Ingredients from Cosmic Chemical

I came across Cosmic Chemical as they had on display freshly-baked Pork Floss Bread a la Bread Talk.

Though the size displayed was about 3/4 the size of Bread Talk, I was surprised when the exhibitor said food cost with the pork floss is only P5/pc (P3.50/pc without pork floss).

And if you must have pork floss, the cosmic guy said he knows of a baker in Davao who uses pork floss lookalike but it is much cheaper because it is made of soya!!! Imagine pork floss taste without the fat!!!!

Also, displayed where donuts in a different shape made from their food ingredient and donut maker.

Not Scramble But These Franchise Types Have Stood The Test of Time.

(courtesy of smokeys)

The HOTDOG Stand has been around for ages and like Tender Juicy and Smokey hotdog stands, they do not cost much as they are not strictly franchises but more like dealerships (see pic)

Another that I saw is the Lechon Manok. This time its not Andoks, Baliuag, Mang Boks or Senor Pedro but another brand from the Visayas


(courtesy of botoy)

Next is the Ensaymada. Remember Quick Melt and Muhlach. Now here's Magic Melt.


(courtesy of Magic Melt)

Coming up, HOPIA. This gained a lot of notice when Eng Bee Tin came out with more modern packaging. Everybody started following but maybe not as attractive as Eng Bee Tin.


(courtesy of eng bee tin)


(courtesy of polland)

before the last,its LUMPIANG SARIWA. Going unnoticed, I saw maybe 2 stands offering lumpia franchises.


(courtesy of kuya lumpia sariwa)

Last, its TUBONG LUGAW or should I say the CONGEE franchises. Maybe Goodah and Goto King do not exhibit but Lugaw Republic does think otherwise.


(courtesy of lugaw republic)

DO NOT DISCOUNT THE TRADITIONAL OR OLD FRANCHISES AS THEY HAVE PROVEN NOT TO BE FADS. PEOPLE WILL CONTINUE TO LOOK FOR THEM EVEN IF THEY DO NOT EARN AS MUCH AS A SCRAMBLE, BUT YOU ARE SURE THEY HAVE LASTED YEARS AND WILL PROBABLY LAST EVEN MORE YEARS.

what do you think?

And Now Comes The Do-It-Yourself Scramble for only P22,000!!

Towards one side of the World Trade Center during the Food And Drink Asia 2010 Expo, there is this booth called Mister Scramble. My first reaction is that this is just another scramble outfit.

But what caught my attention is that for a LOW P22,000, you have already a Scramble business!!! Whoa, is that true? The Salesgirl said "Yes" and the reason it is that low is because they will only provide the Booth (see pic) and train me on how to set-up my own scramble (how to prepare the scramble product) but I will have to source for my own ingredients, provide my own logistics etc.

For some on a strict budget, this might make sense. What do you think?

EATING ON A TIGHT TIGHT BUDGET: The Buy One-Take One Hamburger Stand

Many of us grew up seeing the numerous Burger Machines spread-out in gas stations and at the roadside open 24/7. This was later followed by the Minute Burger franchises (owned by the producers of Clover Chips).

But the one that I think shook the market (when there were no tremors in the hamburger stand industry) overnight in almost all places that you can think of (okay maybe not at trinoma, glorietta, megamall) but there must be hundreds sprouting like mushrooms. I am talking about Angel's Hamburger!!!

And how did they cause a tsunami, by offering Buy One, Take ONe!


(courtesy of angel hamburger)

No, just like Burger Machine, Angel's Hamburger never exhibited.

At the Food and Drink Asia 2010 expo at the WTC, I saw 2 franchises for hamburger:


(courtesy of jc fran burger)


(courtesy of galaxy burger)

Question: When is a Scramble not a Scramble? . . . . . . . . Answer: When It is a SCRAMBOI! Huh?

As part of the Scramble Bandwagon, Wynski is offering their version of the Scramble franchise called Scramboi and get this, they are offering it at only P50,000!!!


(courtesy of Scramboi Wynski Enterprises)

NOTICE ALSO THAT AT p5-p10-p15, THEY ARE OFFERING A LOWER SELLING PRICE THAN ICEBREAKER WHICH SELLS AT P7-P10-P17!!!!!

Whatever Happened to the Hong Kong Style Fried Noodle Craze???

If this year it is all about Scramble, last year was all about the HongKong Style Fried Noodles.

Remember Hong Kong Style Fried Noodles at the St Francis Square with their super-long lines of people waiting for their orders of P26 Fried Noodle topped with 2 pcs siomai and garnished with your choice of Spicy, Sweet soy sauce???

How about Taipan Fried Noodle that used to be in all the exhibits???

At the Food and Drinks Asia 2010 Expo at the World Trade Center WTC, I only saw one offering Fried noodle, see below:


(courtesy of Hongkong Fried noodle)

Anak ng Siomai!!! Is This a Price War or Good Value for Customers????

The good thing about the recent Food and Drinks Asia 2010 Expo at the World Trade Center is that they were able to invite the Heavyweights in the Siomai Franchises (Siomai House, Master Siomai and Henlin) whereas in the previous Franchising Expo at the SMX, I think only Master Siomai was present.


(courtesy of Mang Siomai; NOTICE THE 5PCS PER ORDER SIGNAGE on the side of the kiosk)


As I browsed the different Siomai franchises (many with the same Red-Black-White color scheme and similar sounding brand names) I came across two that advertised 5 pcs of Siomai per order (when the unofficial official standard is to have only 4 pcs per order) for the same P25.


(courtesy of JC Fran Siomai King; NOTICE THE WORDS "5PCS SIOMAI" ON THE SIGNAGE IN FRONT)

2 things struck me with this move of a Siomai newcomer:

1. It is good for the customer to have more siomai for the same price (assuming they did not cheapen the quality) and

2. Is this a way of making a Price War?????? (which may not be good for the franchisee).

Siomai-On-Wheels!

From the producers of Mister SYOMAI, they have come up with Siomai-On-Wheels wherein your Siomai outlet is mounted on a bicycle with a sidecar for P50,000 only.

For P250,000, they will grant you exclusivity in a barangay and allow you about 5 moving carts (I think).

Scramble Wars: Pinoy Scramble

I will be featuring a series of Scramble Franchises that I saw at the Food & Drinks 2010 Expo at the World Trade Center.

It is still too soon to tell if the Scramble is a Fad or Not (see my previous post on this) and this is an important question if we are putting our hard-earned savings on the line. My suggestion is to sample as many Scrambles that you can and see which one tastes the best for you-- You have to like your product if you expect to sell a lot of it.

Below is Pinoy Scramble:


(courtesy of pinoy scramble)

The Pinoy Scramble Menu-----



You will notice pricing is the same as Icebreaker Scramble except that there is no small cup at P7.

The Pinoy Scramble booth is just in front of the Icebreaker Scramble booth towards the back portion of the Exhibit hall.