The empty Zagu cup below is a testament to the fact that fresh
fruits and powdered shakes are a commodity even inside a chilling mall on an
even more chilling rainy weather. Shake stands abound like mushrooms all over
the Philippines; in malls, markets, schools, and other public places. But what’s
the fuss about these types of drinks?
Filipinos love cold drinks simply because of the country’s
tropical weather. We are used to drinking ice cold flavored beverages that they
sell not only to battle the heat of summer but for other purposes as well. They
are able companions for any type of meal and work well as a partner when
strolling to and fro.
Rico Yan and
Orbitz
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| from www.ricoyan.8m.com |
I have no idea when this phenomenon started but I still remember
the late Rico Yan back in 2000 or 2001 demonstrating on TV how pearl shakes are
prepared. He started Orbitz Pearl Shake and may have spurred the shake stand franchise Philippines.
Starting a Shake
Stand
Shake stands are also a viable business venture. Small
and medium enterprise (SMEs) can invest in a shake stand for as low as Php
25,000 for the simple variety up to Php 500,000 for popular franchises like
Zagu. Having worked at a shake stand in a mall for more than one year a few
years back for a local family owned non-franchise brand at that, I know these
things are hot selling items although their literally cold.
I’ve also seen how simple it is to operate a similar
stand. Of course, you need a cart with compartments to start with for your
stocks. Next comes several equipment like power blenders, powder containers, scoops,
cleaning agents, and more.
Learning how to prepare the shake is quite easy. Even
cooking tapioca or pearls (the soft sago) is manageable with practice. It’s the
mixture of powders and other ingredients which is more challenging. My former
boss supposedly had a secret recipe where powders are mixed with just the right
amount of sugar and skim milk to come up with a distinct flavor. But these
days, you can simply buy ready made prepared powdered flavors and you’re ready
to blend!
For more information on franchising, visit websites of
your favorite fruit and pearl shake stands.
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