Of luscious Fruitas and other Lush brands

Lush Enterprises Corp., led by entrepreneur Lester Yu, established its first Fruitas outlet in SM Manila in February 2002. It ended the year with eight stores, which grew to 150 in just five years by following the growth of malls in every metropolis in the country.

According to Lush endorser and Fruitas franchisee Sitti Navarro, Fruitas, or more accurately Fruitas Fresh from Babot’s Farm, sources fruits that are naturally grown and uses them freshly squeezed, with the drink prepared before the customers’ eyes. Its cart design attracts passersby because it depicts a lush, green environment with real fruits on display.

“Aside from Lester Yu being a good friend of mine way before my ‘Café Bossa’ days, I’m a firm believer and follower of their products, being a fruit person myself. I love fruits! I love how they can cleanse the body and give essential nutrients,” says Sitti, known in the music industry as the queen of Bossa Nova after the phenomenal success of her first album, Café Bossa.

Yu’s success with Fruitas was followed by Buko ni Fruitas in May 2005. As the name suggests, the second brand is all about fresh buko juice and buko strips topped with slices of fresh fruits – mango, watermelon, strawberries, apple, melon – and halo-halo ingredients like sweet banana, gulaman, kaong, ube halaya, nata de coco, sweet mongo, sweet beans, milk and ice cream all served in a buko shell.

With the tagline, “Timplang pang – Bora, Presyong pangs Masa, may Fruitas na, may Buko pa…!” The company emphasizes the product is reasonably priced. Buko ni Fruitas now has 95 outlets nationwide.

“I would finally be able to apply what I learned in college,” says Sitti, who finished Business Economics in the University of the Philippines. “Here is a chance to practice what I learned. It’s the best way to study managerial skills, acquire them and cultivate them. I’m really excited to see what would be the outcome of this franchise, and I am hopeful that this experience in it would help me become a better person.”

Sitti says Lush focuses on “innovative and productive business ideas that promote a healthy and convenient lifestyle that is affordable to common people”

At Fruitas outlets for instance, fruit shakes in mango, apple, lychee, pineapple or melon flavors sell for P30. Fresh fruit juices cost P75 and light fruit smoothies with two blended fruits go for P40. “This is of course more practical than splurging on high-end coffeehouses or plush bars.”

The latest on the Lush menu is The Mango Farm, primarily a dessert company that serves a combination of mango and another fruit either as shakes or as chunks and slices. Turning up as bestsellers are the mango sago, fresh mangoes on ice with tapioca balls and mango halo-halo, the Filipino classic with a mango twist.

The Mango Farm just turned one year old this month (December 2007) and now has at least 26 outlets. Its stated business philosophy is “Fresh Harvest All Day Everyday”.

Sitti feels “very lucky” to be with the Lush group, which has grown its manpower to 700 from just three employees five years ago, and total store count to 300 from only one. The combined operations under its three brands use 2,500 kilograms of mangoes a day, from just 20 kilos in the very beginning.  

“With the growing market of health conscious people, this food and beverage cart business still has long way to go,” says Sitti.