Spain startup sees ‘business in a box’ concept taking off

MANILA, Philippines — Spanish wellness startup Jeff is ramping up its expansion in the Philippines with the opening of more of its flagship laundry hubs and the introduction of new business lines next year.

Fresh from raising $21 million in a Series B financing round, the company said it would help more entrepreneurs launch their own ventures from the brand´s range of business lines: home-delivered laundry and dry cleaning, beauty, fitness and wellness services.

“We are very optimistic about the Philippines, as it is one of the  markets that has recovered the fastest during the pandemic and is already presenting 17 percent more income than before COVID-19,” said Eloi Gómez, CEO and co-founder of Jeff.

Jeff, which is present in 40 markets with over 2,300 stores, has 80 Mr Jeff laundry franchises in the Philippines to date, with operations focused in Metro Manila and Laguna.

As its business model features convenient and safe pickup and delivery services through the use of an app, Mr Jeff has gained a large number of new customers during COVID-19 who would normally go to DIY laundry shops.

Gomez said the Philippines is performing better than expected as the percentage of online orders is around 65 to 70 percent of total.

“The Philippines was the first market we started operating in when we arrived in Asia and we want to continue to have a strong presence in a country that welcomes innovative business ideas so well. We believe that Jeff and our network of entrepreneurs will continue to grow in the Philippines,” he said.

Gomez said as current pandemic is expected to create a new wave of entrepreneurs and micro-entrepreneurs in 2021, Jeff will position itself as the platform for entrepreneurs with the ‘business in a box’ concept.

The business in a box concept offers all one needs to start a successful business under the umbrella of Jeff’s globally recognized brand, as well as training, marketing tools, management software and data intelligence to optimize resources and maximize profits.

In the Philippines, entrepreneurs have embraced the digital phenomenon because more and more consumers are engaging in e-commerce and online shopping platforms, transforming the way people live and do business.

“Our solution fits all types of entrepreneurs: whether they want to own a business for self-employment reasons, or because they are looking for a profitable investment,” Gómez said.