Udenna food unit to unveil new resto concept

MANILA, Philippines — Udenna Group’s food arm plans to launch a new restaurant concept in December as the company continues to expand existing brands Conti’s Bakeshop & Restaurant and Wendy’s Philippines.

“We are opening our first, a little bit of an elevated Conti’s concept,” Eight8Ate Holdings Inc. president and CEO Joey Garcia told reporters.

According to Garcia, the new brand will be called The Barn and will have its first branch in Clark.

The company plans to open the first branch in December.

It will be positioned as an upscale restaurant with a variety of food options including pastries and brunch items.

Garcia said the company was also considering other locations for the new concept.

Aside from a new restaurant brand, he said the group is opening over 20 stores in the next three to four months under its other brands Wendy’s and Conti’s.

“We’ll end the year probably for Wendy’s with about 80 plus stores coming from 70,” he said, noting that the company will open around 12 new stores.

For Conti’s, Garcia said another eight to 10 stores are in the pipeline.

“Majority of that are actually in the first and second tier city and provincial stores or locations,” he said.

Garcia said there would be new stores to be opened in Metro Manila, but around 80 percent will be outside the National Capital Region.

Earlier, Garcia said that of the company’s food brands, Conti’s contributes the biggest share to revenues at about 60 percent.

Asked if the two brands are for sale, he said the company “can’t disclose anything.”