Gerry's Grill expands to the US

Moved by the success the chain has achieved over its 10 years of operations, Filipino-owned restaurant chain Gerry's Grill Group of Restaurants will be expanding in the country and to the United States.

"We will open at least four more branches in the country within the year and we are looking into opening three more branches abroad," disclosed restaurateur Gerry Apolinario, the group's president.

Gerry's Grill already has 20 branches in the country today and recently opened its first outlet in the US which is located at Union City, San Francisco, California. The first US branch is a product of a three-year study being conducted by the group. "We have one in Los Angeles, California which is actually under construction and will be operational in three month's time. Then we have another project somewhere in the States that is on the works," he said.

Exerting efforts internationally, Gerry's Grill is also looking into expanding in some other places as well. "We have considered several countries and there are a lot of good opportunities it's just that the location of this one in the US was made available for us," Apolinario said adding that they are pursuing other locations.

Here in the country, the group will be opening two more outlets in addition to the recently opened Bohol outlet at BQ Mall, Tagbilaran City in Bohol. These outlets will be at the Mall of Asia in Manila and SM Clark in Pampanga.

Cebu is part of the expansion as the group is considering opening another store in addition to the first, which is at Ayala Center Cebu's Food and Entertainment Center. "We are looking into opening another branch here in Cebu and we are still identifying the location. We can't disclose particulars yet but we are studying a couple of options," Apolinario said.

Established through a franchise-like business partnership concept with local businessmen, each Gerry's Grill outlet caters to a wide market segment, local and foreign. "We have observed that the Filipino cuisine is very much acceptable elsewhere in the world. We just have to be a little more aggressive," Apolinario pointed out.