Cebuano dimsum house expands via franchising

To start off with its nationwide expansion plan, Harbour City Dimsum House Company, Incorporated outlaid its medium term plan of going into franchising.

According to a representative from Harbour City Dimsum House, with their 35 years of experience in the food business the company already felt that they are capable and ready to go into franchising. 

He said that “dimsum” having became almost synonymous to Cebuanos and its way of living has received quite a good response even from people out of town. Because of this indication, the company is optimistic that Dimsum has a huge potential to hit the nationwide market.

Right now, Harbour City Dimsum House operates only in Cebu. The company has three set-ups: Harbour City, Ding Qua Qua and Dimsum Break. Harbour City and Dim Qua Qua are both table set-ups while the latter is the company’s fast food chain that already has about nine branches.

Wanting to be guided by a strong partner, the company employed Francorp franchising agency, a Manila-based firm but operates internationally for their franchising venture. This franchising plan is considered by the company as a medium term goal that would be undertaken in about a year or two.

There were already several interested parties who expressed confidence in franchising for the company but Harbour City Dimsum House is taking things one step at a time to provide the franchisees quality products and a well-organized system of operation. Harbour City Dimsum House considers “dimsum” Chinese cooking as an art so they do not rush into things especially that their ingredients are authentically Chinese.

Striving to be located around the Philippines, the company is looking forward that their franchising effort would help maximize the business’ expansion and growth. Their franchising goal is not only to sell but as well as to promote “dimsum.”

“We still haven’t laid down a solid foundation to launch our franchising plan or to open new stores but we will always be there. We are still making sure our system is standardized and follows appropriate procedures, sort of a testing stage. “

Harbour City Dimsum House will also come out with a required company franchising manual to every franchisee in order to guide them and organize their operations.

The Dimsum concept came from Hong Kong but the concept of Dimsum cooking in Cebu was originated more than 20 years and was started by Henry Uytengsu who opened a Ding How branch back then in the late 60s. By 1986 a partnership with the Kokseng family was formed and so Harbour City Dimsum House was established and they opened their first restaurant called Ding Qua Qua.

“We are already well-established in Cebu and became deeply rooted in the lives of Cebuanos. Dimsum has become synonymous with Cebu and has become as native as our otap. We serve items conceived in Cebu and not even served in Hong Kong. Other establishments have tried to copy but they cannot as our business is mainly Dimsum and that is our major competency.”—Rhia de Pablo