Taiwanese business café, gift shop opens at Sarrosa

CEBU, Philippines - A Taiwanese-run cafe and pasalubong center called Bar Tea More is capitalizing on the booming tourism industry in its bid to introduce beverage and pastry products, especially its best-selling pineapple and mango cakes.

Owners Frank and Teonie Huang led the soft opening of the newest business cafe and gift ideas shop last Wednesday in prime location at the ground floor of Sarrosa International Hotel and Residential Suites along F. Cabahug St., Barangay Mabolo, Cebu City.

In an interview, Frank Huang said with Bar Tea More, they are hoping that pineapple cake, a major delicacy in his home country Taiwan, takes a good market reception not only from locals but from the foreign tourists here as well.

Taking inspiration from the overwhelming success of traditional Chinese bakery mooncake products, the Taiwanese-Filipina couple believes given the rising influx of foreigners to the Philippines, as well as the growing fondness on tea and coffee among the middle earning Cebuanos, it won't be difficult for them to penetrate the competition.

Teonie Huang said pineapple cakes, which were originally sold in Taiwan markets in 1950's, have surpassed the sales of mooncakes and are gaining the reputation of being the "next big thing in the world of delicacies."

"And why not bring them (pineapple cakes) over to the Philippines? Here, we have vast farms dedicated to pineapple plantations, which we sorely lack in Taiwan," said Mr. Huang.

Because they do not have to source their raw materials from Taiwan, pineapple cakes in the Philippines, specifically the ones sold at Bar Tea More, cost P150 to P200 cheaper than those sold in Taiwan.

But the couple also recognizes Filipinos' love for mangoes, so apart from offering pineapple cakes, they have also come up with mango cakes this time to take advantage of the huge market posed by Filipino mango lovers.

Bar Tea More will formally open on September 28 and will run from 9:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. weekdays and weekends.

Their cakes can also be made as birthday, wedding and personalized gift items, which can come in customized packaging, depending on the celebration's theme.

In line with their vision to cater to the health conscious segment, they have also added extra value on their products through the use of a packaging technique that utilizes paper printed off with soy ink.

Apart from their pastries, they also boast of their beverage products like British tea, green tea and oolong tea which all come from Taiwan.

"It's like giving our customers a taste of Taiwan without having to physically go there," Mrs. Huang said.

The Huangs revealed that they are now studying at partnering with the Department of Tourism to further drum up support from the government in maximizing the strong alternative potential provided by the Philippine pineapple and mango industries through these cakes.

The owners also intend to open for franchising in the long run.

Meanwhile, the couple pointed out that one of their strengths is the look and feel of their cafe, which is above par than the prices of their products.

True to its business cafe concept, the shop also houses a mini-conference or function area where customers could meet and discuss without being charged.

Other products include coffee, hot choco, and P99 meals that come with free pineapple cakes.