Local spa chain in talks with Japanese company

CEBU, Philippines - Cebuano-owned Body & Sole Franchise Corporation is inching towards realizing its dream of penetrating the international market and is currently in talks with a Japanese company.

Body & Sole, which now has over 40 massage and wellness centers in the Philippines is close to clinching a partnership deal with Daikoku Corporation for outlets in Osaka,Japan.

Company president and chief executive officer Johnie Lim said in an interview that Daikoku has one of the largest wellness retail chains in Japan, which could help Body & Sole establish a strong foothold in the Asian market.

Apart from the ongoing negotiations with the Japanese company, Lim shared that he is also exploring other countries in the ASEAN region, specifically Thailand and Indonesia, to tap established spa and wellness chains in these countries for a possible linkage.

Meanwhile, while the company is looking at possible partnerships in its effort to expand overseas, it is also working on upgrading its operational system services at the home-base to gear up for the entry of international wellness providers making their way into the country.

Body & Sole is also now working on increasing its resources to realize its active expansion plans within the Philippine market by opening its own investment offering through the social media community called "crowd financing."

According to Lim, the company is bent on making aggressive moves in taking advantage of the promising potential of spa and wellness business not only in the Philippines, but also in other countries. (FREEMAN)