Rufo’s opens first franchise in the south

MANILA, Philippines - When Rufo’s Famous Tapa (or simply Rufo’s) set out to pursue expansion plans through franchising, real-life and business partners Darwin Maramot and Anne delos Santos took it as a serendipitous opportunity that they were at the right place, at the right time.

“We chanced upon the Rufo’s franchising booth during the Franchise Expo at the World Trade Center. Since the beginning, I had my sights on having a Rufo’s Famous
Tapa and bringing it to the south because it doesn’t have a branch in the area,” recalls Anne.

That first encounter happened in 2008 but it took them another two years to decide. In hindsight, the couple’s decision to open their own Rufo’s branch was partly influenced by their love for the restaurant’s famous tapa and fabled sauce.

Anne’s boyfriend Darwin was one of the early patrons of Rufo’s back in 2001 when it was just a hole-in-the-wall eatery on Kalayaan Avenue in Makati. On his lunchtime, Darwin walked the short distance between his workplace to this favorite tapsihan to have his usual order — Rufo’s beef tapa (Filipino-syle fried Batangas beef strips, served with sunny-side up egg and garlic rice). When Darwin and Anne got together in 2008, he brought Anne to Rufo’s.

“He egged me on to go to Makati to eat at Rufo’s because we were debating over which restaurant in the metro served the best tapa. And I was not disappointed. Rufo’s Famous Tapa was served in a unique, secret sauce which ultimately made me believe in its motto, ‘Sauce pa lang, ulam na!’ (The sauce is a meal in itself!)”

Anne notes that acquiring a Rufo’s franchise in 2012 made sense not just because she and Darwin were both fans of the restaurant, but more importantly, because Rufo’s already had instant name recognition in the food scene.

Rufo’s was named one of the Promising Franchise Concepts in the 10th anniversary issue of Entrepreneur magazine in 2010. The company partnered with Francorp, the world leader in franchise consultancy, to refine its operations and availed of PSBank’s supportive SME (Small and Medium Enterprise) programs to strengthen its back office and commissary. Today, Rufo’s has 12 branches across the metro and its president, Paul Izon Reyes, is eyeing to double that number before the year ends.

Anne also cites the company’s tremendous business support to all its franchisees, a key factor of a good franchise. With a recognizable brand, built-in system, 24/7 support and effective marketing to get one started, a Rufo’s Famous Franchise guarantees good return on investment. And with the restaurant operating 24 hours a day, it also means 24/7 income for franchisees even while they sleep.

Rufo’s in South Park Highs has gone to become a must-go destination in the area for satisfying Filipino comfort food at reasonable prices. Darwin and Anne have since gotten the hang of operating a restaurant that’s open all day and night that entails countless hours at the store and being on top of things. “I think one of the most important factors in making a Rufo’s franchise successful is being hands-on with the business. Also a vital factor is planning your marketing strategy carefully. We have a big market here in the South and we still haven’t covered them all yet.”

Complementing an aggressive marketing strategy, Darwin and Anne are banking on Rufo’s menu of bestsellers like tapa, bulalo, boneless bangus and T-bone steak to keep the long queue at the counter. “We would recommend Rufo’s to other aspiring entrepreneurs with its proven success,” says Anne.