We have asked a number of employed mom and dads what business they would like to start while they are employed. A number of them have said that stating a food cart is easy and fast to setup. The cost isn’t that much and the income potential is good. In the Philippines, a lot of food cart businesses have sprung up and excelled in their craft.

We’d like to share some things to consider so that starting up your food cart business before starting one:

1. Good Concept – Most food carts are designed to give quick service. It is advisable to stick to a concept for a quick recall from the customers. A unique concept gathers curiosity among customers to give your food cart a try. This would also include your “catchy” name and your theme for your food cart. Be consistent with your concept and stick to it and better not mix and match just to be at par with the others.
2. Focus on the Product – You have to match or exceed the expectations of your concept. Your product would be the life blood of your food cart business. Good product = People will come back for more. This would involve consistency, affordability and the quality of your product. Make sure that what you started or improved would stay the same as time goes by. Some food cart businesses have failed on this part especially when they have operated for quite some time already, they do short cuts and decrease the quality.
3. Good Location – This is very important! You have to make sure that the site of your food cart is visible to the public. It is advisable to hang-out for hours in a prospect location and see for yourself the amount of foot traffic in the area.
4. Good Stall Design – For promotion purposes, a catchy and desirable design would attract customers to your food cart. The design of your food cart should be unique and be distinguishable from the others. A good friend of the Support Local Mom and Dad Business Movement, LogoMoto PH, can help out with your design needs for your food cart. Also, online promotion would be a great help in promoting your business, a good and simple website would also boost the visibility of your food cart business.
5. Operating Systems – Being new and a startup, operating your foodcart should follow certain standards. This would make your business be consistent from the day you started and up to the present. Prepare a manual on how to do things for you and your staff to follow. You wouldn’t want complaints of having your products or services inconsistent when customers have availed a week or month ago. If its better, adapt it. If its not, scrap it. Better document everything and make it as a habit for you and your staff.
6. Funding – Having the needed funds or capital to start your food cart business is a necessity. There may be financing institutions that can help you out in funding your business, we suggest that having your own would be a better option. Maybe for expansion of your food cart business, considering financial institutions may be a better idea.
7. Good Service – In the food industry, reputation is a major factor in making a business successful. Maintaining a good service level, efficient systems, and clean products and workstations will go a long way and help you achieve longevity and further build credibility.
8. Do it Right – Get the necessary permits and licenses. If you operate your business without the proper permits and licenses, its good to say that what you are operating is a monkey business.

One good example of this is one of our friends, and a fellow mom and dad businessman.Bagwings have started out as a small stall in a weekend market in Muntinlupa City. Now they have expanded to two other locations and a food truck is on its way. Maybe we can follow his footsteps in starting a successful food cart business.

There may be other things to consider in running a food cart business. But, the basics, we have tackled already. Another alternative in the food cart business is Franchising. Franchising an existing food cart business is a good idea and there are a lot of reasons to franchise a business. The only question that we pose is: “Do they really help local mom and dad businessmen?” or they just take advantage of the franchisees?

For us, it would be better to be unique and original. Make a name for yourself and supporting other mom and dad businesses would be very helpful in making the local business scene be more engaged in nation building.

How about a Turon and BananaQue Food Cart? Who’s up to it?

by:Lucky Alabado
 
People are naturally drawn to food and so to keep up with the demand, a lot of food parks and festivals have surfaced across the metro. A lot of them though happens to be found up north, but I thank the heavens that finally we’ve added another food sanctuary down south in the heart of BF Homes, that is the Aguirre Food Park! Located along Aguirre Street which is ever so famous for its food finds.

Having been captivated by this delightful setting, my excitement sparked me to begin my Food Adventure. I’ve set a goal to at least try two to three food items from different vendors during my first visit. I’ve had Siga (Sisig sa Gata) from Bagwings, Oreo Brookie (brownie cookie) and Iced Café Latte from Sugartrails and The Vegetarian Pizza from The Bread Lounge everything was just so sinfully tasteful, finely crafted and freshly prepared. 

I’ve yet to try out the rest of the food in The Aguirre Food Park, but one thing is for sure, I will definitely come back to indulge myself to Bagwings.

Crispy Bagnet, Buffalo Wings and Sisig. These are classic Filipino favorites that will never go out of style, but Bagwings do it better. Who knew it was possible to make these dishes even more scrumptious than they already are? Apparently someone did, hence, Bagwings. 

Lucky is a city girl capturing Manila's best and sometimes unseen beauty. 
Food • Places • Lifestyle • Adventures 
For Features: discovermnl@yahoo.com.ph
https://instagram.com/discovermnl/

All oils do better if they are refrigerated after opening. Refrigeration prevents oils from going rancid as quickly. Chili oil from the store is designed to be shelf stable for several months, but refrigeration will prolong its life. When making chili oil at home, it should always be refrigerated, as most home cooks lack stabilizers which will keep the chilies in the oil from molding. When used as a condiment, chili oil generally enhances the spiciness of a dish it is used on. When different people have varying heat tolerances, this oil can be an excellent way to avoid disputes, since it allows each diner to season to taste. Many Asian restaurants have small dishes of chili oil on the table, or can provide it when requested. When used as a base, this oil will greatly enhance the spiciness of a dish, since the temperatures of cooking will bring out the heat.

Many kinds of oil are used to make chili oil. Olive and vegetable are two common choices, but it can also be made with oils such as canola, sunflower seed, sesame, and avocado. Some oils have a low smoking point, and should be used in a cold infusion. Heating these oils should also be avoided, if possible.

But what is it really? There are three spellings for this hot pepper from several varieties of the genus Capsicum: “chili,” “chile,” and “chilli.”

Which is correct? It depends on where you live.

The usual spelling in American English is “chili,” but “chile” is an acceptable variant. The only spelling in British English is “chilli,” though the Brits use the term for both hot and sweet peppers. So theres really nothing wrong with how you spell it because we're in Asia. 

I decide it to call mine BagWings Garlic Chilli oil. Regardless of how you spell it, this famous side dish is a way for my parents to unite us (Their kids.) They would cook all our requested dish and then they'll match it with their home made garlic chilli. I see my mom and dad smile in silence as their children (we are all adults now) cant stop eating and talking about life in the middle of small round table. 

Simple joys of life.

Source: http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-chile-oil.htm

INSPIRON TECHNOLOGIES Inc.  the “go-to” company for LED Lighting.
Will be the one to light the BagWIngs Mobile truck.


About Inspiron Tech:
A newly-established company in March, 2014 at the Bonifacio Global City in the City of Taguig, answering the market call for LED Technology Solutions from standard products to customized solutions.Inspiron Technologies Inc. was established by Tony Aisbitt and Noli Hernandez, both with over two decades of international experience in Electronic Components Sourcing, Electronics Manufacturing, Electronics Design, and LED Lighting Development.

These two have teamed up to form a company founded on trust, competence, professionalism, and commitment to service. The same foundation transcends to our business dealings with clients, customers, suppliers, and partners.
The two had dealings with LED lighting projects such as high-end residential properties at Forbes Park, Dasmarinas, and Ayala Ferndale Homes, as well as high-end retail commercial applications at Greenbelt 5 in Makati City.

The company is adequately equipped in knowledge to serve the business and technical requirement of the local market in the field of LED lighting. We have test and manufacturing facilities at our disposal to guarantee function and quality. 

Your Premium LED Solution Provider 
Inspiron Technologies Inc provides innovative LED lighting solutions for use in warehouses, laboratories, cold storage facilities, high ceiling office spaces, manufacturing plants, retail and showroom areas, convention centers, exhibition halls, gymnasiums, shopping malls and many other commercial and industrial applications.

Lighting with a purpose 
Our convictions cause us to push forward daily in development and designs. Many companies reach a point of complacency – but we believe that we can do better! We listen carefully to what our customers are asking for and respond with top quality products that fit their needs – exactly! We are constantly build-up our product line to specifically fit the needs of the local market. Customization is a value-added service that we offer when standard solutions from the competition fail.

Production Quality Control
Inspiron Technologies know the value in maintaining very tight control on the product that we purchase and manufacture overseas. This allows us to maintain the highest integrity with our full product line. This ensures our customers, that anything purchased from Inspiron Technologies, will be certified to work in the Philippines and will work for the specified life span. 

For Inquiries:
Inspiron Technologies Inc
Level 10-1, Fort Legend Tower, 31st Street & 3rd Avenue, Bonifacio Global City Taguig 1632, Philippines
Tel:+632 224 4194   |   Fax:+632 224 4196   |   eMail: nolihernandez@inspirontech.com

Because of "Egay" BagWings at Grilla Laguna will be closed today. A smart decision made by the organizers of the bazaar. 

MANILA, Philippines — Several tropical storm "Egay" remained almost stationary as of Sunday morning and was last spotted in the vicinity of San Pablo, Isabela at 5 a.m., the state weather bureau said. The Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Service Administration (PAGASA) said in an advisory that the cyclone has maximum winds of 95 kilometers per hour (kph) near its center and gusts of up to 120 kph. It is forecast to move northwest at 7 kph.

A total of 18 areas were placed by PAGASA under storm warning signals number 1 and 2.

Signal No. 2

• Apayao
• Babuyan Islands
• Cagayan
• Calayan Group of Islands
• Isabela
• Kalinga
• Quirino
• Northern Aurora

Signal No. 1

• Abra
• The rest of Aurora
• Batanes
• Benguet
• Ifugao
• Ilocos Norte
• Ilocos Sur
• Mountain Province
• Nueva Ecija
• Nueva Vizcaya

Cloudy skies with thunderstorms and moderate to occasionally heavy rains which may trigger flash floods and landslides are expected in Metro Manila and the rest of Luzon, PAGASA said. Light to moderate rains and thunderstorms are also expected over Visayas and Zamboanga Peninsula. Stormy weather with rough to very rough seas will prevail over Cagayan Valley, Kalinga, Apayao and Aurora, PAGASA said. Ilocos provinces, Nueva Ecija and the rest of Cordillera, meanwhile, will have rains with gusty winds and moderate to rough seas.

Source: http://www.philstar.com/