Food station grows with P6 siomai, hard work

By Cris Evert Lato
Cebu Daily News First 
Posted 13:11:00 06/11/2009
 
Growing up in an urban poor community in Cebu City encouraged Jofel Jamili, 25, to do well in school and eventually finish a degree in technical education in 2010.

But before he dons his graduation cap next year, Jamili has started wearing another hat ? that of an entrepreneur.

Jamili and his girlfriend Nanette Arca put up a siomai-siopao business that has expanded to siomai carts.

?It was April 2007. Nanette, who works in a bank decideded to invest in the siomai-siopao business because the product is fast to serve and people need food,? said Jamili, a graduating student of Don Bosco Technology Center.

Jamili, who was born and raised in barangay Calamba, Cebu City, was then courting Arca, a bank teller.

He helped Arca set up Netz Food Station with a capital of about P40,000.

With his background in furniture design, Jamili helped put up the 12-square meter stall in Lapu-Lapu City where Arca worked.

Arca hired a worker to handle the daily operations because she could not personally tend to the store. Despite a steady flow of customers, the business did not fare well in the hands of the worker in charge.

?The one left to take care of the store was inefficient. He was not sincere with the task given to him. It then became a problem,? Jamili said.

In November 2007, Arca decided to transfer to Mandaue City to build her own house in barangay Paknaan. She rented a lot and built a small house with a portion converted into a food station.

Arca transferred the business there. The food station could accommodate customers who could sit and eat siomai, siopao, sweet pao and ham and cheese sandwich paired with softdrinks.

Since Jamili attends school in the morning and Arca works, the store opens from 6 p.m. to midnight.

Since then their business grew. Neighbors are their loyal customers, who look for cheap food to eat at this hours.

Prices are P6 for siomai, P10 for siopao, P8 for sweet pao and P22 for a ham and cheese sandwich. Softdrinks cost P5 to P8.

To expand the business, Jamili and Arca decided to venture into selling siomai carts in January 2009.

Jamili builds made-to-order siomai carts that come with a steamer, burner and ice box.

Each siomai cart costs about P19,000. It takes him two weeks to build one cart.

?We decided to venture into this because we noticed that siomai carts have to look good. Customers don?t have to get the supply (siomai, siopao) from us,? he said.

Jamili said competition is stiff with other vendors lowering the siomai prices to only P5.

But Jamili said their promotion strategy has kept their business afloat.

The promos included ?buy 1, take 1? offers for sweet pao, or offers to ?buy two ham and cheese sandwich, get free softdrink.?

Patience and positive thinking helped the young business owners keep the venture going for almost two years.

The food station would earn more if it opened in the morning, said Jamili.

But without hired help yet, he said they run the store themselves.

?It?s tiresome because I still have to go from Mandaue to Calamba and then to school to juggle all these tasks but I know it?s doing well because I can see that every month we have a profit,? he said.

Jamili said the food station also accepts orders for birthday parties and field trips.

Coming from a poor family, Jamili said he realized that he had to study well and become an entrepreneur so he could help his younger brothers finish school.

The eldest of three children, Jamili said hard work pays off in both business and studies.

?I?ve been studying for the past nine years in college because I can only afford it one step at a time. I?ll graduate soon (in March 2010). I hope to get employed and continue doing business on the side,? he said.

Source: By Cris Evert Lato Cebu Daily News view post here.