Hogs Breath Cafe Comming To The Philippines

[Okieboy]

Thursday, December 13, 2012

HOG'S Breath Cafe, a famous upscale Australian restaurant, is set to open its biggest branch in the world and first in the Philippines today, December 13, at the SM Lanang Premier in Davao City.

Hog's Breath general manager Lysander Camba said they are very optimistic that their Davao branch will be well-received by their market.

"Dabawenyos have the purchasing power, although before what you can do in Davao City was very limited," Camba said.

He added that they also wanted to bring in Manila experience closer to the Davao market by introducing an upscale restaurant that offers authentic Australian dishes.

"What other companies are doing and our company wants to do is to bring Manila experiences here in Davao. So that Dabawenyos will also enjoy," Camab said.

With a floor area measuring 447 square meters, Camba said Davao branch is the biggest in the world so far, which can accomodate about 200 to 220 customers at one time. The spacious restaurant also has a conference room.

Somewhere between P30 to P35 million of investment was also poured out for the first branch of Hog's Breath. The management is also considering other areas in Mindanao like Cagayan de Oro City and General Santos City where to locate its succeeding branches.

Outside Mindanao, the firm is looking at Cebu City and Metro Manila.

Camba said they are hoping to open their second branch in Manila next year.

Roxie Macasaet, corporate representative of Hog's Breath Cafe, said five more branches will be opened most likely in 2013, two of these will be in Manila.

"We're really very excited to come here because in Manila restaurants are like opening every Friday," Macasaet said.

"We decided to offer something more and something new for the people of Davao," she added.

Hog's Breath Cafe has 84 branches in Australia, four in New Zealand, and one in Papua New Guinea, China, Singapore, and Vietnam.

Macasaet said that since Hog's Breath Cafe is an upscale restaurant, they initially had apprehensions whether or not they can survive market competition because of the Davao's low cost of living, but added their large servings would suffice to bring in enough customers.

"At first, we're kinda worried because you can get a buffet at P69. But, we're told by others for as long as we offer good food at large sizes, Dabawenyos will embrace it (Hog's Breath Cafe)," Macasaet said.

Camba said Hog's Breath Cafe carries imported brands of wines, especially from Australia, plus the beef is imported from there.

Macasaet said their Prime Rib Steak is a lot tastier than the others and that what makes them different from other steakhouses is because of the beef itself.

"We are importing beef from Australia's grain-fed cow," she said, adding that the grain-fed cow makes juicier meat with a better fat.