INIGO Arellano’s mindset in being in the Philippines had been all about basketball as this was all he had trained for every day. Although he achieved his dream of becoming a professional basketball player for various leagues in the metro, he had to switch gears to figure out what he’ll do with his life, what’s lies ahead and what will be his “Plan B” when the pandemic struck.
Arellano saw an opportunity to invest in the country late last year, transitioning himself into the chief executive officer of Primus Management House Inc., which provides entrepreneurs with affordable livelihood through varied franchises.
Like Arellano, Robert Karaan flew to the Philippines because of the franchising/management company. They have known each other since they were five. Decades later, they crossed paths again as business partners to handle Primus.
“During this time, we always have to be flexible, be okay with staying away from what we’re used to and being away from your comfort zone,” he said.
“You would be scared at first, but dreams can never come true unless you take that first step,” he added, noting that venturing into the unknown is where people can get the best satisfaction or the most gratifying experiences in their lives.
Focused on delivering franchising solutions for business owners and aspirants, the company offers kiosks, stands, commercial space and carts which carry brands such as BadDog! and Chilog. These operate throughout Metro Manila.
These are more affordable than the big brands, costing only one-third of the average small-scale food franchise. However, the cost doesn’t compromise food quality and it brings innovation to suit the changing tastes of the market, putting unique twists on already-popular food.
Also, its food carts are rent-free because these are not stuck in one place even as the company included technology from the very beginning. These are packed with technology and features — solar panel to power them, point-of-sale system to track inventory and sales, GPS to track where the cart is in real-time, and CCTV with a direct feed to the franchisee’s phone — for lower operational costs and bigger income.
Amid the tough times, people are more careful about their decision-making and in investing their money, so the company guarantees that its franchisees and potential clients are given full transparency and support, as both sides are accountable. It’s a business partnership after all.
“We make sure we are always open and helpful to our franchisees,” Arellano said, recognizing that “without the success of the franchisee, us as a brand won’t be able to grow. They’re just as important to us as we’re to them; it’s a symbiotic relationship.”
“At Primus, we are more than just what we provide on our food carts as we aim to bring a lifestyle brand,” he added. Once Primus is stable and has a strong base, it will explore other aspects of what people are passionate about — healthy lifestyle restaurant, fitness, fashion, technology, sports and music.
“Bringing the western influences and combining that with brands that will work here is a great idea. It is an opportunity for us to experiment a lot, try something outside of the normal, and take high risks as everything is unstable (these days),” Arellano said.
“I want us to go after the things we really want to go for and not settle for anything less than the best,” he tells his staff. He aspires Primus to become the country’s leading food franchising company in the post-pandemic world, optimistically, five years from now.
He describes business carts as crisis-proof as these give clients the ability to operate amid a crisis. One of its products can roam around, a panacea to the shifting quarantine classification.
At present, the company has 12 BadDog! and 10 Chilog franchises. It has a franchisee in Sorsogon, signed on with SM City North EDSA, and was able to get its first celebrity signee and newest franchisee, Gerald Anderson, who used to be Arellano’ teammate in basketball.
“We have a goal to reach 40 more as those 22 franchisees before this year ends, which goes to show we have a lot of work to do (to achieve this),” Arellano said.
He also eyes to tap Japan, Singapore and China, among other countries, and bring what he has started in the Philippines.
