Yuna’s was started around October 2019, with an initial capital of around PhP2,000, and only with baked mac and Korean chicken wings in the menu, recalled Marianne Rose Valera. 

But it was a field she was bound to enter. 

Marianne Rose noted that online businesses have been trending, and “I’ve been wanting to have a business but can’t think of a product to sell… until I got the idea of selling comfort foods.”

It helps, of course, that “aside from cooking, I love feeding people. I grew up cooking with my mom (who) taught me the basics of cooking. And I am a housewife with a two year old daughter. I am a nurse by profession but chose to be a hands-on mom, putting aside my career for a moment. I thought of using my extra time on this food business,” she said.

Now, her family inspires her to do good. “In this time of crisis, I thought I’m still lucky having this business. My husband works abroad but due to the pandemic, work has been temporarily halted leaving him with no salary for three months. This business helped us through financially.”

There remain challenges.

For instance, “I am running my business alone. Prep work and cooking are tiring especially if you work alone,” she said. 

Also, “I have a two-year-old daughter who’s being looked after by my older sister if I have to cook or go to the grocery store to get supplies.”

All the same, “it is just a matter of time management.”

But yes, Marianne Rose already reached ROI; and she said this is a “profitable venture.”

And for people who may want to also open their business, what tips can Marianne Rose give?

“Focus on something that you are passionate about when starting a business,” she said. “You’ve got to love and be confident about your products.”

Wanna grab the offerings of Yuna’s? Head to Yuna’s Facebook page.

Siblings Zoe Kimberly Santos and Paulyn Santos opened The Fifth Palate on July 12, 2020, with a startup capital of around PhP3,000 to PhP5,000. Offering (mainly) Japanese cuisine, the business started while the world was braving Covid-19, Zoe Kimberly said, but they were inspired by “small startup local businesses and frontliners (who are) being courageous and put themselves out there regardless of the uncertainty.”

Surprisingly, they did not actually imagine they would be going into this field/line of work/line of business. “We wanted a cafe, a hostel, or to design furniture design,” Zoe Kimberly said, smiling. Not that they regret being in this field now, since “we love our current chosen field of business.”

The great thing is, in a span of three weeks, and even when they were just getting started and offering their products to friends, they already gained ROI. Yes, this is a profitable venture, she said, “especially since people nowadays are craving/looking for something new.”

There remain challenges.

For instance, “managing the business while working full time, marketing online, and making your products adapt to (different) tastes,” she said. To deal with these challenges, “we do some research about Asian cuisines, as well as how to market online. We study and apply what’s useful/beneficial to our business. My sister and I do shifting schedules (cooking, delivery, etc.) to ensure that we have time to run the business.”

That they’re in this for the long-term is a given, considering the success that The Fifth Palate is experiencing.

For people who may want to also open their business, what tips can Zoe Kimberly give?

“You have to hold your vision/goal as real, love what you do, have faith/trust in your own product and the rest will follow. If you don’t know where to start, look for something you are passionate about and start small. Eventually, it will grow into your dream business,” she said. “Don’t be afraid to start, or do it scared anyway. It’s all about the mindset and perception. Also, enjoythe process.”

Wanna try the offerings of ‘The Fifth Palate’? Head to Instagram: @wearefifthpalate.

Tyo Paeng Nyo was established as a food biz on June 24, 2019, with a capital of around PhP50,000. It is worth noting, said Mary Jannelle Parungao, that there family actually had a somewhat similar business from 2003-2007; and though that closed, “we decided to come back with the same business concept.”

Why this line of business?

“If you’re going to ask us (family members) one by one, we may give different answers,” Mary Jannelle smiled. “But bottomline is: we love to cook/serve food.”

This was also always a dream of the family. In fact, “most of us are undergraduates, but we have different skills which we now use in making our dreams come true… inch by inch…”

There are challenges, Mary Jannelle admitted.

For instance, “when we started all over again, we had to look for the right people to help us start anew,” she said. But for her, “challenges are just tests to your patience and abilities.”

And yes, they have reached reached ROI.

In fact, “with the demand from our current clients, we decided to put up a physical store/restaurant.”

“We need to fight not just for ourselves but also for the people who are relying on us,” Mary Jannelle said.

And for people who may want to also open their business, what tips can Mary Jannelle give?

“Make sure you put all your passion and effort to what you are doing,” she said, adding that would-be business people should “accept suggestions and be open to comments, don’t be easily pulled down by negativities.”

Curious about the offerings of Tyo Paeng Nyo? Head to Facebook or Instagram; or text/call 632-8366-2905, 09178922112 or 09234466845.