The Cebuano market is hard to please. I’ve heard this often when I was working on getting my Business Management degree from UP Cebu. And it seems to be true especially last weekend.
“Value for money” is a driving force especially among Cebuano buyers. Meaning the “1 piso” you shell out should really equal to 1 piso in value you’ll get.
If your company or business is a new entrant to the Cebuano market, expect people to flock your new store, shop, outlet etc for the first three weeks at least. Don’t be pleased if it’s reaches your ears that your restaurant, cafe, store is the talk of the town, its “normal” I tell yah. You have to wait before you allow yourself to grin from ear to ear. If by month’s end you are still seeing increasing foot traffic coming into your newly established business, then you may be doing something right and can smile but only slightly. The real test just begun. 
But if you observe the opposite and noticing fewer people are coming in, it’s time for you to review your strategy. Doing business in Cebu can be really tough even for Cebuanos.
I do not claim expertise on this subject by the way so please take what I say with a grain of salt. 🙂 I am just musing and disappointed that my favorite yoghurt shop in SM closed 🙁
I was craving for this cold treat last weekend but alas White Hat in SM Cebu was gone. 🙁 And I blamed my fellow Cebuanos for not supporting this yogurt place huhuhu.
I’ll miss you White Hat, sad :/
We did researches for a marketing subject back in the university and found out that Cebu is often used as a test market for new products or new business concepts. If your product is a success in its test market or trial run in Cebu, there is a good chance your product will be a big hit nationwide. And yes I say that with pride.
Lois, a travel blogger I met a couple of weeks ago was here in Cebu for an inspirational talk before a big crowd in Radisson Blu and among the first words she said to us when we went out for the night was “Ang hirap i-please ng Cebuano crowd”. And that’s very true even for seasoned singers and famous concert artist.
I’ve lifted this paragraph from a post on one of Cebu’s famous bands when I was in college ‘Sheila and the Insects”:
People regard them as opinionated, demanding, difficult, rarely expressive, and very proud. Most musicians in this country tend to agree they are a most difficult bunch to contend with. I’m not talking about label executives or concert promoters. Nor am I talking about music critics and entertainment writers. I talk of a distinct class that runs the gamut of social strata. A specific group of people that musicians either hate or enjoy, rarely in between. One time, I saw Francis Magalona walk out on them once out of sheer frustration yet on the same occasion, Joey Ayala celebrates in their company even when he wasn’t expecting to. Performers either wither or bloom in front of their scrutiny.
I talk of no other than the Cebuano audience. Such a proud bunch. Difficult to please, difficult to understand, and just plain difficult.
Lest I be accused of plagiarizing, this is the Source: Sheila and The Insects and yes check it please; the writer discusses “Cebuano mentality and Cebu pride” more eloquently that I could ever hope for. It’s really a good read, the article was written in 2005 but still very relevant up to this day.
Back to my Whitehat yoghurt sob story, I think it closed shop in SM Cebu because it’s a bit expensive treat when there are cheaper alternatives like Zagu or Jollibee floats. I know they are not exact alternatives but you get the idea right? I wonder if it was a local brand, would it fare the same.
CEBU PRIDE!
That’s another thing, the Cebuanos are a proud people and take great pride (take note: supports) local brand. Ever wondered why Kim Chiu was the first Pinoy Big Brother Teen Big Winner? Or why for that matter there had been lots of reality shows with Cebuanos emerging as ultimate winners? Hello?! Keana Reeves , Slater Young, Raki Vega to name a few.
Or let’s take the most recent show, Kedebon is still on the running for X-Factor Philippines despite the very obvious thing that he is not as talented as the other booted off contestants. The answer is simple, he is a Cebuano and we support our own very strongly, blindly at times. Everything Cebu and anything Cebu is a cause to celebrate, to support, to defend (check Yahoo comments sections lol), to take pride in.
This “I’m a Cebuano and proud of it mentality” is both a good and a bad thing. I swear I can write many posts about this hehe.
A friend says “if you want to please the Cebuano market put the word “of the South” after every brand name you are promoting… “. She doesn’t want to be identified fearing a backlash from people here hahaha. The “_____ of the South” is in reference to “Cebu the Queen City of the South”. Of chors hehe.
If Panay have Boracay, Cebu have Bantayan (for very fine white sand beaches and crystal clear waters).
If Batangas have Anilao, Cebu have Malapascua (for diving).
If Rizal have Antipolo, Cebu have the Top ( for overlooking spot)
..you get the drift hehehe.
This is what happens to me when I am denied a favorite treat. I discuss other things and not the usual posts you can find on this lifestyle and travel blog lol.
It’s a surprising thing if you can’t find me lingering in SM or another mall during weekend. I’m almost always there for one reason or another every Saturday or Sunday, I swear I think I’ll get down with fever if I can’t visit a mall once a week now that I am working from home. Grrr I digress again from current topic, story of Penfires, be warned.
The point is whenever there are stores in SM that closes I am almost always aware of it. So mannn was I surprised when I couldn’t find White Hat in its usual spot on the way to the North Wing!
There had been many famous brands in Manila that did not survived the tough Cebuano market that frequents SM like White Hat, Filbars, Kopi Roti, Tapa King, Chewy Junior, Wendy’s, Hot Pink Lingerie and countless more.
And would you believe it 7-11 Convenience stores just opened its first few branches in Cebu last month? =) and Krispy Kreme and Savory entered the Cebu Market last 2011. I think Krispy Kreme will be successful but Savory? I am not as confident the reason is that we have a famous local fried chicken restaurant ‘Sunburst’.
Anyway so I am again on the hunt for the best frozen yogurt in Cebu. Sad that White Hat closed in SM. What’s worst, I don’t think there is another White Hat outlet here in Cebu. If you’re from Cebu, please drop me some suggestions on the yogurt to try next.
Why of why?! Nothing left to do but go on dreaming the creamy goodness of an Italian frozen yogurt. And end this discourse on Cebu and the Cebuano market before I think of something else and make this post even longer than it already is hehehhe.
Where’s my yogurt?!!!
Adios!
Ari na ko!
Estoryaheeeeee!
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sayang. so sorry wala na kay frozen treats na adtoan sa SM Cille. Saman? start ta countdown sa 7Eleven? How bout Red Mango and Coffeecat? hehehe
ngita na sad lain doy hehe. Hopefully they’ll survive so new brands will not be ‘afraid’ to venture here in Cebu ^_^
I absolutely agree. After a drinking binge in Outpost with a very interesting Cebuana, a Bicolano and me from Manila i could really say that Cebuanos takes the cake for being outright frank. She even claimed how TGI Fridays had to resort to combo meals so they could entice customers, and the Krispy Kreme phenomena, of a two week success. Needless to say, with all her quirks and quandaries, i freakin love Cebu.
Hi Lauren,
We should make you an Honorary Cebuana! Seriously! I’ve dropped by your blog a couple of times before and you really love Cebu. Yey!
On Krispy Kreme I was there on opening day but left right after coz the line was way toooo long, but of course the long line was only for a couple of weeks hehe
cille, add Papemelroti, Cinderella, Periwinkle, Gonuts Donuts and more. hehehe. Akoy naluoy sa mga itukod na branches sa SM. goodluck nilang tanan kay langawon jud na!
Yah! I just remembered us checking Papemelroti! Of course window shopping ra kay way kwarta hahaha mao siguro nag close kay puro ra browsing ang mga tao hehe
I think Cebuanos and Davaoenos have that share kind of mentality. Max’s chicken have the same fate on both closed in SM and Gaisano Mall of Davao and many on the list.
It’s always tough when businesses close esp if you are a fan of their product :/ Max’s is thriving here, so far so good =)
sayanga sa white hat lami bya jud unta ilang yogurt, the best so far sa akong mga na try. pero too expensive jud cya and as a pure cebuano like what you said, we always look for “value for money”, it’s good but not worth it. 😀
sayang dyud! lami-an ko sa ilang yogurt mao ako piyungan bisan mahal, unsaon hehehe kaso closed na! waaaa!
ahak wa pa ko katilaw ani nag close na! sheeeeeshhh… and i absolutely agree with that gorgeous lauren gaile over there. ?
mao nang mag himo gani’g business diri’s cebu, kanang value for money. kay magdugay jud na. 😛
ahaha uwahi na ka dwin! heheh
daghan pa nuon lain kapilian…my top pick is Yogorino (they’re doing well matud pa sa cashier sa SM branch nga akong nastorya); nice unta ang Tutti Frutti but I think they also closed sa SM the last time I was there.
Thanks Jaime for sharing that, I didn’t know ingon ana ka daghan yoghurt places sa Cebu, daghan pa ko idiscover diay heheh
I like Red Mango better than Yogorino though, Tutti Frutti not so much. Another yoghurt house I like is Coffee Cat but more on the creamy side sila lacking a bit of sourness which I love sa yoghurt pero lami sad dyud sila. There is also one near Grand Convention across Barracks, YummyYo, I love their toppings especially their mochi and bits of cream cheese cake. winner dyud! \o/
Red Mango also sa ACC lami sad..i’m sad to see many yogurt shops have closed pero tungod lang sa kadaghan gyud, there are more than 30 na around Metro Cebu.
Right, yummy yo’s real good, too..and i want to try coffee cat the next time i’m in cebu..so sad diri sa amo sa dgte, there are only 2 yogurt brands — Creamee Dlite which is the cheapest at 85 per cup and okay2x lang ang taste and another one which is a franchise from Bacolod and tastes similar to Frizberry…the very first yogurt shop jud kay katong Yogu tapad sa The Sentinel, nagclose lang eventually…murag second one ang Yummy Yo nga nag open; worst ang Yogo Boy kay iyang taste pareho lang sa regular nga soft-serve ice cream tam-is kaayo hehe…pasenxa na ha, nakarelate ra ko sa imong post…froyo addict here:) !
hahaha agree ko sa Yogo Boy sa ubos to sya sa SM, wa na dyud nako baliki hehhe
it’s always nice to interact with someone who shares the same love for froyo \o/ Viva nato tanan! hehehhe