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Tag: manila

  • Wing Zone reveals its Manila expansion plan

    Wing Zone reveals its Manila expansion plan

    US-based restaurant chain Wing Zone plans to open five more outlets in Manila by the end of this year ahead of pursuing more Southeast Asian opportunities. As Wing Zone opens new restaurants internationally, the company is exploring more local flavours and also plans to incorporate new menu options available in the US such as Zesty Breaded Wings and Chicken Ribs.

    “We have built a solid international presence and reputation with dedicated franchisees who share our values and understand the commitment to customer service. As we continue to find those qualified franchisees to help in our growth in the US we will be exploring even more partnerships to bring Wing Zone to more cities and countries internationally as well,” said Matt Friedman, co-founder and CEO of Wing Zone.

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    In the US, Wing Zone will open eight new domestic locations in 2019 in North Carolina, South Carolina and Alabama. In Asia, after the Philippines, the chain will also explore other Southeast Asia markets.

    Wing Zone has nearly 100 locations across the US, and overseas including in Panama, Guatemala, Malaysia, Singapore and the Philippines.

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  • Samsung Philippines redesigns its Manila store

    Samsung Philippines redesigns its Manila store

    Samsung Philippines has launched a redesigned flagship store in Manila. Located in CyberZone at SM Megamall, the store is designed to showcase the brand’s latest technologies and aesthetics, with U-shaped center bars built to facilitate one-on-one communication with customers as they interact with the products. A central ‘Newness Table’ serves to show off the most recent Samsung innovations.

    Accessories are given the same exposure as the more expensive offerings with equal opportunities for consumers to examine and try before they buy. Dedicated spaces are reserved for Gear S watches and Samsung Gear VR offerings, as well as audio products such as speakers and headphones.

    The flagship also houses a revamped customer service area, featuring experience lounges and consumer learning programs.

    “Samsung as a brand has always been known to consistently redefine the new normal and to go beyond expectations. Over the years, our mobile phones have set the benchmark for what the consumers need and want”, said Samsung Philippines president James Jung. “The new store design heralds a new chapter in Samsung retail, enabling customers to engage with our brand and products in new ways.”

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  • AirAsia Philippines Passes Massive Safety Audit

    AirAsia Philippines Passes Massive Safety Audit

    Manila-based AirAsia Philippines has passed a major international safety audit, the International Air Transport Association Operation Safety Audit (IOSA), that covers more than 1060 separate parameters. The operational safety audit is compulsory for IATA members and airlines that have completed the audit have a safety record almost four times better than those that have not. AirAsia Philippines CEO Captain Dexter Comendador said, “We are pleased to announce that we have successfully completed IOSA accreditation. This achievement is a recognition of everyone at AirAsia’s dedication to safety and security.”

    Earlier this year, AirAsia Philippines received its ISO Certificate which gives world class specification for products, services, and systems to ensure quality, safety, and efficiency. ISO 9001:2015 helps ensure passengers get consistent, good quality products, and services. This international standard is based on quality management principles including a strong customer focus, the motivation and implication of top management, the process approach and continuous improvement.

    “We are closing this year with two important achievements from IOSA and ISO and it is but fitting to dedicate an aircraft to our hardworking team who we proudly call, Allstars. We are officially launching this month a special Allstars livery bearing faces of more than one thousand Filipino Allstars including AirAsia Group’s management team,” Comendador added

    Now 426 airlines have completed the audit, which is renewed every two years. The awarding of the IOSA accreditation is expected to be a major boost for the airline. The IOSA certification audit is an internationally recognized and accepted evaluation system designed to assess the operational management and control systems of an airline. The audit covers eight functional and operational areas: organization and management system, flight operations, operational control, and flight dispatch, aircraft engineering and maintenance, cabin operations, ground handling operations, cargo operations, and security management.

    IOSA was introduced to stem the increasing number of crashes in the late 1990s and into the beginning of the last decade. The AirAsia Group airlines now fly to 165 destinations in 25 countries. It has just ordered or reconfirmed orders for 100 A330s for its AirAsia X operation. Separately long-haul, low-cost, operator AirAsia X is evaluating Airbus’ long-range version of the  A321neo as it moves to target more destinations within a range of seven hours.

    Powered by CFM International’s LAEP-1A engines, the A321neo LR,  is due to enter service in the fourth quarter of 2018 and is designed to carry up to 240 passengers 4000 nautical miles. The airline confirmed last month it was evaluating “the potential introduction” of the 321neo LR for developing routes.

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  • GreyOrange installs advanced Sorters across Asia from Saudi Arabia to the Philippines ahead of world’s busiest shopping days

    GreyOrange installs advanced Sorters across Asia from Saudi Arabia to the Philippines ahead of world’s busiest shopping days

    Robotics and warehouse automation company GreyOrange announced plans for the installation of its newest Linear Sorters in several locations across Asia; in Saudi Arabia, India and the Philippines. Equipped with advanced software, these high-speed Linear Sorters will deliver the flexibility and scalability required by retail, FMCG, e-commerce and third-party logistics(3PL) operators to manage high volumes for e-commerce and omnichannel distribution.

    These companies anticipate and have planned to cope with the high volumes over the next months for the ongoing festive season around Diwali and the world’s biggest ecommerce event – Singles Day on 11 November. Logistics operators across Asia are expecting that the surge in volumes would follow through Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales at the end of November, and through the Christmas and year-end shopping season.

    In Riyadh, a leading express courier company in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has acquired the latest sortation system from GreyOrangeTM for its customised configurations; as such automation contributes immensely in improving productivity in managing parcels for distribution across the Middle East.

    One of the world’s leading FMCG companies in India, has deployed a high-end GreyOrange sortation system at its distribution center near Mumbai. The company specialises in Food, Home Care, Personal Care and Refreshment products and numerous brands. The Sorter will handle some of its categories including leading household brands. It will result in faster fulfilment and reduce turnaround times.

    Nalin Advani, CEO – Asia-Pacific, GreyOrange said, “The growth in e-commerce across Asia has taken many by surprise. With annual growth rates of 12-18% in many markets, e-commerce and third party logistics operations need Sorters that can deliver the high performance they want in terms of throughput and the versatility of a scalable and responsive supply chain.”

    Another unique sortation system has been installed in a large distribution center near Mumbai. It is mainly used as an Order Consolidation Item Sorter for fashion store retail distribution to over 1000 stores in India. This single Sorter performs double duty sorting for both its inbound load as well as consolidating the outbound load.

    In the Philippines, one of the country’s fastest growing logistics company that provides innovative solutions for e-commerce payments and deliveries, has installed a GreyOrange sortation system to handle its fast-growing volume of parcels. At this central facility in Manila, the sorter will auto-sort the parcels for 480 destinations and hubs across the Philippines.

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  • Johnnie Walker Manila pop up opens

    Johnnie Walker Manila pop up opens

    Scotch whisky brand Johnnie Walker has opened a pop-up store in Bonifacio Global City. The first Johnnie Walker pop up in the Philippines, it follows permanent Johnnie Walker Houses in cities including Singapore, Beijing, Chengdu, Shanghai and Seoul.

    Like the Houses, the Johnnie Walker Manila pop up is designed to immerse customers in the history, provenance, and pioneering spirit of the brand, resembling part lifestyle space and part museum and showcasing the brand’s heritage.

    The Johnnie Walker Manila pop up is located at Burgos Park. Centrestage inside is a ‘highball bar’ where guests can order various Johnnie Walker vintages, blends and cocktails.

    The space doubles as an event space, hosting ‘Johnnie Weekends’ for fans of the brand and exhibitions or shows by photographers, musicians and other artists, guest appearances by celebrated cocktail specialists, and even quiz nights.

    The Johnnie Walker Manila pop up is open from 5pm to 2am on Tuesday through Saturday until October 25, before it is relocated to other locations in Metro Manila, including Greenbelt 3 from November 18 to December 28.

    A more permanent Johnnie Walker House is under consideration for Manila.

  • AirAsia to launch start Manila-Shenzhen direct flights in December

    AirAsia to launch start Manila-Shenzhen direct flights in December

    AirAsia said Monday it would fly direct between Manila and the Chinese city of Shenzhen, dubbed Asia’s answer to Silicon Valley, starting December 1.

    The low cost carrier started its Cebu-Shenzhen flights last April. Without direct flights, travelers had to travel to Hong Kong or Beijing before reaching Shenzhen.

    “China is an important market for us and we are looking to expand our network further and connect Filipino travelers to new and exciting business and leisure cities,” said AirAsia Philippines CEO Dexter Comendador.

    Telecommunications companies Huawei and ZTE are headquartered in the southern Chinese city.

    AirAsia will fly direct to Shenzhen every Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Direct flights from Cebu to Shenzhen are also on Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

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  • Specialized Bicycle opened first store in Philippines

    Specialized Bicycle opened first store in Philippines

    Bicycle brand Specialized has opened the first of three stores planned for the Philippines. The first Specialized Manila store is trading now at SM by the Bay at the Mall of Asia in Pasay City.  More are planned for Quezon City and Pasig by the end of this year. More will follow in other cities from next year.

    Billed as “a bicycle brand made for riders by riders”, the 44-year-old company describes the stores as “a cyclist’s haven”.

    “We want to serve the riders where they are, and at the same time make it convenient for them to get that one-stop bike shop experience,” said Ritchie Santayana, customer development director of Gruppo Innovare Corp, the local distributor of the brand.

    Specialized makes bicycles for triathletes and sports people as well as enthusiasts of cycling as a means of maintaining fitness

    The Specialized Manila stores will stock technically advanced models including the trail bike Stumpjumper, e-mountain bikes Turbo Levo and Kenevo, the fast road bike the Venge; and the lightweight Tarmac racing bike.

  • Philippine Airlines to fly new A350 to Los Angeles

    Philippine Airlines to fly new A350 to Los Angeles

    Philippine Airlines’ new Airbus A350-900 is set to make a temporary appearance on the carrier’s Manila-Los Angeles route starting September 28, with the aircraft taking on one flight per week for a period of approximately one month. The short-term deployment comes as the airline prepares to permanently fly its latest aircraft on its non-stop flights to New York starting October 30.

    According to Philippine Airlines’ current schedule, the A350 will take over flights PR112 and PR113 every Friday until October 19, with its Boeing 777-300ER operating the flights on all other days. PR112 and PR113 operate four times a week on Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.

    Philippine Airlines Manila-Los Angeles A350 schedule:

    Flight No. From To Departs Arrives Days
    PR112 Manila (MNL) Los Angeles (LAX) 1125 1000 Sept 28, Oct 5, 12, 19
    PR113 Los Angeles (LAX) Manila (MNL) 1230 1825+1

    The airline’s other daily flight on the route, PR102/PR103, also will continue to be flown by the 777-300ER throughout this period.

    The temporary deployment gives passengers a small window during which they can experience the aircraft when flying to the US ahead of its deployment to New York at the end of next month.

    Philippine Airlines’ A350 notably features the airline’s new long-haul business class seat product, a variant of Thompson Aero’s Vantage XL seat. Along with reclining to a fully flat position, these seats are also notably laid out in a 1-2-1 configuration that offers direct aisle access to all passengers, a benefit not offered with the airline’s 2-3-2 business class layout on board its 777-300ER.

    A total of 30 seats are offered in the business class cabin, with each offering 24 inches of width, 44 inches of pitch (legroom) when in a seated position and reclining to provide a 78-inch-long flat bed.

    Philippine Airlines took delivery of its first A350 back in July and earlier this month began flying the aircraft on its first long-haul service to London.

  • Jollibee Sets Up Shop in Manhattan, NY

    Jollibee Sets Up Shop in Manhattan, NY

    Fried chicken fans in New York City will have another option to crow about, as Philippines-based restaurant chain Jollibee will open its first location in Manhattan later this month. Of course, the menu at Jollibee doesn’t stop at its Chickenjoy, as it encompasses an eclectic range of dishes from Jolly Spaghetti topped with a sweet sauce along with pieces of ham and hot dog, to burgers, Spam sandwiches, and desserts like halo halo and Peach Mango Pie.

    For the unfamiliar, Jollibee is the largest fast food chain in the Phillipines, with more than 1,000 stores, and another 200 locations worldwide. Jollibee’s U.S. operation spans ten states and 36 locations, with the Manhattan outpost bringing that total to 37. Additionally, the chain recently cut the ribbon on two new storefronts in the Toronto area, which both saw lines around the block for their grand openings. Jollibee was even featured on Parts Unknown when Anthony Bourdain visited in Los Angeles with Roy Choi and later on his own in Manila when he referred to it as “the wackiest, jolliest place on earth.”

    “We are excited to finally open our doors in the heart of bustling Manhattan, which is not just a center of business and finance, but a major cultural and entertainment hub that receives millions of visitors from around the world each year,” Jose Miñana, Jollibee Foods Corporation’s Group President for North America, said in a statement. “The diversity of the food culture and the fast pace of living here make it perfect for our new Jollibee store location.”

    Jollibee also happens to be celebrating its 40th anniversary, which means there’s an added bonus for some lucky New Yorkers: The first 40 people in line at the opening will get free Chickenjoy for a year. Additionally, a Jollibee Funko Pop! figure and other collectibles will be available.

    New York City already has a Jollibee located in Woodside, Queens, but as most of the thinking goes in New York, you haven’t made it until you’ve made it in Manhattan.

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  • Pretzelmaker Asia opens first store in Manila

    Pretzelmaker Asia opens first store in Manila

    Global Franchise Group has opened a new Pretzelmaker location in the Philippines, the brand’s first location in Asia. Through a master franchise agreement with Vavel Foods, Pretzelmaker’s handmade pretzel products will available at Festival Mall Alabang in Metro Manila. Vavel plans to open 14 additional Pretzelmaker locations throughout the Philippines.

    President and CEO of GFG Chris Dull said Pretzelmaker’s first location in Asia is symbolic of the popularity of pretzels and the rise of snacking internationally. “We look forward to working with Vavel to open more stores across the Philippines.”

    The store officially opened on October 1 and will be open during regular Festival Mall hours.

    Pretzelmaker Philippines GM Migo Ochoa said: “We decided to open Pretzelmaker in the Philippines because the delicious hand-rolled pretzel products far surpass the competition and we knew customers would love them. As demonstrated by the success of our Grand Opening, the community is very excited to have a Pretzelmaker at the mall and we are very happy to be providing a new twist on snacking options for busy shoppers.”

  • Globe gets nod to roll out small cells in Metro Manila

    Globe gets nod to roll out small cells in Metro Manila

    The Philippines’ Globe Telecom has arranged special dispensation from the authorities in Metro Manila to allow it to expedite the deployment of over 120 cell sites to improve coverage of the major thoroughfares of Metro Manila.

    The operator has entered a groundbreaking agreement with the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) that will allow it to install small cell antennas along the thoroughfares without needing to secure individual construction permits.

    The regular approval process involves an average of 25 permits from local government units and takes around eight months to complete, according to Globe CEO Ernest Cu.

    “Securing various permits for the construction of telco infrastructure such as cell sites has long been a major challenge of the industry,” he said.

    “We want to thank MMDA for sharing our vision of a connected Philippines by allowing us to deploy sites faster, thus improving mobile experience at the heart of Metro Manila.”

    As part of the agreement, Globe has also agreed to provide logistical support for the MMDA’s critical traffic management operations. The operator deployed wireless infrastructure at the MMDA’s flood control facilities in 2016, and that year also started providing free Wi-Fi service at MRT stations in the city.

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  • Elephant Grounds Is Opening In Manila soon

    Elephant Grounds Is Opening In Manila soon

    Hong Kong coffee shop Elephant Grounds will open in the Philippines.

    The popular micro-roaster and cafe, which launched in 2013, has five locations in Hong Kong. It is known for its wooden decor, garden-inspired interiors, bakery items and ice-cream sandwiches.

    The chain will open its first branch in the Philippines at One Bonifacio High Street Mall, Bonifacio Global City, by the end of this year.

  • Panda Express Is Opening Soon In Manila

    Panda Express Is Opening Soon In Manila

    US restaurant chain Panda Express is heading to the Philippines.

    Jollibee Food Corp says it will launch Panda Express Philippines, dubbed “the Chinese kitchen” in North America, after creating a 50-50 joint venture with the parent Panda Restaurant Group.

    The first five Panda Express Philippines outlets will open in Metro Manila, after which other regional opportunities will be evaluated for the business.

    “With proven track records in providing great tasting food at a great value, JFC and Panda join hands to introduce American Chinese food, a globally-influenced cuisine inspired by authentic Chinese culinary principles, to the Philippines,” JFC said in a statement filed with the stock exchange.

    “We look forward to tapping into JFC’s market expertise to grow the Panda Express brand into a household name in the Philippines and, more importantly, actioning our shared value of inspiring people to better their lives,” added Andrew Cherng, co-founder and co-CEO of Panda.

    Jollibee Foods chairman Tony Tan Caktiong described Panda Express as an offer “very much in line” with Jollibee’s current portfolio of brands.

    Panda Express has stores worldwide, including networks in Korea, Japan and Russia.

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  • Red Lobster America to make debut din the Philippines

    Red Lobster America to make debut din the Philippines

    America’s Red Lobster restaurant chain will open its first Philippines outlet by the end of this year.

    Planned for the S Maison at Conrad Manila in Pasay, the branch will be operated under Red Lobster’s partnership with The Bistro Group.

    “We’re America’s No. 1 seafood restaurant. We operate 749 restaurants. We are 28 years in Asia, and we’re opening up new partnerships here in Asia, starting with the Bistro Group,” said Catherine Souders, Red Lobster’s director of Asia operations.

    “We’re excited to bring some signature combinations or some species that are not as prevalent in the market. All of our seafood products are all sustainably sourced, traceable and responsibly sourced because we are not just a company that’s just for today, or for a few years, we are company for generations,” Souders added.

    With the Red Lobster restaurant chain, Bistro Group has added to its international franchise portfolio which already includes TGI Friday’s, Village Tavern, and Italianni’s.

    Founded in 1968, the casual dining chain opened its first overseas branch in Japan in 1982, and since then has expanded around the world.

    The seafood chain plans to expand further in Asia with China and Taiwan next on the list after it opens in the Philippines.

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  • Luk Fook makes debut in Manila city

    Luk Fook makes debut in Manila city

    Hong Kong jewellery retailer Luk Fook has announced its entry into the Philippines.

    The first Luk Fook Philippines store is located at Solaire Resort and Casino of Manila Game Zone, established by the Philippines government as an entertainment and tourist hot spot. The area contains a shopping mall, luxury casinos, a theme park, international hotels, commercial complexes and destination resorts.

    Wong Wai Sheung, Luk Fook’s chairman and CEO says with the development of the Belt and Road Initiative, together with booming tourism in Southeast Asia, the group is positive about its prospects in the region.

    “Adhering to the corporate vision of ‘Brand of Hong Kong, Sparkling in the World’, the group has decided to open a new shop in Manila following its new shops opened in Malaysia and Cambodia this year, with an aim to further expand into the markets of overseas Chinese and tourists. Together with more than 1660 shops globally, the group will continue to provide high-quality jewellery products, excellent service and an unparalleled shopping experience for its customers worldwide.”

    The Luk Fook Philippines opening marks the group’s 10th global market.

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