MANILA, Philippines — Alfonso Hortaleza was just looking for something different to satisfy his hunger after watching the 2010 Singapore Gran Prix. Little did he know that he would stumble upon his future business endeavor when he discovered 4 Fingers Chicken.
It was “love at first dining,” says the president of Mindblowing Delicious Food Corporation, who was so impressed with the brand—“we ate there for three straight days”—that he grabbed the opportunity to bring it to the Philippines when he found out they were planning to open a store here.
New York Meets Korea
“A chicken basically has four fingers; and when you eat our delicious chicken, you always use your four fingers,” Hortaleza says when asked for the reason behind the restaurant’s name. Introduced in 2009, 4 Fingers was conceptualized by four business partners who loved the Korean-style fried chicken they discovered in New York. Using various Asian flavors, they came up with a taste that became the signature 4 Fingers Chicken.
The store’s interiors transport you to the New York subway scene—complete with graffiti art, industrial lamps and upbeat music in the background. What seals the deal, however, is the way the chicken is served—hand-painted with your choice of either soy garlic or spicy sauce on customized military-inspired plates. The coating technique makes the chicken “crunchy on the outside and juicy in the inside.” They also offer Kim Chi Coleslaw, Katsu Chicken Sandwich, Calamari and Shrimp, Tofu Salad and Seafood Rice Box, among others.
The scene back in Singapore (half of the people lining up for 4 Fingers were Filipinos) and the fact that people in the Philippines love chicken were enough for Hortaleza and his partners to believe that the brand will be a hit here. True enough, a few weeks after the soft opening, Horataleza shares that they have already gained loyal customers. In fact, within a month of operations, they would already get an average of 150 orders of chicken per day.
Passion For Business
One of the original partners and the current 4 Fingers director, Jord Stefan Figee, recently visited the country for the launch of its flagship store in SM North EDSA. “This is the biggest store so far,” says Figee of the 180-square meter store with a 110-seating capacity that adopted the same look of the stores in Singapore, Indonesia and India.
It was the growth of the Philippine food service industry in the past years and the Filipinos’ knack for good food that brought Figee here. He says that the Philippines is a very interesting market and that it greatly helps that it is an English-speaking country. “We also recognize the huge interest and demand for international chain stores, especially those that offer non-traditional Filipino food,” he adds.
They also shied away from the bigger corporations for a partner. Figee asserts that they chose Hortaleza’s company because they were not just passionate about the business, but the group also understands the brand. He says even though having experience is definitely a plus, it’s not always necessary. “When we signed up with Alfonso, the most important criterion for us was that they do understand the brand and [that] they love it,” says Figee. “It’s not important to be the biggest, it’s important to have a quality product,” he concludes.
For more information, like 4 Fingers Chicken on Facebook (4 Fingers Crispy Chicken Philippines) and follow them on Twitter @4FCCPhilippines.
source: mb.com.ph
