Homegrown bakeshop opens premium outlets

CEBU, Philippines — Homegrown Anita's Home Bakeshop Inc., is catching up with Cebu's growing bakeshop industry, as it announced the opening of its premium store concepts.

Anita's Bakeshop general manager Benjamin Cabinian said that the brand, which marks 49 years since its inception, has to compete head on with the rising competition, and up against the big names in the bakeshop industry in Cebu.

Besides, the Anita's brand also noted the profound shift in consumer taste, referring largely to the sophisticated taste of young breed of bread eaters.

"The taste of this generation is becoming sophisticated," said Anita's founder Anita Cabinian.

She hinted that more Anita's The Premium will be opened in the future.

"We don’t want to stay stagnant. We want to move with the market," added Benjamin.

Benjamin, who is now taking the reins of the family business, said that it is high time for the company to catch up with the market's shifting preferences, thus the flagship Anita's The Premium store was officially opened yesterday at their Fuente Osmeña branch.

To date, there are 17 Anita's Bakeshops spread all over Metro Cebu area, including its main branch in the family's ancestral home at Fulton Street in Lahug.

Unlike the traditional Anita's Bakeshop outlets, Anita's The Premium functions like a specialty cafe, or coffee shop with trendy interior and high quality cakes, pastries, as well as specialty breads.

According to Benjamin, plans are being worked out for a massive expansion move of the company, although he refused to divulge concrete information about the expansion plans.

Anita's Bakeshop has withstood the entry of stronger competition in the bakeshop industry in the recent years, owing to the Cebuano's loyalty for local and home-baked quality breads. (FREEMAN)