Mom’s: Pang-masa pizza that stood the test of time

CEBU, Philippines — It has stood the test of time.

Mom's Pizza is a name that probably most Cebuanos recognize for so many years now.

Despite the presence of many pizza restaurants nowadays, Mom's has survived to sustain its business, most known among the "masa" populace.

It has been selling affordable pizza in Cebu and in other areas of Visayas and Mindanao for 29 years now.

"We started way back 1988 and up until now we are still operating in Visayas and Mindanao," 36-year-old Ricker Mark Alvarico, the son of its founder Erlinda Alvarico, shared to The FREEMAN.

Mom's is the Alvaricos' family business, which started as home-based venture in Barangay Bulacao in Cebu City.

"My Mom and Dad started the business. My parents had a shell craft business before and it didn't click. We had to move and venture to food business hoping by chance that it would click," said Ricker, who now manages the business together with his wife.

HOW IT STARTED

"My mom had a background in cooking and she knows something about making pizza that's why we opt for pizza business," the Cebuano entrepreneur said.

Their pizza has always been known to be the "pang-masa" because of its affordability and it's usually sold in school canteens and along the streets.

"Back then we didn't have big competitors like what we have now. I remember it was just the banana cue and hotcakes," Ricker recalled.

For 29 years now, he boasts that their pizza has always been tagged the "pang masa" as they have always made it affordable to all Cebuanos.

Mom's started as a home-based enterprise, catering to the family's neigborhood in Barangay Bulacao in Cebu City.

"We started in our neigborhood through peddling. Then the power of word of the mouth helped us grow," he said.

It was in 1990s when the business boomed, the time when it dominated the school canteens in Cebu and was sold in streets.

What started as a home-based enterprise has grown to a pizza brand, which now has over 100 dealers across Visayas and Mindanao. Most of these are in Cebu.

"My wife and I are the ones who manage the business but my Mom would still check the production," Ricker shared.

Today, Mom's produces not less than 500 boxes of pizza everyday.

It employs about 17 workers in its main commissary in St. Jude, Bulacao, Cebu City.

"For dealers they get the regular pizza for P67 and P77 for special. For customers, regular is P80 while special costs P100," he said.

"Although, we are not that big as other pizza brands out there. But we managed to survive 29 years. I think the taste itself has made the business survive for a long time," he shared.

He even recalled that Mom's used to be sold at P25 per box years ago.

"As what our customers always say 'lami-an jud mi sa Mom's Pizza kay lami kaayu nya makahinumdom daw sila balik pag kinder'," he said in jest.

GRATITUDE

More than anything, Ricker attributes the success of their family business to the guidance of the Lord.

"We always think that we don't own the business but we are just stewards. We can't boast except our Lord who helps us in the midst of worst situations," the 36-year-old entrepreneur said.

Mom's growing dealers has been driven by its affordability.

Its dealership package starts from P2,500 to P12,000 for the complete set.

He said they usually check the site of the business for their prospect dealers to make sure it will get enough foot traffic.