Lester Yu’s Fruitas expands Ling Nam concept
MANILA, Philippines —Food kiosk king Lester Yu’s Fruitas Holdings Inc. kicked off another round of expansion in Metro Manila for Ling Nam Restaurant.
In a statement, Fruitas announced the opening of Ling Nam branches in Quezon City, Caloocan City and Makati City.
“It is only the beginning of our fruitful expansion in the casual and formal dining space this year,” said Yu, president and CEO of Fruitas. “We’re very much excited to bring Ling Nam’s authentic delicacies across the Philippines, which our countrymen will surely love.”
Yu emphasized the company’s commitment to customer satisfaction, citing Ling Nam’s legacy spanning more than 70 years.
The first of the new openings took place at Ziti Center Mall in Caloocan City last Jan. 3. The Ling Nam outlet there features a private room and seats 48 guests.
On Jan. 15, Ling Nam opened another branch in Quezon City’s Ever Commonwealth, followed by the launch of Ling Nam Noodle Bar in Makati City on Jan. 24.
READ: Fruitas buys Ling Nam restaurants
Fruitas also underscored the introduction of new formats since it acquired Ling Nam.
“In addition to the original Ling Nam since 1950 format, Fruitas launched Ling Nam Express, Ling Nam Noodle Bar, and Ling Nam Fried Siopao. Ling Nam Express can be found in the leading malls, including Robinsons Place Manila, Ayala Malls Cloverleaf, and SM North Edsa Bridgeway. Ling Nam Fried Siopao features the Original Hong Kong-Style Fried Siopao and can now be found in Metro Manila and Cebu,” the company said.
READ: Fruitas’ 9-month profit up 62%
As of Feb. 6, Ling Nam has reached a total of 34 stores nationwide. These are comprised of seven Ling Nam since 1950, three Ling Nam Express, one Ling Nam Noodle Bar, and 23 Ling Nam Fried Siopao outlets.
Fruitas previously announced a profit spike in the first nine months of 2023 amid improving margins. Net income during the period jumped 62.3 percent to P70.2 million while revenues expanded by 38 percent to P1.8 billion over the same period in 2022. Its earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization also climbed nearly 30 percent to P256.6 million.
