The 'Go' Attitude
Her hand clenched the hundred and fifty pesos, which she
buried deep in her pocket. Those were the days she found herself almost in
desperation, but chose to be determined in pursuing her passion. Rosalina Go
left Cebu and arrived in Davao City with that money, which at the time was not
even enough to purchase a boat ticket bound to Mindanao. The ingredients they
had to bake bread were just loaned to them.
Rose Bakeshop was first established in San Francisco, Agusan
del Sur.
Her start was not exactly a bed of roses.With a starting capital of seventy thousand pesos, which she got from a bank loan, Rose Bakeshop was established in 1983. From the bakeshop business, she ventured into fast food, printing press and poultry and made quite a fortune, still what her heart was really into was providing tasty bread.
In her heart, she knew she was fearless. She did not worry of what she would want to get into because she knew exactly what she wanted. Risks were part of it but it did not cripple her to go on. Doubt has no room in her heart because she was firm in attaining her dream.
With no agitation in her face, Ms. Rose shares her secret to attaining success, "In any business, what matters most is what your heart is telling you to do. Even if it seems difficult to perceive, if a businessman has the attitude of making his business aligned to his passion, then it would turn out to be fun. When he is passionate about this, then excellence can be achieved.
She adds, "Surviving in the market is another quest. However through our budding management's hard work and determination, surviving is no longer an issue. We just found our business thriving."
Expanding Territories
Given the stiff competition, Rose Bakeshop is not daunted by other players in the bakeshop industry. Though her archrivals, the likes of Julie's Bakeshop, Panadero, Goldilocks, Merco, NCCC, Annie's Bakeshop are growing, their group continues to make Rose Bakeshop sprout like mushrooms in the Mindanao region.
Rose Go's children, the twins Maria Theresa Ting and Victoria Go, Manuelito Go, and Melina Comedido joined forces to expand their family heirloom, not just in Mindanao but also in Visayas and Luzon. They all took shares in running the business as board of directors.
Ms. Rose shared her vision, "Late this year, we are targeting to open franchises for Rose Bakeshop as part of our vision to expand not just in Mindanao neighboring cities but to go global."
Though their efforts of putting up a franchising model for the bakeshop business is relatively new, they also took bolder steps, particularly coming up with a Web site with domain name, www.rosebakeshop.com.
"We are confident that through the Web site, it will help us with our soon-to-launch franchising for Rose Bakeshop," Ms. Go expressed her optimism on their newly-entered platform to promote the business.
What is their Trademark?
BLACK FOREST. This wonderful 3 layer
chocolate moist cake with delicious whip crème filling and covered with grated
prem. Chocolate; top is decorated with flower icing.
CHRISTMAS DELIGHT. Made of soft dough,
filled either with ube, mongo, pandan & cinnamon topped with icing sugar,
and colorful nata de coco then sprinkle with grated cheese.
Rose Bakeshop is known for having varieties of bread. These
are best-selling products from 'ensaymadas', loaves of bread, 'francis',
'monay', brownies, 'hopia', chocolate moist, chocolate canonigo, chocolate
cake, and boiled icing cake.
Also, Ms. Go shared the secret of their continuing success, "It is all
about the quality of our products, the strategic location we choose in order to
be profitable, and we are a company that loves brain storming."What makes them standout from the rest of the bakeries around, Ms. Go quickly shares these basics: "We have high regard toward our customers coupled with our their desire to improve on our products and services.
"We want to project that 'wanting' from our customers the 'lasang hinahanap-hanap' [tastes to crave for]."
A Lesson on 3Gs
Over the years, Rose Bakeshop remained strong and are preferred by many not just because of the taste they have provided for their discriminating customers' taste but with the 3Gs they abide in running their business.
The Go family is closely-knit and puts God as the center of their lives, including their business. Though their business is in line with making bread, still they believe that man does not live by bread alone. With God guiding and helping them discern on their day-to-day decisions—they knew that their business would succeed.
Then next G is for Guts. Rose Bakeshop may not have gone this far if guts were not part of Gos characteristics. Guts has become the 'moving will' to rise from their toughest times. The Go children credit the guts they have inherited from their mother who first took a bold step in putting up Rose Bakeshop.
Lastly G is for Good Values. Ms. Go stresses that: "We inculcated values in the family members so the employees would look up to us as living testaments. We practice what teach."
From a rented 'pogon' 24 years ago, they managed to grow. In 2004 was a turning point. They were forced to move out from their small rented building. They managed to acquire a two-storey building [used to be a grocery] and their branches grew to 19, all of which are company-owned in the Caraga and Davao Regions.
