Serial entrepreneur Jorge Wieneke was the first to democratize fine food into affordable everyday cravings.
The idea to serve affordable tempura came about after witnessing the long queue for the favorite Japanese dish in a buffet restaurant.
“It all started in 2012 when we opened 10 stores, but we closed half of it the following year. Determined as I was to make this venture work, I stayed focus which is why we endured this long,” said the Tokyo Tempura owner and president.
Realizing access to this Japanese dish wasn’t cheap, he thought of a concept to serve affordable tempura to those who can’t simply just have it every day.
Wieneke had his fair share of entrepreneurial misfires that ultimately fueled his success with Tokyo Tempura. He admitted he had it worse before it got any better. He tried several business concepts but the odds were not in his favor.
But each failure further fueled his determination, shaping him into the seasoned entrepreneur he is today.
A crucial turning point came through partnership with mall giant SM. They recognized Wieneke’s potential and provided the space for his vision to thrive.
Working with mall operators helped him scale up his business. His partnership with SM opened new areas of opportunities, growing his food cart concept to over a hundred branches.
“Luckily, SM really values their tenants, especially those who grew up with them. This is the second time that they supported a concept coming from me. And of course, just like how supportive SM was in 1992, they were still there to provide a space for us,” Weineke said.
Father and son, Jorge Miguel Wieneke IV, co-founded Tokyo Tempura, opening their first store in SM chains of malls in SM Fairview back in 2014. Weineke noted that the partnership with SM has now crossed over to the next generation.
As one of the Board Directors of the Association of Filipino Franchisers Inc. (AFFI), Weineke IV collaborated with the Group to launch the AFFI Spaces X SM Supermalls. The project allows members to present pitches to SM, do some food sampling, and get awarded spaces.
Wieneke IV hopes the project continues to give opportunities to other aspiring entrepreneurs just like one of the partners in this project, Buffalo Avenue, which was able to open in SM Southmall.
“We champion the notion that once you’re in SM, you’ve made it. This is exactly what we feel, because SM is very supportive of MSMEs,” he said.
The older Weineke, who was one of the founders of the megabrand Potato Corner, is also an inspirational speaker, business mentor and educator.
After Potato Corner, Wieneke transitioned into teaching. He became a faculty member for the Ateneo Center for Continuing Education (CCE) on programs like retail diploma, restaurant management and retail site selection.
“I wanted to share what I’ve learned in creating a unique concept and inspiring one’s life through entrepreneurship felt like an advocacy that I wanted to pursue,” he said.
He advised startups to measure up their dreams, conquer their failures and stay focused on the task at hand.