About 150 international brands plan to enter the Philippine market via the upcoming Franchise Asia Philippines 2016.
The franchising event in its 24th year is hosting more than 500 exhibitors, of which 30 percent are foreign brands. “We’re turning down a lot of exhibitors. We’re over-subscribed and we plan to expand the show starting next year,” Philippine Franchising Association chairman emeritus Sammie Lim said in a pre-event briefing Thursday in Makati City.
Lim said the show attracted a number of international brands, both returning and new brands. In 2015, about 50 brands joined Franchising Asia.
Lim said the association planned to expand its program to include micro, small and medium enterprises. “MSMEs are considered the backbone of our economy comprising 99.6 percent of local enterprises. We intend to reach out to them and hopefully raise their market positing one step at a time until they have reached global recognition,” said conference chairman Richard Sanz of Food Asia Corp., maker of Bibingkinitan.