Foodbytes Infoservices is an independent provider of food and business information and technical food services. It provides high quality information, training, and consultancy services focused on globalization and the rapidly changing needs of the food and foodservice industry. As stated in the Foodbytes Infoservices website (http://foodbytesinfoservices.com), their areas of expertise are: Food Safety, Product and Process Improvement, and Environmentalism Integration.
 

We've met two of the people behind Foodbytes Infoservices, Gerel and Louane Roa, in one of the numerous trade expos. Louane, a co-owner of Foodbytes Infoservices handles the administrative functions for the company, as well as product research and development, website development, and product label compliance. Foodbytes Infoservices was established in 2004. Louane and Gerel have been working alongside consultants in the food industry for many years, and they said that it was mostly because of these consultants' encouragement that the company was created. When Foodbytes Infoservices started, it specialized in technical research services which catered specifically to the needs of International Food Safety Standards. As of now, Foodbytes Infoservices provides services covering ALL stages of a managing a Food Business, from planning to expansion. Putting it simply, FoodBytes was created to solve the problems of anyone in the Food Industry.

 

We're lucky to have this short discussion with Louane:

Could you please briefly describe your business?

Foodbytes Infoservices is a one-stop consultancy and solutions center for the needs of businesses in the Food Industry. We want to meet the technical needs of food businesses in every category.

How's business so far?

We are very proud to say that this year Foodbytes Infoservices has grown in leaps and bounds beyond our expectations. We are in the middle of a strategic expansion to serve more clients better.

How would you assess the Philippine business scene these days?

There is an increased interest in entrepreneurship and small businesses are flourishing. What we need is to empower the smaller businesses so that they can go with globalization instead of being run over by it.

Your business is about food and food packaging. Based on the experience of your clients, could you say that the food sector remains to be one of the most profitable business ventures these days?

The food sector remains a VERY profitable business especially now that the Philippines is being recognized internationally as a reliable source of high quality and innovative food products. We are a food-producing country as almost all of our land and sea territories have the capacity to grow food.

What is your advice to those who would want to start their own business?

1. Build your business around something that you are passionate about.
2. Learn the ins and outs of your business.
3. Cliche but true: write your business plan before, while and after you establish your business. If you don't know how, find a way to learn (you can use our forum so we can help you).

What are the common problems you encountered or those which are most likely to be encountered by Pinoy entrepreneurs?

Mindset. Most of the entrepreneurs we meet that are establishing has a bad mindset in either:

1. overplanning/overthinking their businesses that they are not able to establish it at the right time; or
2. underplanning their businesses because of the fear of lack of capital.

Admittedly, there are bigger entities that are ahead in your particular business. What would you say to those who plan to venture into a business that already has a market leader?

Give your customers something that the market leader does not provide, such as a more personalized product or service. Or, if you run out of ideas, just look at any food business you are always exposed to and ask yourself, how can I make this business better? There is always a better way. We see restaurants cleaning up their act, factories and products following expensive protocols, etc. But at the end of the day, creating more value for an everyday product and service is what business is all about.

In the same way, others may follow your footsteps. How would one stay ahead of the game?

 

Keeping ahead requires a lot of hard work, persistence, and a little bit of luck. Keeping ahead means never being satisfied with what you have, never accepting that what you have is the best that can be achieved.

 

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Good luck Louane, Gerel and the rest of the Foodbytes Infoservices crew! (The Discussion series is about our discussions with Pinoy Entrepreneurs, whether established or just starting out. If you have anything you want to discuss, please let us know.)