Family snags pizza outlet, seeks expansion this year

Sometimes a business opportunity comes along that doesn’t fall in line with one’s expertise, core competency or even personal interest.

Such was the situation the Orozco family found themselves in after a “friendly decision” led them to buy the Acha Pizzeria outlet in Jones Avenue, Cebu City in 2009.

Michael James Orozco, pizzeria manager, said their family has always been into properties by leasing apartments in Cebu City and in their hometown of Surigao.

The family invested nearly a million pesos to buy the outlet.

“The decision to assume Acha Pizzeria was more of a ‘friendly’ decision because my dad’s friend Lito Acha and his whole family are migrating,” he said.

Michael said they didn’t want to buy out the business.

“We still need them for consultancy. We are new in this business and we want it to succeed,” he said.

They kept all the five staff who’ve worked in the pizzeria for seven years now since it opened in 2004.

Michael said they’re now currently reviewing the menu so they can assure their customers of the best quality food at reasonable prices.

He also takes time tasting other products from their competitors here in Cebu.

“That is one way of making sure that we offer the best. We look at the texture, the ingredients and the length of time of serving our orders. We take note of all details,” Michael said.

They currently have about 30 offerings in their menu which includes a three-layered pizza they called Pizza Tricia.

This dish has cheese and yogurt in the first layer, vegetables in the second layer and three types of meat in the third layer.

They also offer unlimited brewed coffee at only P40.

“Because our market is more of the office people who sometimes do their meetings here, we have made our coffee unlimited and also provide free Wi-Fi access,” Michael said.

Not one to waste a business opportunity, Michael also sells insurance policies part-time and does his briefings in the pizzeria.

Having worked in the accounting division of a major Cebu resort, Michael said he has no problems managing their business expenses.

He also worked as a cashier in the resort and tried serving food to the customers.

What he wanted to learn more now is the basics of cooking so he enrolled in some short courses in Caro and Marie.

Michael also joined in some cooking demonstrations in some major hotels in Cebu like Radisson Blu Hotel.

“They have that cooking with the chef thing in Radisson so i really grabbed that opportunity to know from their Italian chef himself,” he said.

After two years in the pizzeria business, the Orozco family thinks it’s time for them to expand in Cebu and aggressively market their brand.

“We think that we are ready. Two years should be enough for us to learn about the business and now it’s the best time to market ourselves,” Michael said.

He said they want to open two outlets here in Cebu within the year.

“We will have one in the south and another in the north to cater to the market there.”

Michael said they’re looking at Talisay City to Minglanilla for their south expansion and Mandaue City for their north expansion.

He said the family set P1 million per store opening this year.

“We are confident with our products and our brand and we are confident with the Cebu market which has become pizza-lovers,” Michael said.

Once they establish their outlets, Michael said they’re open to offering franchises for their expansions outside of Cebu.

He said part of their plans is to recreate their brand still using the word “Acha”.

“We plan to make it more catchy among our customers but still we will use ‘Acha’ and incorporate it in the new name.

We are still trying to come up with one though,” Michael said.