Mom’s food business secret: Treat customers like your kids

Selling adobong baboy and manok to sandwiches in her Mavic Foodcart was how Victoria Cabibil saw her two children through to college.

 
In 1989, Cabibil, then 29, who’s fond of cooking decided to venture into the food business instead of pursuing a career in Accounting in the corporate world.

 
Cabibil, who’s a graduate of Accountancy course, decided to invest P25,000 to start her food business as a canteen concessionaire of Christine Lingerie in La Guardia, barangay Lahug, Cebu City.

 
In 1992, she grabbed the opportunity to open a food stall in Southwestern University. Her adobong baboy and adobong manok were a hit among the student customers.

 
On Nov. 4, 2204, she decided to offer snacks such as sandwiches to her customers.

 
Ma-Vic’s Foodcart attracted a lot of student-customers and demand for her food snacks increased.

 
She eventually rented a 15 square meter space at the second floor of the Matias H. Aznar Memorial building.

 
“It is important to have a feasibility study before you create a business so that the money you invest will not be put to waste”, said Cabibil about how she grew her business.

 
She said she encountered ups and downs in growing her business but she remained firm.

 
From her food recipes suitable for meals, Cabibil today offers sandwiches in ham and cheese, tuna with egg, ham and egg and hotdog with egg.

 
These are the products which are in demand on her food cart.

 
Cabibil, who’s in her early 40s, functions as the cashier and cook.

 
“I am hands on in the business”, said Cabibil.

 
She also said that it would take a lot of time management, dedication, and love of work to be successful in sustaining the business.

 
She said it was important to build good relationships with her customers to the extent of treating them as her children.

 
A trait that she practices  as shown by the way her student-customers call her – Mama.