Skip to main content

Lazy Susan : Facing the "NOW" normal with innovation

"In business, it is not all about gain. Sometimes, you lose. But then, one also learns a lesson, and such wisdom can be applied to one's next business venture."


Anna Marie Wharton, an entrepreneur from Iloilo City notes that the height of the pandemic saw food businesses flourish while those who failed to adapt to the new reality eventually closed shop.



Wharton, the owner of the cake house Mrs. Wharton London Bakes and English Teas and Taiwanese street food Lazy Susan, said that when we stick to the old system, we fail to see other ways that would make a business profitable. She stressed that an entrepreneur has to learn to accept the situation and plan the next step.


Reinvent!

A proactive individual, shw believes that innovation is the key to surviving any crisis. "Our business shifted to online selling. Then, we added a new brand - Lazy Susan Taiwanese Street Food," said Wharton.


"An online business has no disruptions, has less risk, has a low operating cost, and does not require a massive workforce," she explained.


Since it opened in January 2021, Lazy Susan only accepts orders for take-out and delivery. Lazy Susan's dishes are prepared in Wharton's home kitchen-commissary located at the 4th main street of Alta Tierra Village, Jaro, Iloilo City.



Specialties

Lazy Susan offers Sichuan Noodles, Lu Rou Fan (Braised Pork with Rice), Barbecue Roast Bao, Sweet and Crispy Duck Bao, Beef Noodle Soup, Black Sesame Meat Bun and Pepper Bun.


It also offers the popular Lauriat, which includes all the abovementioned (except beef noodles and meat bun).


At times, these offerings are on promo such as Buy One Take One, Discounts, or Add-Ons; that is why fans make it a point to follow Lazy Susan's page to receive timely updates of their promos.

The food is reasonably priced, delicious, and well-packaged. Food delivery is quick as well.


Chill Vibes

Lazy Susan's kitchen has a homey vibe replete with pink, blue, and earth tones. "We'd like our brand to speak of excitement and flavors, thus the pop of colors," Wharton shared.


The colors represent the vibrance and youth of the millennials. Although Lazy Susan targets people of all ages and lifestyles, millennials comprise a big chunk of its customers.


Millennials prefer to enjoy a variety of flavors through fast-casual dining (take-out/delivery) amid their busy schedule. Fortunately, Lazy Susan and Mrs. Wharton share the same commissary allowing for more food choices from the two outlets and savings on delivery fees.


"We have plans in the future to offer dine-in. We are just waiting for the right timing," Wharton shared.

These are some of the ways Wharton has thought of for her food businesses to thrive during the pandemic.


No one can predict when the crisis will end. "Since no one can guarantee tomorrow, an entrepreneur should be ready for any disruption. My fighting stance will always be: Let us get it over and done with," Wharton concluded.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Valenciana

Ilonggos really love valenciana because most if not all have grown accustomed of having it in almost all occasions like fiesta, brithdays, reunions and all other occasions thus I love calling it as the "occasional dish".   Basically, " go, grow and glow " dish, it has the carbohydrates, protein and vitamins and minerals in just one spoonful. And it can come in its simplest form with just malagkit rice, pork, chorizo and bell peppers to some fancy with additions like raisins, peas, chicken, hardboiled egg (just garnish though), etc.  Here's the recipe for Valenciana Ingredients 3 cups Glutinous Rice ( malagkit ) 2 cups Pork, sliced 1 cup Pork, Beef or Chicken  Liver, sliced 2-3 pieces Chinese sausage, sliced 2-3 large red bell peppers, sliced lengthwise 1 cup Green Peas 3 small boxes Raisins 2 pcs.Onion, chopped 4 cloves garlic, crushed salt and ground pepper to taste  2 pcs. pork/chicken bouillon/broth cube...
CLICK FOR MORE INFO or RECIPE...

Native Bibingka

There are two types of bingka I've grown up with. First is the flat and "coconutty" ( with lots of buko strips) bingka made famous by the bingkahans in the plazas of Iloilo City especially in Molo and Jaro plus Plaza Libertad. But the most famous is the one in Mohon, Arevalo which gave birth to the popular bingka sa Mohon. Flat bingka from Mohon And second is the one closer to home, in my hometown which before only appears during Semana Santa but now almost year round. This is what we refer to a puto-bingka as it looks and taste like toasted puto. Here's a sample recipe of this Puto-Bingka
CLICK FOR MORE INFO or RECIPE...

Simple Pochero Ilonggo

POCHERO. The most familiar recipes are the ones stewed with tomatoes (or tomato sauce) or the Cebu variant which is like bulalo or nilaga, but the pochero I grew up with is just very simple. It's just pork cooked with potatoes and/or saba (cooking banana) with kamote tops or pechay. I just love the mild sweetness of the broth brought about by the bananas to the savory broth. Or sometimes, it tends lean more of the tomato based recipe, just without the tomato itself or sauce. The recipe is just very simple - just boil the pork first until tender. Add the "hard" veggies like potatoes, saba, carrots, etc then finally when the leafy veggies when its almost done. Just season it with salt or broth cubes for a savory broth. Here's a recipe guide for a simple Pochero Ilonggo
CLICK FOR MORE INFO or RECIPE...