Max's Group CEO talks about dealing with 'new normal'

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Max's Group president and chief executive officer Robert Trota admitted that the COVID-19 crisis "became more than what we expected," with his team pushed to do things "that they were not ready to do, or equipped to do."

In a webinar organized by the Philippine Franchise Association on Thursday,Max's Group CEO talks about dealing with 'new normal'.

"We had to take care of our people, preserve our inventory, move things around, and go into shutdown mode which is not normal," said Trota, who was one of the panelists in the webinar. "Because we usually celebrate openings, not closings."

"The question we had was, what will happen to the employees once all the stores are closed? So those things had to be taken care of," he added. "Max's has been here for 75 years. We had to pause and reflect again.

"While Trota stressed the importance of taking "two steps back" to reassess the situation, he also reminded entrepreneurs to act swiftly to avoid further losses.

With dine-in prohibited because of the pandemic, Max's Group focused all of its operations and resources on takeout and delivery. 

"Today, I'm happy to say that I may not have recovered 70% of my dine-in, but I definitely doubled and even tripled what I do in delivery and takeout," he said. 

"I rechanneled everything into that platform, whether it's the website, my call center, delivery riders, operations people. Everybody's focused."

So what did the Max's Group to make up for the lost dine-in sales?

"We created ready-to-cook meals... then we also have ready-to-eat meals," he added. "You have to create new channels... Dine-in is not gonna come back overnight. It will take time," Trota said.

Max's Group includes Max's Restaurant, Pancake House, Krispy Kreme, Jamba Juice, Yellow Cab, Teriyaki Boy, Dencio's, and Sizzlin' Steak, among others.Trota stressed the importance of having a sense of urgency in dealing with the "new normal" to be able to "succeed in a market as tough as this."

"We're not going to be the same anymore as prior to COVID," he said. "

You're not going to get your sales back overnight, so you need to work on what you can achieve."

Make It Another Day To Remember At Max’s

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MANILA, Philippines –  If you’re looking to make your February an unforgettable one, head on over to Max’s Restaurant for flavorful dishes and sumptuous treats that will make your gatherings twice as memorable – enjoy the newest Red Sinigang, and Max’s Corner Baker Bakery’s Strawberry Chocolate Roll and Chocolate-Coated Caramel Bars.

For only PHP529, the Red Sinigang is an elevated classic to a traditional Filipino dish. Its base is a savory indulgence of beef and fish cooked in a rich, sweet-sour soup made up of tamarind and tomato. A medley of fresh vegetables like string beans, radish, and okra are generously tossed for added taste. Jazzed up with crispy kangkong, this unique dish when served to your special someone is certainly a gesture of love and appreciation that’s worth remembering.

The Red Sinigang is also the perfect partner to the all-time favorite Max’s Sarap-To-The-Bones® Chicken. For only an upgrade of PHP 150 from the House Classics Birthday Bundle Plus, you can enjoy this duo of crispy, golden fried chicken and warm, comforting soup that’s sure to amp up your gatherings with the people special in your life.

Finish it off with something sweet to be shared with your loved ones in the Strawberry Chocolate Roll and Chocolate Coated Coated Caramel Bars. 

Starting only at PHP259, the Strawberry Chocolate Roll is a fluffy concoction of chocolate chiffon that’s lavishly-filled and frosted with whipped cream, piped with strawberry fruit filling and adorned with chocolate cut-outs and shavings. Surprises should come anytime, so excite them with a classic made more indulgent with Chocolate Coated Caramel Bars. Starting only at PHP249, Max’s classic caramel bars is brought to a whole new level as it’s beautifully-covered with luscious dark, white chocolate, and dressed in elegant toppings.

What are you waiting for? 

Max’s Restaurant’s Red Sinigang and Max’s Corner Bakery’s Chocolate Coated Caramel Bars is available nationwide for dine-in or take-out, while the Strawberry Chocolate Roll is in Luzon stores only. 

For more information, visit https://www.facebook.com/maxsrestaurant/.

Local Bread Baking Competition “Tinapay Natin” Bags Two New Awards From Quill And Anvil

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Max’s Corner Bakery (MCB) in partnership with Pilmico Foods Corporation won new recognitions from two of the most prestigious communications-focused award giving bodies for its Tinapay Natin Pinoy Bread Baking Competition.

Tinapay Natin is an annual bread baking competition that champions local bread culture by showcasing the innovation and creativity of small-scale bakers. The campaign from Max’s Corner Bakery and Pilmico received the coveted Gold Anvil Award from the Public Relations Society of the Philippines (PRSP) under the category PR Programs Directed at Specific Stakeholders for a campaign with focused strategy and communications directed towards its target consumers and communities.

From L-R: Representatives from SOHO Square Philippines, Charlene Sapina - Corporate Communications, Digital Solutions, and Sustainability Head for Max’s Group Inc. and Pamela Liwag - Brand & Quality Manager for Pilmico Foods Corp. receive the Gold Anvil Award from PRSP Executives at the 53rd Anvil Awards

Likewise, in the most recent Quill Awards, MCB’s Tinapay Natin received an Award of Merit for Communication Management under Customer Relations, which is given to outstanding programs aimed at educating, engaging or connecting the organization or its employees to the consumer.

Tinapay Natin started in 2016 as a collaboration between MCB and food and agribusiness firm Pilmico Foods Corporation. The program was founded to inspire small-scale, promising bakers to pursue their goals and highlight Filipinos as guardians of local food culture and heritage.

Over 3,000 student and non-professional bakers participated in Tinapay Natin’s 2017 run and were judged based on their technical expertise, originality and their delicious rendition of different Pinoy bread classics. Winners received P30,000 in cash and had their creations sold in Max’s Corner Bakeries nationwide. With the campaign’s unprecedented success, Max’s Corner Bakery saw a 56% growth in bread category and a 10.9% overall increase in year-end sales in 2017.

Ariel P. Fermin, Group COO for Max’s Group Inc., said that the awards signify that Max’s Corner Bakery is taking the right path towards strengthening Filipino bread culture and utilizing the right platforms to connect and inspire more people.

“We’ve always believed that Filipino history and culture is greatly represented and shaped by the food that we create. Baking is one avenue that Max’s Group sees as a means to preserve our heritage, and MCB’s Tinapay Natin is one way to promote this,” Fermin said. 

“Our partnership with Pilmico Foods Corporation, which also started their own campaign called “Mahalin Pagkaing Atin”, enabled this advocacy and spread our message even further.” 

In line with Max’s Group Inc.’s commitment to building loved brands, Max’s Corner Bakery’s award-winning campaign brings the bakers’ hard work and unique stories to the fore, with the hopes of creating a renewed sense of pride and appreciation for local food.