THE GOVERNMENT needs to build more partnerships with the private sector to develop the food service industry and to promote its food products globally in keep in step with its neighbors, according to the Food Caterers Association of the Philippines (FCAP).
“The only difference between Thailand and Philippines is the support from the National Government,” FCAP President Francis Sevilla, Jr. told BusinessWorld on the sidelines of the Thaifex Horec Asia 2025 in Bangkok.
“In Thailand, we found out that their National Government through the Department of Tourism and Promotion have really supported the food service industry.”
According to the US Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Foreign Agricultural service, the Philippine food services industry is projected to grow 12% this year as store networks and foot traffic are expected to expand.
The USDA said more customers are dining out due to the opening of new restaurants, cafés, kiosks, and bars, as more franchise international restaurants enter the Philippines.
It said that sales in full-service restaurants are expected to grow 10% next year due to store expansion. Full-service restaurants account for 17% of the industry.
When it comes to internationalizing its industry, however, the Philippines needs to invest in state-of-the-art kitchen equipment if the food service industry is competing with regional rivals.
“All the efforts to make the food service industry globally competitive, usually in our country, were initiatives of the private sector,” he said.
Thailand’s bid to position itself as the “kitchen of the world” has been key to its success in promoting its food products globally, Department of International Trade Promotion of the Thai Ministry of Commerce Director General Sunanta Kangvalkulkij told reporters at the trade fair.
“We also have some kind of policy to support Thai food and now we see that Thai food has some kind of good reputation. A lot of people around the world know Thai food more than ever,” she said.
She said her agency works closely with the Thai Ministry of Agriculture to boost the production and marketing of its produce, mainly fruit and rice.
“The Philippines, I think, has a very good opportunity (to develop hospitality and food services),” she said. — John Victor D. Ordoñez
