And it's called Yaki Yaki
Jan Domingo and his wife were walking along Osaka in Japan, arguably called tenka no daidoroko (the nation’s kitchen), when they came across a curious food combination that they thought would appeal to fellow Filipinos back home. As any traveler would tell you, “go where the locals go,” and so they fell in line at a Dotonburi shop with a long queue of Japanese customers.
As they got their fill of Takoyaki and the Yakisoba, a light bulb just lit up. The unique complementary combination of the two food just works. They knew they had found their next food concept. Jan partnered with JC Cabalatungan to bring the hearty combination of Takoyaki and Yakisoba to the Philippines through their company Tastexperts, Inc.
The duo shares the same values, business principles, and look forward to building toward their common goals.
Adding up to the authentic flavors from Japan is the catchy wordplay on their names and so, Yaki Yaki was born. Bringing in a taste of Japan with the Filipino branding, Yaki Yaki offers Takoyaki for ₱49 for 4 pieces, yakisoba for ₱99, and a bento box at ₱155, a price point no Pinoy can resist.
Not everyone can go to Japan, especially during the health crisis, so the thought of bringing Japan here in the Philippines came.
JC and Jan opened Yaki Yaki in the middle of the pandemic in May 2021 in Calsada Tipaz, Taguig. They opened their store in a little community out there, targeting the market class C and D. Not everyone can go to Japan, especially during the health crisis, so the thought of bringing Japan here in the Philippines came. It may have been tough times, but the best friends wanted to see the opportunity behind the chaos of Covid-19. In their mind, there surely will be life after the pandemic, so they pushed on.
The business partners knew they had to build on a solid product and worked hard in conceptualizing and coming up with the kind of food Filipinos would love. Yaki Yaki’s Takoyaki is as authentic as it can get, made of octopus not squid. Their Classic Takoyaki and Scallop Cheese Melt are their bestsellers. Yaki Yaki also offers other products such as bento boxes that also come with pork tonkatsu and chicken katsu. Created amid the pandemic, it was natural for them to offer online delivery.
Yaki Yaki currently has 21 branches all over the Metro, and they have strategically opened in SM Malls and supermarkets. They really gunned for spots in supermarkets as they knew that these establishments would still be open even despite the pandemic, and is guaranteed to be visited by people. Yaki Yaki is open for the franchise, and should they hit 30 stores, they are planning to get an endorser to further promote Yaki Yaki and more people can come to know and love about it.
JC and Jan’s advice to budding entrepreneurs out there is to grab every opportunity in spite of the pandemic. They call the ongoing Covid-era as “The Great Equalizer.” We are all in it together, and so now is the time to be bold and just go for it. If you have a concept in mind, you develop a good product, offer the right service, and work with the right people, it will come together. JC and Jan did not even have previous formal culinary training but were food service distributors before Yaki Yaki. They believe you need to have the three P’s on your side, which are product, people, and purpose.
Yaki Yaki is celebrating its anniversary soon, and to thank its customers, it is holding an Anniversary Promo until May 31 2022 – Piso Tako! – buy four-piece Takoyaki and get the next one for only one peso.