In recent years, brands have taken a more active stand on key social and developmental issues. Homegrown company Max’s Group Inc. (MGI) has been one of these brands, investing in initiatives ranging from reducing its ecological footprint, linking up with farmers and farming cooperatives to improve productivity, and developing the next generation of leaders and managers for the restaurant industry.
This year, the casual dining powerhouse is embracing a new advocacy to rally its employees, partners, and customers around: powering Philippine sports’ Olympic dreams.
As the flagbearer of Filipino cuisine both in the local and international scene, MGI will help champion the true spirit of the Filipino in the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics with its partnership with the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC). MGI is investing PHP10.5 million to support over 1,000-strong Filipino athletes, coaches, and officials, including some of our country’s Olympic bets, Olympic weightlifting silver medalist Hidilyn Diaz, SEA Games triathlon gold medalist Nikko Huelgas, and Melbourne Cup Gymnastics gold medalist Carlos Yulo. The investment will also cover funding of POC operations, catering for POC-related events, and a PHP3 million grand cash incentive for athletes bagging historic gold medals for the Philippines.
The POC is a private, non-governmental organization that serves as the mother organization of all national sports associations in the Philippines. The International Olympic Committee recognizes the POC as the sole authority for representation of the Philippines in the Olympic Games, the Asian Games, the Southeast Asian Games, and other multi-event competitions.
This partnership makes MGI the first major local brand to pledge support to the POC for Tokyo 2020. While it is still a year away, MGI hopes to inspire other local brands and Filipinos in general to support our athletes and help them secure the resources they need to train, compete, and triumph in the world’s biggest and most elite sporting event.
“We understand the work and support needed by our Filipino athletes to truly succeed in the global arena, and we want our athletes to thrive in this highly competitive environment,” says MGI President and Chief Executive Officer Robert F. Trota. “We’ve structured our pledge so that we address what we call the three Fs: Flagbearers, Families, and Fans. The Flagbearers, our athletes, will receive funds for their training and a cash prize of PHP3 million for gold medal wins. We will also make sure to nourish not just our Flagbearers, but also their Families, so they don’t have to worry about their welfare while they train for and compete in the Olympics. Lastly, we’re giving the Fans a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to watch and cheer for our Philippine team live in Tokyo 2020, because we believe that Filipinos are the greatest fans in the world.”
POC President Victorico ‘Ricky’ Vargas shares that the partnership with MGI will contribute to Filipino excellence not only in food, but also in sports.
“Filipino athletes have the drive and determination to rise above the competition. With our partnership with MGI for Tokyo 2020, we will be able to ground a new wave of Filipino pride for the world to see,” shares Vargas.
The campaign, dubbed #AllInForGold, will have MGI brands such as Max’s Restaurant, Max’s Corner Bakery, Pancake House, Yellow Cab Pizza, Krispy Kreme, Jamba Juice, Teriyaki Boy, Dencio’s, and Sizzlin’ Steak roll out product innovations, food bundles, and marketing campaigns unique to each brand, to help raise funds for the participating athletes.
Moreover, MGI will give consumers a chance to experience the 2020 Olympics firsthand, with the company looking to send three (3) pairs of MGI customers to Tokyo to watch the Games.
Through this, Trota hopes that MGI’s partnership with the POC will unify all Filipinos to showcase and champion the best of our local talent.
“Just as we at Max’s Group are championing Filipino cuisine here and abroad, so too are our athletes bannering the Philippine flag on the world stage. We hope that our partnership with POC will inspire a greater outpouring of support for our athletes, their families, and for Philippine sports, as well as instill being proudly Filipino.”
