MANILA, PHILIPPINES — The MFT Group trailblazes with bringing successful food brands not only to profitable markets around the Philippines but also to cities in Asia and other parts of the world.
As a private equity firm, MFT Group of Companies has its sights on industries where opportunities emerge. Navigating with willful intent to help companies perform beyond their current best outcomes, MFT Group finds itself gravitating to sectors that have special meaning to its founders led by Mica F. Tan.
And where passion intersects with keen eye for growth, the proverbial getting away from the herd happens with greater speed.
Saladstop! is Asia’s first healthy food chain that has under its wings a movement called Eat WIde Awake for healthy eating and ethical food growing. With MFTGroup in 2017, Saladstop! started opening branches in Spain and in Vietnam. In 2020, at the height of the pandemic, MFT Group opened a second store in Ho Chi Minh City. a testament to its confidence in the Vietnam market.
La Lola Churreria is a Philippine grown brand that brought the delightful churros and xuxos to a lifestyle experience in Metro Manila’s malls. With MFT Group, La Lola marked a new chapter when it opened its first overseas store in Clarke Quay Singapore. With its popularity at the site, La Lola was invited, not long after, to open another branch at the world-class Jewel Changi airport.
MFT Group’s presence in other parts of the world in an industry that is regarded as essential has proven much to be in its favor. It has accorded MFT Group with greater flexibility and ability to focus in coping with challenges for survival.
MFT Group’s own Mimi & Bros, a comfort food haunt of young professionals at Bonifacio Global City, has upped its offer of easy-to-prepare frozen snacks and appetizers to allow customers to have their favorites in their own homes. Their signature dishes such as Mimi’s Fried Chicken and Truffle Honey Butter Wings remain on offer in both the restaurant and through deliveries.
Customers long to have a taste of these dishes, even just to prod themselves to keep going and be in fine shape with the eventual return to familiar ways of life. These moves lend proof to Mimi & Bros’ regard for “HAPPY” which is well-emoted with the big sign inside the store which forms part of Mimi & Bros’ attraction.
Mica Tan, MFT Group CEO who is also a sought-after inspirational speaker for young entrepreneurs, having carved out her spurs at a young age in the formidable world of private equity, looks back at tender moments with her mother in the kitchen. “I remember the times we huddled in the kitchen, as she prepared stuff for us. These memories must have triggered in me the prompts to be in the food business. They were fun and delightful.”
She believes that the food brands they create, and support have their own particular charm, alongside qualities they possess that are aligned with the MFTGroup’s criteria for high potentials.
With Mica at MFT Group is a team of professionals who are experts in their own fields and who enable MFT Group to be on top of its game in sectors it focuses on. In the roster of companies handled by MFT Group are also medical and health as well as financial services companies that have kept busy, if not busier in these times.
Together, they map out strategies for growth of chosen firms, most of which have evolved from family businesses.
With MFT Group’s foray into food operations in the global scene, the diversity of backgrounds in MFT Group’s team serves to help in spelling out the universality as well as peculiarities of people’s food choices.
And as the firm gains more foothold in the overseas arena, the firm widens its lens for spotting other food firms that can benefit from its infusion of passion and skill.
