Author: Catherine Alcalde

Food Delivery, Food Industry

Healthy Mukbang Options for You! 

Sep 27, 2022 by Catherine Alcalde

Yummy Mukbang videos have emerged and stayed as a trending food culture due to lots of people wanting to try out various food options that are mouthwatering and delicious! The dessert lovers choose their sweet treats from ice cream, candies, cakes, cookies, and more. Meat lovers have their  chicken, pork, and beef cutlets! But what about vegetarians and vegans- don’t they get to have mukbangs? Sure they can! 

Most Vegans can relate to the struggle of finding fast food restaurants that have plant based food options in their menu. It’s hard to ensure that you’ll always find something within your diet and chosen lifestyle! Behold! We’ve got these top healthy food picks for you to try and enjoy with your friends as a mukbang. 

Brother’s Burger:

Brother’s Burger was known for their uniquely-seasoned flame-grilled designer burgers and sandwiches. Since the burger industry continued to grow and innovate, it was only recently that they decided to  explore other styles of making burgers special! Hence the creation of their plant-based veggie burgers!

  • Brothers Veggie Burger

Healthier Version of the Brothers Burger Grilled Vegetarian patty with tomato catsup, homemade Mayonnaise, topped with fresh lettuce, onions and tomatoes on a warm toasted oatmeal bun! Order here. 

  • Brothers Veggie Lettuce Wrap

One of their best-sellers is their Veggie Lettuce Wrap! Their ingredients are fresh pickles and tomatoes with wrapped lettuce and your choice of added toppings and dips. This meal is 100% meatless! Order here. 

Take Root:

Take Root is a junk-free snack company! They’re known for their best-selling Kale Chips that’s gluten-free and vegan! They are committed to serving natural products, they source their pesticide-free veggies from small local farms and season their vegetables with nuts, herbs, and spices. They don’t fry, but only dry their vegetable chips!  

  • Kale Chips

Here’s an alternative healthy chip for you! Take Root offers you their flavorful kale chips like rosemary peppercorn, balsamic vinegar, cheezy vegan, and more! These chips are equivalent to 2 servings of your daily greens. Take your pick and Order here!

  • PB Cups

Looking for ways to satisfy a sweet tooth, naturally?  Peanut butter cups are an all-time favorite treat of Take Roots! When they say their Peanut Butter Cups are CLEAN, they mean it! There are no artificial additives or preservatives in their recipe- just a few all-natural, quality ingredients that you can feel good about. Utterly irresistible. It’s also Gluten-Free and Vegan. Order here! 

Pizza Plant:

Pizza Plant offers you 100% fresh, delicious, and plant based pizza with different flavors for you. They have branches in Eastwood, Quezon and also San Juan in Metro Manila. They also have an online store for easier and faster ordering!

  • Margherita

Their Margherita is a simple and classic pizza appreciated by everyone. Allergens: Cashews, Gluten. Order here!

  •  Italian Sausage Pizza   

A fresh take on our version of Italian sausage using soy protein to round off with crisp onions and bell peppers. Allergens: Cashews, Gluten, Soy. Order Here! 

Excited and pumped to have your own healthy mukbang? Visit their websites and shop now! 

Business, Marketing

Innovative Marketing Strategy This Holiday Season

Sep 20, 2022 by Catherine Alcalde

It seems as if the whole economy has undergone transformation ever since the pandemic, prompting fresh approaches for their businesses. As the holiday season is fast approaching, everyone  strives to make the best out of this season, but how? 

Read on for a step-by-step approach in creating the perfect holiday marketing strategy for your business!

Brainstorm Ideas and Concepts: 

While some shoppers procrastinate until the last minute, others get their holiday presents months way ahead of time. Get their attention by notifying them with holiday ads and special promos starting a few months in advance. Using this approach, you can encourage your early customers to buy your products/ services. Developing a marketing strategy is essential for a business to succeed. A meaningful brainstorming session is an excellent place to start. 

Be Creative:  

In order to prepare for the biggest shopping season of the year, businesses must implement their marketing strategies. You should try to come up with a fresh concept that will attract and retain customers during the entire holiday season. Here are some innovative marketing strategies to help you. 

  • Personalized Campaigns

Using personalized communication in your marketing efforts, including emails, SMS, website, social ads, and landing pages can help attract customers this holiday season. ZAP Fetch is an example of an effective marketing tool that helps businesses target your customers, create offers that are based on customer data, and has an analysis of your monthly progress. This helps create a genuine foundation for customer relationships that will help the company in the long run, leading your customers back to your website to shop.

  • Customer-Centered Content

A unique angle for your Christmas marketing campaign could be to center it around your customers and make it as your advertising material. You can shift your attention to the experiences of your customers- be it inspiring or even funny! This way, customers will appreciate the fact that you valued their stories and feedback.

Food and Ecommerce Industry with ZAP:

An ideal marketing strategy is useless without a solid plan to put it into action. ZAP provides a fully branded program, powering everything behind the scenes. We provide restaurant owners with the opportunity of setting up your own e-store, making loyalty membership more exciting, upgrading your marketing arsenal through automated non-visit reminders, reaching out to your customer base through SMS/ Emails, On-Field Management, and so much more!

For more information visit this link! 

Business, Success Stories

The Success Behind Jipan’s E-store: The Artisanal Japanese Cuisine

Sep 15, 2022 by Catherine Alcalde

Every company knows that the F&B Industry is very competitive, fast-paced, and busy. One needs grit, passion, and the right attitude to be able to thrive and think on their feet to make their business run long-term. Jipan is known as the home of artisanal Japanese Cuisine. Famous for its deliciously baked pastries and well-loved goodies, it’s no mystery that it’s part of what brought success to their name in the business. Read further to learn more! 

Jipan’s Beginnings:  

Steph Brimo, the owner of the sensational Jipan- has over a decade of experience in the Food and Beverage Industry. Her passion in her business led her to step up their marketing efforts especially during the pandemic. She partnered with ZAP to set up their online store for Jipan in hopes that it will help their business cater to customers who wanted to purchase without them leaving their homes due to the current situation brought by the pandemic. She saw great potential in the seamless transactions they could offer to her customers with ZAP. In 2021, Jipan gained a 66% increase in their total sales by opening an additional sales channel to cater to more customers in their E-store! 

Creative Marketing Strategies:

In a webinar called November Holiday Season Sales, Steph Brimo shared that when Jipan’s e-store was created they began making their marketing strategies more creative in order to engage customers and reel them in through activities like online shopping “It helped spread the word of our brand and help customers buy bread without having to go to the store.” She shared. Strategizing production, ingredients, testing, thinking of items that are “stay at home” themed and DIY packaging for gifting it are just some of the things that they thought to incorporate with their products. In order to communicate better with their customers, Jipan, along with ZAP Team’s services utilizes Shopify’s email blast and sms blast, tailoring it to their offers to the customers.  

Customer- Centric

Jipan also shared that they are continuously building relationships with customers with their products and services through being active online with their pages and website. Flyers with a code directing customers to their estore are also included in all their packaging in-store,  so that their customers will be reminded about their estore.

Jipan with ZAP E-store

Jipan along with more than 2,000 merchants have trusted the ZAP Team to help them thrive and set up their online success by offering e-store platforms , ZAP Fetch, and Loyalty Programs to make the best out of their marketing efforts. ZAP will equip you to accept, fulfill, and deliver orders to customers with ease with your very own branded eCommerce website. Give customers an easy-to-use online ordering platform for instant or scheduled pick up or delivery. Interested? Contact us! 

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Business, Food Industry, Marketing

ZAP’s Loyalty Food and Beverage Merchants: A Testimony

Sep 6, 2022 by Catherine Alcalde

If you’re in the Food and Beverage Industry in 2022, transitioning into digitized service to make a more efficient and effective marketing approach is the game to serve your food and drinks better. 

Here’s a closer look at how digitalization has helped restaurants bounce back. Hear from our Loyalty Merchants! 

The Rise of Digitalization on The Food and Beverage Industry: 

The USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS), expects six percent sales growth in the Philippine Food and Beverage Industry. It’s because of the rise and transition of businesses being able to make their products and services available online and implementing loyalty programs for their customers. 

Digitalization has aided restaurants in operating more efficiently with the implementation of self-ordering kiosks, which is ideal for collecting relevant customer data, reducing the time and money spent on manual errors, and cutting down on labor costs.

The rise of digital technology have helped restaurants provide more than dine-in offerings. It has allowed customers to enjoy their food without leaving the house. Contactless payments, delivery services, online and in-app ordering options, loyalty and rewards programs, drive-thru, and curbside pickup are some examples of innovations restaurants are trying to adopt.

Testimonies of ZAP’s Loyalty Merchants:

ZAP’s Loyalty Program: Even Beyond Covid-19

Launching a membership program can be daunting as it is something new to your marketing strategy. With the ZAP team, we make your life easier by offering premium account management services. We will guide you through the creation of the program, launch and in-store training.


ZAP’s Loyalty Program enables merchant’s to recruit loyal customers and make their membership and shopping experience exciting! With the Philippines’ growing Food and Beverage Industry, sustaining your company’s edge in the marketplace is a must. Discuss your business with us!

Food Delivery, Food Industry

Chinese Cuisine Top Picks For You to Try! 

Sep 2, 2022 by Catherine Alcalde

Wondering where to order some traditional Chinese food? Don’t worry! If you want to satisfy your cravings —our top picks are definitely the best place to start! You won’t feel unsatisfied once you try some steamy flavorful noodles or different kinds of meat servings, dumplings, pork cutlets, tender chicken dishes, and more! These top picks truly capture traditional Chinese Cuisine!  

Wu’s Kitchen

Wu’s Kitchen is a Filipino-made brand that was inspired by the owner’s love for the authentic Roasting food practice from Hong Kong. Wu’s Kitchen launched their online presence in 2016 and the concept quickly gained popularity. If you’re not sure what to try or where to start, their Premium Roast Duck dish is undoubtedly their best-seller. What are you waiting for? Order online! 

Tuan Tuan Chinese Brasserie

The signature curry & noodle soup at Tuan Tuan Chinese Brasserie is widely perceived as the best quick and hearty Hong Kong comfort meal. Particularly noteworthy is their Hong Kong Soy Chicken on Clay-pot Rice which is absolutely mouth-watering! At Tuan Tuan, you get a one-of-a-kind dining experience by elevating classic Chinese cuisine within a sleek yet welcoming French inspired setting. You may order online!

Yao’s Kitchen

The signature curry & noodle soup at Tuan Tuan Chinese Brasserie is widely perceived as the best quick and hearty Hong Kong comfort meal. Particularly noteworthy is their Hong Kong Soy Chicken on Clay-pot Rice which is absolutely mouth-watering! At Tuan Tuan, you get a one-of-a-kind dining experience by elevating classic Chinese cuisine within a sleek yet welcoming French inspired setting. You may order online!

Golden Bamboo

Golden Bamboo Restaurant takes great pride in preparing traditional yet innovative Chinese dishes with only the freshest ingredients. It’s ideal for group celebrations with friends and family who love exquisite contemporary Chinese cuisine. Satisfy your cravings with their handcrafted Dimsum and spicy noodle soup and order online. 

Little Beijing

Despite only being in the market for less than a decade, Little Beijing has made its way in competing with some of the most renowned Chinese restaurants. Little Beijing is one of the top Chinese food restaurants in town that’s reasonably priced. They provide catering services, online deliveries, take-out options, and curbside pick-up! And while you’re at it-  General Tso’s Pork is definitely a dish to order!

Takeaway:

It’s not hard to understand why people enjoy dining at restaurants. The opportunity to leave the house and have a meal prepared and served to you is too good to pass up. It’s a great way to spend quality time with loved ones with an ambiance that’s new to us. But oftentimes, after a long day, nothing beats having your food delivered to you and enjoying it in the comfort of your own home!

Business, Food Industry, Marketing

E-Store: Is It The Right Medium for My Business? 

Aug 22, 2022 by Catherine Alcalde

In the last five years, there has been explosive growth in numerous industries, and online shopping is only one example. In 2022, the global e-commerce sector is expected to reach a staggering $5.55 trillion, in fact, it is anticipated to increase even higher in the coming years. There’s no denying that the growth of e-commerce has changed the way people shop, and it challenges entrepreneurs to meet the demand of the consumers.

In the world of e-commerce, numerous technologies allow for fast responses and round-the-clock service, both of which greatly benefit the satisfaction of customers. With a fast-paced society and a very competitive industry, beginning an online store may be the best option. Given that an online store can operate without the overhead costs and limited space of a physical shop, it’s simple to see why so many business owners are drawn to this innovation. Read on to know more about well-known shops that have shifted to becoming E-stores and how it helped them thrive and stay in the market!

This is My Food Type Industry: Is E-store still for me? 

We can all see how both fast food joints and even fancy restaurants are  embracing technology to improve their customers’ dining experiences. Many businesses are making the transition to either switch or add online retail as a sales channel because it allows them to reach a larger customer base with fewer resources than are necessary for brick-and-mortar locations, but is it applicable to any type of industry? 

Below are some of the well-known businesses in the Food and Beverage Industry with different types of product offerings that utilize E-stores:

Vikings

Vikings is one of the best buffet experiences in the country, featuring a variety of flavours that can’t be found elsewhere. However, is there a need to shift to an E-store with this kind of industry? Vikings seemed to think it would be beneficial. Currently,  they have utilised different E-commerce approaches like loyalty programs, promos & discounts, and creating a website that allows customers to read blogs and reviews and be notified of current exciting deals! Their decision to add an E-store as another sales channel has made the buffet resto unlock new opportunities making Vikings more flexible with the different demands of customers- be it in physical stores or online! 

Macao Imperial Tea   

Macao Imperial Tea is best known for its Espresso line that offers ice-blended drinks and many other varieties of beverage that caters especially to sweet-tooth consumers. However, the milk tea industry has been emerging with more competitors making the market a tough sector to survive at. Competition in the milk tea market has heated up significantly over the years providing customers with a wider selection. Businesses risk losing customers if they don’t modify their strategies to accommodate the changing demands. Fortunately, Macao Imperial Tea has proactively decided to jump into the transition in establishing an E-store and has now adopted cashback points that entice customers to keep coming back! Currently, Macao is still one of the leading players in the market.

Jipan Cafe & Bakeshop  

On-the-spot bakery goods, including pastries, bread, and cakes, have made Jipan Cafe famous. Besides pastries, they also offer a variety of traditional Japanese dishes. But as we all know, baked goods and sushis are perishable inventory so if they aren’t sold today, they will most likely end up in the bin. By establishing an online presence, Jipan Cafe & Bakeshop has created another sales channel that would lessen the risk of having inventory go to waste.  Being an E-store has also helped the bakeshop garner more customers through their loyalty programs and by adding pick-up or delivery services that can be accessed online. 

Food and Ecommerce Industry with ZAP E-store

For well over two years, nearly all of us have relied on online shopping and delivery services to satisfy what we want. To meet this demand, many companies are outsourcing development teams to create custom apps for marketing efforts.

But with ZAP Group,  building an online presence couldn’t be easier! ZAP connects consumers to different food and beverage businesses through e-store services that power online order fulfilment and build a relationship with customers that makes them want to come back. 

Businesses don’t need to shell out thousands of dollars for expensive website developers. Simply contact the ZAP team, and they’ll provide you with just about everything you need for a fully functional and effective online store!

Food Delivery, Food Industry

Filipino Food Picks For You!

Jul 26, 2022 by Catherine Alcalde

Filipino food is so diverse and filled with so much flavor, it will satisfy any of your cravings. May it be spicy, sweet or sour, there’s definitely a perfect Filipino delicacy for you. But if you’re not sure where to start your Pinoy food trip or If you’re looking for that specific taste of Filipino food, this list of ZAP merchants can certainly quench that hunger.

  • Iceberg’s

Got that sweet tooth? Iceberg’s got you. Famous for their delicious ice cream concoctions and hearty meals, Iceberg’s has been serving since 1986. One of their staple items on their menu is the Filipino dessert, Halo-Halo. Iceberg has been offering this delicious local dessert for 3 decades along with a list of traditional Filipino food. But if Halo-Halo isn’t for you, you can also check out Iceberg’s Specialty portion on their menu which is a list of other sweet and cold desserts they offer. Order Here!

  • Indulge by Daisy Marie

With the rainy season coming, what better way to warm you than a hot sweet serving of Champorado. Indulge by Daisy Marie offers different flavors of champorado like Ube and Strawberry Pannacotta Champorado, perfect if you’re feeling daring or just looking for a new taste on your Champorado.  Order Here!

  • Vito’s BBQ

Vito’s BBQ is the Pambansang BBQ! It has been a food staple in all occasions that started as a small family business that caters to the traditional food meals that we enjoy. Now they share our Vito BBQ with other Filipino families to enjoy and also be a part of both their big and small celebrations. Their mouthwatering menu can surely satisfy your palate. Order Here!

  • Empanada Nation

No need to visit the province of Ilocos to get a taste of their special empanada. Just head over to Empanada Nation’s online store and order their authentic Ilocano Empanada. Their empanadas are made upon ordering and are served fresh and hot straight from the pot. Take a tour on their menu and discover a variety of traditional and tasty Filipino food, perfect for an all day meal. Order Here!

  • Betty’s Best

We Filipinos love gatherings, since these occasions usually involve food. Betty’s Best has a variety of delicious party platters of our favorite traditional Filipino dishes your family and friends will surely enjoy. Their menu also offers other appetizing dishes such as the Filipino party favorite, shanghai. Betty’s Best is also home to the Best Sisig Sotanghon. Sotanghon noodles topped with their signature sisig, this unique dish will make your celebration more memorable.

Filipino food is definitely a must try as it has one of the richest food cultures in Southeast Asia. And these restaurants successfully showcase that. Not only are they full of flavors, but also carry a piece of the country’s culture and heritage. Most of their dishes even have influences from Eastern and Western countries such as Spain and China. If you like food from these places, you’re gonna love the Filipino style. So what are you waiting for? Just head over to their websites and check their online store and enjoy your Filipino food trip. Tara, kain! Order Here!

Webinar

From Kitchen to Customer: Choosing the Right Fulfilment Partner

Apr 21, 2022 by Catherine Alcalde

Calling all e-ntrepreneurs! We have a special treat just for you. Learn more about improving your business at “From Kitchen to Customer: Choosing the Right Fulfilment Partner” a webinar showcasing ZAP E-Store’s integrated delivery feature.

One delivery app that caters to 20 cities all over the Philippines. GrabExpress focuses on the Greater Metro Manila since inter-city delivery can be done within this cluster. Meaning, you can deliver from metro manila to Cavite or vice versa. For cities outside of the GMM cluster, like Baguio or Bacolod, drop off and pick up locations should be within the city. For the maximum delivery distance, it is 25 kilometers for motorcycles and 15 kilometers for cars.

Webinar

Choosing The Right Fulfilment Partner

GrabExpress Delivery Integration

The basic API process flow shows how booking takes place on your website without having to manually input information such as the delivery address. The API makes your deliveries easier and faster. GrabExpress has 4 API Technologies:

  • Rates API calculates your delivery fees. This can also be customized based on how you want to price your delivery fees.

  • Booking API collects all the necessary information of the transaction for the delivery to be successful. This API also triggers the request for a rider on GrabExpress’ system.

  • Tracking Webhook provides the driver’s information such as their name, phone number and their vehicle’s plate number. It is also the source for your transaction link wherein you can keep tabs on the status of your delivery rider.

  • Cancel API is the access for you to cancel your transaction. The cancellation can only be done once a rider has been assigned to your delivery.

GrabExpress Delivery Fees

There are 3 different delivery fee packages offered by GrabExpress to the merchants of ZAP that are interested in having GrabExpress in their online store. The F&B Basic, F&B Plus and Ecommerce. The F&B Basic and Plus is not limited to the food and beverages type of business. You can avail of this package if you are interested and find that it fits with your business. These delivery packages are fixed and are not subject to peak hours or rush hours. With Ecommerce, it is best for merchants that offer non-perishable items. This package offers a 3%  cash handling fee that assures you that Grab will remit the declared COD value on time to your bank account, whatever happens to the customer’s money with the rider.

ZAP and Grab have a shared goal of giving their merchants a more efficient and convenient way to cater to their customers’ demands. With their partnership, ZAP merchants have the benefit of onboarding GrabExpress on their website as fast as 3 weeks. 

From food to groceries —we all relied on these delivery services even after the pandemic restrictions decreased.  These services have continued to boom. Online stores are getting busy. It’s not just about ordering because you want your food to arrive fast- it was because of safety measures and reliable service experience. In just a few taps, you can order your food right away! 

Grab is one of the top apps today.  It continues to be known for its trust-worthy food delivery and transport services. During the midst of the pandemic, Grab wanted to help different types of businesses to continue their operations and cater to their consumers. That’s how GrabExpress was born.

What is GrabExpress?

GrabExpress is an on demand premium delivery service that provides merchants the convenience in reaching their customers. It focuses on in-house orders where merchants can book a rider to have their items delivered right to their customer’s doorstep. These orders are usually placed through your businesses’ ordering platform, such as your website.

Where is GrabExpress available?

If you need the right business platform for you to put your products and feature your types of services, the ZAP Group Inc. has partnered with GrabExpress to help bridge your online store and delivery/ shipping reliably for you and your customers. Streamline your order fulfillment with your own E-Store. Interested? Contact us.