NEW BRANCH. Kenneth and Kristine Kokseng talk to reporters during the opening of Hukad in South Town Center in Tabunok, Talisay. On Wednesday, Hukad introduced five dishes, which include spicy beef flakes, oxtail humba, balot sisig, tropical brulee and ube halayan crisp a la mode. The couple said the dishes will be made available first in their Lahug branch late this month or early next year. (SUN.STAR FOTO/ALLAN DEFENSOR)
HOMEGROWN Filipino restaurant Hukad of couple Kenneth and Kristine Kokseng are set for wider expansion next year as more mall establishments sprout across the country.
Kenneth, in an interview on Wednesday, told reporters there are two confirmed Hukad branches to open next year, one in Iloilo and the other in Zamboanga.
At present, there are 21 branches of Hukad and Golden Cowrie in Visayas and Mindanao, the newly-opened one being Hukad in South Town Center in Tabunok, Talisay.
The restaurant opened four branches this year. These are in Tacloban City, Tagum City in Davao, Bacolod and Talisay City in Cebu.
Golden Cowrie and Hukad bear the same menu but the former adopts a stand-alone set up while Hukad is inside commercial establishments.
“We’re more on Hukad because most of the expansions are inside the malls,” Kenneth said.
Of the existing branches, Christine said eight are in Cebu and all are company-owned.
The 13 others are franchised.
The farthest branch in the Visayas is in Boracay and General Santos in Mindanao.
The couple said they are also looking forward to open Hukad in Manila, but there are no definite plans yet.
As part of their expansion, Hukad and Golden Cowrie came up with four video advertisements titled “Kwentong Salu-salo” which will be shown in major cinemas.
“This is our preparation to go nationwide. This is part of the branding,” Kristine said, adding that the ads will also be uploaded in YouTube, as a way to reach out to their customers in social media.
Also on Wednesday, Hukad introduced five new dishes, which include spicy beef flakes, oxtail humba, balot sisig, tropical brulee and ube halayan crisp a la mode.
The couple said the dishes will be made available first in their Lahug branch late this month or early next year.
Published in the Sun.Star Cebu newspaper on December 05, 2014.
