foodpanda champions business expansion at CRAVE 2026 in Cebu
By
The Minkay Life
CRAVE 2026 gathered foodpanda partner vendors from across the Visayas to celebrate their collective achievements and foster partnerships focused on continued growth
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Food entrepreneurs and merchants from key markets across the Visayas recently convened in Cebu City for foodpanda’s CRAVE Partner Summit & Awards 2026, showcasing how the platform supports regional food businesses in broadening their market reach, streamlining operations, and expanding beyond their home provinces.
The event brought together restaurant leaders from Central, Eastern, and Western Visayas, with discussions centered on equipping local merchants with digital tools and solutions to adapt, grow, and remain competitive in an evolving food and business landscape.
(L-R: Prateek Teotia, Commercial Director; Patricia Jacinto, Director for Growth and Marketing; and Leopoldo De Castro Jr., Finance Director) foodpanda Philippines leaders emphasized their shared objectives and commitment to building long-term partnerships with vendors
Beyond facilitating deliveries, foodpanda is helping regional merchants harness real-time customer data, targeted marketing tools, and more efficient fulfillment solutions to tap into demand from local customers as well as tourists visiting the region.
Prateek Teotia, Commercial Director of foodpanda Philippines, shared key business trends and opportunities from the first half of 2026, highlighting ways partner vendors can sustain and build on their growth for the remainder of the year
“Our goal is to play an active role in driving the growth of our merchant partners,” said Patricia Jacinto, Director for Growth and Marketing at foodpanda Philippines. “By combining their culinary expertise with foodpanda’s digital ecosystem and data-driven insights, Visayan restaurants can adapt more quickly to changing market trends, increase order volumes, and achieve sustainable growth beyond their physical locations.”
Leopoldo De Castro Jr., Finance Director at foodpanda Philippines, welcomed attendees at CRAVE Cebu and reaffirmed foodpanda’s ongoing commitment to supporting partner vendors in expanding and thriving in the digital marketplaceHon. Marivic V. Aguilar, Provincial Director of DTI Region 7, emphasized the importance of digitalization and innovation in helping food MSMEs enhance their operations, remain competitive, and achieve sustainable business growth
Celebrating the Visayas’ Rising Brands
CRAVE 2026 recognized partner vendors across the Visayas for harnessing foodpanda’s platform to drive strong business results and expand their operations.
The Pau-Pau’s Top of Table Award honored brands that demonstrated notable sales performance and market leadership, with Alberto’s Pizza, Sal’s Bar and Restaurant, Dimsum Break, Ribshack, and PorkHub receiving the recognition.
Alberto’s Pizza earned the Gold Pau Pau’s Top of Table Award, recognizing its strong sales performance and leadership in the market. Established in Cebu in 2008, the homegrown brand continues to serve affordable, quality pizzas to customers across the VisMin region
Sisigan Sa Doctors, Ma. Lina Catering Services, The Original AA BBQ, Sans Rival Cakes and Pastries, and Tiktilaok received the Pau-Pau’s Momentum Master Award for demonstrating remarkable year-on-year growth during the first half of 2026.
Sisigan Sa Doctors took home the Gold Pau-Pau’s Momentum Master Award in recognition of its strong performance in the first half of 2026. Founded as a street food stall in Iloilo City in 2021, the brand has since expanded to two branches, serving affordable comfort food 24/7
Meanwhile, Felisa’s Cafe & Restaurant, Mom Rose, Cebu’s Tasty Lechon, Cribs, Ram’s Pizza, Pasta and Milktea, and Metro Retail Supermarket received the Pau-Pau’s Brand Spotlight Award, recognizing their creative marketing efforts and strong partnerships with the platform.
Felisa’s Cafe & Restaurant was recognized with the Gold Pau Pau’s Brand Spotlight Award for its innovative marketing strategies and business growth. Founded in Tacloban in 1946, the homegrown restaurant continues to expand its customer base through its partnership with foodpandaMetro Retail Supermarket received the Gold Pau-Pau’s Brand Spotlight in foodpanda shops Award for its sustained growth and strong partnership with the platform. Founded in Cebu in 1982, the homegrown retailer has since expanded its presence across Luzon and the Visayas, operating supermarkets, department stores, and hypermarketsGay Martinez, owner of Cebu’s Tasty Lechon, recounted the brand’s growth from its humble beginnings in 2016 to more than 20 branches across Cebu, with foodpanda playing a key role in broadening its customer reachRose Pharmacy received the Gold Operational Excellence in foodpanda shops Award, recognizing its seamless and dependable service. Established in Iloilo in 1952, the homegrown pharmacy has since expanded into a trusted healthcare retailer with a strong presence across the Visayas and Mindanao
Recognized for their seamless order fulfillment and consistently reliable service, Hybrid Coffee, Somac Korean Restaurant, Got Tea? Crafted Milk Tea, Popcha Milktea Station, Gabby’s Bistro, and Rose Pharmacy were honored with the Operational Excellence Award.
Hybrid Coffee received the Gold Operational Excellence Award in recognition of its strong operational standards and dependable service. Located in Lapu-Lapu City, the neighborhood café offers a unique concept that brings together quality coffee, home-style meals, and carwash services under one roof
Finally, the People’s Palate Award celebrated restaurants that earned strong customer ratings and consistently attracted repeat orders. The award recognized Hukad Everyday Filipino, SAJ HUT, Mango Magic, Dapogan, and Wingers Unlimited for winning over diners with their food and service.
Hukad Everyday Filipino took the gold People’s Palate Award for its strong customer following and ratings. The brand traces its roots to Golden Cowrie Native Restaurant, which began in Cebu City in 1982
Driving Continuous Merchant Scale
As restaurants prepare for the busy holiday season, foodpanda is strengthening its support for long-term merchant growth by introducing advanced AI-powered forecasting tools and automated marketing solutions. These innovations are designed to help regional vendors optimize daily operations, manage capacity, and encourage customers to return.
Kathleen Huang, Country Marketing Head of Unilever Food Solutions, highlighted emerging dining trends to help businesses adapt their menus and stay relevant to evolving customer preferencesFoodpanda executives raised a toast with partner vendors, celebrating the achievements of the first half of the year and looking forward to continued success in the years ahead
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