The founder of the popular food cart stumbled upon the recipe while making siomai at home. From that small idea, Master Siomai now counts over 900 outlets nationwide, making it one of the most successful food cart businesses in the country today. Here’s how he did it.
The story of Ernilito Chan and his rise as the founder of Master Siomai exemplifies the importance of resilience and his ability to capitalize on opportunities. Born into a family that faced financial hardships, Chan’s commitment to supporting his loved ones started early. At age 17, he left school to find work and contribute to his family needs.
Chan began his journey working as a construction worker, then as a factory worker, and later as a taxi driver. He realized that to earn more, he needed to expand his horizons and so he took on a role as a salesman, selling water dispensers and other household items.
During this time, he stumbled upon the idea of making siomai when he experimented with a recipe at home using a cookbook he had purchased from a bookstore. He originally wanted to share it with his family and friends, but after receiving positive feedback from his neighbors and relatives, he decided to sell it at a wet market in Malabon.
Chan’s siomai quickly gained popularity, and before long, he was distributing it to various wet markets across Metro Manila. For seven years, he diligently built his business until, in 2007, while passing by the LRT station in Recto, he got the idea of opening his own siomai food cart business, which he branded as Master Siomai.
The response to Chan’s siomai food cart was overwhelming. Within just three months, he expanded to four outlets and then offered franchising. By the end of 2007, the total number of Master Siomai outlets rose to 50.
Today, Master Siomai has transformed into more than just a beloved siomai brand; it has firmly established itself as one of the leading contenders in the siomai cart industry, with an impressive network of over 900 outlets nationwide. This remarkable growth underscores the brand’s commitment to quality and its ability to cater to the changing tastes of its customers.
How did Chan respond to the challenges in the siomai market, and what measures did he take to maintain Master Siomai’s competitive edge? What lessons can aspiring entrepreneurs learn from Chan’s journey from humble beginnings to becoming a key player in the food cart industry?
Here are the five business lessons every entrepreneur can learn from Ernilito Chan, founder and CEO of Master Siomai: (read more)
