When it comes to building a successful business, knowing your lane—and respecting your partner’s—is everything. Just ask Karlo Cruz and Elisa Siducon, the married founders behind Don Benito’s Cassava and Pichi Pichi.
In this growing Filipino food brand, Elisa is the builder. “Sa kanya ang expansion,” Karlo shared. She’s the visionary behind every new store location and product rollout. With a background in fashion accessories, Elisa naturally gravitated toward brand building and market development. “Mahilig talaga ako mag-expand,” she said. “Mahilig ako magtatayo.” That entrepreneurial instinct led her to develop new products like Don Benito’s pichi pichi, which became a major profit driver.
Meanwhile, Karlo takes charge of the day-to-day grind. “Sa kanya ang ‘Don,’ sa akin ang ‘Benito,’” he said with a laugh. As a former lawyer and government employee, Karlo applies a methodical approach to business. He oversees operations, audits, and supplier coordination. From personally buying cassava at Balintawak market to ensuring store performance hits breakeven daily, Karlo runs a tight ship.
The division of labor isn’t just about efficiency—it’s built on deep trust. Elisa focuses on growing the brand. Karlo ensures it runs like clockwork. “I need him to give me a product, and we’ll package and market it,” Elisa said. Their strengths are complementary—and their partnership is key to Don Benito’s expansion from one modest branch to multiple locations across Metro Manila and nearby provinces.
Even with sales starting at just six cakes a day, they never lost focus. Their strategy: stay lean, reinvest profits, and open new branches close to their Mindanao Avenue base to minimize delivery costs.
Their synergy proves that with a shared vision, clear roles, and mutual respect, even humble beginnings can scale. “He’s very supportive of me in all aspects,” Elisa said. “And because of that, I can go all in.”
At Don Benito’s, success isn’t just cassava and pichi pichi. It’s what happens when a builder and a doer move as one.
