"It was that memory that prompted me to venture into selling halo-halo. When the opportunity came, I didn't hesitate to recreate the setting with a different vibe — my own vibe. This is my first food venture."
YOU can never go wrong with halo-halo, the favorite and traditional Filipino dessert made of shaved ice that has become a sought-after snack, especially this summer.
There are a number of brands that came out in Manila recently, each with their distinct treats, making them different from the rest.
One is Halo-Halo Story, started by Duncan Yu, who dauntlessly ventured into the halo-halo business just after the pandemic.
"I have immigrant relatives, and whenever they flew back to the Philippines every year with guests from abroad, they were always excited to offer Filipino dishes, especially halo-halo," Yu told The Manila Times.
"I often heard my aunts and uncles saying: 'You must try the halo-halo! You must!'
"It was that memory that prompted me to venture into selling halo-halo. When the opportunity came, I didn't hesitate to recreate the setting with a different vibe — my own vibe. This is my first food venture."
Yu knows that with halo-halo, a common dessert sold in dime-a-dozen stores, he needed to be different and distinct so that people would recall what his business offers.
"I love the Philippines," Yu asserted.
What’s special about Halo-Halo Story is the concoction of its signature flavors, buko pie, maja blanca and four cheese, as well as flavors with witty, nostalgic names such as Halo-halo ng Kapitbahay, Ubeng-ubeng Ube and Iskrambol sa Iskul. CONTRIBUTED PHOTOS What’s special about Halo-Halo Story is the concoction of its signature flavors, buko pie, maja blanca and four cheese, as well as flavors with witty, nostalgic names such as Halo-halo ng Kapitbahay, Ubeng-ubeng Ube and Iskrambol sa Iskul. CONTRIBUTED PHOTOS What’s special about Halo-Halo Story is the concoction of its signature flavors, buko pie, maja blanca and four cheese, as well as flavors with witty, nostalgic names such as Halo-halo ng Kapitbahay, Ubeng-ubeng Ube and Iskrambol sa Iskul. CONTRIBUTED PHOTOS What’s special about Halo-Halo Story is the concoction of its signature flavors, buko pie, maja blanca and four cheese, as well as flavors with witty, nostalgic names such as Halo-halo ng Kapitbahay, Ubeng-ubeng Ube and Iskrambol sa Iskul. CONTRIBUTED PHOTOS
"Our beaches are amazing and a must-see for tourists and locals alike. Besides adobo and other native food, it's halo-halo we are most proud of.
"I realized during the pandemic that it was always just part of the dessert menu of many restaurants around. There is no specialty store for halo-halo. No Starbucks of halo-halo, so to speak.
"What's special about Halo-Halo Story is the concoction of our signature flavors. Can you imagine buko pie, maja blanca and four cheese as flavors? They're good on their own. But on halo-halo?"
Yu brilliantly concocted the special flavors that instantly became a hit with customers of Halo-Halo Story. The serving comes with ice cream for a more tempting treat.
"What's also different are the witty, nostalgic names of flavors such as Halo-halo ng Kapitbahay and Ubeng-ubeng Ube," Yu said.
"I have fond memories as a child at school when I looked for 'Manong' who sells 'ice scramble' outside the campus. It was the inspiration for the Iskrambol sa Iskul flavor."
Halo-Halo Story recently introduced a new summer flavor, buko pandan, available from March to May. Another special offering is the cinnamon saba con hielo, recently added to the menu as a permanent fixture. The store is constantly willing to explore new variants as well as ideas.
Yu lived in Pampanga for a time but often traveled out of the country. He developed his tastes in food, which became widespread over the years.
"So, my tastes in food are wide, which I likewise consider as factors which helped me in developing the different flavors of Halo-Halo Story."
Expectedly, putting up a business had its challenges from the start. "The challenges were coping with demand and reaching far locations of people who wanted the halo-halo," Yu said.
"We are very grateful to the customers. We are continuing to find solutions and improve different aspects of the business before we franchise. We want to make sure that franchisees get a top-quality and long-term business when the time comes."
Yu's Halo-Halo Story understandably started with its first outlet at the Food Hall of SM Center in Pasig. The second one followed at 42 Quezon Avenue, Quezon City. The third opened at the Food Court of SM Sta. Mesa, followed by its fourth at White Plains West along Katipunan Avenue in Quezon City.
Within the year, Yu is expected to open other branches for Halo-Halo Story.
"My team and I work on it until we find the right location," he said.
"It's a continuous process. The goal is to be in the major malls, on the beaches, and all over the Philippines with the Halo-Halo Story stand-alone take-away concepts."
Yu's idea is for people to enjoy halo-halo face-to-face instead of merely chatting on social media. He envisioned Halo-Halo Story as a place to enjoy the dessert while catching up on the latest about each other or even about the juicy news.
Halo-Halo Story does not use shaved ice but frozen milk. That makes the ingredients easy to stir inside the glass. That also makes the product stand out from the rest.
"It's the consistency and taste of the ice that we use," Yu pointed out. "Others followed our style for texture, but we managed to make every serving consistent.
Yu has explored halo-halo variants and flavors the store has offered. They have bestsellers to date, like the Halo-halo ng Kapitbahay, Ubeng-ubeng Ube, the three signature flavors, as well as Iskrambol sa Iskul.
"The next variants are unpredictable since I let the ideas flow naturally," Yu disclosed.
"I base them on my experiences and memories. Our customers can look forward to a new flavor, fruitcake halo-halo, for the Christmas holidays."
Yu took up an advertising major in fine arts at the University of Santo Tomas.
"The advertising and fine arts subjects were a great help," he admitted.
"They liberated me from the norm of marketing and gave me a different perspective on doing things."
Being a business owner has its advantages and disadvantages. It's hard being at the helm of a business, Yet the job is fulfilling.
"It sounds like a cliché, but this is a 25-hour job," Yu said.
"Sometimes, I wake up in the middle of the night with ideas, or in unusual circumstances, an idea just pops up. It's very hard and very fulfilling at the same time, but for me, the fulfillment is in the fruit of the labor.
"The positive results outweigh the hardships and sacrifices. The most fulfilling part of this business is we help the economy by providing jobs as we continue to expand."
Yu's family used to be in the auto supply business for jeepneys and owner-type jeeps. They sold surplus parts from Japan.
"My first job was as an usher at the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP)," he shared.
"Then, I worked for a call center company (PLDT). On my own, I got into ladies' bag manufacturing and direct selling (multi-level marketing), which were a big help in molding my entrepreneurship skills and character."
Yu wanted to be an astronaut, then an architect, a basketball player, and, lastly, a rap artist. "It was always changing until I found my calling to be an entrepreneur," he disclosed. "I guess I was kind of sidetracked."
In juggling time between work and home, Yu keeps an admirable balance.
"I try to limit social media as much as possible. Time is gold, time is money, but I try to maintain life and work balance. Time management is key. I'm always busy, but I make time to see people or attend occasions."
Yu runs Ultra Green Co., whose product is green coffee.
"It's my first love because it changed my life as an entrepreneur," he shared. "It has an interesting story. It's about helping people start their own business with a small capital."
Yu unwinds by escaping the city's hustle and bustle, traveling abroad, going to the beach, or just playing with his niece and nephews, plus a lot of eating.
Yu's normal days and weekends are practically the same.
"I work out and then go to the Ultra Green Co. office," he offered.
"I try to visit the Halo-Halo Story commissary daily and do random branch visits. I don't follow the weekend rest thing. I take time off whenever I need it. But on Sundays, going to church is a must."
Thankfully, Yu's family is "very understanding." He gets support from his loved ones in the work that he does. The advice, meanwhile, comes from him.
"My family respects each other's business ventures," Yu maintained. "I didn't have a great father figure growing up, so I was on my own in knowing what's good and what's bad.
"Also, I learned things from friends and the people around me, people I hang out with. I'm very thankful to them. As for advice, it's me who does it for the family since it's only my mom who's around."
Yu is aware that he needs to know the important values in life and keep them in mind constantly.
"What I realized is, leadership, respect, good character, consistency, resilience and hard work pay off and can be learned in time," he asserted. "Always move forward in life. The only time you look back is to see how far you have gone. Keep moving.
"One more lesson is you don't need to be good at everything. What you need is to be good at dealing with people. If you are good at that and you are good at treating them well, you don't need to know everything. Other people will help you in the areas where you don't do well, or you still don't know how to do."
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Quick QuestionsWhat is your biggest fear?
To be useless.
What makes you angry?
People who are users and without debt of gratitude.
What motivates you to work hard?
Helping people and changing their lives.
What makes you laugh most?
Innocent, candid moments with children or pets.
What would you do if you won the lotto?
Let's figure it out when I win.
If you could share a meal with any individual, living or dead, who would it be?
Niccolò Machiavelli.
What was the last book you read?
"Steve Jobs" by Walter Isaacson.
What celebrity would you like to meet for a cup of coffee?
Kanye West.
What was the most daring thing you have ever done?
Start a business that I know nothing about.
What is the one thing you will never do again?
To stop believing in God, which I once did.
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