TWENTY-FIVE years ago, Johnlu Koa, a young and idealistic businessman, opened the first The French Baker store in SM City North EDSA and made good-quality European-style breads available to the local market.
“It was in 1985 when I travelled to Europe for the first time and fell in love with Paris and her baked goodies. Since then, I’ve dreamt of doing the same so that I could impart a similar experience to our kababayans in the Philippines,” Johnlu recalls.
Now, 25 years later, The French Baker has grown into a successful chain of 52 French-style bakery-cafés, and to celebrate its historic 25th anniversary this year, The French Baker partnered with Insight Vacations, Rajah Travel Corporation and Etihad Airways to launch Visit Paris in Summer 2015, a raffle promo where one lucky customer wins an all-expense paid 10-day trip to Paris, France, with three companions courtesy of The French Baker.
This grand promo is The French Baker’s way of saying thank-you to its customers, who have made The French Baker the success that it now is today and have supported it through the years despite the emergence of competitors in the local market.
HOW TO JOIN THE PROMO
Ongoing until March 15, 2015, the Visit Paris in Summer 2015 raffle promo entitles customers to one raffle coupon for every Php500 worth of dine-in and take-out single receipt from any The French Baker branch.
For the grand draw in March, 2015, a grand winner will be picked from among the entries and will get to spend at least three days in each of France’s key cities — Paris, the old Roman City of Nimes, and Monte Carlo — through escorted tours provider Insight Vacations, together with Rajah Travel Corporation, and Etihad Airways as official airline.
Twenty-five other winners will be picked to win gift certificates worth Php5,000 each.
“People may ask why four tickets for one winner and not four winners with one ticket each. The reason is that we want the winner to see the charms of France and experience that magical feeling together with family and friends and not just by themselves,” explains Johnlu.
Insight Vacations, which has just launched its 2015 itinerary and magazine, which is available through Rajah Travel Corporation, shall provide the winner and his/her companions with luxury escorted tours throughout their stay in France. Rajah Travel Corporation, a company known for its world-class travel itineraries, will make sure that the winners will be getting only the most immersive look at French history and culture during their stay. Etihad Airways, for its part, shall be flying the winners to France and back in style and shall be accorded great service and hospitality that Etihad Airways is known for.
25TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION
Apart from launching the Visit Paris in Summer 2015 raffle promo during its grand 25th anniversary celebration which took place at the Mega Fashion Hall, SM Megamall, in Mandaluyong City, last November 4, 2014, The French Baker also presented a spectacle of fashion, art, food, music and entertainment in the form of tableaus. Models were dressed in Parisian chic outfits, the Art tableau featured paintings from France, and food was represented by two tableaus—the Wine and Cheese tableau, which offered exquisite cheeses from different parts of Europe; and the Food tableau, which provided a delectable choice of entrées, including a whole Cochinillo with Black Truffle Rice stuffing, Baked Salmon Florentine, Pizza, Pasta, Smoked Salmon, Devilled Eggs, French Macarons, and assorted cakes and puff pastries. And providing live music and entertainment was Mr. Pure Energy himself, Gary Valenciano, who worked up the crowd and made it truly an evening to remember.
The party turned out to be double celebration, as it also served as a victory party for Johnlu Koa, who recently received yet another award for the Outstanding Category of the Asia-Pacific Entrepreneurship Awards (APEA) for his exceptional business management performance. APEA is an awards ceremony organized by Enterprise Asia to honor entrepreneurs in the Asia-Pacific region who show outstanding leadership and innovation when it comes to managing their respective businesses. Johnlu happens to be the very first Filipino entrepreneur in the history of APEA to be given the coveted award.
What a fitting tribute to the man who has turned The French Baker from a startup company to a thriving business. Now 25 and counting, The French Baker has also expanded to include The French Baker “Salon de The” edition and opened the doors to yet another brand, Lartizan Boulangerie.
