Grabbing the opportunity to #BreakTheBias

Grabbing the opportunity to #BreakTheBias:

How Grab helps female-led businesses grow and make their mark

CloudEats, Thai Mango, and Ate Rica’s Bacsilog share about Grab’s crucial role in growing their businesses

MANILA, PHILIPPINES, MARCH 28, 2022 – This year’s International Women’s Month, with the slogan #BreakTheBias, invites everyone to not only imagine, but also actively work for equal opportunity and fair treatment for all, especially women. Grab, the everyday superapp whose array of services is backed by a large community of partners, is one of the companies taking on this task.

Recognizing the significance of International Women’s Month and the numerous roles women play and may achieve, Grab is committed to promoting equality among their merchant partners by ensuring that they have access to the tools and resources they need to succeed.

Cloud kitchen CloudEats, Thai food service Thai Mango, and Filipino food fave Ate Rica’s Bacsilog are just a few women-led businesses that have had their own success stories with Grab.

Uncovering the potentials of tech

Grab has long been committed to supporting digitization and reaping its numerous benefits as an online platform. This means that, in addition to providing merchants with tools like GrabAds (which allows them to work with self-serve advertisements to increase their visibility) and GrabMerchant (which allows them to check their data), they are also assisted from the start.

Following the terrible experience of having to close restaurants in the past, CloudEats’ Co-Founder and CEO Kimberly Yao was able to recognize the need of going digital from the start. After experimenting with technology with her booze delivery firm, Boozy, she felt that going online was the next logical step, which Grab was able to assist her with.

“It was very clear to me that technology was the main thing that could scale and evolve a traditional business, and so our entire vision when we started CloudEats was really on how to digitize a very traditional industry like food service,” says Yao.

As a result of this revelation, CloudEats’ decision to join Grab was a critical step in the company’s development. With the addition of CloudEats companies like Seoulmates by Alyssa and Kiefer and Chef Carlo’s Country Chicken to the super app, Yao feels more empowered to continue on her path, especially as a woman in the sector.

“Having the chance to build and run a business as a woman gives me a lot of strength and confidence. While there are many challenges of being in typically male-dominated industries – both F&B and venture-backed startups – I take this as a huge opportunity to celebrate women and our capabilities,” adds Yao.

A helping hand in difficult times

Yao is far from the only one who has benefited from working with Grab and the fair possibilities that it provides. Rica Penalosa’s Ate Rica’s Bacsilog, which began as a food cart 14 years ago, shares similar perspective about Grab’s involvement in her business’ growth, especially in the backdrop of experiencing dwindling sales during the pandemic’s peak.

During this critical period, Penalosa looked for other choices, embracing the opportunity to go online and give herself, her company, and her employees a second chance. She noticed the benefits of onboarding with Grab, such as how it allowed her to reconnect with their existing audience – as well as extend to new ones.

“Grab was one of the key players in our business that managed to keep the food business afloat. They provided a customer base that all our branches could take advantage of,” says Penalosa, adding in to say that if not for Grab, they would have been forced to permanently close down many of their stores.

Penalosa thinks that their experience can encourage other businesses that are still struggling with the pandemic or are trying to start their own business completely, feeling that everyone has a chance, especially with Grab’s help and support.

“With the promotional material and the exposure Grab provides businesses, there’s no doubt in my mind that this could really spark something to aspiring entrepreneurs. Small and local businesses need that push and all the help they can get, and we are glad that Grab provides this opportunity, especially to young women entrepreneurs,” shares Penalosa.

Growing in the nurturing support of Grab

Grab’s dedication to assisting merchant-partners in every manner possible has included ongoing aggressive attempts to increase their presence in their quest to expand their business.

Kim Baquiano, the founder of Thai Mango, has witnessed this assistance and how hands-on Grab can be, as the superapp has been with them every step of the way and continues to support each of their branches to this day.

“The management reached out and helped us boost our brand even when we were just small back then. They engaged and connected us with their media partners,” she says. Baquiano then goes on to add that from one branch, Thai Mango has since gone on to having five successful cloud kitchens through the help of Grab boosting their presence and expanding their audience.

And while aware of how there is “no smooth-sailing in this industry,” Baquiano feels assured of her connection with Grab.

“I feel that I am on the right path with the right business partner. Despite only being an amateur in the business, I believe our brand became more successful during the pandemic from being a GrabFood partner,” she says.

Apart from leveraging the platform’s resources, all three ladies have accepted the offer to give back to their society through fair and equal chances these days. CloudEats, Thai Mango, and Ate Rica’s Bacsilog are all champions of equality, putting in place routes to ensure that everyone, regardless of gender or background, has a place with them as they grow.

And, just as it enables and inspires all three women to be their best and provide the finest service to clients, they hope it also empowers and inspires more young entrepreneurs to take the risk, forge their own paths, and do so with Grab.

“COVID-19 really brought people to their knees but saw many take that leap of faith to start their own businesses and are continuing to grow today. Now that Grab can be part of your journey, what’s stopping you to start?” shares Penalosa.

Thai Mango, Ate Rica’s Bacsilog, and CloudEats’ suite of merchants are on Grab, ready to serve quality dishes. Get to know theirs and many other women-led brands’ offerings on Grab today, and check out the platform’s website, Facebook and Instagram for updates on how you can take the leap with Grab as well.