Visum Ventures, one of the Philippines’ fastest-growing and progressive F & B companies, recently forged a business partnership with Chef-Restaurateur Happy Ongpauco-Tiu’s Happy Concept Group. Visum is behind Koomi, the country’s favorite natural drinking yoghurt from Australia, Oh My Greek, Zig, Sante by Zig, Meraki by Oh My Greek, T2, and Salt and Ice Bar.

As part of the partnership, Visum will help in the expansion of Chef Happy’s restaurants, Tsokolateria and Pamana, by opening more locations in the metro.

Same values, aligned in the same direction

Chef Happy used to be very apprehensive when it came to having business partners.  “I’m a one-woman show. I’m the chef. I’m the head of operations. I’m in charge of social media” she says.   “Now that I have multiple restaurant brands with a total of 10 branches, plus a catering company and 2 Home retail stores, I realized that there’s too much on my plate.  I have dreams and goals that I want to achieve but my family is my priority. The best solution for me to achieve my goal of expanding my brands is to partner with a company that has values that aligns with mine.”

Chef Happy believes that company is Visum Ventures.  She admires them for being resilient during the pandemic, so much so that they were expanding while other restaurant groups scaled down their operations.  “I’m really excited because there has always been a clamor for me to open in Metro Manila,” she enthuses.   Currently, Tsokolateria and Pamana are destination dining places located in Tagaytay, Boracay, Palawan and Baguio.  As part of the partnership, Visum and Happy Concept Group will join forces to expand Tsokolateria and Pamana, making it more accessible to everyone.

For his part, John-Michael Hilton, CEO and President of Visum Ventures, says that the joint venture with Chef Happy is a great opportunity for Visum to strengthen its portfolio of brands.  “We have complementary capabilities aligned in the same direction.  Chef Happy’s exceptional culinary skills, business savvy and commitment to great food bodes well for the growth of the brands she has conceptualized and developed through the years. We are excited to partner with her and help grow her well-loved concepts.”

“We aim for her brands to be more accessible to Filipinos, as we believe in Chef Happy and her amazing food, and what she has to offer. At Visum Ventures we love curating concepts both internationally and locally, serving world experiences one plate at a time.” Says Hilton.

Hilton shares that they have already secured spaces at SM Aura, Greenbelt 5, Estancia, and Greenhills as initial areas of expansion in Manila, with more coming soon.  

Happy partnership

Chef Happy is known for her “food from the heart” comfort food made of childhood memories Her Pamana restaurants specialize in heirloom Filipino recipes passed on from generation to generation of the Ongpauco family, while her Tsokolateria artisanal cafe is well-patronized for its delicious food and beverages made with cacao.

“What a perfect match — with the kitchen being my playground where I can continuously create happy dishes, while Visum helps me with all the operations. Imagine what’s there to come in the future, especially now that I have Visum” says Chef Happy.

Follow Visum Ventures, Happy Concept Group, Tsokolateria, and Pamana Restaurant on Facebook and Instagram.