Belle Corp. to operate restaurant as promo tool
By Jeffrey Valisno
Source: Business World - June 13, 2006

Listed high-end property developer Belle Corp. has adopted a new strategy to market its flagship project, the Tagaytay Highlands, as well as its other real estate ventures.

Belle Corp. Assistant Corporate Secretary Jason C. Nalupta said the company has joined some of its club members in Tagaytay Highlands to operate a new restaurant in SM Mall of Asia in Pasay City.

He said belle would own 10% of Highlands Gourment Specialists, Inc., the new company formed to operate the restaurant called “Highlands Steakhouse”. Mr. Nalupta said the the restaurant would have a soft opening this Thursday, and would be formally inaugurated next month.

Belle Corp. Corporate Secretary A. Bayani K. Tan told reporters that the opening of the restaurant does not mean that the company would venture into the food business.

“This restaurant is an opportunity for us to offer what we have in Tagaytay Highlands,” Mr. Tan said. “The purpose [of this restaurant] is to showcase Tagaytay Highlands to a market that has not gone here and enjoyed our facilities,” he added.

Mr. Tan said the restaurant in the SM Mall of Asia would have the same log cabin interiors, as well as the menu of the original Highlands Steakhouse located in Belle View Drive in Tagaytay Highlands.

The original Highlands Steakhouse became popular for its generous servings of delicious prime ribs. However, the restaurant in Tagaytay is restricted to members of Tagaytay Highlands Country Club and their guests. On the other hand, he said the new restaurant in the mall would be open to the public. “But club members would have signing privileges,” he said.

Mr. Tan said the Highlands Steakhouse in SM Mall of Asia would also serve as a permanent showroom for Belle’s other projects. The new restaurant will have scale models of the company’s real estate projects to catch the interest of diners.

Belle’s shares closed at P1.04 per share last Friday.