Johnlu Koa: Baking Bread to the Top

Twenty-three years ago, Johnlu Koa as a budding Filipino entrepreneur stepped on uncharted territory when he opened The French Baker, the first French bakery cafe in the country.  Complementing the malls experience, The French Baker created its own niche category.  Totally unheard then, Koa introduced live baking on each store with fully-equipped kitchens and ovens that caught the attention of customers that kept coming back to take advantage of real fresh-baked products, especially the French croissants and baguettes.

Johnlu Koa of The French Baker

 “You cannot find crusty buns and rolls in any other bakeries.  We are so dedicated to making them. Our mission is to bake hard-to-bake breads,” shares Koa.  And the difference with their baked products is in its taste, flavor and symphony of crackle that comes only from good bread. 

Fast forward to present time, The French Baker remains on top of its category after opening 43 stores located mostly at the SM Supermalls.  In 1994, The French Baker received the Agora Award for the Company of the Year by the Philippine Marketing Association.  For 2003 to 2004, the bakery cafe was included in the Superbrands Philippines' roster, then in 2010, the Hall of Fame Award by the Philippine Retailers Association.

Koa's keen sense on market opportunities and formidable drive to product development helped The French Baker to remain relevant in the market to this day.  “We would rather understand the market and pursue what we can potentially do for them that others could not,” reveals Koa.  “Our success formula is to be focused on mall customers, on what they want that we can offer.”

To keep ahead, Koa observes international trends by having frequent trips abroad as well as taking suggestions from local chefs and foodies.  From there, he then takes his cue and foresees the same trend two or three years happening locally. The French Baker achieved a breakthrough when it started carrying 100 percent whole grain, the purest whole wheat bread available in the market today. Lately, he introduced giant-sized “Parisian Macaron” cookies filled with French butter cream in pistachio, mocha, raspberry and chocolate that can be eaten as a snack or dessert. “I believe my macaron comes very close to the ones in Paris,” muses Koa. Every Christmas season, Koa bakes his “pure Danish butter cookies” and packs them in an attractive jar. “Customers look forward to it as I do it only once a year,” he adds.

First posted on May 17, 2012.