DAVAO CITY — The firm behind the SumoSam Japanese restaurant chain plans to set up three more restaurants in Mindanao within the next two years, an offficial said.

“We are now negotiating with some landowners,” Carlo C. Lorenzana of Sumosouth Foods Inc. told BusinessWorld last week.

The firm already has an outlet at the Abreeza Mall here, which is a joint venture of Ayala Land, Inc. and the Antonio Floirendo Corp. (Anflocor).

One proposed site for expansion, Mr. Lorenzana said, is the SM City Davao mall, which is located at the southern part of the city.

SM is currently constructing a second shopping mall six kilometers north of downtown. 

Mr. Lorenzana added the company is also looking at expanding to other key cities in Mindanao, particularly General Santos and Cagayan de Oro where new shopping malls are also set to open next year.

In General Santos City, SM Prime Holdings, Inc. is constructing a retail center reportedly with 120,000 square meters in floor space, while Ayala and Anflocor are also set to open a mixed-use complex in Cagayan de Oro similar to Abreeza. 

So far, the firm’s existing restaurant in Abreeza attracts 50 to 170 customers per day, Ricardo Laudico, a co-owner said.

The chefs of the local restaurant, Mr. Laudico added, have whipped seven items in the menu that are unique to Davao’s SumoSam containing indigenous ingredients. 

Among these, he said, is a tuna roll with cheese from the Malagos Garden. 

He added the company will soon introduce Davao’s menu items into the company’s other eight branches in Metro Manila. 

The SumoSam restaurant here is a joint venture involving Mr. Lorenzana’s group and that of the chain’s owners that include actor Marvin Agustin. 

“That joint-venture agreement will mature in one year,” said Mr. Lorenzana, further noting that there is an option to venture into franchising. — Carmelito Q. Francisco