A Bigger and Better Big Bite Northern Mindanao Food Festival opened on March 5, 2020 at the Ayala Centrio Mall in Cagayan de Oro.
Scheduled from March 5-8, 2020, the festival is a Centrio Mall marketing event promoting the food s scene in Cagayan de Oro City.
“This year there will be 71 food concessionaires, food exhibitors prepared with love,”said Centrio Mall Manager Hammer Roa during the festival launch held at the Centrio Activity Center.
“On top of that, all of our favorite food places are gathered here today at one venue for four days with the likes of Butcher’s Best and Aling Violy’s Humba, to mention a few.”
What is extra special about this year is that we have partnered with Liceo de Cagayan University who will be demonstrating the latest technical skills in kitchen set, competencies and techniques,” Roa added.
The launching program climaxed with the setting of what is probably the longest Seafood Boodle ever in Cagayan de Oro and Northern Mindanao, with VIPs from Centrio Mall and local tourism offices helping set up the 20 meter table with delectable grilled seafood favorites from Gerry’s Grill, after which all stakeholders joined in enjoying.
From 32 participating establishments last year, exhibitors to the 6th edition of the 3-day FoodFest this year more than doubled to 71, showcasing all kinds of food genres like organic, grilled, vegan, dessert and new for this year, packed food or take-outs (or takeaways).
“This year we added a new lane for packed food (take-outs) at H&M for desserts at the C.M. Recto entrance to accommodate food establishments specializing in pasalubong and similar foods,” said Itos Felesedario, Centrio Marketing Associate.
“Our rentals are friendlier which has enabled us to accommodate more entrepreneurs referred to us by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and more exhibitors from outside the mall,” Itos added.
“It’s also our way of pooling potential merchants such as Choleng’s Muron who started as an exhibitor in a previous Big Bite Food Festival but is now our full-time regular concessionaire,” Itos explained.
“Once we incorporate them in the mall, we teach them how the mall operates, which makes from a smooth transition from exhibitor to merchant,” he added.
Access to the main exhibition area at the Centrio Gardens will be during mall hours while the grilling area would remain open till 11o’clock for the festival duration.
Although the 71 slots for this year’s festival have already all been taken up, Centrio Mall remains on the lookout for trending food establishments in Cagayan de Oro.
While this year’s festival mainly still focuses on Cagayan de Oro, Centrio Mall is already receiving inquiries from merchants from areas outside the city like Iligan, and may consider including them in future festivals.
Besides the food exhibits, the 3-day program would also showcase star-studded events such as the Kapuso Meet-and-Greet on Sunday, March 8 at 4:00PM featuring GMA Artist Bejamin Alves and Gil Cuerva.
