Cebu’s vibrant food scene took center stage as foodpanda Philippines brought together merchants and food entrepreneurs from across the Visayas for the CRAVE Partner Summit & Awards 2026.
The event gathered restaurant owners and food businesses from Central, Eastern, and Western Visayas, highlighting how technology is helping homegrown brands reach more customers, improve their operations, and grow beyond their physical locations.
Alberto’s Pizza received the gold Pau Pau’s Top of Table Award for outstanding sales performance and
market leadership. Founded in Cebu in 2008, the brand continues to bring affordable, quality pizzas to the
VisMin region.
And honestly, in today’s ever changing food business landscape, it’s no longer just about serving good food. Being visible, understanding your customers, and knowing how to use digital tools can make a huge difference.
Through its platform, foodpanda gives merchants access to customer insights, targeted marketing tools, and delivery solutions that can help them respond to changing demand whether from local diners or tourists discovering the region.
“Our mission is to actively power the growth of our merchant partners,” said Patricia Jacinto, Director for Growth and Marketing at foodpanda Philippines. She added that combining the culinary expertise of Visayan restaurants with foodpanda’s technology and insights can help businesses respond faster to market trends, increase orders, and scale beyond their physical storefronts.
Celebrating the Visayas’ Growing Food Brands
One of the highlights of CRAVE 2026 was the recognition of regional merchants that have made impressive strides in sales, growth, branding, operations, and customer experience.
The Pau-Pau’s Top of Table award recognized market leadership and sales performance, with Alberto’s Pizza, Sal’s Bar and Restaurant, Dimsum Break, Ribshack, and PorkHub taking home the honors.
For outstanding year on year growth during the first half of 2026, Sisigan Sa Doctors, Ma. Lina Catering Services, The Original AA BBQ, Sans Rival Cakes and Pastries, and Tiktilaok were recognized with the Pau-Pau’s Momentum Master award.
Meanwhile, Felisa’s Cafe & Restaurant, Mom Rose, Cebu’s Tasty Lechon, Cribs, Ram’s Pizza, Pasta and Milktea, and Metro Retail Supermarket received the Pau-Pau’s Brand Spotlight award for their creative marketing efforts and strong partnership with the platform.
When it comes to service and fulfillment, Hybrid Coffee, Somac Korean Restaurant, Got Tea? Crafted Milk Tea, Popcha Milktea Station, Gabby’s Bistro, and Rose Pharmacy were recognized with the Operational Excellence award.
And of course, what better way to celebrate food businesses than through the customers themselves?
The People’s Palate Award honored crowd favorites with outstanding customer ratings and repeat orders, recognizing Hukad Everyday Filipino, SAJ HUT, Mango Magic, Dapogan, and Wingers Unlimited.
More Than Just Food Delivery
What stood out to me about CRAVE 2026 is how the conversation has evolved beyond simply delivering food.
For many local entrepreneurs, digital platforms have become an important part of how they discover customers, understand demand, promote their products, and ultimately grow their businesses.
Ahead of the holiday season, foodpanda is also strengthening its merchant ecosystem with AI driven forecasting tools and automated marketing features, designed to help businesses manage capacity, attract customers, and encourage repeat orders.
“We view ourselves as a complete growth engine for regional entrepreneurs,” Jacinto shared. “We’re here to ensure local food brands across the Visayas have every technological advantage needed to thrive.”
For a food-loving Cebuano and someone who loves discovering homegrown brands, it’s exciting to see how technology can help local restaurants reach even more people while still keeping the heart of the business rooted in the food and stories that make the Visayas special.
After Cebu, the CRAVE 2026 nationwide roadshow heads to Manila for its final leg.
Because great food may start in the kitchen, but today, getting it discovered can happen with just a few taps.
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