THE entry of Chinese hotpot giant Hai Di Lao International Holdings Ltd. (Hai Di Lao) into the Philippine market is expected to create at least 400 jobs, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) announced.

The DTI’s Foreign Trade Service Corps said on Friday that Hai Di Lao will open its first store in the Philippines next month.

“It is projected to open new branches on a continual basis this year, creating at least 400 job opportunities,” it added.

The agency said Hai Di Lao started in 1994 in China’s Sichuan Province and has grown into a world-renowned catering company over the last 28 years. It now owns over 1,000 restaurants across China, Hong Kong, Macau, Singapore, Malaysia, Taiwan, Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Thailand, Indonesia, South Korea, Japan and other countries.

“The company not only provides food and beverage service, but also captivates customers with its exceptional services like complimentary manicure for waiting guests, noodle acrobat and others,” it added.

The Philippine Trade and Investment Center in Hong Kong (PTIC-HK) aided Hai Di Lao in their intentions to expand their business in the Philippines as early as the first half of 2020, the agency continued. The Philippine Trade and Investment Center in Guangzhou (PTICGuangzhou) collaborated with PTIC-HK to deploy a team to the Philippines to open the first branch.

“The intention of Hai Di Lao is to present a superior dining experience and offer quality food for Filipinos at a reasonable price. In addition, Hai Di Lao intends to fuse the Filipino taste into its menu and integrate Filipino core values in its service,” it added.