What should I have for lunch today? It’s an easy enough question to ask myself, but the answer is always very complicated. Am I craving Korean cuisine? Bulgogi always hits the spot. Perhaps, I’d prefer a salmon dish instead. One that is sinfully covered in cheesy mayo garlic sauce. No, that’s not it. I think I want a traditional Pinoy sisig, served with a large plate of crispy kangkong. It’ll go down perfectly with a bottle of Mexican Horchata. While I fret about my next meal, I skim through the online menu of FoodTray2Go, a one-stop shop specifically built to satisfy all of one’s food cravings. Their selections are so overwhelming, because the eatery has over 200 menu items to choose from. How will I ever narrow it down? “You don’t have to choose just one cuisine,” says founder and CEO Melanie Lok-Laborte. “Because you can have it all.” That’s good advice, I think. Done and done! Yes to the bulgogi. Yes to the crispy kangkong. I’m ready for checkout, please!
FoodTray2Go is one of the many businesses that was catapulted into success during the ongoing pandemic. Their wide variety of cuisines quickly made the business a top-of-mind choice for households looking to shake things up during the height of quarantine. While the concept is relatively new, the company is actually steeped in a very rich family history. “It all started in 1956 with my grandma,” says Melanie with a hint of nostalgia. “She started cooking for households and offices, and eventually began catering for schools. My grandma saw a lot of potential in the business, and [continued to] expanded it until it became Anna’s Catering.” The San Juan-based business became a staple in the area, with many customers seeking out their services to feed large groups of people. Melanie shares that the company stayed strong for decades, largely in thanks to their very loyal clientele.
The millennial entrepreneur has food embedded into her DNA. Growing up in the same compound as her grandmother, she was exposed to a lot of unique dishes. The entire family partook in taste tests, which Melanie says is some of her fondest food memories. Many of the dishes they ate during family gatherings, are still on the menu of FoodTray2Go. The young woman, who had a job in Marketing for a big conglomerate, eventually left the company to help bring Anna’s Catering into the digital age. “When I resigned from my corporate job, I just wanted to help the family business grow, because I saw so much potential. The food was always really good, and there was a great loyalty base. It wasn’t about making money, but sharing [my grandma’s] food to more people. However, when I came onboard, there was no online or digital presence. Since I came from a marketing background, I made an IG account, Facebook page, took all the photos, and did the PR.”
Anna’s Catering became FoodTray2Go, a gastronomes ultimate source for freshly cooked, homemade meals at affordable prices. The process of ordering is extremely simple. Clients just need to go their easily navigable website (that Melanie carefully thoughtout herself), browse through the menu, specify the number of pax, add to the cart, and check out! While it might be overwhelming to look through hundreds of food items, it’s very much worth the time and effort. It basically has everything you might crave for. No longer do customers have to order from one restaurant to get their Japanese maki fix, then call another to acquire a platter of paella—FoodTray2Go pretty much has it all. “When we market it, we say there’s a dish for everyone to enjoy. Everyone can choose something!” Melanie says with enthusiasm.
The business has continued to grow over the last four years, with thousands of customers scattered all around the Metro. While the catering business was already established pre-COVID, the new food tray concept found its feet during the pandemic. “We had a big break during the pandemic because a lot of restaurants were closed,” Melanie admits. “Many of our employees were also stay-in (their commissary is walking distance from the San Juan property), and have been with us since the beginning. We didn’t have to close. It was safe and we could stay open. During the start, we were also doing a lot of donation drives. This exposed our food to a lot of different people, and it really got our name out there.” From serving meals to local students and offices, the company has now flourished as a made-to-order food concept for everyone to enjoy. Companies can still order for the employee’s daily meals, but families looking to celebrate milestones at home could do so too. All it takes is a few taps on a cellphone.
While Melanie is front and center of the business today, she states how proud she is continuing her family’s legacy through good food. Her grandmother started the business and led the kitchen. Eventually, her mother came onboard too, managing operations and inventory. When Melanie decided to join them, she made it her task to expand further, bringing their family recipe’s into the consciousness of a very digital audience. “We’re three generations working on the business now and doing different things,” she says gleaming with pride. “Each of us play a different role to make good synergy.” Together, the three continue to push the boundary of online food services, with delicious dishes constructed to make tummies and hearts happy.
Today, FoodTray2Go boasts a whopping 102k followers on Instagram (a milestone Melanie says she will never forget) of discerning foodies looking to the establishment for their next culinary fix. This excites her very much, because she hopes that business would eventually be known as the go-to place for everyday meals. “You can have super quality food at good prices,” she confidently utters. “You don’t have to spend so much money to eat well. It should be masarap every day!” With such a passion shining through, it’s easy to see why so many people have embraced FoodTray2Go for what it is—an unpretentious brand built on love and good food. Try any of their 200+ dishes, and you will surely taste the love that Melanie and her family has tried to spread for the last 66 years.
Get in touch with Melanie Lok-Laborte through:
FoodTray2Go
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