Jonard Koa talks about on-the-job learnings, how technological leverage leads to a sweeter future, and the global outlook of one of the country’s most well-known and well-loved bakery brands.

Bake It Till You Make It 

Working as a fresh-faced, newly graduate barista at his family’s sister company, Chatime, Jonard Koa still looks the part. “It was really fun!” he recalls, manning the SM Megamall branch, “it was a pressure, making drinks as fast as possible, but it feels good when the customers compliment you right after drinking it.”

Because for Jonard, there are rarely things as sweet as a job well done.

Being taught to work under pressure and persevere at an early age by his dad, the legendary Johnlu Koa, Jonard didn’t immediately head The French Baker’s kitchens. “I’ve been fascinated with technology since I was young,” he shares, citing growing up in an era of floppy disks and Nokias, “my post-college work involved data– gathering it, absorbing it, and generating useful information.” His early work under an importer of consumer electronics called on him to read the market– judging if certain products were suited to current climes. “I remember testing a predecessor to Amazon’s Echo, for example. It was a brilliant device but given the internet speed at the time, as well as average home technological capability– it wasn’t the right fit, at the time.”

Not that the culinary route has ever been far from his mind.

“My group thesis in college was this new age, MCT Coffee designed for athletes,” he says, describing Bullet Coffee. “My contributions were in packaging design, marketing, and a bit of everything from development to execution.” Leveraging his resources in the food and beverage sector, the group gained experience through online selling as well as participating in bazaars. “It taught me to collaborate and work as a team.”

It would prepare him for his role as Chief Digital Officer for The French Baker.

Changing Recipes for Success

 

Most scions of business clans first find corporate job, gain experience for a few years, then integrate it into the family business. Jonard’s father, an innovator and visionary in the industry, had a different recipe for success.

“My dad said that instead of working outside and gaining experience there, why not start with the family business and get a head start learning about the market?” It was an enticing offer, but one that also had a little push from fate. “Prior to this, I was set to go abroad for internships, conferences and such…then Covid happened.” It was a decision that was partly made for him, but one that Jonard later realizes, was all for the best. “I feel like I was fit for the role…”

He remembers during the early part of the lockdown, when people couldn’t get out of homes and shops were shuttered. “Thankfully, baking is considered an essential business, so we were allowed to stay open.” It was during this time when Jonard spearheaded home deliveries before other third-party delivery services could catch up with demand.

“I remember putting up this Google form with my sister one night. The next day we were looking at an overwhelming response.” Inundated with orders for The French Baker’s sweet treats, the siblings then took to check, match, and encode all the orders. “We were looking at this ever-growing, almost infinite spread sheet, we looked at each other and said ‘ok, we can’t keep doing this.'” It was then that Jonard saw his destiny as someone who could harness technology for smoother business processes.

“At first, we went to a provider to get our web presence going.” But being technologically sophisticated, Jonard found his hunger for a quality user-experience unsatiated. “I felt that the experience was taking too long, the execution wasn’t fast enough, and every feature seemed to pack on more costs.” Taking matters into his own hands using powerful new tools such as Wix and Shopify, he had the website up in less than an hour. “It was really rewarding,” he shares. And he continues to incorporate his philosophy on easy, clean, and straight-forward products and processes to everything in French Baker, La’Artizan and Chatime to this day.

Not that he hasn’t always lacked pushback, especially from his dad.

“My dad started The French Baker in 1989,” Jonard begins, “and he has more experience than I’ve been alive. He’s taught me that new isn’t always better.” It’s a tough lesson to learn, especially with the 21ist century’s penchant to glamorize were ways of doing things. The way Jonard has been able to cope is by putting himself in his dad’s shoes. “I try to to see whether or not (a practice) applies today. If I really feel strongly about an Idea I will really push for it, but if I see that it doesn’t really work, I’m always going to choose what’s best for the group.”

He remembers pushing for digital archiving, and learning to temper expectations, especially when dealing with established conglomerates. “Even from the partner side, it has to be easy to use. For example inputting orders via digital tablet– it has to work for them (the employees). It may be easy for me to use, but ultimately the experience is for them. Some people prefer their way of doing things and as long as it works, that’s fine.” Jonard, who’s managed to implement store changes such as lighting sync’d to daylight, is also very thankful that his (sometimes) greatest critic, is also (more often), his biggest supporter. “My dad is really flexible when it comes to technology. He uses an iPad pro to take notes, sketch ideas, things he wants to do for the store…he’s an inspiration.”

Family Busy-ness

“There’s no such thing as a separation of work and home,” confides Jonard, “if I feel if I have any issues, we talk about it over a meal and come to an agreement. It makes it easier to move onto the next problem!” Jonard also regularly converses with his mom and sisters, especially in their own ventures such as Max Mara (a high-end Italian luxury brand), Kaze Mask (a comfort-focused mask brand), and Moressi.

“Overall it’s a dream job,” confesses Jonard, “Who doesn’t love food, coffee, travel? It’s a unique and fun learning experience, and very rewarding– seeing customers enjoy something you’v created. It’s simply a feeling you just can’t buy.”

Jonard, who takes a moderate approach to diet (though he enjoyed the occasional blueberry danish and iced latte for a snack) and exercise (home workouts til alert level zero, since safety first), has realized that his work has seeped into his hobbies.

“I love making coffee! I’m working on pulling espresso, mixing lattes, and the perfect cappuccino.” Aside from developing new drinks for the next generation, he also looks forward to traveling. “As a car fanatic, I enjoy long scenic road trips with a few friends locally or abroad.”

He feels that despite his young age, it’s important to always be open– to both the past and the future. “I try not to get hung up about having accomplish this by this age, at this time. I feel it’s important to take opportunities as they come, be flexible and try things out!”

Jonard currently sees himself more deeply integrated into our family business – playing a bigger, more active role, giving talks to pass on his knowledge, and one day – build a legacy as warm and welcoming and feel-good as his dad’s. “I’m busy working on our new flagship store at the Mall of Asia,” he says, “It’ll be by far the biggest branch we have now, definitely serving food that tastes as good as it looks (definitely Instagrammable).” And if Jonard Koa has his way, what the future has in store may be indeed akin to what his father has always sought to create — something welcomingly warm, fresh, and classically tasteful.

Get in touch with Jonard Koa at koa.jp@thefrenchbaker.com

French Baker: The French Baker Philippines and thefrenchbakerph

Chatime: Chatime Philippines and chatimephilippines

La’Artizan: La’Artizan PH and lartizan

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