Edgar Sia II engaged in business at twenty six years of age. He opened the first branch in December 2003 at the Robinson's Mall Carpark-Iloilo. The restaurant was instantly successful that it spread throughout most of the Visayas, to Mindanao, and then Metro Manila. It applied for franchise a couple of years later.[1]
By 2009, Mang Inasal opened one hundred stores.
In October 2010, 70% of Mang Inasal was acquired by Jollibee Foods Corporation for P3 billion ($68.8 million
WHO IS Edgar Sia II?
Down south in Iloilo city, he was once an obscure, down-to-earth businessman eking out a living.
He’s nicknamed "Injap," the combined first syllables of his parents’ ethnic origins – father is “intsik” (Chinese), while mother is Japanese, both entrepreneurs.
Instead of pursuing a business degree in college as desired by his parents, Sia took a course in architecture in college, but only to drop out later. Yes, he’s a school dropout.
Apparently bored by the daily routine of going to and from school, Sia tried his luck in business, a decision that proved to be the turning point of his life and career path.
At 20, he tried his hand in running various businesses, ranging from family-owned hotel to the ubiquitous laundry and photo developing shops. Parking lot Like any typical Ilonggo, Sia liked to dine out. His favorite food was the fried chicken served by fastfood chains Jollibee and McDonald’s.
But then, something was missing – the fried chicken looked and tasted too foreign, westernized. It didn’t suit the taste buds of typical Ilonggos or Pinoys.
Wanting to be different, Sia struck the idea of a homespun food outlet serving Filipino-style street fare in a restaurant-type setting.
He found an unoccupied 250 square meter spot in the parking lot of a popular mall in Iloilo city.
That space became the birth place of the now popular Mang Inasal serving charcoal-broiled