14 Oct Chino’s Deli: Kagay-anons’ Favorite Place When It Comes to Yummy Gourmet Sandwiches and Frozen Food Products
Image Source | Facebook: Chino’s Deli
Kagay-anons who love their food and sandwiches are very familiar with this cute and cozy deli place on the third floor of the Ayala Centrio Mall just beside the ticketing counters of the mall’s four cinemas.
Chino’s Deli has become the name when it comes to delicious sandwiches and other food combinations created by their owners who truly understand what good food should taste like.
Image Source | Facebook: Chino’s Deli
It All Started with Homemade Frozen Food
When the Mempin kids (Chino, Jonathan, and Katrina) were still young, their mother had a longganisa business. Later on, Chino and Jonathan picked up on this and started creating better longganisa variants for breakfast cooking, packaging the goods themselves and selling them to more people. One Christmas season, Chino attempted to create homemade ham, and it became a sellout.
From then on, he decided to give the products a label, Chino’s Deli, and even after the siblings had all graduated from college, their business continued to grow by selling hand to hand.
Image Source | Facebook: Chino’s Deli
Until now, Chino’s homemade country style ham is a hit with their customers during the Christmas holidays. One advantage in marketing Chino’s Deli is that the siblings have a huge circle of friends who have become regular customers of their frozen products or come to the deli.
Smoked Country Ham
The frozen food business with the Chino’s Deli label continued to increase with the addition of more products. But Jonathan wanted the business to grow because, according to him, the label contains a deli without the “deli.” In 2012, they found an opportunity for a food stall on the second floor of the Robinson’s Department Store just adjacent to the grocery checkout counters.
Chilli Chorizo
Chino’s Deli Frozen Products
Image Source | Facebook: Chino’s Deli
Chino’s Deli Bacon
Image Source | Facebook: Chino’s Deli
Where to Find Chino’s Deli Frozen Products
Chino’s Deli now boasts of a frozen food lineup containing smoked chorizo, chili chori, skinless longganisa, pork tocino, spicy sausage, herb sausage, pork sausage, beef sausage, classic sausage, beef tapa, pork bacon, beef bacon, sliced ham, ham trimmings, and country style ham.
Chino’s Deli Frozen products are available at Rustans, Shopwise, Robinsons Supermarket (Limketkai, Gusa, Robinsons place-cdo), SM Supermarket Cdo. Savemore branches (Kauswagan, Agora and Capistrano). Since many are still used to going to the place for purchases, they still sell frozen products from their ancestral home on the 3rd floor of the Casa Luciana Guest House near the PRC Building at the Mabulay Subdivision.
How Chino’s Deli Sandwiches Came About
At first they only sold frozen foods at their stall. Later on, they realized that since people are already buying frozen products inside the grocery, Chino, Jonathan, Katrina and Mary Anne (Jonathan’s wife) created a small lineup of fresh sandwiches that can be cooked and served at the stall.
Image Source | Facebook: Chino’s Deli
Later on in 2013, when the Ayala Centrio Mall opened, again the siblings searched for a place and strategic location for a real store and deli where they could really cook more of an increased lineup. At first they wanted to go for the location of the present Krispy Crème, but it has already been reserved. So they ended up at the area beside the movie ticketing counters just before the entrance of the cinemas. They couldn’t have picked a better location. It has become a familiar sight to see movie goers carrying Chino’s Deli sandwiches and other food items and drinks into the cinema.
Jonathan Mempin, Katrina Mempin and Mary Anne Ledesma-Mempin (Jonathan’s Wife) at their SM Stall Image Source | Facebook: Chino’s Deli
Chino’s Deli used to have a stall at the SM City Mall, at their Weekend Market.
The Best-sellers and Sandwich Experience
Perhaps the advantage of Chino’s Deli sandwiches is the frozen meat products they already have in abundance. Ultimate Sandwich, Flat Iron Burger, and Deli Ranch Salad are the definite bestsellers for regular customers.
The Ultimate Sandwich
Image Source | Facebook: Chino’s Deli
Chino’s Deli Flat Iron Burger
Image Source | Chinosdeli.com
Chino’s Deli Ranch Salad
Image Source | Chinosdeli.com
Their Deli Hand-cut Fries are now becoming a hit when paired with the sandwiches.
Chino’s Deli Handcut Fries
Image Source | Chinosdeli.com
The Chori Burger is also one of the best-sellers.
Chori Burger
The new Sautéed Chicken Fajitas with onions and bell peppers in tortilla wrap and Handcrafted Sausages in Mini Baguette with coleslaw or pickles and onions are also growing in popularity.
Image Source | Facebook: Chino’s Deli
To go the extra mile in satisfying their customers, the Deli has taken to deliver sandwiches inside the movie house or other areas of the mall.
Squid and Chips Sandwich with Truffle Mayo
Image Source | Facebook: Chino’s Deli
The sandwich lineup was created by Chino, Jonathan, Mary-Anne (Jonathan’s Wife) and Katrina. It is Chino who often comes up with the unique names for the sandwiches. The whole Mempin clan though loves to cook and each has their own cooking and food idea experience.
They even have an exciting promo with Fit Republic. For every single purchase of a Flat Iron Burger with a drink, you can present your single receipt at the Fit Republic at the Lifestyle District front desk from Thursdays to Saturdays only to avail of a free single workout. The workout can be claimed 30 days from date of purchase. This promo will run until December 31, 2015.
Image Source | Facebook: Chino’s Deli
Meet the Owners and Founders of Chino’s Deli
Chino Mempin (right) is a graduate from Xavier University-Ateneo de Cagayan who took up nursing, practicing his profession briefly before shifting back to the food service business. He is more into creating food ideas and cooking, always finding time to create new and unique dishes. He is still single and often travels to learn more about the culinary arts.
Jonathan Mempin (left) is a graduate from De La Salle University in Manila who took up Psychology. Jonathan is more into the frozen food production, marketing, and public relations, and often acts as the official spokesperson.
Mary-Anne Ledesma-Mempin – Jonathan Mempin’s wife. She is one of the founders of the Deli and she also helped in conceptualizing the sandwiches.
Katrina Mempin (middle) is an Accounting graduate from Xavier University-Ateneo de Cagayan. She helps in the managing and handling of the finances for the Deli and also contributes to the dessert lineup.
The Mempin Siblings: Left to Right, Jonathan, Katrina and Chino
It’s not uncommon to find sandwich and food connoisseurs that often talk about their favorite Chino’s Deli sandwich or salad. That’s not surprising considering that not only are their sandwiches and other menu items far above the scrumptious and delicious descriptions, the items are all at very affordable prices. In fact, the Deli has become synonymous as frozen food “pasalubong” products that are only homegrown from Cagayan de Oro.
Chino’s Deli Sliders
Image Source | Facebook: Chino’s Deli
For Inquiries, Purchases and Orders
Chino’s Deli Frozen products are available at Rustans, Shopwise, Robinsons Supermarket (Limketkai, Gusa, Robinsons place-cdo), SM Supermarket Cdo. Savemore branches (Kauswagan, Agora and Capistrano).
If you want to learn more about Chino’s Deli products and want to book your orders, here’s where to reach them:
Website: http://www.chinosdeli.com/
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/ChinosDeli
Instagram: https://instagram.com/chinosdeli/
Contact #: 0917 670 0225
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