About Us
History
Before Buddy’s, its founder, Buddy Veluz, was an Electrolux salesman and a dancer with the Black Gold Dancers before returning to farming in Lucban, Quezon. One day, he saw black spots on the Baguio beans he had harvested and thought of making fresh lumpia from them so that they wouldn’t spoil. It became a hit when he started selling it to his friends and neighbors. They asked him to sell other foodbecause Buddy is a really good cook. He then offered other food such as the Buddy Burger and Spaghetti. His varied menu became a hit in Lucban. Thus in 1985, he opened the first Buddy’s restaurant on the ground floor of his ancestral home, and from then on, the rest is history. Nova, entered the picture when she married Buddy in1991. Together, Nova manages the people and financial aspects while Zaldy aka Buddy handles the food and interior of the restaurant.
Growth of Buddy's
As a homegrown restaurant from Lucban, Quezon, Buddy’s interior is based on the Pahiyas Festival celebrated every May 15 in Lucban, Quezon. This is to thank God and San Isidro Labrador for a bountiful harvest. Lucbanins decorate their houses with colorful kipings, kiping arangyas, fruits, vegetables and crops.
Buddy’s began to expand in Quezon Province in 1991 when they opened their 2nd branch at Quezon Ave, Lucena City. When it became a hit, Buddy’s opened another one in Lucena City and the neighboring town, Tayabas. Both Zaldy (aka Buddy) and Nova, believe in”starting small.” Everything they do is done through experimentation. With Buddy’s love for the culinary arts, creativity and Nova’s management, they found the right blend for the dishes and the right formula for the business.
In 1998, other dreams came true. Buddy’s Pancit Lucban and Longganisang Lucban opened in Makati City, the first branch in Metro Manila. The place was a success, an ancestral home of the Veluz family and located in a residential area. Local Lucban delicacies such as Longganisang Lucban, Pinangat and Pancit Lucban became popular among professionals and families in Makati. Buddy and Nova’s children grew up with Buddy’s. They often accompanied their parents on visits to Buddy’s stores and also to Divisoria to buy supplies for the business. As they grew up with Buddy’s and its people, they are now part of the business. The third, Ysabelle, is the Operations Manager, the eldest, Miggy, is the HR Manager and the 2nd, Vino is a chef and the Commissary Manager.They have a 4th child, Lia, who is still in college and is studying Interior Design. As the business grew, so did the Veluz Family and the employees they call Buddy’s Family.
Buddy's Family
Aside from serving delicious homegrown food with great customer service at affordable prices and having a unique interior inspired by the colorful Pahiyas Festival in Lucban, Quezon, Zaldy and Nova believe that one of the reasons their business is successful is the good relationship they have with their workers. With 20 branches in Buddy’s 40th Fiesta Year Anniversary, the main factor in Buddy’s growth is the company’s bosses’ constant instillation of “people first, then profit will follow.” Buddy’s management ensures that it maintains a good relationship with its Buddy’s Family, which consists of employees and suppliers, some of whom have been with the company for almost 40 years.
The management prioritizes hiring crew and partnering with suppliers from Quezon Province. In addition, the company provides various incentives to its employees such as bonuses, scholarship grants for employees’ children, medical assistance and travel incentives to Baguio, Boracay, Hong Kong and other Asian countries depending on the years of service and performance of the employees. In recent years, the management is also happy that some of its long-time employees who have been with the company in the growth of Buddy’s are now retiring, have their own businesses or pursuing other passions. In addition, each branch of Buddy’s is formed by a construction team all from Lucban and other parts of Quezon Province. Buddy’s conducts outreach programs, supports various worthwhile projects and provides scholarship grants. These are some of the ways Buddy’s helps and returns to its roots.When you take care of your people, train them and treat them well, everything will follow, from employee loyalty and honesty to the quality of food and service.