MANILA, Philippines – The man who is now dubbed as the “Father of Litson Manok” had his share

of disappointments when he first started out.

But if Leonardo “Sandy” Javier Jr., the owner and CEO of Andok’s Corporation, allowed
disappointments to overcome his passion, there wouldn’t be 300 Andok’s stores across the country
today.

Javier was at the forefront when the “litson manok” (roasted chicken) craze in the Philippines began
more than 20 years ago.

Back then, Javier said he did not have the capital to start a business and he was forced to borrow 12
chickens from his mother’s friend to sell.

As luck would have it, Javier only sold two chickens.

However, the aspiring entrepreneur did not stop there.

Set your target

Unlike other entrepreneurs who had the capital to put up their own business, Javier struggled
financially to jumpstart his litson manok stall.

But this struggle, Javier shared, is what inspired him to strive harder.

“Ang sikreto talaga diyan ay kung saan ka nanggaling, sa kahirapan. You have to get out of the
difficulty in life kaya kailangan you have to set your target. Kailangan labanan mo ‘yung kahirapan,”
he told dzMM on Thursday.

Find your passion

Javier said he experimented with the ingredients to capture what we know today as the trademark
Andok’s taste.

From the 12 chickens he started with, Javier’s small stall along West Avenue in Quezon City boosted
its daily inventory to 80 chickens.

“You will start evolving. Magkakaroon ka ng passion. Hindi ka pwedeng magsayang ng oras at
kapag ikaw ay nagkamali, tayo ay tao lang nagkakamali, pero you just have to learn from your
mistakes and keep going,” he said.

Determined and passionate, Javier continued to grow Andok's, with its menu expanding to include
pork chop, sinigang, fried chicken, Bicol express and desserts.

Don’t procrastinate

The success of Andok’s is hinged on the drive of Javier to pursue his dreams of running a restaurant
business.

But Javier said drive alone will not be enough if you don’t act on it.
“Sa amin, bawal ang mamaya, bawal ang bukas. If you think of doing something and you think it will
contribute to being the best, ituloy mo na kaagad,” he said.

From a corner stall in Quezon City, Andok’s branched out to the provinces, opening at least 10 stores
in the Visayas in just two years.

“Maraming tao na may mga magagandang ideas, ang problema hindi nila ginagawa. Kapag
inumpishan mo, tapusin mo,” said Javier.

Don’t overspend

Andok’s became popular not only because of its distinct Filipino taste, but also because of its
affordable menu.

One of its more popular products, the Dokito Frito (fried chicken), costs less than P50.

Customers come in droves to Andok’s because of its practicality, an ethos followed by the brand’s
owner himself.

“Huwag sobra sa iyong kikitain ang iyong gagastusin. Huwag mo gagastusin ang hindi mo
makikita,” Javier said.

Share your blessings

With the success of Andok’s, Javier does not forget to look back on his roots.

Now the mayor of Javier town in Leyte, he said he has made it a point to share his blessings to the
less-fortunate.

“If you share your blessings, more blessings will come. Kailangan tulungan mo din ‘yung kapwa
mo,” he said.

Javier believes that the success he has received in his business has a deeper purpose than just earning
a good living.

“Noong nag-umpisa ako talagang mahirap eh at masarap ang pakiramdam ng matulungan. I know
how it feels,“ he said.

“Pag nanggaling ka sa wala, that will inspire you to move on. Nothing deserves better applause kung
hindi ‘yung taong natupad ‘yung gusto niyang gawin sa buhay,” he added.

The story of Andok’s began in December of 1985 when a man by the

name of Mr. Leonardo “Sandy” Javier Jr. decided to establish a
‘Litson Manok’ stall along West Avenue in Quezon City, Philippines.
It is one of passion, purpose, and family. The first outlet built was a
means of survival for Sandy and his wife Cora initially, but little did
the couple know that they created a brand that would positively
impact the lives of millions of Filipinos in the years to come. Sandy
Javier started the business with a complete lack of traditional
resources such as money and connections, yet he knew that he had
everything he needed to succeed. He had the big dreams and he had
the heart to do whatever it took to win. The very essence of Andok’s
is built on passion, loving what you do, perseverance, and common
sense. With those values, Sandy created the delicious and now
famous ‘Litson Manok’ that is loved all over the Philippines

On top of being a man of value and integrity, Sandy was also an

astute businessman as he knew that the success of the brand would
hinge on constant innovation and savvy marketing. Innovation of the
‘Litson Manok’ roasted chicken manifested in the form of consistent
customer feedback during the first year of business which allowed
Sandy to eventually perfect the recipe and quality of the product. The
recipe has not changed since then. Marketing came in the form of
masterful outlet locations, eye-catching store visibility, affordable
pricing, excellent customer engagement. As a result of all of these
things combined, Andok’s is now synonymous with delicious food
that captivates the taste buds and hearts of every Filipino family.
Since innovation and marketing is the name of the game, the growth
of Andok’s gave way to the creation of equally delicious and iconic
products such as Litson Liempo, Litson Bangus, Dokito Frito,
Porkcharap, and Pork Barbecue, which are all mainstay items in each
store.

In the 1980’s and 1990’s, expansion of the take-out business model

became widespread but in the early 2000’s, Andok’s ushered in the
creation of fully-fledged dine-in stores which began with the first
restaurant in Boracay island which featured an expanded menu of
Filipino favorite dishes like Chicken Barbecue, Barbecue Liempo,
Litson Kawali, Kawali, Royale, Crispy Pata, Pork Sinigang, Pork
Sisig, Bicol Express, All-Day Breakfast Meals, Rice Toppings, Dokito
Pops, and the Dokito Burger. Andok’s is an inspiring example of a
small business becoming a Filipino institution. From a mere corner
stall in Quezon City which sold only 12 roasted chickens on the first
day of operation, the brand has now grown to hundreds of take-out
and dine-in stores nationwide.