BIZ BUZZ: Robredo wins over Coco Lab

For Fruitas Holdings Inc., the homegrown holding company of food and beverage kiosk operators with more than 30 active brands and 800 stores nationwide, good governance should not be just celebrated. It should be rewarded as well.

To show that it walks its talk, Fruitas, led by Lester Yu, decided to inaugurate a new brand—Coco Lab—in Naga City as a show of support for Leni Robredo, the city’s mayor, former vice president and presidential candidate.

“Coco Lab chose to open in Naga City out of deep respect and admiration for the good governance of Mayor Leni Robredo,” Yu told Biz Buzz, “When a local government governs with integrity, transparency, and efficiency, private enterprises feel confident enough to invest heavily.”

Coco Lab aims to level up the look and feel of a coconut-centered concept, with the usual aesthetic of palm trees and beaches traded in for a sleek, minimalist aesthetic inspired by the precision of a laboratory.

As Yu said, Coco Lab is out to “redefine how coconuts are experienced.”

“With Coco Lab, coconuts are no longer just a tropical refreshment. It becomes a curated experience—pure, refined, and designed for today’s world,” he added.

To solidify its commitment to Robredo’s bailiwick, Coco Lab has established its own mini-commissary right in the city, anchoring its roots deeply into the region.

With that move, Coco Lab will contribute directly to the local economy—creating fresh employment opportunities for Bicolanos and contributing to the city’s progress through local taxes.