Andrea Amado of Boulangerie 22 on How Failure and Reinvention Paved the Way for a New Start

Despite multiple closures due to the pandemic, Andrea Amado—President of the Amado Group of Companies—embraced these failures and used the lessons they came with to start Boulangerie 22.

Business success stories are inspiring and all, but what about business closure narratives? Are they worth retelling at all? The answer is a resounding yes. Not only will it be informative in terms of knowing the whys of commercial defeat, but these stories will also shed light on the more important question—what next?

Pandemic Pandemonium

For Andrea Amado, President of the Amado Group of Companies, the pandemic all but demolished the business empire she had painstakingly built in the last decade. Among the brands that she brought to the Philippines are Korean cosmetic labels Etude House and Tony Moly.

With her husband David, she opened Boulangerie 22, a bakery known for artisanal bread and pastries. Pre-pandemic, she grew it from an initial three branches in 2016 to 19 outlets. Then there was Yoree—a sprawling Korean barbecue restaurant located in Molito, Alabang (with a branch in BGC). In its heyday, it was even voted as one of the most favorite dining places in the South.

Of the four brands, only Boulangerie 22 survived the crisis.