Three friends who grew up together in the Philippines have established a business of their own in the United Arab Emirates. Janer Lopez, Irish Perez, and Kiko Limbag – collectively known as Jaiko – decided to bring the taste of Pinoy street foods to Dubai by setting up their own business known as Jaiko Taho.
From college friends to business partners, Janer, Irish, and Kiko were classmates taking up a Bachelor of Science in Hotel and Restaurant Management back in Cavite. Eventually, they reunited in the UAE and began hanging out every week. In one of their conversations, they talked about how much they miss the food in the Philippines, especially street foods.
Irish shared that there was one time when she had to go back home to the Philippines for an emergency. During her stay there, there was always one thing she was craving for, and it was taho. Irish found herself waiting for mang tataho early in the morning despite the lack of sleep while attending the wake of her uncle. When she got back to the UAE, Irish shared her story to Janer and Kiko who haven’t been home for 3-4 years.
“And they were like, ooh I miss also the taho, especially in the morning,” she said.
Suddenly, the trio had a lightbulb moment. They asked themselves, “Why don’t we bring the taho here in Dubai?”
They found themselves bonding over brainstorming and planning for their business every weekend instead of going for their usual hangout routine.
At first, they were just trying to develop the recipe for the sake of checking whether it was doable and if they could imitate the taste of taho that they were aiming for.
“Us, along with our partners, we’ve been experimenting [with] the texture and taste. Then we played with flavors,” Kiko shared.
“After a couple of months, we let our family and friends try it and brought it over to a birthday celebration. They were so amazed, and they confirmed that it is in fact, so similar to our taho in Pinas,” he added.
Jaiko Taho boasts of its premium taho that “tastes like home.” Customers can avail the classic original taho, lotus biscoff taho, and the taho de leche. The trio also came up with the revolutionary taho sorbetes, offering four flavors: ube taho sorbetes, taro cheese taho sorbetes, strawberry taho sorbetes, and the salted caramel taho sorbetes.
And just when you thought they were done with revolutionizing the Pinoy street foods, Jaiko Taho recently unveiled exciting additions to their menu. The Jaiko Isaw Corner now offers a variety of flavors, including salt-plain, sour cream, jalapeno cheese, salted egg, cheese and BBQ. Additionally, customers can indulge in the original and flavorful Jaiko Kweky Balls.
“We are very thankful because since we started, the daily feedback and messages we receive from kabayans are super inspiring. We’ve heard beautiful stories about how much they miss the taho and how our products remind them of home, how grateful they are for bringing the familiar taste here, and how their kids love it,” Janer said.
Kiko added, “Also, we are lucky to be working with each other and with our fellow Jaiko team. We know what we want to offer to our kabayans, and we understand each other in terms of how we want to approach it. We are all switched on because it’s different when others appreciate your product genuinely without any bias. Instead of feeling like we are working, it’s more like we are serving them.”
In conclusion, Jaiko Taho’s journey from a simple craving for Filipino street foods to a thriving business in Dubai is a tale of passion, friendship, and culinary innovation. Their commitment to authenticity and the heartwarming response from their kabayans reflect the success of bringing a taste of home to the streets of Dubai. Jaiko stands not just as a business but as a cultural bridge, redefining Pinoy street foods with creativity and a genuine connection to their community.
Are you craving for taho? Visit their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/jaikotaho or send them a message on WhatsApp at +971585600471. Available in your nearest restaurant and groceries at Home Court Cafe & Restaurant in Abu Dhabi and Sari-sari Store in Dubai. Or have a taho at your home — order via Talabat, Noon, Careem, Cari, and Pick.a.
