Background

Ed, the founder of Kalye De Manila, set out to launch an authentic Filipino street food business at Truman’s Market in London. His vision was clear: create a brand that not only stood out amid London’s bustling food scene but was also warmly embraced by customers.

Challenge

With a highly competitive and evolving market, Ed needed to:

• Establish a unique, authentic brand identity
• Secure trading opportunities at popular markets
• Build a loyal customer base through genuine engagement
• Create a strong online presence to support growth and credibility

Approach

Stage 1 – Starter Package: Building the Foundation

Since May, Ed has been serving customers each weekend at Truman’s Market while actively building his social media presence to share his story and dishes.

Crucially, Ed recognized that unlike years ago when it was possible to simply rent a market stall, the current London market landscape had changed dramatically. Market organizers now require vendors to demonstrate professionalism upfront — including a clear menu and compelling branding on a dedicated website — before granting trading spots.

This made having a professional website essential not only to gain market access but also to:

• Showcase Kalye De Manila’s menu and authentic Filipino street food experience
• Provide a central hub for marketing and brand storytelling
• Build credibility with both market organizers and customers
• Enable ongoing engagement and feedback collection

This foundational work helped Kalye De Manila develop authentic customer relationships and build steady momentum.

Stage 2 – Expanding the Website and SEO Optimisation

With an engaged customer base and growing social media presence, Kalye De Manila moved into the next phase to expand its digital reach by:

• Adding more website pages to deepen the brand story, menu details, and cultural background
• Implementing SEO strategies to improve Google search rankings and attract new customers organically
• Optimizing website structure and content to maximize visibility and drive traffic

Results (to date)

• Consistent growth in social media followers and engagement
• Positive customer feedback fueling word-of-mouth recommendations
• Secured ongoing market participation through demonstrated professionalism
• Established a solid online presence to support future growth

Next Steps

Kalye De Manila is well-positioned to continue scaling both on-site and online, cementing its reputation as a must-visit destination for authentic Filipino street food at Trumans Markets in London.