19/01/2026
ZaapBu Kuyamis Festival Recap
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Thank you, Cagayan de Oro. During our Kuyamis Festival run, we served ā1,000 Sawasdee Cupsāabout one thousand people tried ZaapBuās Thai rice toppings. Thatās a huge validation of the idea: people want authentic Thai flavors at an everyday price.
What happened financially: we invested ā±50,000 to run the popāup from Dec 15 ā Jan 4, but low foot traffic over the Christmas and yearāend holidays meant we didnāt hit our daily targets of 100 Sawasdee Cups and 50 Sabai Dee Bowls. The festivalās busiest week (Jan 5ā10) delivered the strongest sales and produced āā±17,000 net profit, but it wasnāt enough to cover the slow days before and after.
What we learned
Demand exists. 1,000 customers chose a ā±50 Sawasdee Cupāproof that affordable Thai street food can scale.
Price perception matters. Thai food is often seen as expensive and restaurantāonly; weāre proving it can be everyday food.
Taste adaptation is key. Spiciness and unfamiliar names are barriersāso weāre refining heat levels, menu descriptions, and sampling to make Thai food approachable.
Whatās next
Weāre back at our physical shop in Macasandig and iterating the menu and service.
Catering is now availableāadd ZaapBu to your parties and events (rice toppings, bowls, milk tea, smoothies).
Weāll keep testing locations and formats (kiosks, campus popups, delivery) to find the best fit for steady sales.
Thank you to everyone who tried ZaapBu, gave feedback, and supported our popāup. Your ā±50 trial mattersāit helps us learn, improve, and grow. If you want catering or to visit the shop, send a DM here on Facebook.
Letās make Thai street food part of everyday CDOātogether.