The CEO can't eat his product.That's why it works

Sam Karazi built a multi-million-peso food empire on a product he can't eat. As the president and chief executive officer (CEO) of the rapidly expanding Bebang Halo-Halo, Karazi is severely allergic to dairy—the core ingredient giving the trademark Filipino dessert its creamy texture.

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This ultimate irony, Karazi argues, is the centerpiece of his success. His inability to rely on personal taste forced him into pure objectivity, a strategic necessity in an industry often driven by emotion. By viewing the business as an engineering challenge rather than a culinary endeavor, Karazi said he removed the "subjective distraction of flavor."

"Honestly? No. No regret, zero frustration," Karazi said. "My satisfaction doesn’t come from the flavor, it comes from knowing that my team and I are the ones who built the engine that delivers that happiness, perfectly and at scale."

This systems-first approach, which redefined product development and quality control, focused his efforts on building the scalable structure that has propelled Bebang to more than 40 locations. When Karazi watches a customer's eyes widen after their first spoonful, he feels a surge of pride, knowing his biggest weakness has become his greatest strategic asset.

Data, not palate

In food entrepreneurship, a CEO's personal preference can often be a liability. Karazi views his allergy as the antidote to this subjective trap.

"A CEO trusting their own gut is a data set of one," he explained. "My inability to taste forces me to be 100 percent objective. I must rely on hard data and, most importantly, the real feedback from thousands of our customers. It removes the 'I think' and replaces it with 'The customer data shows.' This objectivity is the cornerstone of our entire product strategy."