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The only liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) franchiser in the country, PR Gaz Haus, is embarking on an ambitious 500-store expansion binge. This it hopes to accomplish in the next five years, according to company chief operating officer for franchising Siu Ping C. Par.

The company official said that in Metro Manila alone, PR Gaz Haus is targeting to put up at least five outlets per month starting 2010. She said the company is now ready to challenge the major players for a bigger market share in Metro Manila after the company acquired the former LPG refilling plant of Caltex in barangay Bagong Ilog in Pasig.

The said refilling plant is very much capable of supporting up to 300 stores and its production capacity is said to be eight times higher that the company’s existing plants in Cavite, Pangasinan and Zambales.

PR Gaz Haus sells its own brand of LPG in 2.7-, 5-, 11-, 22-, and 50-kilogram cylinders. It currently has 93 stores in the Luzon area, 13 of which are located in Metro Manila and the rest are in Pangasinan, Zambales, Bataan, Pampanga, Laguna and Cavite.

The company owns the 61 of the store outlets, and the rest are franchised.

PR Gaz Haus’s franchise fee is P150,000 for a five-year contract, while the whole franchise package cost about  P1.2 million which covers the inventory for three days, software, renovation, signages, two tricycles for delivery and training of personnel.

Par said, “We expect our sales to continue picking up with our customers, particularly those in the provinces, relying more on LPG instead of firewood and coal because of the rainy days were having.” She said the company’s sales I currently growing by 20% over last year, exceeding its 2009 target of 18% growth.

PR Gaz Haus, Par added, has already built a customer base of about 160,000 since it started retailing in 2003 mainly through its aggressive “presales” program, in which the company’s technicians are giving free stove check-up and cleaning even to noncustomers.