| Eleanor Jose |
Sweets from a bitter experience Instead of spending what was left of her husband’s Christmas bonus on a post-Christmas-pre-New Year family treat, Eleanor Jose banked the money in on a new business venture. The risk paid off as, now, VJANDEP Bakeshop treats the family and the rest of Camiguin a sweet-tasting feast.From a P120-capital, VJANDEP (which stands for Virgilio Jose and Eleanor Popera) has grown to become a “delicious” icon famous not just in the locality where it began but also in the country at large. The bakeshop owes such reputation to its main product, pastel, a soft bread with sweet yema fillings, which, up to now, has been selling like pancakes. “We were selling five to eight dozens of pastel daily in the first quarter and now our production rate is 1,000 dozens on the average per-day basis,” Elea shared. “Our present deliveries branch out to over 100 stores in Cagayan de Oro including supermarkets and institutional buyers from Metro Manila and Luzon areas.” By this time the product has become a special delight for tourists and visitors coming from all over the archipelago and even saturated all the beach resorts in the province. Further, VJANDEP’s income of P100 a day rose to P2,500 per day. Its helpers from three became six, then 12 and so on. The bibingka style oven was replaced with modern and state-of-the-art baking equipment. The former “sira-sira” store is but the history of a multi-million peso edifice. VJANDEP products can now be bought in popular shopping malls like SM and other popular pasalubong outlets in Cagayan de Oro City. But before the overwhelming success of VJANDEP and her pastel, Elea experienced quite a whipping from her previous takes on business. “Me and my husband Virgilio have tried RTWs, meat dealership, utensils selling, shoes selling, and restaurant,” she recounted, “but all succumbed to bankruptcy.” She further lamented: “We almost lost hope, with all our efforts bearing no fruits. That was nine years. Nine years of trying to venture into something only to find yourself lost in the end.” But her flame for entrepreneurship was not doused. She persevered till she hit the target—with a boost from a P 25,000-loan from the Department of Trade and Industry, which she paid full earlier than the loan term. “We also won a loan facility of P100,000.00 from the Spanish Assistance Integrated Livelihood Program after attracting local officials as well as tourists to give our pastel a try,” Elea added. Other products of VJANDEP, a member of the Food Processors Association of Northern Mindanao, include pastries, bread, bibingka, torta and other popular delicacies riding on with the popularity of the pastel, which can now be enjoyed in flavors like ube, chocolate, langka, durian, and other fruit flavors. On October 19, Elea be recognized by Presidential Consultant for Entrepreneurship Jose Concepcion III and Medium, Small and Micro Enterprise Council Chair Presidential Management Staff Director Cerge Remonde as an Inspiring CDO Entrepreneur, an award given by the Philippine Center for Entrepreneurship as part of the Go Negosyo sa Cagayan de Oro slated at the at the Atrium, in the Limketkai Center. Go Negosyo sa Cagayan de Oro is part of PCE’s latest campaign, the Go Negosyo Caravan, which aims to bring Go Negosyo forums and expositions in key cities in the country. The Caravan has already visited Cebu, Bacolod, Baguio, Manila, and Pampanga Go Negosyo sa Cagayan de Oro is presented by the Philippine Center for Entrepreneurship in partnership with the Cagayan de Oro Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Major partners include PAGCOR, Globe, Hyundai, San Miguel Corporation, Splash Corporation, STEAG State Power Inc., Limketkai Sons Inc., Unilever, PLDT, Smart, RFM Corporation, Concepcion Durables Inc. and Entrepreneurs School of Asia. Media partners include The Philippine Star, The Philippine Daily Inquirer, Sunstar CDO, ABS-CBN, ANC, GMA Network Inc., RPN9, NBN4, Aspac-Law, Creativoices Productions, and Full Circle Communications. |
