| Fatima del Rosario |
When life is a box of polvoron When Mt. Pinatubo erupted in 1991, Fatima Del Rosario and her family immersed a living not in the ashes but in another form of powder—flour. Concocting flour with sugar, the Del Rosarios instantly got an even sweeter taste of life as, after fleeing Pampanga, they continued producing the special polvoron that captured the palate of most of their townsfolk in Manila. This endeavor would soon be known collectively as Sasmuan Delicacies, makers of premium quality polvoron and home to some of the country’s finest sweets. “Actually, we began in 1990 but our big break came a year after,” Fatima said, adding that it was the Department of Trade and Industry which invited them, together with other Pinatubo victims, to exhibit their products in the Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions (CITEM). “That was when I met the management of SM. They proposed that we distribute in their malls, and I exclaimed, ‘Why not, it’s Shoe Mart!’” At present, after continuously exhibiting in SM, there are about 30 Sasmuan stalls strategically located in all branches of SM Supermalls nationwide, plus two other in the Limketkai Mall in Cagayan and NCCC Mall in Davao. Their first branch was in SM Cebu. The humble beginnings of Sasmuan, named after the place where the business’ main factory is located, can be traced to the Del Rosario’s residence in Pampanga where the family, out of a good hang, mixed one kilo of flour and another kilo of sugar to cook a Pinoy favorite sweet. Their polvoron was then sold to schools, courtesy of Fatima’s mother-in-law who was a teacher, and became an instant sensation, resulting to other teachers wanting to sell the product. “It actually succeeded two business attempts gone awry,” recalled Fatima, who now lives again in Pampanga with her family. “I used to shop in Hong Kong for RTWs (ready-to-wear) which I can sell here, while my husband tried to manage a fish pond.” Sasmuan has now expanded its array of goodies, from the favorite polvoron, which comes in flavors as pinipig, choco-pinipig, butter, ube, and cookies and cream, to variants of pastillas and tarts. The business is also inching its way to the international market, exporting in America, Canada, Korea, and Dubai. As for the secret of their success, it is briefly stated in Sasmuan’s website (http://www.sasmuandelicacies.com ): “unique taste and superior quality.” Fatima added that their products are all made from natural flavors and are sealed-in fresh. “Made with love, no preservatives,” she revealed. On October 8, Fatima will be meeting with President Arroyo and Presidential Consultant for Entrepreneurship Jose Concepcion III, as she will be honored as an Inspiring Pampanga Entrepreneur, an award given by the Philippine Center for Entrepreneurship as part of the Go Negosyo sa Pampanga slated at the Bren Guiao Convention Center in San Fernando. Go Negosyo sa Pampanga 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, and Manila. Go Negosyo sa Pampanga is presented by Philippine Airlines, PAGCOR, Globe, Hyundai, PLDT, Smart, Islands Souvenirs, Philippine Trade and Training Center, DTI-OTOP, and RFM Corporation. Other partners of the event include The Philippine Star, The Philippine Daily Inquirer, The Manila Bulletin, GMA Network Inc., RPN9, NBN4, Aspac-Law, Ideal Minds Corporation, The Master’s Lighthouse Foundation, and Full Circle Communications. |
