DAVAO CITY- A coffee entrepreneur and a proprietor of a homemade food processing business hailed the collaboration between the government-industry and academe in helping their business recover during the pandemic.
Felicitas “Joji” Pantoja of Coffee for Peace and Rolyn Cañedo of A’s and R’s Food Products were among the 36 beneficiaries of the Innovation for Business Recovery Plan Project under the Regional Innovation Inclusive Innovation Center (RIIC).
The RIIC branded as iSTRIKE DAVAO (Science, Technology, and Risk-resilient based Initiatives toward Knowledge Economy Davao) is a collaboration network between the government, industry and academe in harnessing the region’s innovation ecosystem into developing relevant product and services for its focused sectors.
The RIIC was created by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) together with the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT). The collaboration network is assisted by the by the United States Agency for International Development- Science Technology, Research and Innovation for Development (USAID STRIDE).
Among its projects is the Innovation for Business Recovery Plan which provides guidance to the 36 Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) beneficiaries to help them improve their operations amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.
A’s and R’s Food Products
Established in 2017 by Rolyn Cañedo. A’s and R’s Food Products sells processed food products such as tocino, longganiza, chorizo, embutido, and siomai. Rolyn’s husband, radio broadcaster Randy Cañedo helps run the business.
“Business was very good nag grow yung aming negosyo,” says Rolyn who created the business after her stint in the government service. The home-grown enterprise was noticed for its best-sellers pork siomai and Japanese siomai.
However the COVID-19 pandemic impacted the business. “Nahirapan talaga kami muntik na kami magsara (It was really difficult, we almost closed),” Rolyn recalls.
An increase in raw materials particularly pork meat aggravated by the African Swine Fever epidemic affecting the hog industry affected the business.
Rolyn says when the business was starting they were participative of government programs particularly of the DTI for the MSME. In one survey conducted by the DTI which they participated A’s and R’s was chosen to be part of the RIIC’s Innovation for Business Recovery Plan.
The Cañedo couple partnered with University of the Philippines Mindanao which helped them improve their business.
“Yung studies nila sa business they were able to share it with us parang kaming nagkaroon ng short course on business. Nakita yung negosyo namin, how it flows, yung kulang ng system, nakita yung mga kailangan i-innovate, ang system na kailangan i-implement. Because of that nabuhayan kami ng loob” Randy said
The couple saw a very big potential for their business if they can apply the study of their academe partner, UP Mindanao. The couple were able to work together with RIIC partners in complying with the recommendations.
Timely also their application for an equipment and set-up grant with the DOST was approved in 2021.
“All because of this (RIIC) nahabol namin at na-approve ang nearly one million pesos na set-up plan ng DOST,” Randy says.
The setup plan grant include four siomai making machines (siomai making, siomai wrapper, vacuum sealer and packaging machines) which would increase production by 800%. Rolyn says they have a hard time coping with the demand as they are making their siomai manually.
Coffee for Peace
Coffee for Peace sells coffee harvested from conflict affected areas in central Mindanao. It was started in 2008 by couple Joji and Lakan Pantoja who are peace workers.
In their visit to conflict-affected areas, they observed that when the warring parties meet and have coffee for a dialogue, the fighting stops. Thus the inspiration for the company. The coffee also provides livelihood to the people in conflict-affected areas.
“Talking about peace cannot penetrate them if you cannot address hunger, shelter situation,” says Joji.
Using the coffee grown in the villages she experimented and sent samples to a coffee company in Canada. And there she got positive results. “Masarap ang kape ninyo,” was one of the feedback, Joji recalls that the Canadian company told them their coffee passed their standards for high-grade coffee.
With coffee as an iconic product for peace. The Pantoja couple eventually put up Coffee for Peace company which included a coffee shop. “I needed a showroom to talk about peace,” Joji describes the reason for putting up the coffee shop.
Before the pandemic the company was picking up and Joji saw the company growing sustainably. But the COVID-19 pandemic forced them to close the shop for several months but were prodded to open and innovate during the pandemic.
“Hindi pwede sirado ng matagal, patay ang negosyo namin,” Joji says of their decision to reopen months into the pandemic.
Joining the RIIC they partnered with Ateneo de Davao University which introduced several innovations include packaging, pricing and promotions.
“You tell your problems, they will partner with us, the academe, so yung academe sila yung nag feedback sa amin na ganito gawin mo ma’am, gift packages. So yun ginawa naming. Nung Christmas I was able to sell gift packages,” Pantoja said.
The special packaging featured several coffee blends which she concocted with the help of Ateneo de Davao her academe partner. The special packages include the Kapeyapaan 4 a.m. blend of Robusta and Arabica, Malipayon Honey their specialty blend, Kapeyapaan 8 a.m. is their premium blend.
Also innovating during the pandemic, Coffee for Peace learned put up online payment options and established a delivery system. To create the market for their blends they re-trained their baristas to roast and brew properly without using the espresso machine, they then shared their know-how thru online postings to encourage people that they can roast and brew in their homes using the Coffee for Peace special package blends.
Ambassadors of innovation
To mark the success of innovating their enterprise during the pandemic Joji Pantoja and Rolyn Cañedo alongside Mary Grace Belviz, owner of Rosario Delicacies and Maria Olivia Puentespina CEO of Malagos Foods were named as RIIC ambassadors. Pantoja was chosen as ambassador or creativity while Cañedo was named as ambassador for resiliency, Belviz as the ambassador for collaboration and Puentespina as ambassador for creativity. (PIA/RG Alama)
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| Coffee for Peace Joji Pajota (third from left) |
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| Rolyn Canedo of A's and R's (third from left) |
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| MSME beneficiaries under the Innovation for Business Recovery Plan of the RIIC |
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