Eloisa Bautista-Flores, owner of Kea International, began her partnership with Conrad Manila by consistently producing quality results.
One of the hotels managed by SM Hotels and Conventions Corp. is the Conrad Manila.
With years of experience in the hotel sector as a handicraft supplier, Bautista-Flores knew what had to be done to provide goods to SM Hotels. It is done to highlight their crafts’ superiority.
She said, “We were directed to Conrad Manila by buyers of baskets because we have been a long-time supplier to SM. The decision led to increased success for Kea International as well as the rural handicraft communities. From there, we exhibited our production capability. “
Since its founding in 2010, Kea has produced a variety of handmade goods for the home, such as storage containers, gift boxes, furniture, and woodcrafts.
“I supply Conrad Manila with leather-made guest amenities. This includes holders of notepads, TV remotes, and directories. These are being produced in our main warehouse in Batangas. We have in-house production that creates 100% handmade accessories. Everything is hand-sewn, hand-wrapped by skilled box makers in our province,” Bautista-Flores further shared.
Going beyond guest amenities, Kea also supplies Conrad Manila’s kitchen with pantry trays and wood boards. “For woodcraft like boards and trays, we have satellite factories in Tarlac where these are being produced,” she shared.
Her products’ presence at Conrad Manila also led to better and brighter things for her company: “While I was supplying Conrad Manila, I met one of the executives and he asked me to approach SM Store. We presented our Buri Hamper Set. This was the first item we sold to SM Store.”
Bautista-Flores further shared that from usually selling 100 sets, it grew to about 1,000 a year. In her journey with SM, she shared that there were a lot of learnings along the way.
“One thing I admire about SM is that they truly treasure the partnership, and I am proud to be one of their suppliers. They are with me every step of the way. I am just amazed at how systematic their operations are attending to thousands of suppliers. Being in the handicraft industry where low-income workers are thousands, orders from SM have brought good livelihood to the countryside,” she said.
The expansion of Bautista-Flores’ business coincides with the expansion of her team.
Amidst the elegance of Conrad Manila are wonderfully crafted handicrafts manufactured by employees that take joy in what they do. Forbes Travel Guide 2023 Star Awards, the world-renowned authority on quality in hospitality, has this year declared Conrad Manila a verified luxury hotel.
For more information, please visit www.sminvestments.com.
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