Food

Since we adore merienda, our designated snack time, as Filipinos, one of the ways we enjoy desserts is through this practice. In our culture, merienda time is an opportunity to unwind from the day’s stresses while indulging in some delectable delicacies that will give us more energy.

In addition to the food, it is always enjoyable to have cozy hangout spots where we can savor the best delicacies the city has to offer. A location with delicious cuisine and a welcoming atmosphere is perfect for enhancing our experience and making our merienda time more enjoyable as a whole.

Scrumptious baked goodies for a sophisticated taste

From cold to warm drinks to savory and sweet treats, we have a wide selection of nibbles to choose from.

Introducing Bon Bakery’s new product, the Doughnettes! Hand-crafted through a meticulous step-by-step process, these Doughnettes are rolled, cut, dipped, and decorated by our pastry chef using artisan ingredients.

These delicious treats have six different flavors: Golden Bacon, Leche Flan, Mascarpone, Strawberry Shortcake, Manuka Honey, and Belgian Chocolate. Baked fresh daily!

Bon Bakery is your go-to spot for delectable treats. From their luscious cakes to savory pastries, they’re sure to satisfy your cravings.

Pinkberry x Bon Bakery’s 1st Collaboration Store

A sweet and savory partnership is here to fill your heart and palate! Pinkberry and Bon Bakery have combined into a collaboration store to create the perfect spot for you that will surely satisfy all your chill and sophisticated cravings.

Pinkberry has the tastiest, sweetest, and tangiest frozen yogurt that you’ve ever tasted! You may now get a warm delight from Bon Bakery and a refreshing treat from Pinkberry in the same location! To give you the best of both worlds without sacrificing quality, they integrated their menus. Choose your favorite frozen yogurt to go with your dessert from their broad menu of pastries and sweets.

Visit their establishments at the Glorietta Activity Center in Makati City to have a cup of delicious Bon Bakery and Pinkberry bliss as well as a delicious cup of cool swirly goodness from Pinkberry.

After renewing its relationship with the Manila municipal government, the Jollibee Group recently announced the restart of its inclusive employment program to hire older citizens and people with disabilities (PWD) in Manila.

The collaboration is in line with Jollibee Group’s mission to offer diverse groups of people fair job opportunities while promoting and upholding inclusivity and diversity in the workplace.

From the city’s Public Employment Service Office, Jollibee Group will hire 28 senior citizens and 17 people with disabilities to work in customer relations at its Jollibee, Chowking, Greenwich, and Burger King locations in Manila (PESO). Before recommending candidates to the company, Manila PESO will screen and evaluate whether they are qualified. Also, applicants must obtain a medical clearance from the program’s authorized hospital, Ospital ng Maynila Medical Center.

“We started this program in 2019 with the Manila LGU. Working on this program in the past few years have allowed us to see how our elderly and differently abled individuals have appreciated the opportunity find gainful employment. The Jollibee Group continues to support this initiative of the Manila LGU, and we have been very fortunate to have a partner that shares the same desire and passion as the company in looking after the interest of our elderly and PWDs,” said Ruth Angeles, Jollibee Group Vice President and Head for Human Resources-Philippines and Global Organization, Leadership & Culture.

“We look forward to forging more partnerships with other LGUs so we can improve more lives and find reliable staff who can join us in our mission to share the joy of eating with everyone,” Angeles added.

The signing of the new memorandum of agreement held last January 31 was attended by Manila City Mayor Honey Lacuna-Pangan, Vice Mayor Yul Servo Nieto, and Secretary to the Mayor Atty. Marlon Lacson, as well as officials from Jollibee Group represented by Public Affairs AVP Atty. Raul Academia and Philippine Region Human Resources Director Anna Prado.

The Office of Older Citizen’s Affairs and the Manila Department of Social Welfare are the best places to go for further details on this employment program.

As of 2019, the combined 39 Jollibee, Chowking, Mang Inasal, and Greenwich restaurants in Manila employed more than a hundred competent older citizens and people with disabilities. Jollibee Group was the first restaurant chain in the Philippines to do this. In 2019, Jollibee Group collaborated with the local governments of Antipolo and Pasay to launch the same inclusive employment program in addition to Manila.

To learn more about Jollibee Group, visit www.jollibeegroup.com

Through its different shopping formats in 2023, including its flagship innovation UNLI-Fresh 399 with quickly expanding agri-fisheries firm MAYANI, leader of the supermarket chain WalterMart is increasing its shopper relevance and casting a wider community reach.

By announcing its provincial and Metro Manila caravans for the first quarter of this year—Cavite, Batangas, and Bulacan for February, then Pampanga, Nueva Ecija, Muntinlupa, and Calabarzon region in March—WalterMart has already institutionalized this anticipated weekend shopping bonanza, which now moves metric tons of harvest per day.

Building on this enthusiasm for shopping, WalterMart Muntinlupa will host the first-ever “Palengke Day” from February 17 to 19, which aims to modernize the idea of “bagsakan” and give even the neighborhood “palengke” vendors access to freshly sourced everyday local products like onions and eggs, two of the most in-demand staples right now given the recent supply issues.

“We will provide value to our customers and to our community through: FRESH – commodities of utmost quality, reasonably priced, sourced from our local farmers and cooperatives with our alagang WM personalized service; SAVINGS – everyday savings with competitively-priced merchandise and options for private labels and house brands; and CONVENIENCE – provide complete assortment in a clean, safe, and comfortable one-stop shop with fast transactions both offline and online,” says Rose Caalam, General Manager of WalterMart Supermarket.

“Sharing the same vision with MAYANI, we always aim to bring good value products to our customers and provide a better life to our partner farmers.”

Since its humble beginnings as a small neighborhood store in 1992, WalterMart has grown to offer more than 20,000 items at low prices as well as significant consumer-focused achievements like mounting Palengke Fresh with MAYANI at the height of the lockdown, its 5S Safe Shopping Program, and its CallMeWally same-day grocery delivery service — all under the banner of its service campaign, “More to Love at WalterMart.”

“We will continue to innovate our joint offerings with WalterMart while being steadfast in our mission-first approach of strengthening those institutional market linkages for our smallholder growers and producers,” said Robert Esquillo, Partnerships Manager of MAYANI.

“Agriculture is a foundational and priority sector for the country, and we are optimistic that with the ecosystem of partners we developed over the years, MAYANI can drive more value for shoppers while creating positive social good across our agri-value chain.”

Following the official launch of the 700th McDonald’s Philippines location in Nuvali, Santa Rosa, Laguna—Again, bikers and tourists gathered to one of the nation’s top bicycling destinations, this time for the first-ever Tour de McDo, which took place on February 12.

The Tour de McDo is a multi-stage bicycle race that highlights McDonald’s commitment to sustainability and its newest Green and Good flagship outlets in Nuvali, Sta. Delos Reyes and Rosa are both in Tagaytay City.

With two routes to choose from—the Nuvali Loop, or the “Beginner Route,” which covers 17 kilometers in the neighborhood to and from the 700th Store, and the “Intermediate Ride,” which covers 50 kilometers to and from McDonald’s Nuvali to McDonald’s Delos Reyes in Tagaytay—close to 100 cyclists signed up for the free bike tour.

Tour de McDo kicked off with a Ceremonial Ride Out with McDonald’s Chief Happiness Officer Ronald McDonald. To make the inaugural ride more special, participants received special kits which include an exclusive Tour de McDo Dri Fit shirt, Tour de McDo limited-edition stickers, and a free McDonald’s breakfast meal.

Both McDonald’s Nuvali and McDonald’s Delos Reyes Tagaytay have bike-friendly features that include a Bike & Dine facility and will soon include a Bike Repair Station to cater to the needs of cyclists that frequent the scenic bike routes in both areas

“McDonald’s Philippines—together with our partners from Ayala Land – Nuvali— strengthen our commitment to the environment through our Green & Good initiative. Providing opportunities for our customers to take part in activities like Tour de McDo supports our advocacy of championing sustainable active mobility that results in lessening of emissions, creating a positive impact to communities we serve,” said Adi Hernandez, Corporate Relations Director for McDonald’s Philippines.

With its “Green & Good” project, McDonald’s pledges to find more environmentally friendly, sustainable methods of operating its restaurants. McDonald’s is committed to doing better in its efforts to protect the environment, which is why its Green & Good stores are constructed using eco-friendly building techniques like light gauge steel frames and run using energy-saving techniques like solar rooftops and lampposts, grid-tied solar photovoltaic (PV) systems, a rainwater harvesting tank, and variable refrigerant flow (VRF) air conditioning systems, among others.

The introduction of the RICHMADE brand has been appropriate and crucial given the nation’s goal of concentrating its resources to produce sustained food security. The leading food firm in Korea, CJ Feed &Care, recently introduced RICHMADE as the new brand to carry its feed range. Apart from Korea, the Philippines will be the first Asian nation where RICHMADE launches its products, followed by other Asian nations where it operates factories and enterprises.

This is a testament of CJ Feed & Care’s commitment in helping and supporting the country in growing the agriculture sector, particularly the feed and livestock industry. By using the RICHMADE brand in its feed products, the company’s customers, managed farms and stakeholders will be assured that the standard and technology placed in all RICHMADE feeds to be manufactured here in the Philippines is the same in all parts of the world.

GLOBAL TO LOCAL.

The Rich made launch here in the Philippines will be the first, leading the other countries in the Southeast Asian region where the company has plants and offices.

RICHMADE’s Luzon sales team in full force post for posterity during the company’s Business Launch held in their Luzon plant, located in San Rafael, Bulacan. For more than 50 years, CJ Feed & Care has been developing unrivaled feed manufacturing technology that drove the growth of the Korean livestock industry. It has taken on the challenge without hesitation to support the success of farms it manages. These traits have made CJ Feed & Care as one of the feed and livestock companies that has successfully branched out from Korea into the global market.

The introduction of RICHMADE is simply the beginning. CJ Feed &Care will outline their ambitions, which will encompass Animal Nutrition and the management and breeding of poultry and livestock till sale. They were inspired by the “farm to table” concept. CJ Feed & Care has opted to expand in Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Japan, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, and the Philippines since the company started its feed business in Korea in 1973. CJ Feed & Care is one of the feed and livestock companies that has successfully branched out from Korea into the worldwide market thanks to its continual global expansion.

Henry & Sons, the nation’s top provider of high-end coffee goods and services, is dedicated to giving aspiring baristas top-notch teaching as part of its objective to expand and develop the domestic coffee sector.

“With the rising demand for specialty coffee in the ever-growing coffee market, Henry & Sons is determined to provide aspiring baristas with the skills and knowledge needed to succeed,” said Michael Harris Conlin, Henry & Sons president and CEO.

Conlin reported that the corporation and the National University Laguna recently signed a memorandum of understanding to launch the Global Coffee School (GCS) in Calamba City.

Over 40 places worldwide provide accredited GCS courses. The business offers thorough instructional programs to give aspiring baristas the abilities and information needed to produce the greatest coffee goods.

Courses include instruction on brewing methods and techniques, the science of coffee production, and different types of coffee drinks. Baristas will also be given hands-on experience with the most up-to-date coffee equipment, enabling them to develop their skills and gain the confidence needed to become top coffee professionals.

Conlin, a former Philippine National Barista Champion and semi-finalist in the World Barista Championship, said the collaboration aims to elevate Laguna Liberica to a global coffee brand and teach aspiring baristas in Laguna the skills they need to become sought-after in the coffee industry.

Last year, Conlin represented Laguna’s Liberica and Benguet’s Arabica at the Global Coffee Championship in Korea. Laguna’s Liberica won silver in the latte competition, while Benguet’s Arabica bagged bronze in the brewer competition.

According to experts, the Philippine coffee industry is expected to generate $6.3 billion this year or P345 billion. Conlin, however, said 97% of the coffee in the country is imported.

“Our local coffee farmers do not benefit from the billions of revenue generated by the coffee industry. If this continues, Philippine-grown coffee is at risk of extinction. This is a loss not only for our economy but also for our culture and heritage,” he said.

Conlin noted that the program aims to help Mabato coffee farmers introduce their products to the international market and provide stability and sustainability for their livelihoods.

He also encouraged people to buy coffee sourced from local farmers to support them.

Recently, Henry & Sons’ opened two new branches of The Giving Café (TGC) at the University of the Philippines Los Baños and SM Marikina.

TGC is part of the company’s social enterprise program established to support the Foundation for Sustainable Coffee Excellence (FSCE) in its drive to make the Philippines a major player in the global coffee industry through sustainable local coffee farming.

The FSCE has been supporting farms in La Trinidad, Benguet, for some years now to help and provide farmers and their families with essential needs such as irrigation, medicines, and educational assistance.

To offer a refuge for coffee enthusiasts, Henry & Sons opened TGC in July 2017. The restaurant features Chinese cuisine, including yang chow, Taiwanese fried chicken, and sweet and sour pork, as well as comfort foods like champorado, sopas, and arroz caldo.

Visit www.henryandsons.com and www.thevault.ph for additional details.

Nothing helps you get through a long workday like a warm cup of coffee or some chocolate. You can complete your assignments faster if you use the flavor boost from your beverage of choice. The Goodwill Market offers new coffee, tea, and chocolate drink goods that are ideal as breakfast or breaktime companions to make your refreshments even more healthful and enjoyable.

Chek Hup Cham Tarik mixes the softness of condensed milk with the richness of 100% imported Brazilian coffee beans and Kenya Black Tea. Each cup delivers a naturally smooth burst of energy because no artificial flavors or sweeteners are used.

Coffee drinkers can elevate their caffeine fix with Check Hup Kopi Tarik. It is a robust and aromatic blend of 100% Brazilian Coffee with creamy and sweet condensed milk that takes you on a perfectly-brewed taste trip.

Chocolate lovers can try something new, with the Chek Hup Chocolate Drink with Peppermint. This intriguing mix combines the super-rich flavors of fermented cocoa beans with the refreshing taste of peppermint. It is sweetened with Check Hup rock sugar with no artificial chocolate flavouring added.

Reap the benefits of The GoodWill Market’s online shopping area, which also offers more options for curated wellness items and health requirements, to conveniently have these new Check Hup drink types delivered to your house. Additionally, you can sign up for the online newsletter, which will send you updates on sales and the launch of new products as well as interesting articles that support a healthy lifestyle.Visit www.goodwill.market for more details about The Goodwill Market and to shop safely online.