Now on its 85th year, King Sue has emerged from its humble beginnings back in the 1930s to become a sought-after staple on the Filipino table, from breakfast to lunch, snacks and dinner, to celebrations like birthdays, Christmas and New Year.
The King Sue story
Perseverance and persistence make for an unbeatable recipe for success, as recounted by the heirs of the company’s patriarch Cu Un Kay, a native of Fookien, China. As a young man, he traveled to Manila with dreams of starting his own business. He sought an uncle who owned a cold-storage facility in old Echague. As fate would have it, he met a German national who taught him how to cure meats, like hams and cold cuts. With his newly acquired techniques, Cu Un Kay started his own processed-meat business with just an aluminum caldron and three adobe stones. Eventually, he perfected what was to become the company’s premier product offering—the Chinese Bone-in Ham.
85 years and counting
What began as a small enterprise was incorporated as King Sue Ham & Sausage Co. Inc. in 1970 by Cu Un Kay’s 10 children. The corporate name reflects the family’s origins—“King,” which is the family’s surname, and “Sue” from the Fookien term Su-weh, which means small. Little did they know that the small family business will thrive and prosper through the years. It has grown into a successful company with corporate clients, like restaurant chains, hotels and resorts, caterers and food-cart operators, aside from supermarkets and groceries.
While staying true to its tradition of providing products of high quality and great taste, the company has integrated high-technology and production innovation. King Sue maintains its market-versatility of enabling adjustment and customization of meat cuts and meat products based on the specific requirements of its corporate clients, ensuring consistency, freshness and professional grade products by using high-technology automated slicers, chopping and dicing machines, frozen block meat flakers, thermoforming machines and vacuum machines to keep the products fresh.
Strength and longevity
The strength and longevity of the King Sue brand can be attributed first to its dedicated owners whose passion for the business never wavered even when faced with challenges.
King Sue then managed to fit into the evolving Filipino tastes, preferences and style of eating. Take for example its cold-cut products salami, spiced ham and pepperoni and frozen products like bacon and burgers, which are ubiquitous items in family breakfast tables and as baons of kids, students and office workers. Meanwhile, its Filipino favorites, such as sisig, tocino and corned beef, are among the tastiest and most convenient dishes of choice come lunch or dinnertime.
For inquiries and orders, check out FB IG Twitter @kingsueham or e-mail sales@kingsue.com. Also check out www.kingsue.com.