ASIANS still consider rice as their staple food, Filipinos even more so. But in recent years, bread
has steadily become a more essential part of our eating habits, especially those who want to be more slender, and consequently feel more beautiful in their own way.
Eating bread, some may argue, can be an option to have a healthier lifestyle and a well-balanced diet. The trailblazing bread brand Gardenia makes a bid for this changing preference of Filipinos, as “bread is not a high-calorie food. An average slice of bread contains 80 calories but the calories really start to add up when bread is topped with lots of butter, margarine, peanut butter or mayonnaise. If you want to control your weight, stick to jam, low-fat spreads, cottage cheese, plain yoghurt, or eat bread on its own.”
BAKE TO THE FUTURE
“WHEN Gardenia started [in the Philippines in 1997], the [Filipinos’] consumption of rice for breakfast was 70 percent,” said Simplicio Umali Jr., the president and general manager of Gardenia Bakeries Philippines Inc. “The rest [30 percent] was pan de sal. Then the market of bread gradually increased, becoming 60 percent pan de sal, 40 percent loaf bread. Now it’s the reverse, it’s 60 percent loaf bread and 40 percent pan de sal.”
Already an industry leader in the packaged-bread market, the company aims to be more dominant, especially in the south. Umali led the inauguration of the company’s new bread-manufacturing facility in Mindanao, located in Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental, a few kilometers from bustling Cagayan de Oro City.
“The plant is a completely new breadline that feature robotics, automation and the latest available technologies in modern baking sourced from the best bakery equipment suppliers from all over the world. It is capable of producing 130,000 loaves and buns a day which will be distributed with an expanded fleet of trucks all over Mindanao,” Umali shared.
This plant has four production lines—first, a 4,000 loaves per hour loaf line; second, a flavored loaf line; third, a bun and pan de sal line; and fourth, a snack toast line. “The fusion of sophisticated technology and automated facility are operated using a proprietary Gardenia production process, and the use of premium and finest ingredients in baking breads are key pillars to producing consistent quality, great-tasting, soft and nutritious Gardenia bread products that are delivered fresh every day in stores,” assured Umali.
But don’t most Pinoys still regard bread as more of a snack than a meal?
“That was before, But now, because of the lifestyle of the Pinoys, they don’t have time to cook rice anymore for breakfast. They’re in a hurry. They have to go to work. So they prefer to eat bread. But when they eat pan de sal, sometimes it has hardened from the previous day and they don’t enjoy eating it anymore. So, they buy now loaf bread because it can stay softer for a few more days,” Umali explained.
#BREADYTOFALLINLOVEAGAIN
AS the Pop Star Princess, Sarah Geronimo is one of the most commanding and in-demand endorsers in the land. “Napapapikit rin ba kayo sa bango, lambot at sarap ng Gardenia? Excited na po akong i-share and #GardeniaPikitSarap Moments ko sa inyo,” Sarah posted on her Instagram for her 846k followers. “So, let’s all get #BreadytoFallinLoveAgain and again and again. Oh, Gardenia na!”
Why the need for an endorser if you’re enjoy brisk sales, I asked Umali.
“Gardenia has so much to still say as of now because of the brand and the quality. So, when the commercial was presented to us, when the idea was presented, the best way to communicate ‘Pikit-Sarap,’ kailangan may ipapakita kang maganda ang pikit n’ya. Hindi pwedeng kahit sinong talent lang kukunin mo na pipikit. So, naghanap kami ng maganda ang pikit n’ya. Maamo ang mukha. ’Yung kapag ngumiti siya, talagang it will deliver the message na masarap at mapapapikit ka sa sarap,” Umali said.
The company did a survey and 30-year-old Sarah, multi-awarded singer, wholesome entertainer and box-office queen, emerged the big winner.
“Ang galing n’ya. And then even sa song for the commercial, ang galing! Pero when she sings it pa, ay talagang panalo. It had to be a celebrity who had to sing it so we do justice to the message,” Umali concluded. “Sarah is really a perfect endorser.”