IF there is one industry that has survived the ECQ (enhanced community quarantine), it’s the food business. Because when every member of the family is home, what else would they do except eat?
I use the word “survive” because I’m not really sure if these food businesses are even breaking even. They’re probably just making enough money to pay their staff. Buying groceries and ready-to-cook and -eat food has turned into full-on adventures. For those without their own cars, getting to the supermarket is in itself an adventure.
Because there is not any form of public transportation except habal-habal, you’d need to walk. When you get there, you line up for hours without interacting with others as everyone practices social distancing. Going home is another struggle. Imagine carrying home several kilograms on your own?
Thus, the word “tribute,” used in reference to the tributes in The Hunger Games, was coined to refer to the single person in the household with a permit to go out and get supplies.
Restaurants and fast-food chains had the good idea to sell their inventory to customers. Thus, Jollibee sold its marinated Chicken Joy and McDonald’s its pancake mix and hot fudge syrup to the public.
So during the ECQ, we’ve had DIY Potato Corner, Nacho King, Yabu and many other kits at home. Cakes are premium. The lines at stores like Conti’s and Goldilocks are proof of this. There is a small online community for the acquisition of Conti’s famous Mango Bravo cake. On Mother’s Day, Mango Bravo and Conti’s trended because of the long lines outside and inside the stores.
Figaro Coffee, a household name in the local coffee scene, is now offering The Figaro Group products for delivery. That means you can consolidate your orders from Figaro Coffee and TienMa’s Taiwanese Cuisine at www.thefigarogroup.ph and have them delivered to your home during the ECQ.
I love Figaro coffee, iced tea and the food, so this was very good news to me. I love Figaro Coffee’s Gourmet MealBox, which is only P100. You can pick from six different pork or chicken rice meals. My favorites are Pork Teriyaki and Chicken Arroz a la Cubana. These meals are perfect for those who live alone. The servings are decent enough.
Cakes and pastries, such as the Heavenly Cheeseroll (a must try) and the Grand Xocolat Gateau Cakes, are also available. TienMa’s Taiwanese Cuisine now delivers frozen precooked meals. The selections include Siopao Asado, Pork Siomai, Three-Cup Chicken, Sweet & Sour Pork and Seafood Fried Noodles. Each dish would serve three to four people.
I’m very interested in ready-to-cook and -eat foods because even after the ECQ has been lifted, I plan to stay home unless it is imperative for me to go out. Only work will bring me out of my cave.
If there is something I’m excited to get from Figaro, it’s their Coffee Blends in House Reserve, French Roast, High Mountain Arabica, Barako Blend, Metro Blend, Espresso Blend and Country Blend.
To order, you can go to their web site or call designated phone numbers, then you pay via online transfer. A Figaro representative will call you when your orders are ready and you can have them picked up via GrabExpress, Lalamove or your preferred platform.
I never imagined the day would come when we’d order our food online, pay for it via online transfer and book a ride to pick it up. But here we are.
If there’s one thing about using technology that I like, it’s that it helps users become more adaptable.
It’s the modern-day method of “making do with what we have.”
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