Tag: business loan

Takore Coffee Roasters: Empowering the local coffee industry in Bicol

Takore Coffee Roasters is a local brand of roasted coffees sourced in the Philippines, around the world, and locally harvested coffees by local farmers at the majestic Mt. Isarog. It is not known to many locals that Mt. Isarog is abundant with coffee trees that were planted way back in the 70s-80s by an instant coffee company. With the Bicol Region’s geographic location and it being often visited by typhoons, the instant coffee company lost its interest in growing and harvesting the coffee trees. However, with the recent years as the typhoon’s usual track towards the Bicol Region diverted, the coffee trees started to gain momentum to grow with a lot of coffee cherries.

In 2023, an intervention was made by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in which they connected Mr. Marion Briz of Takore Coffee Roasters to these farmers. The DTI had entrusted Marion with its visions in introducing and expanding the market for the Isarog Coffee. The farmers were delighted with the initiatives because of the joint efforts to help them earn for their harvest. To empower the local coffee industry especially the farmers of Isarog Coffee, Marion suggested a business model in which the farmers will not only grow and process the coffees but will learn too on how the industry works including wholesale, retailing, and café operations.

Marion was the one behind the idea of the Isarog Coffee branding. DTI was thinking of a brand that would have an impact that would originally represent it as homegrown and local. Marion had suggested to make it simple and name it after the mountain where they get the coffee and perhaps that’s how the industry addresses some coffee origins across the globe. He also thought that it will be a hype since it will be the first time that there will be a Bicol coffee origin. Also, instead of capitalizing for the hype formed in this project, he thought of giving back to the farmers who worked hard in growing and processing the coffee.

Marion proposed to buy the coffee cherries from farmers at P100 per kilo. If it is dry he can buy it up to P200 per kilo. It is a big leap to sustain the price already from its usual P50 per kilo price point, since roasted robusta coffee can be sold up to P600 as commercial grade with all its up to 50% of losses absorbed already. These price points are already at its usual market price given that the quality isn’t there yet, but the roastery is willing to pay and absorb losses just to push the industry forward and keep the farmers initiatives burning.

Currently, Takore Coffee Roasters have around more than 30 partners in which they provide supply for roasted coffee. Although some might not be regular since not everyone gets to be served by the Isarog Coffee due to limited supply on every harvest. Among the partners of Takore Coffee Roasters were UMA Farm Cafe at Sambo Farm in Carangcang, Magarao and Uptown Coffee at Carolina Grill in Carolina, Naga City.

Marion had admitted that in 2019, he started to venture the coffee because he likes watching vlogs of banchettos in other countries. This has inspired him to also make his own. He shared that there is this one banchetto in which it has alot of takore or kettle and has been serving different international coffee origins by just using a kettle. It was a very straightforward serving and amused him. Eventually, this fascination had led Marion to research more about coffee and found out that there are alot of kinds of coffee in the Philippines and that we grow 4 varieties of commercially-viable coffee namely, Robusta, Arabica, Liberica and Excelsa.

Marion first started studying about coffee roasting in 2015 but it was in 2019 when a farmer sent him a coffee that is not yet roasted and saw it as a sign that he has a calling to pursue business in coffee roasting. He immediately bought a palayok because he wanted to apply the Ethiopian Coffee Ceremony he learned in which in Ethiopia, they cook or roast the fresh coffee beans in a flat clay pot (palayok) every 5 pm then brew it. There is certain profile in the palayok that makes the taste of the coffee more unique. This eventually led Marion to start selling and serving coffee at Plaza Rizal in Naga using the coffee sent to him from Bukidnon. They were able to serve 300 servings daily and they were the very first pop-up coffee in the Philippines since they were able to do it pre-pandemic. It was during the 2020 pandemic when pop-up coffee started to boom.

When the pandemic came, Marion made coffee roasting as his pasttime. Before the lockdown, he had few loyal customers at the plaza who convinced him to sell roasted coffee. He was hesitant at first since roasting coffee needs a lot of effort in the making but they were able to convince him still because of the order of his loyal customers who had grandparents who has coffee tree in Ligao, Albay.

Throughout their life, they got used to homegrown coffee that is harvested, roasted and brewed. Finding out about the process and effort that Marion put into the coffee he serves, his loyal customers felt nostalgic and went on to support his small business. When he posted about it, more people ordered evetually ordered from him. Since it was during pandemic, many people just spend more time online and been seeing things that caught their interest.

By that time, Marion didn’t only attracted the homebrewers but also aspiring business owners who wants to put up their own cafes or pop-up coffee. This has expanded the market of, the then Kape Duman, now Takore Coffee Roasters and his supply chain in which they first started to cater home-coffee brewers then eventually became a local business supplier of coffee. Marion admitted that wholesale is what keeps the businesses alive these days. Business owners with cafes and restaurants became their new target market cause it has a lot of impact to the advocacy.

And just like all other entrepreneur, Marion also faced some challenges in the funding to keep his operations going like the lack of fund for the equipment’s to be used by the farmers. They still do not have the equipment for processing. Everything is being done with manual labor. They need drying beds for the harvested cherries and mill it.

So far Marion is still working out to acquire the equipment with the help of DTI and other partner governmnet agencies.They were able to canvass that the equipment they needed for the process would cost them P300,000. They were able to found out that one way to acquire funding is through the cooperatives or farmer’s association. But due to internal conflicts within the cooperatives, the family of farmers detached themselves from cooperatives. This created a delay for them to acquire funds.

However, Marion is pushing through proposing the aid from DTI for a shared service facility for coffee roasting and processing for these farmers and he is willing to teach and train them as well. So far he was able to spend P15,000 as a starting capital to pay the farmers.

Comparing the potential in coffee from palay, Marion knowns that most palay farmers eventually end up selling their land because the new generation is not that interested with agriculture. Also, most of them are contented with having their children finish school and end up getting employed. Coffee, on the other hand can bring in more opportunities for these farmers and their families.

According to him:

Coffee is a high value crop. Kapag ang farmer nakanuod mag roast ning coffee, makanuod maggibu nin coffee shop, kung makatapos man an aki ninda sa pagklase, si value halangkaw parin. Mas maencourage din si aki na magtabang sa magurang ninda sa kape.

While he knows that his advocacies will not make him rich, he still continue paying forward in ways he can and kept his advocacies through Kape Duman Coffee Talks which is a social enterprise. Through Kape Duman Coffee Talks, he was able to share his knowledge about coffee roasting and more. His coffee talks and trainings are for free and would usually charge minimal amount for the coffee used during the training.

“Tabang lang kita nin tabang ta ang karma man kayan pag nagbalik, magayon. Good karma.” He also shared.

As a coffee roaster, Marion also has investors at Takore Coffee Roaster. Although he had also considered loans for the business expansion. A corporation partner with DTI had recently granted them with loan so they are currently looking for a space where they can have their store mainly for coffee since as they have temporarily been serving coffee through Bamboombayan, a chicken restaurant that they also own.

He also shared his personal take on loans, “Dakulang factor ang loans sa business kasi masakit mag-ipon. Pag nag loan ka, makukua mo tulos si fund tapos magagamit mo rin siya agad. Si interes na binabayadan, breakeven lang kasi paka loan mo, na invest mo siya agad sa business para mag rotate si funds. Dakulang tabang talaga ang loans.”

If you are local entrepreneur who would want to venture business but still low on funds, you can avail Bank of San Jose’s Negosyo Loan.

You can make any business venture and endeavor happen with the help of a loan like Marion for Takore Coffee Roasters. The Bank of San Jose supports expansions of local businesses in which entrepreneurs can use an additional working capital or purchase fixed assets through the Negosyo Loan.

May 8, 2023
Km Eight: An uptown story of thriving a business amid the pandemic

Km Eight is a cafe located in uptown Naga that started in the height of the pandemic in 2020. Its beginnings can be traced back to a simple alfresco cafe that Chloe Estrella started at Kilometer 8, Pacol, Naga City. According to her, the idea of starting up a cafe started when she had quarantined after going home for the first time since the borders were opened again to the local residents of Naga who were residing in Manila for work during the lockdown. Despite having the option of staying in a quarantine facility for her 14 days quarantine, she chose to stay in their old empty house in uptown Naga. While on quarantine, she noticed the number of bikers passing by and thought that it would be nice to put up a station for these bikers where they can rest to have some water break or coffee. Also passionate about coffee, the idea she just thought of eventually came to reality as she finally put up little by little an alfresco cafe which became Km Eight.

Providing comfort to the bikers, travelers and coffee enthusiasts through their little alfresco cafe, it was frequented by even those from Naga Proper to check out this thriving cafe uptown. As the restrictions during the pandemic continue to lighten, Chloe decided to expand the alfresco cafe she had started. She was able to realize the hassle during the rainy seasons and the inconveniences for her customers. The Km Eight now, is far from the Km Eight that Chloe had started. For their loyal customers, it was unrecognizable that they had to ask if the management changed. It was still the same management that started it all, there were just some improvements made to continue giving the customers the comfort they deserve when having their coffee uptown. From a kubo-kubo alfresco cafe to an aesthetic indoor cafe, Km Eight came a long way.

Thriving a business during the pandemic wasn’t easy for Chloe. She had also faced challenges, including hiring the right people and being uptown. Km Eight operates from 10 am to 9 pm and some of her staff had problems when going home since there were no modes of transportation by 7 pm and some also had problems going to work when the rain was pouring hard. Chloe had it resolved by having her staff stay in. Being a cafe located uptown has some challenges too in the business; it is not easily reached by those from Naga Proper unless they have a service or car since public transportation is also difficult in the area. There were times when the food traffic was not that strong, so she had to market the cafe properly since there was a time when their sales went down so, she relied on social media marketing. Also, cafes are everywhere in Naga, especially in downtown, so the competition was really high. This has made Chloe continuously improve Km Eight, not just its physical structure but also its service and the quality of coffee that they make.

With the expansion and improvement of Km Eight, a lot of money was invested for it. Chloe was thankful that she had relatives overseas who had invested in her business and pitched in for the expansion and improvement of the cafe. Moreso, she also added the total earnings of the business to start the renovations and to add some chairs, supplies, and equipment. She was able to manage the profits well because she made sure that the earnings of the business is not entirely hers but for the business itself to keep the cash flowing.

“Make sure yung pera sa business ay para sa business talaga. Dapat yung kinikita sa business, yun din yung gagamitin sa pag improve, pang bili ng supplies at may salaray din ako. Dun ko minamanage yung kailangan hindi magalaw kaya may sariling bank account yung business para sa funds na pumapasok dito,” shared Chloe. For her to manage the cash flow well, she treats herself as if she is not the owner. She have a separate bank account for herself and would just a lot a salary for herself every month like any other employee because if she will be acting and feel like the owner, she will continue to spend the money that they are earning.

Like any other business owner, Chloe also considered loaning in a bank for expansion. However, the number of requirements, documents, and high-interest rates have prevented her from doing so. She had put the thought aside, although she is still open to it in the future if she will be needing it. She’ll grab it if there’s a chance as long as she has the capacity to pay for it.

Starting with a low capital, Chloe was able to utilize the old structure of the hardware where Km Eight stands. Her machine still needs an upgrade, and she still looks for suppliers online offering low prices to keep the business going. But her small efforts eventually led to her making a mark in uptown Naga. There is a difference between seeing how far she has come and where she has started.

“I thought of a lot of things to further improve the cafe and I am inspired to do more to be better in what I do because, at the end of the day, it is how you make an impact.” She said. Chloe has been hands-on in managing the cafe and sometimes makes the orders herself since extra manpower is needed, especially when there are a lot of customers. She also admitted that having this kind of business is challenging but fulfilling for her because when she sees people are satisfied with the product that they serve, she get to have the motivation to keep getting better and manage it well so that she will not miss out on anything

Her advice to those aspiring to start a business, “Just start. When you start, you learn. Along the way, makukuha mo na rin lang yan. Wag ka maging perfectionist agad. Minsan kalaban natin and imposter syndrome saying, ‘what if hindi mag work?’ Pero what if mag work nga?”

Like Chloe, you might want to start your own business too, but sometimes we are afraid of the risks. But what if it works? Don’t you think that it is worth a shot? Hearing the word loan may make you feel intimidated as well, considering the requirements you have to meet. But you can put your worries to ease because at Bank of San Jose you can easily avail Negosyo Loan that is being granted to small and medium-scale enterprises with minimum requirements. As long as you have filled out the form, have 1 valid ID, Proof of Income, Medical Certificate, and Cedula, you can avail of a Negosyo Loan amounting to a minimum of P100,000 to P5,000,000 with a term of the loan from 1 to 5 years.

April 13, 2023
Servisit: Finding Purpose in Service

Servisit is a start-up cleaning services business started by Owen Rosco under the BECALL (Bicol Entrepreneurship and Empowerment Center for Accelerating Local Livelihood) Technology Business Incubator. But before Servisit focused on providing cleaning services in Naga City and nearby municipalities, it first provided computer services. With Owen’s background in electronic engineering, Servisit initially started by offering computer services and hiring onboard computer technicians. However, things were not systematized at that time. The onboard technicians also had other jobs and only considered Servisit as an additional income. Even so, with the rough beginnings, another opportunity came for Servisit based on recommendations which led them to focus on venturing out into cleaning services.

According to Owen, someone recommended a person who is very good at cleaning. Seeing the potential of offering cleaning services, they hired more cleaners on board, knowing that they get to help these people earn a living and, at the same time, provide cleaning services to those clients who need them. Owen realizes how some people hire cleaners to clean their houses, offices, and dorms because they cannot focus on cleaning due to having busy lives. Most of their clients are busy students, workers, and those with old parents who cannot move around to clean their houses. Servisit eventually found a new sense of purpose in offering cleaning services that are tailored to their client’s needs. They started offering quick cleaning, general cleaning, and dorm cleaning. An upgrade of additional services includes washing the dishes and folding the laundry.

Owen shared that one of the challenges he had to face in starting the business was talking to people. Admitting he is an introvert, “pinakatumatak na challenge is yung kumausap ng tao, kausapin yung taong may problema kasi ang goal ng business is to earn pero how do you earn if you cannot solve the problem of people.” Since he started Servisit, Owen has tailor fitted the goal of Servisit to solving people’s problems. Despite having a business that started as self-funded and mostly coming from his own allowances along with his two other co-founders, as time went on, they were able to earn little by little to keep the business going. Initially starting with P500, they bought the cleaning materials and equipment to be used by the cleaners. Each co-founder also added P1,000 for their starting capital.

With plans for the expansion in the finances, loaning in a bank is part of their considerations if there’s a come a stage that they would need it in the business and if they can already afford to pay for it. Owen invested in the business with the belief that “if your goal is to make an impact, the money will follow.” He wanted to focus on the improvement of the services they offer and believed that their earning would eventually grow in time.

As a young CEO of a start-up business, Owen said that it was fulfilling for him and that he loved the experiences and the learnings in the business field. It was difficult for him to balance studying, business, and his personal life, but what kept him going is his contributions and the opportunities he opened to the people because of Servisit.

“Wag ka pumasok sa business kapag hindi mo gusto yung ginagawa mo. Dapat may goal ka for venturing this kasi kung hindi ka motivated, kung hindi ka patungo sa goal na yun, wala siyang patunguhan. Dapat may sense of purpose ka.” Owen concluded. Owen is among the local entrepreneurs who had a vision as he ventured out this business with hopes of creating a positive impact to the lives of people through Servisit.

Do you also want to start up a business like Servisit? You can always make things happen with Bank of San Jose’s Negosyo Loan. The Bank of San Jose assists small and medium-sized business owners in expanding and succeeding in their business ventures which entrepreneurs can use as additional working capital or purchase fixed assets. Through the Negosyo Loan, you can loan P100,000 to P5,000,000 between 1-5 years with a payment scheme of monthly amortization, including principal and interest.

March 23, 2023
Pamitisan: Creating A Social Impact One Step at a Time

Pamitisan is from the Bicol word “bitis” which means “feet”. Made from pre-owned clothes, affordable and durable shoes with a cause for a sustainable environment and local community, Pamitisan came to be. Keenan Ivory Lee Duliesco and his classmates made this their thesis in college, and who would have thought that this would eventually cause a greater impact.

It was in the middle of the pandemic when Keenan and his classmates started making shoes out of old or used clothing, mostly from jeans. According to him, he first got the inspiration for the product from seeing kids outside selling rags and thought of making something out of old clothes for their thesis. Despite not having knowledge on shoemaking, they pushed through making their own research to create a new innovation which led to the making of the “rag shoes”.

With five members in their group, they first contributed P500 each for the materials to be used to make the product. Starting from scratch with no knowledge in shoemaking or business, they were able to make most of their resources as the production is low cost and has low labor cost. The Bicol State College of Applied Sciences and Technology (BISCAST) saw potential in the product made by the group of Keenan and chose it to represent their school in trade fairs for local products. What eventually started as a thesis became a pride and grew bigger as it also continued to attract interest for their cause and purpose.

Throughout their production of the “rag shoes,” which became “Pamitisan”, Keenan shared that they also faced many challenges as they started their business. Among those challenges was how to sell their product and for people to like it. Shoes are not considered a basic need and something that people do not buy that often. Also, the pandemic has limited their reach to the market. They don’t know how to introduce it outside of school, so they solely rely on social media marketing. They were able to build a strong product image that attracted a lot of interest because it has a social impact. For every pair of Pamitisan Slip-on shoes sold, 10% will be donated to Pamitisan’s chosen beneficiaries. Moreso, they also encourage donations of pre-owned clothes to have a 50% discount on Pamitisan Slip-on Shoes.

Joining several trade fairs through DTI, Pamitisan was able to win several awards at the recently held DTI Ferria de Camarines, which exhibited different fashion wear. They were able to win the Racketera Award (Best in Marketing) for putting up a booth not just to exhibit their product but they also put up a donation box to encourage donations of pre-owned clothes for the production of their product. Furthermore, they also won the Best Innovative Product in Footwear for using recycled materials.

As Pamitisan got to be known for their product and their cause, their connections grew, and so did the mass orders of Pamitisan Slip-on Shoes that they had considered mass production. From 5 members to 15 members, as their product was chosen to represent their school in trade fairs, each member contributed P1,000, which made them have a P15,000 starting capital to keep the production and operations going.

While open to the possibilities of getting a loan in the bank to expand their finances to hire more people for labor and buy more materials and additional equipment to be used for production, Keenan was advised by their mentor to have their product improved first because they were able to earn well from it and was able to utilize their resources for the production so far. From P15,000 capital, the sales of Pamitisan in 4-5 months went up to P60,000 with a net of P30,000. Each pair of Pamitisan Slip-on Shoes now costs P750, and 10% of it goes to chosen beneficiaries.

Take it one step at a time, don’t rush. Trust the process and make every step a purpose.” said Keenan.

This is his advice to all other young aspiring entrepreneurs. As the founder of Pamitisan, he shared his plans to partner with BISCAST to let the school invest in his business and become an investor to push forth mass production.

Pamitisan started in 2020. Starting a business right in the middle of a pandemic was not easy. But because of determination and passion in creating a social impact, a business thrives and continues to make its mark in the local community.

Are you also a local entrepreneur who wants to expand your business but low on funds? You can avail Negosyo Loan at Bank of San Jose. The Bank of San Jose supports Small and Medium-Scale Entreprises. Not everything starts big but with Bank of San Jose, your small or medium-sized businesses could grow big. Negosyo Loan could help in expanding and further succeed in your business ventures.

March 22, 2023
Exploring the Best Small Business Opportunities in Camarines Sur for 2023

Having a small business sideline can provide multiple benefits during challenging times.

It can act as a source of additional income and help to augment your salary, provide financial stability and security, offer you the opportunity to pursue your passions and interests, and help you develop new skills and knowledge.

Small business ideas are plentiful, and there is a lot of potential for entrepreneurs here in Bicolandia. With the right combination of skills, resources, and determination, starting a small business can lead to success.

The following are some of the most popular and promising small business ideas for Bicolanos in 2023:

The existing land use of Camarines Sur is still predominantly agricultural. It is then probably a great idea to start working on what we have abundantly in our region.

1. Livestock Raising

Animals raised in the backyard for food or work are known as livestock. These include cattle, goats, pigs, chickens, ducks, and quail.

With abundant farmland and open spaces in municipalities, livestock raising remains a profitable and sustainable business enterprise.

If you have chickens in your backyard, you are undoubtedly already aware of the fact that the family benefits financially from the sale of eggs and chicken meat, which may bring in additional thousands of pesos per month.

In the Bicol region, hogs made up the majority of the livestock raised and cared for. Tending of carabao ranked second, and other major livestock reared and tended in Bicol Region were cattle, goats, and horses.

2. Poultry Raising

The strong demand for eggs and meat, as well as the availability of land and feed, are the key factors that encourage chicken production.

The practice of raising chickens in one’s backyard has gained popularity. Setting it up and running it are far less expensive. Chickens can be kept in tiny spaces and still produce a lot of meat and eggs (at least one acre per thousand birds).

An average of 1.5 million chickens are produced per hectare by smallholder poultry growers.

Camarines Sur shared 62.1 percent of the total chicken produced for the region, followed by Albay with 12.0 percent share. Duck raising came next, while quail raising activity came in third.

3. Farming

With a total of 207,500 hectares across 59,353 farms, Camarines Sur was second in the Bicol region in terms of farmland in 2015, according to PSA. The main crops farmed in the province are coconut, rice, corn, cassava, sweet potato, and mango.

In 2002, palay was the main short-term crop in the area, followed by corn, and sugarcane. Tubers, roots, and bulbs, and fruit-bearing vegetables were also planted as temporary crops in Camarines Sur.

4. Rice Retailing Business

Rice will surely be a bestseller because Bicolanos consume it every day. Scout for a place that is situated in a desirable neighborhood or maybe offer delivery so your customers could find it more convenient to receive their sack of rice.

5. Crops

Farmers in our region are making similar improvements as farmers in other areas of the country.

Crop growers can now live simply thanks to the consistent income that vegetables have given them.

Coconut remained the major permanent crop in the region, and Pineapple was the second. Pineapple was predominantly planted in Camarines Norte and abaca in Catanduanes, while the rest of the provinces were devoted to coconut plantation.

The next most important crop is abaca, bananas, and mango

Vast eggplant plantation in Mambalete, Libmanan owned by members of the Agripreneur Farmers Producers Association, Inc. (AFPAI).

Cabbage plantation at the mountainous areas of Busac, Libmanan owned by members of the Agripreneur Farmers Producers Association, Inc. (AFPAI).

Other non-Agri related business are:

1. Online Selling

Are you a home buddy? With a few online clicks, you can actually make money from home. Nowadays, social networking platforms like Facebook and Twitter and online selling platforms such as Shoppee and Lazada make it simple to sell products. Just remember to come up with a distinct product to market and be responsive to queries all the time.

2. Thrift Shops

Opening a thrift shop is both exhilarating and difficult. It is absolutely style for less money, and it is sustainable fashion.

Low maintenance costs, a variety of stock alternatives, and expansion possibilities are benefits of operating a thrift store business in the Philippines. On the other side, poor profit margin, time-consuming, and a small client base are drawbacks of opening a secondhand store in the Philippines.

3. Grab Car

Given that Grab Car is now available in Naga City, some business-minded individuals in the Metro will undoubtedly consider it as their next must-try business opportunity.

There are a few requirements needed to be accredited as Grab Peer; prepare the necessary documents, have a driver if you cannot drive your car and have a car that is less than three years old.

You can sign up for a car loan to get this business started. The Bank of San Jose offers car loans to help you set the wheels of your dream car for business or pleasure into motion.

4. Small Cafe or Restaurant

Starting a cafe or restaurant from home can provide both personal satisfaction and financial gain, just like the success of Arco Diez, Mama Sarahs, KM Eight Cafe, and Kixkaye who began small by utilizing their homes and have now grown into thriving businesses.

As a small business, it offers the advantage of low overhead costs and the flexibility to cater to your local community. Whether you have a passion for cooking or a desire to run your own business, a home cafe or restaurant can be a great way to turn your dream into a reality. With careful planning and hard work, you can create a welcoming atmosphere and serve delicious food and coffee that will keep customers coming back.

We hope that this list serves as an encouragement for you to take a step closer to realizing your entrepreneurial dreams.

Acquiring a business loan can be incredibly helpful for starting a small business as it can provide the necessary funding to get the business off the ground and running. With a loan, entrepreneurs can purchase equipment, hire employees, purchase inventory, and cover other start-up costs that they may not be able to afford on their own. Additionally, a loan can help a business grow and expand, enabling it to take advantage of new opportunities and increase its revenue.

The good news is that starting your own business doesn’t need you to spend all of your savings. You can launch your own business now with a negosyo loan from Bank of San Jose.

February 8, 2023

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