5 Up-and-Coming Startups by Lasallians: The Future Begins Here

Written by Coco Oei and Mikaela Zulueta

Millennials often get a bad reputation for being ‘lazy’ and ‘entitled.’ Likewise, local goods are frequently underestimated or disregarded for their “more sosyal” foreign counterparts. Let these 5 young entrepreneurs and their business schemes show you that ‘Made in the Philippines’ is something to look out for — in more ways than one!

5 Up-and-Coming Startups by Lasallians

Boozy Stix

www.facebook.com/boozystix/

“Cool as ice, sweet as candy.” This unique startup takes the popular Pinoy childhood ice candy treat and gives it a boozy twist. Boozy Stix, as its name would suggest, sells alcohol-infused ice candies that offers 3 fun flavors: Piña Colada, Tequila Rose, and Mudslide. Each order comes in a basic pack of 5 pieces (of any flavor) for P100. If your boozy fix isn’t satisfied yet, don’t worry; Boozy Stix offers party packs of 10 to 150 pieces that are perfect for inuman sessions with the barkada!

How it all started:

With lack of funding for thesis, Sophia Gallegos Reyes, a Communication Arts student from DLSU, decided to open up a business inspired by the Buzzfeed article on wine slushies. The cool concept of alcoholic ice candies, however, was something she thought of on her own. What makes Boozy Stix a unique experience is the creativity and innovation put into Reyes’ products. According to her, taking something from your childhood and making it into something “adult, yet contemporary gives it that enjoyable Pinoy twist.”

Since thesis is right around the corner, Reyes currently finds it difficult to keep up with her business. But aside from that, Boozy Stix is something she would like to continue and eventually be able to retail to bars and restaurants while reaping the benefits from the success of her tipsy business!

Fratelli’s

www.facebook.com/fratellisph

Choosing to reference Jamie Oliver when on the subject of their own cooking is a gutsy move that the owners of Fratelli’s make. On one hand, there are the standards of ingredients and quality they’ll now have to match. Then, on the other, the association of innovation and taste is something their food will need to live up to. Fortunately, these are all categories that the boys of Fratelli’s are working towards — if not yet already achieved.

With each carefully created plate of fries, Fratelli’s urges their customers to #GoForFlavor  

How It All Started:

Joel Hernandez, Mikey Magsaysay, and Luis de Jesus were no strangers to being the designated ‘fat kid’. Along with all the teasing and taunting was a lengthy acquaintance with the joys of food, first in the form of eating, then later, cooking. Fratelli’s began as an ode to their inner-fat kid.

Fratelli’s tirelessly advocates that cheap food can also be good food. They challenge the mindset that standards must be compromised for financial gain, or vice versa. There is always a point between profit and quality; Fratelli’s shows us how to strike that balance perfectly.

On the first day of their first bazaar experience, they made mistakes. They fumbled, they stalled, they stressed. Then, they learned. They saw that the greatest feeling in the world was a smile on a customer’s face after that first bite. Now, they plan to set up a delivery system, as well as supply resellers and restaurants. ’Til then, catch them at a pop up near you! (Lasallians, don’t miss them at Tagpo: Isang Pagtitipon on February 18 from 5pm-11pm.)

Mowie’s

www.facebook.com/mowiesmeats

Mention ‘longganisa’ to the average person and what’s the first thing they think of? The image of popular grocery-brand sausages with their abundance of synthetic preservatives immediately comes to mind. Mowie Fernandez has his sights set on changing that. Touting a product that not only promises to be the best decision you’ve made for breakfast (or lunch, or dinner), but also completely natural and entirely homemade, he may just succeed in doing so.

How It All Started:

The idea to build a business on cured meats has roots back in 2015. While most people his age used the extended summer break to do nothing but sit on their butts, Mowie was busy attending meat processing seminars and experimenting in the kitchen – and it paid off! From coming into work everyday and force-feeding his fellow interns like lab rats to managing 60 kilos worth of orders over the holidays, this small idea for a homegrown business has reached heights he never truly anticipated.

Although Mowie has already won over the Titas of Manila crowd, this is just the beginning. With plans to eventually get into supplying restaurants and going wholesale, he’s in this for the long run. So, if, for some random reason, you find yourself suddenly craving some homemade skinless longganisa, you know where to get your fix.

Price list (per kilo):  Classic Longganisa – Php 350 / Garlic Longganisa – Php 350 / Premium Tocino – Php 370

The Comfy Chic

www.facebook.com/thecomfychic

Above all else, The Comfy Chic prioritises – and this is a big shocker here – comfort in all aspects of life. While they can’t make an awkward date any better or a stressful day at school easier, they can make you look good and feel good in any situation you find yourself in.

Mai Jao, founder of The Comfy Chic, designs and creates apparel that pairs style with leisure. Patterning the clothes to maximize convenience while utilising locally-made, unique fabrics ensures a chic result every time. According to her, “when you’re comfortable, you’re happy and when you’re happy, you look great!”

How It All Started:

Making and designing her own clothes began as a means to an end; Mai couldn’t find the clothes she wanted and decided to take matters into her own hands. Just imagine the scene from Cinderella with the mice and the birds and the dress, except this Cinderella decided to market and mass-produce her own clothing line. Instead of a prince, Comfy Chic finds their version of a ‘happily ever after’ in each customer that walks away with no ‘shopper’s regrets’.

From Googling information on everything between fabrics to accounting, to developing their very own website, The Comfy Chic has come so far in such a short time. They still have more to go, though. Expanding their customer base isn’t the only priority on their plate; locating sustainable materials and promoting the local market is a heavy burden they’re choosing to take on. With the level of grit and ambition Mai exudes, we have no doubt she’ll manage to pull it off.

Sweets By Jackie

https://www.facebook.com/sweetsbyjackieleds/

Let’s face it: the business of baked goods can be pretty run-of-the-mill, making you go “meh.” However, what other preexisting businesses lack, Sweets by Jackie has elevated and built to perfection. Jackie Ledesma specializes in her crunchy, gooey “all-edge” brownies where the chewy edges aren’t limited to just the sides of your pan. Her sugary treats don’t stop there, either; Ledesma has also created a delicious shortbread cookie sandwich with choco-hazelnut spread, topped with caramel sauce. Let’s not forget her confectionary Oreo-crust cheesecake with Fruity Pebbles inside. Yum!

How it all started:

Sweets by Jackie was initially a fundraiser for Ledesma’s parish Christmas play and because of the positive response, started out from there. Ledesma says that running her own business has been a “fun, learning experience for her.” The experience entailing learning how to market and photograph her products, shop for props, and even having to wake up at 4 in the morning to ensure the freshly-baked goodness of her treats. Because of all the hard work she’s invested into her business, she hopes to expand to bazaars and the like. At the end of the day, Ledesma thanks her mom for supporting her all throughout the sweet experience.

Price list: Brownies (Box of 12) – Php 250  / Brownies (Box of 6) – Php 135  / Shortbread Cookies (Box of 12) – 180 / Cheesecake (slice) – P55  / Cheesecake (whole) – P650

To put it all in perspective: none of these young entrepreneurs have even graduated. Feeling inadequate yet? Because we sure are. Inadequate in the best way, of course. Seeing this much passion and drive can only assure us that we are in good hands.

So, which of these start-ups are you planning on making some space in your budget for?