Bringing Filipino Comfort Food to Global Shelves

For many Filipinos, comfort food is about reconnecting with childhood memories, traditions, and the feeling of home. At THAIFEX–Anuga Asia food trade show in Bangkok, JAMLA Corporation CFO Andrew Panopio shared how making Filipino dishes available in instant form has brought local flavors to international shelves. Dishes like champorado and ginataang mais, once seen as tedious to prepare, can now deliver the same warmth in instant versions.

Panopio's family started with a hot chocolate blend in the late 1990s, based on a recipe from 1949. They expanded to offer instant champorado, arroz caldo, and more under brands like Alfonso’s Hot Chocolate and Tita Lulu’s, using real ingredients like malagkit rice and roasted cacao. The goal is to preserve Filipino recipes while catering to busy lifestyles.

The products have gained popularity locally and abroad, especially in the Middle East and the U.S. Ube champorado has found success in the U.S. market. While introducing Filipino comfort food to foreign consumers can be challenging, the quality and real ingredients used by JAMLA set them apart.

Despite initial skepticism towards instant food, JAMLA's products have won over customers with their authentic flavors and larger portions. The company aims to expand into colder markets like South Korea while maintaining a strong presence in the Philippines.

For JAMLA, success goes beyond commercial gains; it's about preserving cultural connections through their instant products.

According to the source: Manila Standard.