Trade fairs open doors for SMEs

CEBU, Philippines - Trade fairs have opened a lot of opportunities for small and medium enterprises (SMEs). And this has been proven by a local business player in Cebu dealing with food processing.

Marie Ann Mondelo, owner of Maexel Chi-Cha Bites and Snack Foods, shared that they have continuously gained a lot of support from the public due to the exposure they get in trade fairs.

The Maexel Chi-Cha Bites was one of the participants during this year’s One Town One Product Visayas Island fair in SM city Cebu which was participated by over 150 SME players in Regions 6,7 and 8. This is a project of the Department of Trade and Industry in order to give SME entrepreneurs the chance to introduce their products especially the products that comes from their provinces.

Mondelo shared with The Freeman that they are always eager to join trade fairs like the OTOP as they are given the chance to reach a bigger market.

She shared that since they started two years ago making Chicharon, they already have a lot of orders.

Mondelo said that they started of with just P1,000 capital for the purchase of pork but now they allocate P70,000 for a whole week’s pork supply.

She shared that their business just started with a “trial and error” and after a few attempts, they had the perfect mix of their chicharon.

According to Mondelo, they had their first break when a lady-business owner in Cebu was able to taste her Chicharon when she was in a salon and after which, she was asked to continually supply the product to the business woman.

Maexel Chi-Cha Bite and Snack Foods was the top seller for last years’ OTOP Visayas fair as well as the Sandugo OTOP fair have a bigger market already from their usual door-to-door selling.

She said that they are now already supplying three malls in the city as well as another one in Pampanga.