Organique brings US health drink to Cebu's retail outlets

CEBU, Philippines - Noting Cebu’s strength in health and wellness, Organique Inc. brings to Cebu the American health drink Acai Berry. With a headquarters in Cebu, Organique distributes the health drink, which is endorsed by influential personalities like Oprah Winfrey, and is now made available in retail outlets across the country, initially in 500 stores including SouthStar Drug chains, Watsons as well as in health and wellness outlets, like the Health Express in Ayala Center Cebu and SM City Cebu shopping malls.

“Today’s complicated and stressful lifestyle, coupled with the polluted environment, everybody has to take pure health supplement and would genuinely provides anti-oxidants that work more effectively than the synthetic products,” said Organique Inc. president Catherine Salimbangon.

“As a health advocate, my husband Elton and I left no stones unturned so that this miracle food may be made available to millions of sickly, undernourished and malnourished Filipinos. Cebu’s cosmopolitan lifestyle and discerning taste is the benchmark of our success in this venture,” Salimbangon said.

Salimbangon, a registered nurse who held a promising position at a medical institution in California, USA, left her job, to bring in this health-drink supplement first to Filipinos, and ultimately to the huge market in Asia and the Pacific.

The Acai (pronounced ah-sigh-ee) berry, claimed to be one of the most nutritious and healthiest beverage in the world, Salimbangon said.

Manufactured in California, USA the Acai Premium Blend is from the small grape-size berry that grows in the Amazon Rainforest of Brazil. Historically, natives of the region have harvested this berry as part of their diet for hundred years.

Unlike most health-drink supplements available in the market today, which are distributed via networking system, the Acai Berry juice is made available in traditional retail outlets.

The manufacturer of Acai Berry is one of the only four certified organic processing company in California. According to Salimbangon, despite the relatively high cost of the drink wherein a liter would costs P2,500, the company is confident that the product will hit the market, because of its efficacy.

Besides she said that consumers all around the world, including Filipinos have already recognized the importance of wellness in their lifestyle, and a growing number of them are investing huge amount for decease prevention.

“When I was still a practicing nurse in the US, I realized that synthetic medication only provides band-aid effect to deceases. What is important is to prevent our body from acquiring deceases overtime, especially with the kind of lifestyle and environment we have now” Salimbangon said.

“Healthcare is very expensive especially in our country,” she added.

Soon, Salimbangon said Organique will make entry in other countries in Asia, and will make strategic partnerships.

In the Philippines, the health-drink is also patronized by personalities like Cory Quirino, Kris Aquino, Lucy Torres, among others. But, Salimbangon said no matter who will endorse the product, trying it and experiencing its “miracle” is what is the most important. (THE FREEMAN)