Bulacan takes pride in Negosyo

MANILA, Philippines – The Milko Ice Cream legacy began with a humble sorbetero’s need to provide for his nine children.

Jose “Mang Ute” Hernandez Sr. started as your friendly neighborhood ice cream vendor in the locality of Sumapa, Malolos, Bulacan. Mang Ute only finished grade three. He had no grand ambition but to provide enough food and the proper education for his children.

With hard work, Mang Ute decided to put up his own ice cream business, Republic Ice Drop. Through this simple enterprise, Mang Ute fed and educated nine children.

In 1972, Mang Ute passed away, leaving the business to his children. His son, Jose “Jun” Hernandez Jr., saw the need to upgrade their product and introduced the very popular ice cream on sticks that carried the brand name Hern’s, in honor of their father.

Jun recalls the days when he would go to the local market in Malolos to buy small quantities of the ingredients to make a batch of ice drop. He made the ice drops and delivered them to his retailers all by himself. Sometimes he even went as far as peddling his products on the streets. Eventually, people came to know of his products and neighborhood stores started selling them. Hern’s Ice Cream Stick also became a hit in local schools, since the products were affordable for students. Their bestselling flavors include buko salad, ube, quezo and monggo, all at very popular affordable prices.

After some time, Jun felt the competition from other local producers. He figured that the others were on to his “ice cream on stick” idea and were imitating his products. He knew that he needed to do more.

After a visit to ice cream-making facilities in Bangkok and Australia, Jun was inspired to make a new line of products. But since he could not afford any of the equipment he saw, he had to improvise. He bought second-hand ice cream machines and restored them. He also developed his own techniques.

All these led to the birth of the Milko Ice Cream Brand in 1995.  Among its products are the Milko Creamstick, Crunchies and Buko Salad. Jun expanded his distribution from Bulacan to Pampanga, NCR and Laguna. 

In 1998, Jun started Milko Soft Serve. He had the opportunity to get spaces in different malls in Laguna, Manila, Pangasinan and Pampanga. His product was simple: ice cream served straight from the machine, topped with chocolate or strawberry syrup, similar to those served by more popular multi-national food chains in taste and quality. The main difference is that Milko Soft Serve was sold at only five pesos per cone.

In 2006, this time with the capital to match his drive, Jun built Snow Joe Ice Cream Factory in Calumpit, Bulacan. To him this was the fulfillment of a long-time dream, and the beginning of even better ones. The factory has all the state-of-the-art equipment for making ice cream.

Jun’s goal is to make affordable ice cream products easily available to the Filipino; high quality products that come from natural ingredients, taking local raw material and making them into globally-competitive products. He wants to improve the quality of life of all people involved in the business, whether employees, dealers, retailers, or customers. He envisions a business where people, not profits, come first.

Despite the unstable economy and countless problems of our country, the vision of success and his father’s unforgotten ideals are what drive Jun to strive harder.

Your skincare authority

In 1985, Dr. Isabel Lopez-Nazal, a dermatologist, discovered a need for quality dermatological services in Metro Manila.

After consulting with her husband, Isabel converted the garage of her home into a small skin care clinic, naming it Clinica Dermatologica. While running the clinic, Isabel also formulated and sold products to her clients.

Over time, Clinica Dermatologica’s clients began to experience the products’ wonderful effects. After undergoing a few procedures, most were able to maintain positive results with the continued use of Isabel’s products. Clients end up recommending her products to relatives and friends.

To meet the increasing product demand, Isabel and her husband put up a laboratory at the back of their house in 1989. Soon, Marosa Soap and Cosmetics Laboratories, Inc. began producing beauty soaps on a large scale. With its entry into the mass market, the YSA Botanica line of beauty products was born.

Three years later, several more branches of Clinica Dermatologica opened and the chain became known as YSA Skin Care Center, the sister company of Marosa. It expanded its treatments to include the latest procedures in cosmetic technology, such as rejuvenation treatments, aesthetic surgery and mesotherapy. The skin care center currently operates 16 branches in the Philippines, all of which carry the YSA Botanica product line.

Isabel expanded YSA Botanica to include various kinds of soaps, facial cleansers, and face and body whitening lotions. Through the efforts of NSA Exchange Corp., YSA Botanica’s national distributor, with the help of Isabel’s son Roberto Jr., her products are distributed to more than 17,000 supermarkets, hyper-marts, department stores, groceries, drugstores, convenience stores and sari-sari stores nationwide.

Indeed, Isabel’s commitment to her brand values and to excellence and quality shows through hard work in putting up the Marosa Soap and Cosmetic Laboratories, Inc., YSA Skin Care Center and NSA Exchange Corp., as it continues to serve the Filipino.

In a society that has grown obsessed with beauty and age retardation, cosmetic dermatologist Dr. Isabel Lopez-Nazal has achieved iconic stature. She is a recipient of the Parangal ng Bayan sa Bulacan.

Jose “Jun” Hernandez Jr. and Dr. Isabel Lopez-Nazal will be given the Most Inspiring Bulakeño Entrepreneur Awards on Oct. 3 at the Go Negosyo sa Bulacan, the latest leg of the continuing Go Negosyo campaign spearheaded by Presidential Consultant for Entrepreneurship Jose Ma. Concepcion III, at the Centro Escolar University, Malolos City, Bulacan.

Go Negosyo sa Bulacan is presented by the Philippine Center for Entrepreneurship in partnership with the Bulacan Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Teofilo Rivera Jr. Go Negosyo sa Bulacan will also be graced by Presidential Management Staff Secretary Cerge Remonde, who is the chairman of the Cabinet Oversight Committee for MSME Development. Member agencies will also be present to reach out to the participants. Go Negosyo mentors and entrepreneurs will also be joining forums to share their stories and business advice, together with celebrity entrepreneurs Joyce Jimenez and Abbygail Arenas-de Leon.

Awardees were endorsed by the Bulacan Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Micro Finance Council of the Philippines, and Department of Agriculture.

Go Negosyo sa Bulacan is also made possible with major partners Smart Communications, PLDT SME Nation, Globe Business, Condura, RFM Corp., and San Miguel Corp.

Go Negosyo also thanks event partners Bulacan Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Splash Corp., V-cargo, Kettle Korn, Centro Escolar University-Malolos, and Ateneo de Manila University Graduate School of Business-Center for Continuing Education; media partners The Philippine STAR, GMA 7, QTV 11, NBN 4, Philippine Daily Inquirer, ASPAC-LAW, Full Circle Communications, Select Media, Creativoices, and Idealminds; government partners: The President’s Social Fund, Inter-Agency Coordinating Committee-Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, Department of Trade and Industry, Department of Science and Technology, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority.