So far, so good, Soda
Soda founder Amor Sy Bona is one hardworking woman. One morning, Bona, who was nine months pregnant at that time with her youngest child, went to the doctor for her weekly visit. The doctor told her that she was about to deliver her baby any moment soon and that she needed to check into the hospital right away. Bona — nonchalantly, unflappably — told the doctor she was postponing her delivery late in the afternoon because she needed to deliver fabrics to SM. “Hindi pa ’ko manganganak, so I could still work,” she reasoned.
Amor’s daughter and Soda senior VP Glenda “Chin” Bona recalls that story fondly and says, “My mother and my father Lucero always emphasized the value of hard work. Unlike other executives who tend to delegate duties, we want to be more hands-on, and we know how important it is to know every single aspect of our business.”
That, she says, is the secret to the success of Soda, which is celebrating its 18th anniversary this October. Another factor is the loyalty of its employees. Chin quips, “Our employees grew up with us, and in the process they have helped us grow.” Many executives in the company were present since day one or shortly after — such as Pink Soda head designer Jun Trinidad and division manager Jean Agbulos.
The company was put up with the money Lucero and Bona got as wedding presents. Before that, the two ran a textile company called Ra’ra Avis Fabric Center, buying fabrics from
Chin explains, “While my dad ran the textile company, my mom set up a small dressmaking shop with 10 secondhand sewing machines, and supplied clothes to different department stores. But her heart was set on coming up with her own brand.”
In 1989, Amor opened the Pink Soda boutique at SM Annex. “My mom just wanted to pursue her dream; she never expected it to become this big. It turned out so well. It was during that time when SM was also expanding, so every time a new SM branch opened, we also opened a Pink Soda branch. We just went with the flow. After Annex, we opened one at Centerpoint. Before we knew it, ang dami na naming shops.”
The brand was geared toward girls from 13 to 19, who are “outdoorsy, carefree, confident, witty and to a certain limit sexy.” Its products include clothes, bags, colognes and accessories. “There were not a lot of independent boutiques that cater to teenage girls. I think we were one of the first, if not the first. Nakapa namin ’yung gusto ng market.”
Pink Soda was the name Amor Bona came up with, together with her consultants such as photographer Jun de Leon and designer Cesar Gaupo. “My mom wanted a name that was ‘bubbly and effervescent,’ and what could be bubblier than soda?” Blue Soda, geared toward male yuppies, came in three years later.
Jean Agbulos says, “Currently, we have 30 boutiques in the NCR, as well as 145 concessionaires, 86 wholesalers — so all in all we have 234 outlets.”
Chin says, “Our competitive edge is quality and not-so-expensive pricing. We try to maintain a minimal increase in our selling prices as much as possible, even if the prices of raw materials keep rising.”
The Bonas regularly travel to different countries — the
And now as the business of the Bonas has matured to a debutante’s age, its market has broadened as well. It underwent re-branding last year as simply Soda, coming out with new store layouts (with functional and sculptural stainless steel coat racks, crazy-cut stone walls and watercolor graphics), as well as new designs for its Soda by Pink and Soda Man by Blue collections. Soda’s latest include sophisticated and sleek ensembles in off-white and other neutral tones.
The company hired junior designers to keep design ideas fresh and innovative. “My mom started the company. After 10 years, my sister Diane took over. I assumed the post in 1999-2000. In our line of work, it is important that the young ones should run things, to keep things always dynamic.”
As part of its 18th anniversary celebration, the brand has held fashion shows throughout the year and recently launched its signature cologne called 18, “1” is for men and “8” is for women. Soda also unveiled its Black & White collection and eye-catching ensembles in gray. Chin explains, “Gray has been very strong for the whole year, so we’ll be coming up with new styles for that — even for summer.”
The Bonas have also diversified into other businesses, putting up a five-star resort called Puerto del Sol in Bolinao, Pangasinan two years ago. Agbulos says, “If you really want to unwind, it’s the best place to go to in northern
Chin says, “We bought the land eight years ago as a private resort for the family. It is 10,000 square meters. But my mom decided it was too beautiful not to share it with others. The sand is golden and the people are very laid-back.”
It’s the first resort in Bolinao of that scale. It has 48 rooms, and an additional 16 in the works — from mansion villas to the lovely bahay kubos. According to ad & promo manager Erwin Dona, the resort offers tours to guests. “We’ll take you to see the falls, the caves, the famous white beach, the lighthouse, and the rock formation. Guests can surf there, since the shoreline is far — really good waves. Lots of people go diving also. The roads are smooth, since the local government made Bolinao really accessible to visitors. The tourism in Bolinao has been booming.”
When Amor gave up her role in Soda, she devoted her time and energy to ensuring that the resort remains at par with the best resorts in the land. Although she’s still a consultant at Soda, the resort has become her newest baby. She chooses the materials and accent pieces for the resort “from faucets to tiles she bought from
So, what’s the difference between running a five-star resort and a clothing brand?
“More or less the same,” answers Chin. “Same headaches — but also the same heartwarming feeling when everything goes right.”
