The common narrative of turning an adversity into an opportunity couldn’t be truer than in the case of Cynthia Orozco Acevedo of Barangay Victoria, Tago, Surigao del Sur. Diagnosed with a life-threatening condition in 2008, she was introduced to the numerous benefits of cacao, the fruit being one of the richest sources of polyphenols recommended for people with a medical condition like hers.

She started drinking tsokolate not only because she was  bent on combatting her ailment through organic and natural means, but because she also learned that by doing so would reduce inflammation, lead to  better blood flow, and lower blood pressure, and regulate cholesterol and blood sugar levels.

And so Cynthia and her whole family started consuming tsokolate regularly. But then she realized the habit to be quite heavy on the pocket.  That was when she decided to grow cacao in 2015 solely for their own consumption.

Three years later in August 2018, after seeing the potential of making business out of growing cacao, she decided to put in P25,000 to start a  tablea manufacturing business. And thus born LCC Processed Food Manufacturing.

In January 2019, Cynthia registered her business with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).

Cynthia calls her tablea “Chocolito,” Lito being her hubby. It is richer in taste and aroma because it is made from 100% fermented cacao beans.  While Cynthia was proud of the quality of her tablea,  it is the customer, however, who has the final say on both taste and price.  And this was where Cynthia learned that by listening to consumer feedback, one can formulate a plan for product quality improvement.

Though a cum laude graduate of education and is a public schools district supervisor of the Department of Education (DepEd) assigned at  Tago District in Surigao del Sur, Cynthia is quite a stranger to the ins-and-outs of managing an enterprise. This was when the DTI came to her rescue.

Cynthia was one of the 19 micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) screened and admitted by DTI to its Kapatid Mentor ME (micro entrepreneurs) Program, a coaching and mentoring approach where large corporations teach MSEs on different aspects of business operations for 11 weeks at one-day session per week.  She had to file a leave of absence for these weekly sessions.

It was during her KMME sessions that Cynthia learned about the components of business model canvas, the  importance of packaging and labeling, the mathematics behind product costing and pricing, the significance of entrepreneurial mind-setting, the importance of maintaining good values within the realm of business, and the art of human resource management.

Excited after graduation to put into motion her Business Improvement Plan, Cynthia then bought machinery and equipment just so production capacity and product quality would be improved. Not much later, she was already joining DTI-organized trade fairs. This allowed her to expand her market and customer base that now includes institutions like TT & Company and Surifresh.

With Cynthia’s commitment to scale up her business and the assistance she’s getting from DTI, she now sets her eyes on the shelves of Gaisano, Prince Hypermart, and Ultra Star Supermarket to name just three.  For sure this wouldn’t remain as wishful thinking on Cynthia’s part especially now that DTI has again identified her as one of the MSMEs assisted to have their nutritional facts done by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) and trademark by the Intellectual Property Office Philippines (IPOPHL).

Cynthia’s business is ever brewing.  In 2019 her sales reached over P600,000 with profit percentage in double digits.  While Cynthia is overwhelmed by how much sales and profits her business has brought her and her family, it’s the fact that she has employed a number of people in the community that gives her the greatest joy.

Cynthia can’t wait to retire a year or two from now as she sees herself tending to her business of serving tsokolate and bibingka (rice cakes).  And for the record, she has already embarked on the latter as a perfect pair to the former.

“From the bottom of my heart, I would like to express my gratitude to DTI for all the inputs I got and learned from KMME Program and most importantly, for hand-holding neophyte entrepreneur like me. I could only wish DTI more power,” Cynthia said with a glint of sweet life in her eyes. ♦

Date of Release: 26 March 2021