Bee Healthy Lemon started its humble BEEginnings in the sweet home of Bagadiong Family from Cavite. The owner, Ms. Maricel Bagadiong, is also a hands-on mother to two children. One day, when her daughter complained of having uneasiness in urinating, she found out through laboratory tests, that her daughter has severe urinary tract infection. That moment, Maricel remembered her childhood in Quezon Province when they have to look first for medicinal plants around Mt. Banahaw and use it to treat their illnesses. Without further thought, she immediately prepared her daughter a drink which was a mixture of lemon extracts, honey, ginger and oregano.
She religiously prepared the concoction every single day for her daughter and her husband who also complained about sore throat. It continued until they were completely healed. They made it a habit to drink the herbal mixture until her husband, an OFW, suggested to transform it into business. Maricel then used her savings from her husband’s remittances to bravely put up a business. The first and original store was established at The District, Ayala Mall – Dasmarinas in 2016. That was the birth of Bee Healthy Lemon Freshly Squeezed Juices.
As they started the business, Maricel’s only business background is selling local goods such as brooms and shellfishes. She realized that she needs to improve to prolong her entrepreneurial journey so she sought business advice and assistance from DTI-Cavite Provincial Office.
In 2017, Maricel participated in the second batch of DTI-Cavite’s Kapatid Mentor Micro-Entrepreneurs (KMME) program. Through KMME, she became equipped with the business knowledge and experience from series of coaching and mentoring sessions from the mentors of the program.
To date, a total of seven (7) Bee Healthy Lemon stores have been operating in different areas of Cavite from which four (4) were under franchise. Also, this 2019, Maricel expanded and ventured into a new business called Goto Lover Lugawan, the juice of their hard work from Bee Healthy Lemon. It has already five (5) branches in Cavite at present.
Maricel never ceases the opportunity to share her success to others, as she actively participate to any interview or events she was invited to as a resource speaker because she believes it is her way of paying it forward. She is inspired by empowering other MSMEs, especially women.
By: Arner P. Olayres
Business Counselor
NC Dasmariñas
Date of Release: 15 January 2020