“Spice up your Life with The Golden Spice”. These words are truly remarkable in the lives of both business partners and partners in life, Ms. Nenita and Mr. Dominic Mendoza, owners of the NBDM Farm and Food Processing, a small company in Calauag, Quezon that is involved in the production and processing of ginger and turmeric. Their main products include ginger brew, turmeric brew, and ginger candy. They embodied the company’s vision to be a processor and consolidator of organic herb products that meet international standards.
The company was helped and assisted by the Department of Trade and Industry and Negosyo Center Calauag to be one of the recipients of the AWE Innovation Micro Fund for 2022 by the Canadian Executive Service Organization – Accelerating Women’s Empowerment (CESO-AWE) to help them improve their marketing opportunities, increase access to and control over resources, enhance their quality of life, and boost confidence in their abilities.
Aside from being a Kapatid Mentor ME (KMME) graduate and a recipient of the CESO-AWE grant, they had also been equipped by various training and seminars over the years. NBDM Farm and Food Products had received assistance in preparing their grant from two CESO volunteers. Canadian Advisor Jim White completed an assessment of their business operations and provided mentoring on effective business practices. While Canadian Advisor Kathy Comfort provided mentoring on proposal writing and assisted them in writing the project proposal for the CESO grant.
“COVID-19 has adversely affected our company’s operations for the past two years. This grant is a good opportunity for us to acquire the equipment we need to regain what we lost during the pandemic and continue to grow our business.”
“Kahit may pandemya, tuloy pa rin dapat ang pagne-negosyo. Marami sa mga kasama ko ang natigil dahil nagsara ang Pasalubong Center. Sa panahong ito, kailangang umisip ng paraan kung paano pa rin mabebenta ang iyong produktong ginagawa. Nakita ko ang oportunidad ng aking negosyo dahil sa ang aking itinitinda ay herbal tea at ginger brew. Dahil nga, takot ang tao na magkasakit, lalo na yung magka-ubo at sipon, bumibili sila ng aking ginger brew.“
“Lilipas din yan. Hindi naman habambuhay ganito lagi ang sitwasyon. May isang kabanata lang ng buhay pagne-negosyo na down ka, minsan up. Ang mahalaga ay kung paano ka naka-adapt sa iba-ibang sitwayon, paano naka-adapt ang negosyo mo sa panahon ng krisis.“
NBDM believed that the new equipment would help them regain the revenues lost during the lockdown periods and grow the business beyond pre-pandemic levels. At the same time, it will allow them to create new jobs and boost health benefits for members of our community and give back to local communities by generating employment and producing products that promote good health. Indeed, for NBDM Farm and Food Products, Turmeric, is a golden spice that leads them to a zestful and golden life.♦
Date of Release: 3 August 2022