The rise of branded rice
A quiet revolution has taken place in the supermarket in the last two decades. Sunnywood Superfoods Corp., a local company, has greatly influenced the way Filipinos buy their rice, a staple food that most of us can’t do without in our regular meals (and even during meriendas!).
Established in September 1997, bannered by its flagship brand Harvester’s, Sunnywood introduced its rice to Filipinos in the supermarkets through the launch of several varieties of white rice. Filipinos usually buy their rice in the wet markets and the neighborhood sarisari stores but Sunnywood has helped change that by riding on the growing acceptance and reach of the supermarkets and malls with its branded rice.
“Through the years, Filipinos have embraced supermarkets and malls. They are convenient, comfortable, safe and make available almost everything under one roof. In fact, they have become a way of life. It makes good sense to engage the supermarkets,” says Romeo Ong, president of Sunnywood, which is celebrating its 20 years this month.“We are in lockstep with the growth of the supermarkets,” Ong adds. “As they expand, we expand with them to efficiently service the needs of their customers. Meantime, our market grows as a result.”
And why branded rice? “To have a successful brand, you need to earn the trust and confidence of the consumers. We believe we have done that through consistently providing good quality rice over time. That same trust and confidence also define our relationship with our customers – supermarkets, restaurants, etc. – and our suppliers. We treat them with utmost respect.”
A family affair
A graduate of the De La Salle University in 1976 with degrees in AB Economics and BS Business Administration, Ong has always been drawn to agribusiness. “It’s a confluence of circumstances,” Ong says when asked why his company ventured into rice distribution. “At that time, my wife’s family was already in the rice business. Her support and encouragement was overwhelming. Also, the major supermarket chains in the country were just starting to hit their stride in their expansion. The timing was right. Everything was lined up. It was not a hard decision to make.”
Sunnywood, a company name chosen because it evokes nature, agriculture and joy, started as a single proprietorship in September 1997 with just nine items under Harvester’s. It was incorporated in 2007. Two more brands followed in quick succession: Jordan Farms and Farm Boy and with them the product range increased to about 50 SKU.
The Jordan Farms brand supplies healthy (black, red and brown) and specialty (Basmati and glutinous) rice to supermarkets. Farm Boy, on the other hand, is good rice made accessible to all Pinoy families with its lower price range.
Sunnywood is not involved directly in rice farming, instead it carefully sources its rice from farmers, millers, traders, importers and cooperatives. Over the years, it has actively helped local rice farmers penetrate the market and thereby help improve their economic lot. It is also actively supporting the organic growing of rice.
Philippine pride
Looking toward the future, Sunnywood aims to further strengthen its hold in the market. “For the local market, we want to make our presence felt all over the Philippines. Right now, we are strong in Luzon and some Vis-Min (Visayas and Mindanao) areas, but our presence needs to be projected into many other areas of the country. We want to have a strong presence nationwide,” Ong says.
“We are looking into exporting our products very actively as we go forward. We really like to see our products out there in the other countries. To show the flag, so to speak. That will be another source of pride for the Philippines. I hope we can do that in the near future,” Ong says. The company has already done “small test marketing” overseas and has received interest from the Middle East, United States, Canada, among other countries.
With the popularity of the internet in the country that spurred online marketing, the company is also planning to take advantage of the convenience offered by the web. Sunnywood aims to make its products available online so that those who cannot go to the supermarket can simply order and have their favourite rice delivered to their doorsteps. “That’s in our wish list,” Ong says. “But our core market will always be the supermarkets. We have a very good relationship with them. It’s a win-win for everyone – the farmers, the suppliers, the distributors, and the consumers. That will stay.”
“When people ask me what businesses I am into, I say: rice, rice and more rice,” Ong says in jest. “Would I venture into other related business lines? If the opportunity presents itself, I will think about it. But Sunnywood will always be associated with the Filipino’s staple food.