Saturday, January 31, 2009

Honored

Ilocano cd,drive going to Ilocos...we were quiet. Doc Rey and Zac would lapse to laughing and commenting on the Ilocano song that I can't understand.

Think fast, do something, create new conversation......maybe that is why the topic drifted to the blog, the seminar that just passed and back to the blog that will be zacsarian.blogspot.com.

Zac had always wanted an online presence. He thought it entailed a lot of work, manpower and expense. He said he needed help. Well, what help when he had the skills, experience and the eye for what will sell. Remember, he had been selling/publishing for the longest time. All he needed was a clerk! I told him by that night, before 12midnight, he will have his blog for the start of his sign, the Year of the Ox.

Next day at breakfast, he was talking about Sunshine. I begged off...saying....may he just write about us sometime later? It looks tacky and self serving. He said he will email me the post and I post it....as (shhhhhh) he is intimidated by virus alerts and USB connections.

I get his assistant's email, subject : FR MR SARIAN! Wow, how formal I thought. It dawned on me I never called Zac yet as Mr. Sarian except when to introduce him :) I went a fast cut and paste....to post. It won't ACCEPT??! hmmmmm....I wonder if Manila Bulletin has a security feature wehehehheh...

I had to retype....akala ko di ako tatagal! Hard to retype ha. Anyway, that's when it dawned on me he wrote about us.

Very honored...bow....Salamat :)

Chicken Embutido

I have this co-vendor at the Sidcor Green Street Market who sells home made cheese.

The organizer told me that Rico wanted to get my chickens to try for Chicken Embutido. Soon after I saw Rico and we were discussing about how the skin isn't fatty etc.

Jived with my earlier post about different business ideas that go beyond simply raising grass fed chickens. Am sure Rico hasn't read this blog. Today was the 2nd time in a span of two weeks, that he asked if "Solraya" was my lastname :)

Business Ideas

Notice that my recent postings were all for spin off business ideas?

There is life aside from just raising Sunshine Chickens. The bigger circles are all around, not just the dressed chicken market. There are other business opportunities.

This is how we assist in marketing. Marketing concepts to raisers. Advertising. Educating consumers. Visibility. Accessibility. We ship nationwide.

If we are known, then the product will be easier to sell by the growers.

Sunshine Chicken Longaniza

If I had the time, I want to have my favorite Alaminos, Pangasinan and Vigan, Ilocos Sur Longanizas in Sunshine Chicken instead of pork.

I had been encouraging some people to do it. Everyone's reply was it won't be good without the fat. But that's just the point! There is definitely that sector, "the hometown garlicky taste of longaniza they love" people. They want that taste, but in a healthier version. No preservatives.

A trader should address this market. Those healthy food buffs won't buy the fatty pork longanizas anyway, so they should look into the alternative market for that huge longaniza craving, using grass fed chickens.

Vigan should open eyes to this. They have the garlic. They have that known market for longaniza. And they have a government who looks after tourism and livelihood.

Hoping to taste some Vigan Sunshine Chicken Longaniza!

Benguet State University Vet Med Week 2009


Excited to go to Baguio next week. The nippy cool air...though not anymore clean...is still tickling and sets the atmosphere for eating!

A seminar on Raising Sunshine Chicken had been alloted for us to do on Feb 6, Friday, 1-3pm. This is FREE and open to all. Vet Med campus.

Ready To Range Capons

Another great business idea is to do ready to range capons. It is an old art and not many people know how to do this.

One grower of ours have specialized on the Sunshine Capons, timing his harvests during the festival season of Christmas, town fiestas etc. Actually, the capons are served in special occassions and should know no particular season as it will always be demanded.

The gourmets know the distinct difference in meat quality of capons. Priced higher at PHP300/kilo dressed, it is sought after by the market that knows.

We have had inquiries about getting capon cockerels, or the ready to range ones.

Look into this business. It is a good niche for a select market.

Ready To Range For Profit

The brooding stage of chicks is the most important phase of growing. This is the make or break in their growth's takeoff.

1) Heat - the light in brooder cages are not there for them to see. They need the heat from those bulbs keep them warm and comfortable. If they feel cold or too warm, they don't eat nor move around. They push against each other to get air or to get warmth. They should be comfortable in their surrounding's temperature.

2) Space Requirement - They need to play and move around easily. With proper space requirements of 1ft/bird, they have the room to mingle, exercise and eat without having to wrestle for space.

3) Feeds and Water - Adlibitum feeding means they always have feeds in their feeders. They eat all the time and they need that to make them strong for their ranging days. Have clean drinking water all the time.

4) Beddings - These keep them warm and dry. Make sure it is always clean. Yes your Sunshines are strong and disease resistant for the most part...but you have to exercise biosecurity and proper poultry management.

5) Vaccinate - We personally do not vaccinate, but check if you need, depending on your location and neighbors.

6) Observe - Keenly keep an eye on them. You will understand your flock when you are intouch.

Most people are afraid of brooding, or fail in this area. Most difficult and important 3weeks. Proper brooding is the cheapest way to successful raising of your Sunshines.

Some people have seen this opportunity of livelihood. They are good in brooding. Less time and space is needed before they harvest :)

They brood and sell their ready to range Sunshines at a profit of course. The customers are more than willing to do away with the brooding. Downside is you can't be sure how the 3weeks were done...feeding etc. Trust is a factor.

Friday, January 30, 2009

Increased Production

Our production have increased starting this week and will be doubling up in the next couple of weeks.

Our 3rd batch of Certified Parent Stocks (2nd batch of SASSO of France) have started to give us production.

Why you ask, are we doubling up our output? Not really planned at this stage. Our 2nd batch and present breeders are already from SASSO of France. We were basing our egg production and fertility rate from our previous set of breeders. Of course from the onset the production of SASSO was far better, but we didn't anticipate that their fertility curve was far better than the 1st batch we had.

Everything fell into place. We have increased demand from our clients, and we have doubled our production.

Double output and we now have the naked necks!

DEALER LIST

MAKE SURE YOU ARE GETTING REAL SUNSHINE.

updated 21 October 2010

We have refocused and making it cheaper and easier for all to have  access to good tasting and healthy chicken meat.  You may grow your own food or get from farmers you know and trust.  Get to know your farmer.  Its all about farming :)

How did we make it cheaper and more accessible to grow clean meat?  We run trials and have gotten the results we wanted by using the white chicks that are used for commercial poultry raising. 

When given probiotics/fermented plant juices and pastured for the same time as its colored cousins, they have the same taste, and surely the healthy benefits are in how it was raised.

We are teaching you a concept.  We are selling you the idea of raising/eating well.  Food that you may grow yourself.  Food that you may entrust to farmers you really know.

If for some reason you can't find dayold chicks in your area, or you want the brand that we use, then we can cater them to you.  But again, the ,most ideal is get the chicks from your area.  The point was to make it cheaper and easy for all farmers.

ISABELA:
Santiago, Solraya Enterprises (Panganiban St)

METRO MANILA:

Quezon City,
AANI Quezon Memorial Circle

Thursday, January 29, 2009

Look Around And Be Seen


Our visibility and trips opens us to other opportunities. From Ilocos Sur now we get the native garlic and onions. We load them on back to Manila and sell in Organika. The farmers are able to get some cash from us and dispose some of their stocks.

Another is the ready to use powdered form Stevia, w/c my friend imports. I wasn't too keen on carrying that, but it is a good alternative to using name branded artificial sweeteners. Surprisingly, when we displayed it, caught a lot of attention.

In trying times...maximize time, effort and opportunities. You should be creative and be functional to and fro. Business and pleasure.

January is almost over....

Worst Is Yet To Come For RP Economy.... How Do You Move Then?

That was the status of a person on my YM list. I asked why so negative...

He said people should see and feel the negative so they can move and work beyond the problems. Well....maybe in Japan where he is based. For the majority of us Filipinos in the Philippines...we sit back and relax for all reasons. We relax when we feel comfortable and confident. We relax more when we think the worse is yet to come...much more when worst is to come! Scared? Nuh....more like statue game, poker face duh.

Someone called me the other day and said that the competitor told him that they are riding on our advertising and marketing advances. Thank you for the compliment. If you are riding on someone, why backlash them? Ride with the good wind...because if you kill your competitor, you damage the industry too. So goes for all. No time now for bickerings and politicking. We all have to move on and reinvent ourselves.

Last week, I was toying with horizontal marketing in my mind. Who to do it with, how, when, what. Destiny drops the pieces in the puzzle.

We had a client who wants to get closest to organic raising of Sunshines. We needed a key person to guide him. Well, today's article of Zac Sarian turned on the light. He featured us at the same time. Of course Tere and Armand of Earthkeepers! So when Doc Rey met with the client this morning, he just handed them the Manila Bulletin to refer to.

Tere coincidentally texted me about pricing of day old chicks as she was getting inquiry from people who visit their farm. We talked on the phone and she was also thinking about integration of seminars to benefit the participants from learning from people who are technical already, outside and beyond the organic farm inputs.

I can picture Zac writing out his columns earlier. He features articles for other people to sieve doable ideas from. Linking suppliers maybe wasn't in his agenda today.

Back to my negative friend.....he wasn't really negative. He was on the road of pushing and scaring people to bring out the best in them.

Sure, with the proper motivation and psyche....yes, problems are hurdles to get to better things.

"moshi moshi"

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

zacsarian.blogspot.com

Often, during our conversations while traveling, Zac Sarian would talk about how he wants to have a website and thinks about hiring someone to do it for him.

Last Sunday, he caught the tail end of Doc Rey's seminar for Sunshine Chicken. He saw how full Organika was, the profile of the people who attended and how interested they were. So when we reached NLEX and started our talks again, it drifted to the profile of the attendees, their interest, and the number that turned up for the seminar.

We summed it to: people are thirsty to do something new, different and the economic times are not a time to take uncalculated chances. We talked about multi seminars that we can take nationwide etc.

He asked again about a website and the expenses that I incur in doing mine. Huh? "I use blogger.com free" I do have a registered solraya.com but I want the ease and freedom to type and post when I want. Aesthetics is important to you..I asked. He said, "no, content is". Then blogger.com will be ok then!

If you want more from Zac, aside from his Thursday, Saturday and Sunday articles....check his zacsarian.blogspot.com

It will be on a slow start....as he has to get his personal paraphernalia going....but don't worry. His ideas are all stored already. Eager to run (is an understatement)!

Soft Opening Of Solraya In Vigan

I was in a rush to take this photo, so the Sunshine Chicken in the signboard doesn't show well. But...we are in business in Vigan City. Strategically located along Alcantara St., we have to our right Mercury, HBC, Metrobank and Jollibee to our left. Situated across the public market. We are happy about our neighbors :)

Just today, our staff reports that the fakes now have comparisons for the real Sunshine Chicks. Feedpro will be glad they used our pictures for the signboard that we displayed.

The soft opening sales far outdid our expectations. The opening crew from Santiago stores are just there to fix the stores to the layout we are used to....as our staff reshuffles. While fixing the store, they can't help but attend to customers already.

We opened this outlet because we can't find a dealer who will push the product with our passion and maintain fair prices.

Happy New Store!

F&B World

Get the latest issue of F&B World, Jan/Feb 2009.

The magazine featured our naturally grown chickens, with a full article.

Coincidence that Chef Sunshine is the cover story.

I was so excited when I got a text from Lori Baltazar that she has seen the article. Was in Vigan that time and hopes was dampened for me that I will find a new release copy that day. We had a last minute lunch appointment at Max' :) Lo and behold, they had newly arrived copies of F&B World at the bakeshop counter!

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Dressed Deliveries

For first time orders for Organika deliveries, I prefer doing them myself.

Why? I can get lost and no body scolds me. I take time to find out what is the area in terms of stores etc, and take note of hard to find doorbells, cameras, speakerphones, dogs and auto garage openers that may intimidate our driver. So, we note those out of the ordinaries, to spare them :) Also, you are able to calculate timetables when the drivers are on the route.

Yesterday was one fine day for me. Five new addresses to find. Took me from 9am-3pm!

Hey....the difference between delivering live day old chicks and dressed chickens will be an interesting topic.

Monday, January 19, 2009

Reality Checks

Today I did the deliveries for the day old chicks to Cavite/Laguna/Alabang area.

Short on manpower as the volume of chicks increase :) Two drivers were off to North West Luzon. Was that enough? No. Doc Rey was also on a separate trip to that same area for farm visits and to check on the renovation on our Solraya Vigan store.

The South deliveries could have waited. But....it was my opportunity to touch base with our dealers, scout the route the drivers take, compute time and distances to match expenses etc. I had the whole morning to myself too. The store managers of the dealers were surprised I was delivering by myself. Only way to get the feel of the route :)

Tomorrow, I deliver orders from our Organika customers.

Yes, you have to work your way up the ladder. Best exercise is to go up and down that flight of stairs...literally and figuratively. If you drop somethings on the way up or down, you will always find it either way.

Wakeboarding?

Over lunch today, my son and I were discussing about our separate trips to Camarines Sur. Us, to do a seminar. Him?

He is leaving on Friday to take the lazy boy bus with his friends, go wakeboarding, then fly back on Sunday. I said never heard of that bus company...lazy boy. Oh well, he said it was an executive bus of a bus company. :) Then he had to explain to me what wakeboarding was. Sounded like a hyped skateboarding to me.

I was texting my DA CamSur contact about where the wakeboarding was etc. He must have thought I was into it and sounded quite surprised.

Now, surfing about it...no wonder he thought I was not me he was texting with! Read about wakeboarding in Camarines Sur.

BJ said you should have balance and be fit. Now I understand why. It will still be interesting for me to visit the place and watch.

Sunday, January 18, 2009

When Are Fakes More Expensive?

Yesterday, Doc Rey came across a vendor of obviously fake SASSO chicks. Why obviously fake? Because Solraya, to date, is the only importer of Certified Parent Stocks from SASSO of France since we cemented talks in 2007. Even our competitor has to point to us as the only source of SASSO origins, in the Philippines.

Back to Doc Rey... He approached the chick vendor and asked what was being sold. The man replied SASSO, but said they were crossed. He was selling at PHP50 per chick! Doc Rey listened to him say that out of the number of eggs he sets in the incubator, he gets 75% hatchability. Not too bad you may say, huh? But wait....he continues that out of the 75% that hatches, 50% lives on day1. The number continues to dwindle during brooding stage.

That leaves him with about 37.5% of production at day1. No wonder he has to sell at PHP50. Do you think that is a fair price if not expensive? Considering that we are at PHP35....he is cheap!

Why will I say that he sells cheaply? The man doesn't have the economies of scale. He may just have 350-1000 heads. He spends a lot on feeds for such a poor production. Even if he grew his inbred chicks for meat production, he will lose money and time because of slow growth. Most importantly, he loses a lot on his expectations.

As I always say....IF it was profitable to cross breed and in breed, why will we be periodically importing Certified Parent Stocks? Why don't the big companies who are into the industrial chickens just inbreed? Who amongst the farms that inbred have sustained the business?

Are the fakes expensive or cheap? Wehehhe its like seeing the black dot or the white paper. Expensive for the buyer, but cheap price for the seller...that's the reality.

Thursday, January 15, 2009

New Year, New Breeders, New Line, New Store....

Those translate to chaotic schedules for our team now! Oh, don't get us wrong...we aren't complaining. We are enjoying the roller coaster of juggling schedules. You wake up not knowing where you are, literally.

Some delays are for the best. Our printer was late in doing our calendars....it allowed us to include our new baby Vigan :)

By now I hope it is clear to all we are here for the long haul. We have imported periodically and have culled breeders to protect the industry. New lines for 2009 have been decided on and timetables have been set with SASSO of France.

Watch out for new areas in the business. We always reinvent ourselves for you.

Naga Seminar UPDATED

DA in Camarines Sur have just been in touch and wants to schedule a seminar for Raising Sunshine Chickens for March 06. This will be done on the same day as their dispersal of 1month old Sunshines.

This is thru the project of Cong. Luis Villafuerte, who had started to order Sunshines since late 2007.

You may coordinate with DA Cam Sur. Meantime, keep those dates open, so you may attend our FREE seminar in Naga. Doc Rey intends to be in the area, for your questions, for a couple of days.

DA Guimba Seminar

Scheduled for tomorrow, January 16 at 2pm.

LGUs in the area have requested for a seminar on Raising Sunshine Chicken. If you are interested, feel free to join.

If you want a seminar held in your area, just coordinate with us and we will conduct one for you.

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Ilocos Sur Seminars

Since we are in Ilocos Sur every Monday, we will be able to schedule FREE seminars every Monday.

Contact us thru (0917) 847-2639 so we may schedule in your area, or at our Solraya Vigan branch.

Thank you sa Ilocos Sur!

Monday, January 12, 2009

Strengthening Links

For so many years, almost 10....we'd pass by Ilocos Sur area, to or from Ilocos Norte. Stopping by Vigan to sleep overnight and pass by the Cathedral...maybe the real reason was to eat empanada :)

I had a patron in the church...St. Jude. Out of the blue, Joey Rigor calls me as Gov DV sets an appointment and the rest is history. St. Jude must have found a way to make us visit him weekly!

The spillover sales of the project of Gov DV made some people interested to be dealers...but we didn't think it'll be effective since they were pricing themselves for short time deals. Meaning, they were selling the Sunshines too high.

Our former dealer in Vigan encountered health and eventually financial problems. They thought about having half of their store rented out and they get out of the poultry supply business.

AGP Poultry Supply store location is perfect and we lost no time in closing the deal. Doc Rey was there this morning. Signed, sealed delivered! Right across the market. Shakey's on the left and Mercury Drug on the right. That location will be good for an Organika Vigan too.

Now we have Solraya Vigan!

Sunday, January 11, 2009

Don't Just Feel It. Taste It!


Remember that commercial for a shampoo? As I was reviewing photos taken in Ilocos Sur of this very pretty girl, I recalled that Alice Dixon ad :)

During the lunch breaktime during Monday's dispersal, we decided to hie off to Sinait. That is the last town of Ilocos Sur, boundary of Ilocos Norte.

Led to the recipients of the 1st dispersal in December, saw us looking at almost 2 kilo Sunshines :) It was 1.5k around Christmas time, but recipients thought that the project coordinators needed to check on it before they are able sell. Some other recipients were apologetic that they have started to sell.

That is the point! Gov DV and I chorused that "that is what we want"! Starting next week, recipients will start to give back eight (8) adults, so they may qualify to get 100 21day old chicks again.

Friday, January 09, 2009

Baguio Seminar, February UPDATED

TOPIC: Raising Sunshine Chicken from Day1 to Harvest
WHEN: February 6, 2009, 1-3pm
WHERE: Benguet State University

Vet Med Week once again at Benguet State University. Just like last year, we were there for the event. A product presentation was done last year. This time, a full seminar will be done.

Open to all FOR FREE. All are welcome to come for the seminar, growers, dealers, farmers, end users etc. Please follow signs that will be posted in the Vet Med Campus of BSU. No need to pre-register. Just come on time.

Thank you BSU for the support :)

Sunday, January 04, 2009

Agriculture Magazine Jan 2009

Talk about great starts....

The latest issue of Agriculture Magazine by Manila Bulletin, has the editor writing about Gov DV Savellano's agriculture projects for Ilocos Sur.

Timely that we are making the trip tomorrow to IS, and bringing with us the gift of media coverage :)

Zac Sarian hopes to be back to Ilocos Sur very soon to check on the harvests and dispersals of Sunshine Chicken in that province. Dispersals are done weekly. They should be harvesting the first batch real soon.

Saturday, January 03, 2009

Great Start

Today we thought was going to be a slow day, as we came to start the normal schedules for the weekend markets.

As I am typing this at 10:30, I know I will pack up by 12 noon. I don't know what made this a fast day. Did they want home cooked meals after the parties? They had been gifted and wanted to buy for their own now? They heard about it in social gatherings? All of the above :)

Doc Rey got two calls from two different radio stations for interview this morning. Both shows asked him to talk about what to expect for 2009 from Sunshine:

1) Naked necks from SASSO of France - sturdier and tastier line. The growers have asked for this line. We are now test hatching and may have it available end of January at the earliest.

2) Organika will get bigger - We will continue to source new and good natural products for you.

3) Nationwide - seminars and farm visits. Our commitment to sustainability is to teach and monitor.

4) Organikarts - Just toyed up with this yesterday. Make the Organika products readily available and convenient for most people. Carts....

Good to be up and about. Being available at the right time and proper places.

Market For Capons

When we first featured Joey Rigor doing the Sunshine Capons, it got a lot of attention. That time, he was learning the curve for the business of the capons. Because he started sometime May, we were able to feature the old art of raising capons for several trade shows. By Christmas time, people have preordered Joey's capons :)

He has already in his brooders now capons for release in May.

Capons need not be just for Christmas. All year round, there will be a need for a festive dish :) There will always be parties, birthdays and anniversaries. Graduations and fiestas are also mid year.

I found this article, for people who don't know what capons are.

Friday, January 02, 2009

1

100%=1

The previous posts may seem negligible to some, but it is the small steps that mean a lot to us...it got us to our present location and will navigate us to our destination. Hmmm...seems I am relying on my GPS too much? weheehheeh

Where we are now...merits thanking everyone and everything in our midst. Everyone means customers, growers, friends and media partners. Some media partners have transcended and became friends :)

Blessings come mostly masked as hurdles. But we work hard and strive too, and together with support from everyone around, we get to chirp at the end of the day.

Thank you for 2008. We will be working harder for 2009.

Another 100%

Hard to document feasibility studies as different strokes for different folks, when you talk about free ranging, grass fed Sunshines.

After I greet Maricel, head of my crew for Santiago City, I asked her how her sales went. She sells her harvest to her neighbors. So for the end of 2008, she sold 50% of her 100 . She sold her dressed chickens at php190/kilo and the liver at php200/kilo. At an average of 1.2-1.5 kilos dressed in 60days, I made a quick compution and asked her that if she sold 50 out of her 100 chicks, then she must have already gotten back her investment, plus a little some?

She smiled "yes". So she looks forward now to selling the remaining. As those will be her profit.

She is now preparing for a new batch to brood. Think graduations, and fiesta time :)

100%

100% lasang native!

That's our tagline.

Today, the 1st working day for our stores, we got so much good feedback from the backyard farmers. They cooked it for their own and neighbors' consumption, sold meat and some gave it as gifts during the Christmas season. They said the word is the tagline was true...100% lasang native.

One said it had a fantastic taste, but rubbery when roasted. Depending on how you cook it, because I and a lot of other customers roast a lot. I love baking in the oven or using my turbo broiler. It is firm, but not tough. For first timers, you can't compare the texture to the regular industrial chickens that you are used to :)

For the holidays, I served it as roasted with herbs and in home cooked adobo style. Wiped out about tubs of pure liver pate in two days in separate gatherings. Deep friend the gizzard originally cooked adobo style.

My gauge of a good product? When its the men in the crowd asking for the chicken, pate etc!

100% in taste and health benefits.

Thursday, January 01, 2009

Are you...

Looking back or forward?

Before, I used to want the new year to begin, even as early as mid November. Maybe I wanted to get over the year? Lack of anything interesting to do? Something new was like a promise or a door to something different.

2007 and 2008 was different. Seems I didn't feel 2007 and 2008 pass. It was that hectic! I wanted to halt the last days of 2008, as there were so many things to be done yet and I didn't want to enter 2009 without the planning and listing of TO DO. Before you can do so, you have to relax to have an open mind. You need to have the possible lose ends done before you can relax. That is a big circle :)

We can't stop time though....and YES, we are now looking forward. Reopen stores and weekends markets on Saturday. We go back to Ilocos Sur on Sunday as we work closely with the project of Gov DV for his Ilocos Super Chicken.

AANI gets relocated to a much better area inside the Quezon Memorial Circle. We attend the PVMA convention in Davao and will have a seminar for Raising Sunshine Chicken about Feb19.

Wait...am suppose to relax first. Will keep you posted.

Happy, fruitful and workful lives for all of us!