Cebu Food Expo 2008

I was glad we did this show!


We got there for ingress, checked in at the Waterfront Cebu where the venue was...never even saw the shadow of the other show upstairs, Cebu Goes Culinary!

It exceeded our expectations. The visitors were focused and knew what they wanted and were at the show for a reason. Our conversations were aligned and limited to the taste and health benefits of eating Sunshines. Oh yes, we also got the inquiries from prospective growers, not just from Cebu but from the surrounding areas too.

Am sure this show will boost our growers in the Cebu area. This was their first real experience of how we market our Sunshine growers in trade shows. I hope the message was clear, we go all out in assisting in promotions.

Amongst the four growers, it was St. Mary's who had dressed Sunshines available at the show. Good timing for him that he made sure he would have his products in time for the Cebu Food Expo.

We look forward to our next visit in the Queen City of the South :)

Marketing Our Sunshine Growers

For the past month, suppliers have been asking why we do the food trade shows. They know we do the agriculture expos, but now the queries are "Why the food shows?". Suppliers and colleagues have been wondering "why" when the cost of show spaces are very high. And now, they see that we also do the consumer food shows, w/c is some steps past our line.

We do the agriculture shows because our main business is in animal health supplies and services. It spun off to Sunshine Chicken, my passion since.

Asked often if we do contract growing, buy backs, etc. You'll be amazed at how almost everyone asks! Nope, we don't.

There are growers, entrepreneurs, marketing people etc. Possible, but unlikely, that we get them all rolled into one persona. Some may have the capacity to raise, but where to sell?

Long before you see themes of "niche marketing"...I had been saying that. Create a market. Focus. And yes, it is all about niche marketing.

I for one go on gut feel, no feasibility plans etc. You don't need to go far to sell. Start with your circle, going to outer circles little by little. Before you know it, you are selling.

So how do we assist? Any guarantees that a grower makes money? How d0 we work on the marketing for our Sunshine growers?

1) Open up the avenues for them through our joining food trade shows/expos/weekend markets. They join the shows for FREE. No charge for space!
2) Brainstorming on product development
3) Information dissemination
4) Consumer awareness on benefits of getting Sunshine
5) Print and radio exposures

I nurture relationships w/ our growers. Communication is open and constructive points are taken.

Our growers are getting their share in marketing mileage. The ones who work side by side with us see and experience this.

Hopefully, the other quiet growers see the importance of the food trade shows we do for them.

Next stop is the Cebu Food Expo 2008 at the Waterfront Cebu! My three regular growers in Cebu are joining.

If my growers feel we are not helping them any, I pray they let me know :)

Booked For Cebu Food Expo 2008

July 10-12 2008 will be the dates to go and see the Cebu Food Expo that coincides with the Cebu Goes Culinary2008. This will be at the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and Casino. We will be at booth 827, near the seminar areas.

Seminars for Raising Sunshine Chicken will be scheduled during our stay in Cebu from July9-12. Our Sunshine growers in the area will be there to market their products.

Cebu Food Expo is scheduling us for two (2) seminars on the benefits of eating grass fed Sunshine chicken, both at the ground floor, Pacific Ballroom:

July 11, 5pm
July 12, 11am

See you at our booth for a more personal talk on raising Sunshines.

Visited St. Mary's Farm In Cebu

Sad that Hector who owns St. Mary's Farm had an emergency the morning we were scheduled to visit. He made the perfect choice when he sent his good friend/marketing consultant to drive us. Romy was the most engaging guide one can ask for.

This farm had always had a soft spot for me as they had been giving livelihood and creating a better of quality of life for the mountainfolks in this part of Cebu City.


Since about September 2007, loading had been regular and they had been targetting the specialty restaurants and end users.

We were served a filling lunch with Sunshines the way they would have it. Sunshines soup with just lemongrass, Sunshine inihaw with feet and head (the crispy skin was to die for). Notice how the chicken was served in a Coca Cola plate..."everyday sweet Sunshine"! They had kept some layers and I sampled them, raw. I had two raw eggs straight right up! It was capped with fresh cheese that the barangay tanod makes from his cows.

Dinner was scheduled at KK that night as the Sunshines there are from St. Mary's....as he was parking, I knew it was him already. Talk about vibes over text messages.

KK's Hainanese Chicken Rice

Zac, Doc Rey and I were supposed to have a small dinner with two of my close friends at Abaca Boutique Hotel to try Chef Jason Hyatt's creations from Sunshines of Earthlink Farm.

Hec of Asian called to invite everyone for dinner while we were at Hec's St. Mary's Farm...I suggested at KK since they were serving Sunshines from St. Mary's.

After last minute calls, we all had dinner at KK, located at the IT Center. They are opening a larger outlet soon.

We met Mr and Mrs Lo. When St. Mary's brought them samples, they were overjoyed to finally find the chickens they had been used to back in Malaysia.

They served us good tasting plain chicken soup...Chicken Rice, rice cooked in chicken stock...Hainanese Chicken that came with ribbons of gizzard (cute actually)... we almost left the other viands untouched. They thought there was something wrong with the others, but there was just too much for us to consume. Well... reheated food does taste excellent for breakfasts.

I am glad we had our 1st year anniversary with good company, great friends, a lot of Sunshine for dinner, in Cebu.

Sad I didn't take a group photo.

Next Trip Scheduled...CEBU

First in our advertising before was Solraya and Sunshine. 2nd step was educating people on how to raise them. 3rd was making known to all the benefits of eating Sunshines...the health and taste benefits!

Most recently we have embarked on making our growers known. When they become bywords, it'll be easier for them to market their Sunshines and themselves.

First was Farmer Tj of Krukukuk Farm and Maawi Farms. Their stories had been featured in different magazines.

Next we fly to Cebu. We currently have three (3) regular growers there who we intend to visit. All three have several ranges so we can see growth of different stages, visit their client restaurants and delis, sample their recipes..perfect time for everyone to meet.

Interview for our new nationwide dealer, based in Cebu, is also on the agenda. When we market our growers, so do we make our dealers in the area known.

We will do a seminar while in Cebu for those interested. We are keeping April 20, 5-7pm, available for those interested to know more about Raising Sunshine Chickens.

We will be staying in the area of Marina Mall. If interested to join, text me at (0917) 847-2639, so I can let you know exact details of seminar.

Our Pampanga/Tarlac growers.... you aren't being neglected. We are just waiting for the proper timings to jive stories with trade shows.

YM This Morning

My YM this morning. He bought Sunshines from St. Mary's Farm in Cebu.

Bernard Neil Tanchan: ive tasted sunshine chickens already...cooked 2 ways... both very delicious
solraya: see...sarap..how did you cook it?
solraya: how did it compare to bisaya manok?
Bernard Neil Tanchan: same with bisaya manok but meatier and the meat is tender
Bernard Neil Tanchan: one is estopadong manok...have you heard of that?"
Bernard Neil Tanchan: and the other one is tinola
solraya: yes, pero i feel sayang the taste for estopado as the soy can masque the taste
solraya: sarap tinola
solraya: so slow cooking low fire?
Bernard Neil Tanchan: but it was very delicious...yes slow cooking
solraya: do u turbo chicken? rub with rosemary herbs...and turbo
Bernard Neil Tanchan: sometimes we do
solraya: i'm glad visayans know what it is to eat good chicken..luzon people only know whites
solraya: can i post this conversation? it will show your name ha
Bernard Neil Tanchan: maybe coz we are still provincianos hehe
Bernard Neil Tanchan: old people now that native is better than white chickens
solraya: yes but you are young...most people your age here think manok is jollibee
Bernard Neil Tanchan: maybe because my father let us eat bisaya manok every sunday...

Cebu Dealer In Study

St. Mary's Farm, situated in the mountains north of Cebu City, has practiced with two grows.

First batch had been sampled for taste tests and offered to some establishments in the area.

They are going for the niche of the larger sized chickens as requested by the market they surveyed.

Initial talks for possible dealership for Cebu.

St, Mary's New Rangers in Cebu Mountains

See how excited they are to be free. They are really meant to be set on the range, let loose to forage and play around. Happy chickens give us good tasting meat :)

They also got their first batch of island borns, see the photo of the new day olds.....as the importeds are set out, the new batch goes in :)