Home of frozen favorites

By: Josephine Ramos

Sta. Cruz, Laguna- People value convenience. As daily life becomes busier, the demand for easy, practical meal options continues to rise. Not only do these products save time and money, but their longer shelf life also helps reduce food waste by allowing consumers to store and enjoy them over time.

In 2020, Sahlee Quizon from Sta. Cruz, Laguna, started her frozen food business with her first product: boneless milkfish (bangus). Known for its countless tiny bones, the fish had once been the cause of a choking incident that nearly cost Sahlee her life.

After that incident, she promised herself that one day she would enjoy bangus without fearing its bones. That promise led her to create her version of boneless bangus. Sahlee started her business while still working as a company employee. As demand grew, she left her job to focus on her venture. What started as a personal solution to a struggle eventually became her bread and butter.

After a decade of working for different companies, Sahlee discovered that nothing compares to the freedom of running her own business and the flexible schedule that comes with it.

“Pagdating kasi sa negosyo, umaga pa lang mayroon ka ng pera; kumbaga hindi mo na kailangan hintayin ang kinsenas at katapusan, basta masipag ka, araw-araw ka kikita.” (Unlike in a regular job where you wait for payday, your earnings in business depend on your effort.

Being hardworking and consistent can make more profit every day).

To reach more customers, she also posts her products online. With today’s growing shift toward digitalization, her online presence has helped her connect with a wider market, including resellers.

Currently, she has four resellers that help distribute her products. Over time, she expanded beyond boneless bangus and began offering other homemade products, including tocino, longganisa, shanghai, embutido, chicken inasal, barbecue, and siomai. Exploring other products became easier for her since her mother’s business was also in the frozen food industry.

As her business grew, competition became inevitable. However, she remains unfazed, believing that success comes down to those who produce better quality products. Every day, she mostly uses up to 60 kilos of meat and 20 kilos of bangus. Although the work is
physically demanding, she chooses to handle it by herself to ensure that the quality and taste remain consistent.

For Sahlee, the recipe for a good business is a combination of hard work and perseverance.

“Sa simula, may mga pagkakataon na hindi lahat ng produkto ay maibebenta sa isang araw, pero darating yung panahon na babalik-balikan ito ng customers mo.” (There will be slow days, but there will come a time when people will keep coming back for more; until that happens, keep grinding),” she stated.

Financial support from the bank

In 2013, she became a client of CARD MRI Rizal Bank Inc. (CARD RBI), a microfinance- oriented rural bank under CARD Mutually Reinforcing Institutions (CARD MRI). For nearly 13 years, she has relied on CARD RBI for both her family and business needs. She took an educational loan for her children, a housing loan, and additional capital to support the start of her business in 2020.

Currently, she has an active loan of PHP 95,000.00, which she uses as additional capital for her venture.

Through her business, she has sent all five of her children to school, with three now professionals and the two youngest still in college, pursuing their respective dreams.

To this day, she continues to post her products online as part of her marketing strategy. Looking ahead, she remains hopeful and determined to grow her business further, aiming to reach more customers and create more opportunities for expansion.