Cheska & Alex Rotor Reyes of Balay Baler Food: ‘Camote’ means success
What started as a small business has now grown into a full-time enterprise for sisters Cheska and Alex Rotor Reyes.
Establishedin July 2020 during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Balay Baler has grown from the small confines of their home kitchen to a three-story commissary.
When we asked the sisters what made them think of selling camote chips, they said, “During the pandemic, many homegrown businesses started emerging since we were not able to eat outside. We decided to start selling in our online community to earn extra income our family’s favorite homemade camote chips. Although initially it was intended to be a side project, it grew into a full-time job and business.”
With so many camote chips being sold everywhere, we asked them what makes Balay Baler extra special from other camote chips and they told us that their camote or sweet potato crisps are made from organic camote and they made sure it had the thinnest slice and was less greasy.
The company’s name, on the other hand, was thought of by their mom, Frances. It was inspired by their Ilonggo roots and the language spoken at home, thus balay, or “home” in Ilonggo, and Baler, the street they grew up on. From a staff of four, they now employ nine people, and part of their long-term plans is to be able to sell in big supermarkets, to ship nationwide, and to export to other countries to promote Filipino products.
“We want to continue to support our local farmers by providing them with micro loans and to provide our workers with a steady and secure source of income,” adds Cheska.
Read on as they share with us the lessons they learned in building their business.
We must be flexible and adaptable, especially when it concerns production, supply, and customers. Setbacks occur more often than we would like, but we must be able to adjust.
1. We must be flexible and adaptable, especially when it concerns production, supply, and customers. Setbacks occur more often than we would like, but we must be able to adjust.
2.We need to be resourceful and think out of the box when finding unique solutions to problems.
3.We need to be patient and understanding. There will always be problems in business no matter how prepared you are, but with these virtues, it becomes easier to navigate and address challenges.
4.Work only with people you can rely on, whether they are family, friends, or employees. Surround yourself with people who will support and help you during difficult times and situations.
5.Get a mentor. Someone whom you can look up to, someone who you can run to, and someone who can provide guidance. We must be open and willing to learn from them.
6.Maintain and be consistent with the quality of your products so that you can retain and expand your customer base. Maintain good relationships with suppliers to ensure constant supply and consistent quality.
7.Set your goals at the start of the year and review your goals and your status every few months to see how much progress has been made. You must work with a goal in mind so that you are driven to see your company expand and grow.
8.Prioritize our customers and their feedback, good or bad. Ensure that your customers are well taken care of so that you can build long-lasting relationships with them. Feedback from your customers will help you continuously improve your product.
9.Promote a positive culture. Instead of viewing your mistakes as failures, you should look at them as lessons that can be applied to improve your work in the future.
10.Enjoy and love your work. You want to enjoy what you are doing so that you can continue with your work. Whether it is testing new flavors, eating chips for R&D, or designing new packaging, try to inject a little fun in everything to keep you inspired and motivated. *
(We welcome your suggestions and comments. Please e-mail me at [email protected]. Follow me on Instagram @monsromulo.)
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