Moonbake finds gold in vegetable canning

Having succeeded in selling its canned laing (brand named Moondish) in Filipino communities in the Middle East, United States and New Zealand, Moonbake Breadhouse Inc. is all set to launch in June another promising "hit" dish — ginataang kamansi (breadnut).

Rufino R. Manrique Jr., president of Moonbake, told The STAR that canned ginataang kamansi will also be as spicy as the canned laing, which has been making waves not just among Filipinos but also among foreigners.

The canned kamansi is expected to ride along the popularity of the canned laing (made from taro or gabi leaves) 60 percent of which is sold in foreign markets.

And just like the canned laing, the price of canned kamansi will be geared towards the A&B markets and will be sold mainly in supermarkets locally and abroads as a ready-to-eat food preparation.

In deciding to come up with canned kamansi, Manrique noted that Filipinos love the fruit which has the characteristics as langka as a vegetable dish. Kamansi enjoys an advantage because it thrives in the uplands without any need for irrigation and can grow fruits all year round.

The new product will be added to the five types of canned laing which Moonbake currently sells, namely taro leaves in coconut cream; extra hot; vegetarian style; with tuna flakes; and in curry. Moonbake also has two types of Bicol Express in cans, namely the traditional green pepper in coconut cream and the one with tuna flakes.

Moonbake started in 1991 as a neighborhood bakery in Moonwalk, Parañaque. In 1994, it began diversifying from just a producer of different kinds of bread to a manufacturer of chocolitos, a special chocolate crinkles and fudgy brownies that are popular in school canteens and sold in sari sari stores and public markets.

In 1999, Moonbake started participating in food shows and trade fairs and became a full time member of the Philippine Food Exporters Federation (Philfoodex). With the help of the Department of Science and Technology, Moondish was launched n the Asian Ethnic Food Festival.

In 2000, Moondish laing continued joining national trade fairs while trying to develop the supermarket chains and retail outlets where the product now enjoys.

In 2001, the Bicol Express was launched and enjoyed good ratings.

Moondish laing won the first Luzon invention contest — Likya Award — for outstanding creative research.