The story behind the package

In business, packaging is a crucial marketing tool. It protects the product, protects consumers from hazards, attracts new customers, and keeps old ones.

But in business, Ju.D Lao has been known for over 30 years to break rules and instead listen to her instincts, and her beliefs in life. In the same way, packaging her delicious fruitcakes and cookies follow more the philosophy of her heart than the business of her mind.

It is widely known that Ju.D has the widest and most innovative line of fruitcakes and fruitcake cookies in the country, and the quality has lured and kept her class A clientele, including socialites, celebrities and politicians, through the years.

Less widely known is that Ju.D designs her own packaging, and the package carries the same special spirit as that of her delicious cakes.

One thing most people are awed over is how, once the fruitcake wrap is opened, the fresh aroma of the cake emanates, as though it were newly baked. This is because Ju.D believes a gift should be well preserved through quality packaging. “We only use food grade packaging for the healthiness of our client” she says. However, she carefully chose gold-colored wrapping for its esthetics and value.

Outside on the box is the golden duck. The Chinese believe the mandarin duck signifies love, romance, devotion, fidelity, affection and loyalty. But Ju.D didn’t consider all this when she designed her box. She simply likes ducks, and for her it symbolized good luck. “My golden duck is supposed to bring good luck to both to receiver and the giver,” Ju.D says.

Ju.D also added confetti to her box, which showers the duck. The modern symbolism behind confetti is celebration, and for Ju.D it is “as if it is basking in all the happiness in the world.” For 30 years the duck was kept in a golden frame, but after that she removed the frame. “We set the duck free,” Ju.D says, laughing. “It looks livelier now.”

And Ju.D’s signature is on every box, deliberately signed to look like a fish. “That’s our way of saying, “Peace be with you” she says.

Ju.D’s boxes are so beautiful that her clients often recycle them. “After they eat the fruitcake, they fill the box with pastilles or other goodies and give them as gifts to others,” she says, laughing.

One regular customer, an old woman, keeps Ju.D’s box on her desk all year. She shyly explained, “I keep all my love letters in your box.” Ju.D a dds, “She has bought my fruitcake for the last 10 years, so you can imagine how loved she is.”

I personally remember giving one of Ju.D’s fruitcakes to my sister, who was visiting from the States. Her luggage was full, so I suggested, “Take it out of the box so it’s smaller.” “No,” she said determinedly. And it took quite sometime, but the fruitcake – and the box – made its way back to the States.

Stories such as that should no doubt make Ju.D proud. Her fruitcake has gone to Europe, different Asian countries as well, and is popular in India during the Diwali festival when it is taken with tea.

“We always have in mind to come out with the best packaging for the best fruitcake that we can be proud to say that ‘Yes, this is made in the Philippines,”’ says Ju.D, the country’s consummate Fruitcake Lady.

Ju.D’s fruitcake varieties include the Classic, Ju.D Gold (which is totally honey based), Ju.D blue (coffee fruitcake), Ginger apricot, Ginger Cranberry Fruitcake, Prune fruitcake and Ginger Fruitcake. She also made the world’s first fruitcake cookie, the Chewy Chewkie, Ginger cranberry cookies, and ginger apricot. Interested parties may call Ju.D at 633-0260 or 633-1188.