Fresh start

Manila, Philippines -  “When my wife Francine and I got married in 2005, we decided to go back to Negros Occidental and start our new life together with our new business,” Ramon Uy Jr. says of the aptly named Fresh Start initiative.

The business, which offers a wide variety of certified organic and natural products, also marks a fresh start for farmers and consumers, he adds.

Fresh Start’s products include organic fertilizers, salad greens, culinary herbs, fruits and vegetables, rice, coffee, natural sweeteners, natural personal care, and naturally-processed food.

Ramon Jr. adds, “In our stores and outlets we also carry organic, natural, artisan, healthy and eco-friendly products from other producers. We also serve organic and naturally-prepared dishes, snacks and organic juice bar.”

Dealing with eco-friendly products is nothing new for Ramon. “I used to work for our family business which is involved in technologies for solid waste management, specifically composting biodegradable waste to be converted to organic fertilizer,” he shares, noting that this is why he knew there is a future in organic products.

Things have not always been easy, however. Ramon Sr. shares, “Way back, our business was a foundry shop that supplied materials to various sugar mills. Due to the Asian financial crisis, we lost everything.”

During this trying time for the family, Ramon Sr.’s friend asked him to repair a shredding machine. “I decided to try to build a new one with a different design, which ended up becoming a highly efficient machine,” he says. “The timing of this creation couldn’t have been better – the President at the time had just signed RA 9003, the Solid Waste Management Act, that bans burning and open dumping of garbage. This machine became a great response to the act and eventually helped us find our bearings financially.”

Ramon Sr. and Ramon Jr. with Patricio Sumugat, a natural coffee farmer from Negros Occidental, and daughter Ruffa, a scholar of the company.

With the opportunity for a fresh start for the family financially, Ramon Jr. chose to leave school to help his father handle the business, becoming their business representative in Manila.

“The knowledge and experience I got working with my dad in helping local government units convert biodegradable waste and turn it into organic fertilizer paved the way for our venture into the business of organic fertilizer production,” says Ramon Jr.

“Everything in our business started with the organic fertilizer,” he adds.

“We work directly with small organic farmers, non-government organizations, people’s organizations, cooperatives, private companies, local governments and line agencies in providing organic and natural products through our direct collaboration with consumers, restaurants, hotels, specialty stores, supermarkets and groceries.”

With its success and alongside developments in organic fertilizer production, Fresh Start expanded into a commercial composting facility and also established a demonstration farm to showcase their results to potential buyers.

“We got surprised when people started to show interest in organically-grown produce and started visiting our farms,” says Ramon Jr. “Venturing into organic farming was inevitable.”

Aside from selling their products at trade fairs and bazaars, a big opportunity came for Fresh Start when they were invited to join a local mall’s month-long organic bazaar.

“We got an overwhelming response from the consumers,” he says, noting the growing demand for healthy alternatives. Because of this, the company decided to expand once more and put up a kiosk.

Secretary Mar Roxas visits the Fresh Start Farm (top right), where products are fresh and healthy.

“But supplies from our own farms were not enough... These developments led to partnerships with other local organic farmers to be able to provide a wider variety of organic products,” says Ramon.

Fresh Start now has stores and outlets in Bacolod and Dumaguete. Their products are also sold at the Echostore in Serendra at the Bonifacio Global City in Taguig, and at the Sunday market at Legazpi Village, Makati.

Ramon Jr. acknowledges, while he leads the company and wife Francine handles the day-to-day operations, his father still plays a vital role in Fresh Start. “If not for his all-out support we could not have reached where we are today.”

Ramon Sr. shares, “When Chin-chin (Ramon Jr.) and Francine were starting their business, I was able to provide them with the necessary equipment and machinery. Together, we also worked on developing appropriate machines and technology that would help improve the operation at the same time transfer the technology to other farmers all over the country.”

“Working together has always been an advantage for the company,” says Ramon Jr. “With our different outlooks and opinions, we always find new methods and ideas to experiment with in our bid to improve the company.”

Despite occasional difficulties of keeping both a personal and business relationship with his father, Ramon Jr. says, “The most rewarding part is being able to work out differences and realizing that together we can really create positive changes in the community.”

Ramon Sr. agrees, saying that working with his son is like creating a lasting legacy – “It’s like passing on the torch to the next generation.”

With Fresh Start, the Uy family is also passing on a legacy of health to the next generations of farmers and consumers.

Together they have established the Eco-Agri Development Foundation to assist organic farming communities.

“Today conventional agribusiness has become more and more profit oriented,” Ramon Jr. says. “Unsustainable farming practices have brought negative effects to our health, the welfare of our farmers and the future of our environment.”

He also notes that cases of chronic diseases have been increasing dramatically. “More and more people are getting sick due to the way we grow food. Farmers, on the other hand, are not given due credit for the hard work they do and are compensated unjustly while traders and middlemen are getting richer. Climate change, the destruction and pollution of our environment, are all attributed to the system on how grow our food.”

Because of this, purchasing organic products has become a very important lifestyle change. “Organic farming works with nature while producing the highest quality food for consumers and provides fair prices to farmers and at the same time cares for the environment for future generations,” Ramon Jr. adds.

“It is very important not just to consume organic but also to demand for it, as consumers we have the power to change our food system. That is why the food choices we make are indeed very important for our health, community and environment.”

It certainly is time for a Fresh Start for everyone.