MISAMIS OCCIDENTAL (PIA)--Pure, roasted cacao beans are the trademark of Tableya de Jimenez from Nelly Food Products in Jimenez Town, Misamis Occidental, as anyone can attest.

Kevin Pacatang, proprietor of Nelly Coffee Tableya, shared that visitors would drop by their house and buy Tableya, saying, "Dili daw makumpleto ang pag-anhi nila sa Jimenez kung dili sila makadala og Tableya de Jimenez (Visiting Jimenez is incomplete if they cannot bring Tableya de Jimenez)."

Tableya de Jimenez, simply known as Nelly Tableya, has been in full operation since 1978. It was his mother, Nelly, who started it all, and since then it has become a family business.

Kevin shared that making tableya was just a side hustle because his mom had an actual store in Jimenez Market.

After a one-time visit to Davao, his mother saw cacao and got curious. She then brought the staple to Jimenez so that neighbors and residents could have a taste.

She wasted no time and started to process the cacao she brought from Davao. She made chocolate tablets that you can mix in water to boil and make a hot chocolate drink. Then she sold it in "tabo-tabo," or meet-ups, and also in her store in the market.

Unfortunately, one day, the store caught fire.

Even then, neighbors and "suki," or loyal customers, would still look for the tableya of Nelly.

Despite having no physical store, Nelly continued to make tableya and still went to Davao to buy cacao beans because of her loyal customers.

New generation emerges

The time came that my mom was old, said Kevin. "Si mama medyo edad edaran na, kibali ako ang nisunod (Mama is getting old; that is why and when I entered)," he shared.

In the past, "Our products such as tableya and coffee were just sold in Jimenez alone; now we are crossing over boundaries outside Misamis Occidental. We deliver as far as Cagayan de Oro, Pagadian, and Dipolog," he said.

Similarly, the family business is not only making coffee and tableya but also pastillas, or yummy candies, and salabat, or ginger ale, among others. The good news is that Nelly’s coffee and tableya are already sold in Cebu and Manila.

"Ang paggama sa tableya is normal raman sa uban. Pero tingala ko kay muingon sila nga lahi ang Nelly Tableya," he said.

(The making of tableya is just normal for others. But I always wonder because they always say that Nelly Tableya is different)

On quality and price

Kevin shared that perhaps it is the quality. "Istrikto lang gyud mi sa quality (Maybe it’s because we are strict about quality)," he said.

The raw materials being used are class A cacao. Further, packaging is constantly being innovated.

In terms of pricing, it should not be super expensive, just enough that everyone can afford it, including ordinary residents, tourists, and consumers in coffee shops. "They will choose Nelly because our products and their prices always match," he said.

The difference between now and the past is the support from the government, said Kevin.

The major agencies that supported them include the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), which is always supportive of micro, small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) through seminars on how to sell and how to do packaging.

Meanwhile, the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) supports innovation, such as in machinery and production, and for financial support, the SB Corporation shared the proprietor.

Recently, the provincial government of Misamis Occidental also showed support by purchasing their tableya for giveaways at their event.

As a youth entrepreneur

Kevin was awarded by the Bangko Sentral as the Youth Micro Entrepreneur of the Year when he was 20 years old. He was already managing 15 employees at that time.

"Nakita nila nga good standing ta sa pagbayad. Kita ang pioneering sailang award sa Youth Micro Entrepreneur of the Year," he said.

(They saw how I was in good standing in paying my loans. I am the pioneer of their award for Youth Micro Entrepreneur of the Year)

Currently, the business has 55 employees. The goal, he said, was to expand and employ 150 to 200 workers.

Kevin encouraged those who would want to go into business to not think twice. "Take a risk!" he said.

Don’t be afraid of failure because this will teach you a lesson, he added.

There is so much opportunity now because of the digital platform. "You no longer need to sell face-to-face but you can sell online," he said. (JMOR/PIA-10/Misamis Occidental)