In the bustling landscape of the Philippine food industry, where flavors, textures, and creativity collide, one innovative snack has emerged as a true standout. Meet the Pilipinut Trail Mix, a fusion of flavors and a celebration of local produce that has taken the country by storm.
Since being hailed as the winner and the most innovative trail mix in the first National Processed Fruits and Nuts (PFN) Trail Mix Competition during the 2023 National Food Fair at the Megatrade Hall of SM Megamall in Mandaluyong City, July 13, online orders came in, and the curiosity among patrons was further piqued to have a taste and experience of this award-winning superfood snack.
A trail mix is a type of snack developed as a nutritious transit food for athletes and people on the go, consisting of dry ingredients such as nuts, whole grains, and dried fruits. Other mixes include food items such as popcorn, candies, chocolate chips, oats, and even cereals.
Under its brand name Pilipinut, which intends to promote Philippine pride and patronage of locally produced products, the Pilipinut Trail Mix packs a lot of nutrients and flavor.
What makes it a superfood snack is that each pack consists of choice ingredients like Adlai, roasted peanuts, cacao nibs, baked coconut strips, fried banana chips, coco sugar, stingless honey, bee pollen, etc., all sourced from the five ATI-certified learning sites and tribal communities of northern Mindanao.
The bite-sized granola bar of Pilipinut Trail Mix is made and kitchen-tested by chef Roy Christian Lomarda and GreenMinds Incorporated co-founder Rose Mary Lomarda with a mixture of natural ingredients such as caramelized coco sugar, brown sugar, honey, and calamansi juice mixed with popped Adlai, ground peanuts, cacao nibs, and herbs.
Dubbed "the best of the Philippines’ superfood in one pack," the Pilipinut Trail Mix is sold at a farm gate price of P150.
This latest superfood snack offering promotes sustainability and social equity because every purchase of the Pilipinut Trail Mix provides additional income for its partner farmers since some of the ingredients are sourced from the farms in Claveria (stingless bee honey), in the hinterlands of Sumilao, Bukidnon, in the communities of rebel returnees in Misamis Oriental, and from five certified Learning Sites for Agriculture (LSA) of the ATI.
GreenMinds Incorporated, a 23-year-old social enterprise organization based in Carmen, Cagayan de Oro City, envisions bringing rural and indigenous communities together to showcase their farming skills and crafts and give them an active role in countryside development and mainstream society. GreenMinds co-founder and CEO Reynaldo Gil "Datu Makadingding" Lomarda also believes in "doing good in business to sustainably continue doing good to the people and the environment".
Through their trainings, in partnership with the Agricultural Training Institute-Regional Training Center X (ATI-RTC X), the IP communities were taught how to produce, value-add, and market their products.
Other products available at GreenMinds Incorporated include their herbs and salt (produced in the hinterlands of Bukidnon, with the salts sourced from the salt beds of Misamis Oriental), organic peanuts (sourced from Malaybalay City and Kisolon in Bukidnon), banana chips (from their partner Higaonon communities in Malitbog, Bukidnon), and turmeric ginger. They can be reached at these numbers for orders: 09988690648 and 09063973884. (ATI-10/PIA-10)
