Packed Meals

We ventured a new business: packed meals.

Our family has come a long way in selling foods. I remember when I was a child, my mother used to sell two cooked viands in front of our house; her favorite dishes were humba and adobing manok.

When I turned high school, my parents started making and selling carmelitos around the neighborhood and in schools for consignment. In addition to this, they were also accepting orders of embutido, longganisa, and tocino.

Mid high school to early college, my father decided to go to our hometown to learn how to make chicharon but he decided not to pursue the business because it would take a huge amount of start-up cost and would require a wider space. Due to this, my mother resolved to have a barbeque business.

We were the leading vendor of barbeque in our subdivision: we could sell a hundred pieces for just a night. But the stress turned out to be unhealthy for my mother so we stopped; instead, we just continued taking orders of longganisa and tocino.

Years later, my mother decided to cook and sell in front of our house again—this time, two to four viands, different kinds and mixes every day until now. Also, she consigns longganisa and Mexican pepper sardines in one of the canteens in my father’s workplace.

A month ago, an offer came: packed meals for seminars.  My parents approved the idea and they started planning for the costs. I told them to budget the cost at our advantage but my father wanted to penetrate the market by offering quality meals at lower prices first. It was a good marketing strategy though, but I am afraid that we could not get out from the plan for the next times.

Last time, I had not assisted in the preparation because of my tight academic schedule but now, I consider this as my first job. Yes, I am paid for this! Together, except for my father—he commands and supervises—we are all hands on in making this possible.

Tomorrow, we will distribute our packed meals inside the company where my father works at. This is the third time… I am so excited.