Keeping up with the ‘Davao brand’

Thursday, February 23, 2012

COMPETING against the so-called "big three" in the ice cream industry: Selecta, Nestle, and Magnolia is much of an ambition for a newbie Davao-based ice cream product known to Dabawenyos as Allegro.

"When we started, we never wanted to compete with these Big Three. Rather, we competed against our own," said Allegro spokesperson Leo Montelibano.

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Davao's own "Allegro" recipe was first concocted by a Dutch consultant who brought here the machineries and the recipe in 2006 to help out budding entrepreneur Allan Pang try out the ice cream investment.

However, the first taste of Allegro was too "Italian" that the owner feared it won't capture the taste interest of the middle class Dabawenyos, their target market at that time.

Further market research and study by the in-house certified food technologist resulted to a perfect mix of Italian and Filipino taste.

Selling the product which is slightly cheaper over the multi-national ice cream goods turned out the earliest challenge that Allegro faced.

This was addressed by adding up its product line so as to capture various markets. It has offered the cheapest product which is Milkbar at P6 to the more costly kind Ice Cream Sandwich at P21 per piece.

Through the years, its Creamy Cone turns out a bestseller, capturing both the student and the working class market. Also, the business has also offered ice cream in gallons.

Despite massive marketing and product development, the business still found it challenging to penetrate the market outside Davao. This led the Allegro owner to avail of the Davao Branding Program under the Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc., which aims to upgrade the current level of appreciation for excellence and quality of locally manufactured products by introducing a local branding system for locally made products that are of exceptional quality.

Davao branding was conceptualized to help Davao-made products find a niche in both local and international markets. DCCCII officers believed that Davao branding will create a strong identity and market presence for the quality of locally manufactured products in the local as well as international market; and that locally manufactured products will be encouraged to aspire for better quality and class.

The Davao Branding Program focuses its assistance to the micro, small and medium enterprise belonging in the sector of fresh and processed foods, floriculture, horticultures, livestock and poultry.

For Allegro Ice Cream, applying for the Davao Brand turned out an inspiration for the business to keep up and even do better with the standards set by the Accreditation Body.

In 2008, Allegro applied for and was eventually included into the Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry Incorporated's Davao Branding Program. Inclusion in the roster of Davao-made products getting the Davao Brand seal as seen on the product cover would now ensure buyers a quality product that passed a stringent assessment and evaluation of the accreditation board.

Montelibano said "this guarantees cleanliness of the production process, along with quality of the products. Davao Branding Seal attached to our products signifies Allegro Ice Cream as Davao's own."

Allegro is currently being well accepted in major shopping malls and locations in Davao City like NCCC, SM, Victoria Plaza, DCLA, Yahu Malls, Lachmi and many more. Allegro Ice Cream is also available in different places in Province of Bukidnon.

Also, the local ice cream brand was tapped by the Holiday Gym and Spa to make Holiday Lite Ice Cream, which has less sugar and low fat for its healthy conscious demographic.

Clients can still fill their craving without fear of compromising their clients and hard work.

Allegro is just one of the 19 Davao-made products that passed the accreditation process and got the Davao Branding Seal. Some of these products are Porky Best Chicharon, SULO Orchid Garden, Puentespina Orchids and Tropical Plants, Rosario Fruits Stop, Emerald Durian Palace, and Tagum Golden Foods.

"We want to inculcate in the minds of the consumers that it is important to trust and buy products with the Davao Brand Seal as these are proven with quality," said Kathy Tupas of the DCCCII said.

The Davao Branding team is now on its seventh round of accreditation and now works on the area of cosmetics as a priority sector.

The Davao City Council supports this project of the DCCCII in a form of a city ordinance.

Former councilor Peter T. Laviña sponsored the Ordinance 0355-07 creating the Davao Branding System. The ordinance also created the accreditation body composed of LGU, DCCCII, DTI, Department of Science and Technology and Department of Agriculture. (PR)