Monday, October 01, 2007 'Kwek-kwek' vendor pricks GSC malls
"SUPER Inggo," the hit fantasy series last year of giant television network ABS-CBN, literally rescued a quail grower here from the pits of failure.
And although the network ceased airing the series, "Super Inggo" continues to make "raves" in this city albeit in the field of business, turning the bespectacled Tomas Anceno glow with pride with his feat.
The 52-year-old Doctor of Veterinary graduate from the University of the Philippines has penetrated the three local big shopping malls with his product that was the favorite street food of Super Inggo, a character played by child actor Makisig Morales.
That stuff is "kwek-kwek," a common street food in Metro Manila but erstwhile unheard of in this part of the country until the hugely popular television series featured it.
But even before residents here saw Super Inggo and his sidekick "Jomar" feasting on "kwek-kwek," that boiled quail egg wrapped in flour with eggs and deep-fried in oil for a golden finish, Anceno was already selling the stuff.
"It was not a click," recalled Anceno at his initial "kwek-kwek" street venture, looking simple in a maong short and collared shirt despite his success in penetrating the big shopping malls here.
In 2003, he returned from Batangas, seeing that the local quail industry is not yet fully developed and stayed on to eventually raise 40,000 egg-laying quails.
Anceno brought with him then around 500 quail eggs that he hatched, eventually becoming his breeder stocks.
He conducted free seminars the following year to interested growers in the city and nearby provinces as a strategy to popularize quail culturing in the area.
At one time, Anceno was able to sell 30,000 ready-to-lay quails to a buyer but still kept several thousands in his backyard.
"We have an abundant quail egg supply then and I was even forced to sell boiled quail egg in the streets due to oversupply as the market, particularly local restaurants could not absorb our produce," he said.
At the time, Anceno estimated that quail eggs he and the other growers produced reach around 35,000 daily. It resulted in the drop of farm-gate price of quail egg from .90 centavos to .70 centavos per piece.
But the drop in price did not dampen his spirits, and then the much-needed break came in 2006, when ABS-CBN aired "Super Inggo," to which Anceno expressed profuse gratitude for it essentially made "kwek-kwek" known to the locals here.
He ventured again in selling "kwek-kwek" in September last year due to the publicity the stuff generated via the "Super Inggo" series.
"The local children have become familiar with "kwek-kwek," which was to my delight," Anceno said.
Yet, it was not a rosy start for him, having spent on his family's basic needs the proceeds of the 30,000 ready-to-lay eggs he sold before.
He saw himself during the 2006 Tuna Festival selling "kwek-kwek" again outside the oval plaza since he could not afford the rental charged by the city government for the makeshift stalls.
Anceno positioned a table at the entrance of the oval plaza and it was a hit not just among the children but also adults watching various events or roaming the trade fair inside the oval plaza.
Buoyed by the acceptance of "kwek-kwek," he later put up a stand in front of a commercial bank along the busy Pioneer Avenue, one of the key business districts of the city.
By December 2006, due to the popularity of "kwek'kwek" in the locality, he added two more stands which are still around to date.
By this time, many vendors were already selling "kwek-kwek" in the different parts of the city, playing the ware using traysikads, or improvised bicycles with a side cart.
During the Kalilangan festival this year of the city, Anceno said he was able to sold 6,000 to 8,000 "kwek-kwek" daily at 2.50 apiece. The festival ran for a week.
How Anceno penetrated the big shopping malls was by chance.
He was scouting for some bowls he would use in his thriving "kwek-kwek" venture at the Fitmart Mall when the manager approached him and asked what he was doing.
Anceno told the manager he was selling "kwek-kwek" in the streets. The latter asked him if he likes to have a stall at the mall.
"But I declined because the rental fee was too much. It was 10,000 monthly," he recalled, adding the manager eventually offered a space for him at P8,000.
He bit the offer and started processing his papers with the local Department of Trade and Industry for a trade name.
Thankful for the help of the "Super Inggo" fantasy series, he registered his business as "Superringgo kwek-kwek."
He finally setup Superringo at Fitmart Mall on May 1, 2006, and from there at the Gaisano Mall on June 5 and in KCC Mall on June 27, both in the same year.
"Penetrating the malls was the fruit of my hard work and perseverance," said Anceno, who from tricycle is now driving a second-hand car.
His business employs at least six personnel.
Presently, Anceno said the quail population in this city alone reaches 50,000, suggesting a "stabilized" industry.
Eighty to 85 percent of their eggs are being sold nowadays in the form of "kwek-kwek" by other vendors aside from Anceno, who stressed that quail raising is a business with a fast return on investment.
Quails can be productive for two years, he said, adding that they can lay eggs 40 to 45 days from hatching.
A quail can lay six eggs in a week when fed with a laying mash. A ready-to-lay quail can be bought for 30 a piece from Anceno, who describes himself also as an "inventor."
In fact, he said he could have developed the quail industry in the city even before 2004 had he not been interrupted by an invention.
"I was able to develop air kalan [a cooking device that utilizes charcoal and fanned by a blower to optimize heat] in 2001. I got orders from the United States , Canada and Germany but the venture failed since I was not able to perfect the technology," he recalled.
"Because of that, my attention was deflected from quail raising," Anceno added.
He said that to sustain his quail business, he is on the process of innovation to offer not just "kwek-kwek" but other related line products in the future.
For his "kwek-kwek" venture, Anceno was nominated among the eight finalists for this year's Yaman GenSan or Yabong Maliliit na Negosyo award held last week. Unfortunately, the top award for innovative product went to a more established business also in the food cart industry.
With only a medal, Anceno quipped, "Maybe next time we can bag the award."
