WHO doesn't like cheese?
Cheese is a kind of dairy product that is probably the favorite of most people. While only a small portion of the population is expected to be open to eating cheese on its own, majority of the Filipinos consume cheese as a spread or as an ingredient for cooking. This is why it is not surprise how a lot of entrepreneurs now are focusing their attention on building up their business with cheese products.
One businesswoman successfully got the market hooked with her home-made spread in an impressive combination of cheese and pimiento in 2018.
Visa Cua-Castillo, 33, from Catalunan Grande in Davao City, is a proud working mom whose hobby is cooking healthy food for the family.
Her passion in exploring cooking styles and food pushed her into finally opening up a home-based business called Test Kitchen with its Cheese Pimiento as its very first product.
Cheese pimiento sandwich spread is a type sandwich spread with mayonnaise, grated or shredded cheese, and pimiento. Up until today, the product is still the best-seller.
Visa continued to discover more cheese-flavored combination that would suit the different Filipino tastes. She soon launched Basil Cheese, Strawberry Cheese and Ube Keso.
“Cheese Pimiento is already known and is already a favorite of many people but these three are actually first of its kind in Davao and we take pride on it since we are the first to have concocted. I can really say that these products are proudly Dabawenyo,” Visa said.
“Our mission is to spread unique combination of your all-time favorite into one,” she added.
Visa said Test Kitchen is not limiting itself in spreads because her products could also be used as dips and sauces best for bread, crackers and sandwiches.
She highly suggests Pesto Pasta with Basil Cheese as its sauce “to make one simple ingredient dish to a satisfying meal.”
Visa’s business is undeniably booming and gets feedback every now and then. Whether the feedback is good or bad, she uses those to improve her products. One customer once commented that the spreads are all too sweet, especially the Ube Keso. Instead of feeling bad, this encouraged Visa to explore other flavors that would suit the taste of those who are not really into sweets.
Test Kitchen will launch a new flavor combination, the Buffalo Cheese, next week.
“Negative feedback helps us to do better,” Visa said.
“Aside from making sure that your product is good, it is also important that your product is unique because the competition is actually high,” she added.
As a working mom whose doing business, Visa has tips to other moms who also want to venture home-based business through cooking. She said in order to do it, one needs to be passionate about what she is doing; she also needs to be ready to face all the challenges ahead and work hard; and lastly, one needs to believe on the product.
At present, Test Kitchen is taking orders through their Facebook Page testkitchendvo or directly contact Visa at 0923-420-9188.