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A million-peso oven is just one of the attractions of CCA’s new campus

CCA MANILA STUDENTS with a chef instructor at the new campus in BGC.

The 27-year-old cooking school makes a big move to BGC

THE CENTER for Culinary Arts (CCA) Manila is moving its flagship campus from Katipunan Ave. down the C5 highway to BGC.

The new campus, leased from the University of the Philippines Bonifacio Global City (BGC) complex, houses an all-stainless-steel kitchen with 45 individual stations. It also has gas stoves, induction hobs, griddles and ovens, sous vide machines, and even smoke guns. “It’s the largest kitchen, I believe, in the country now,” said chef Philip John Golding, Culinary Director of CCA Manila, during an Aug. 31 campus tour. Mr. Golding also showed the school’s pantry, which he says has about P300,000 worth of ingredients at any given time.

There were a host of classrooms and conference rooms (of course), but also a demo kitchen, in which the school’s most expensive single piece of equipment is located: the latest model of the Rational iCombi Pro, an advanced oven costing more than P1 million.

The new campus began construction right before the pandemic, but only opened its doors in January of this year. “We feel like it’s a welcome change,” Badjie Trinidad, President of CCA Manila, told BusinessWorld. “For a very long time, we’ve been in the Katipunan area. Now we’re opening more programs, collaborating more with the industry, being accessible and providing a community for the students [which] is very important now.”

CCA Manila has been around for 27 years, and with that age comes the need to maintain its equipment, which partly explains the move. “Of course it needs to be redone. Maintenance. The equipment has been there for so long, and it was time to upgrade,” said Ms. Trinidad, whose mother, Annie Guerrero, founded the school after establishing the Cravings restaurant (which has also expanded into several more outlets). “We were doing so well in terms of programs, faculty; but then when it comes to physical facilities, parang mababa lagi iyong score (we get low scores). To have it renovated — [we] might as well bring it to an area that’s more accessible.”

FORGING PARTNERSHIPS
The move to the UP BGC campus also reflects various academic partnerships the school has. Ms. Trinidad simply said about getting the space, “It just so happened that UP was given this space, and since we’re all alumni of UP also, they said that there would be a possible area for us to rent and lease out from them. That’s how it started.”

They already have a running partnership with the UP Los Baños campus in Laguna for a Diploma in Culinary Agripreneurship. The school is also developing a kitchen in the UP Diliman campus, inside the University Hotel. This would become the site of their short courses, especially one that concentrates on Filipino cuisine.

They are setting up several satellite kitchens: one facility is being planned in Tagaytay for a plant-based kitchen and cooking course, while they also took over the kitchen left behind by Gourmet Gypsy in Quezon City’s Maginhawa St. when chef Waya Araos-Wijangco moved to Baguio. That kitchen will host its lifestyle culinary programs (mostly short courses, but also a program that benefits food vloggers and celebrities). They are also building a kitchen with Thames International as part of an academic partnership. It also has a partnership with the University of Asia and the Pacific, under the university’s Bachelor of Science in Entrepreneurial Management, Major in Culinary Arts (a part of the coursework is spent in CCA’s kitchen).

“We have to keep forging partnerships, wherever it is, to help us fulfill whatever their goal or their dream is,” said Ms. Trinidad.

Ms. Trinidad says that they keep track of their alumni through tracer studies, which show them where their students have gone and what their employers say about them. “Kapag nag-hire daw ng CCA, alam na nila iyong gagawin nila (when they hire students from CCA, the alumni know what to do),” said Ms. Trinidad, speaking about feedback they receive from employers, both here and abroad.

“What keeps us going is seeing our success stories. When we hear about our graduates doing well, we forget all the hardships we had to go through.”

For inquiries and enrollment details, visit the official website at http://www.cca-manila.edu.ph. — Joseph L. Garcia

Bringing the barista experience home

AUSTRALIAN brand Breville is releasing two new machines that will make your morning cup of coffee taste like it was made by a pro.

The Barista Express Impress is the newest model from Breville Philippines and is Breville’s first assisted manual espresso machine. One of the star features of the model is its Impress Puck System which helps craft the best cup. The system involves intelligent dosing which automatically calculates the coffee dose one needs. From there, the machine will precisely tamp the coffee for an even flow with about 10kg of pressure in its impression, and a seven-degree barista twist, just to make it pretty and give it a human touch. The system also gauges when the correct level of coffee is achieved and makes sure to use this for the next brewing.

The Barista Express Impress also delivers Third Wave Specialty Coffee using the “four keys” formula which, other than providing the ideal dosage, also sets the right temperature, optimal pressure, and sufficient steam for one’s coffee, like Breville’s previous models.

Meanwhile, the Breville Barista Pro fuses precision with speed with its Thermojet Heating System. This provides the optimum extraction temperature — where most flavor compounds easily dissolve in water during the coffee brewing process — in three seconds with a single touch of a button. The machine has a professional 54mm stainless steel portafilter and a high-pressure nine-bar extraction process from a 15-bar Italian pump and a steam wand.

The Breville Express Impress retails for P69,999, while the Breville Barista Pro retails for P79,999. They are available at all major appliance stores that carry Breville. Customers can trade up their own Breville espresso machines for a Breville Barista Pro. — Joseph L. Garcia

SEC targets to strictly follow 45-day processing for IPOs

THE Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) will strictly adhere to the 45-day processing of initial public offerings (IPOs) as it aims to boost the country’s capital market.

“We are looking at being stricter about our 45-day processing for IPOs because we want to make it easier and we want to streamline the structure and process for IPOs in the future,” SEC Commissioner Kelvin Lester K. Lee said during a recent media roundtable in Makati City.

“There are minimal IPOs right now because of the interest rate environment, but we are foreseeing that IPOs will be a lot once that settles. We want to make sure that companies are ready for it, and we want to make sure that processing is much faster than before,” he added.

According to Mr. Lee, the previous average processing time was “a bit beyond the 45-day period” due to exchanges in documents that prolonged the process.

“The average before, as what I understand, is a bit beyond the 45 days. Usually, that is because, from the experience of our departments… there is often a lot of exchange of documentation. The process of IPOs is getting longer as a result. We want to make it streamlined, we want to make it faster,” Mr. Lee said.

Mr. Lee said the SEC will issue the necessary documentation informing the public of its strict adherence to the 45-day processing time for IPOs.

“We will be strictly adhering to a 45-day processing period. Technically, it is still internal rules but we will have to let the public know. That is something we want to signal to the public, that we are looking at making things easier in terms of capital markets,” Mr. Lee said.

On Aug. 24, the SEC approved and adopted the improved procedure for the processing of registration statements. The procedure adheres to the 45-day period for reviewing and processing the filed registration statements, with the SEC emphasizing adherence to Section 12.6 of the Securities Regulation Code. The provision ensures a streamlined and expedited evaluation and approval process for the registration statements.

Meanwhile, Mr. Lee said another SEC initiative to boost the capital markets was the implementation of the transaction date plus two days (T+2) settlement cycle, which started on Aug. 24.

“In fact, there were some entities pushing to extend the Aug. 24 implementation date. But we set a hard line on Aug. 24. Everyone has to implement T+2 by Aug. 24 because we want to make sure that the changes will happen,” Mr. Lee said.

“We’ve been fairly open-minded on some of the changes that we want to make with regards to the capital markets,” he added. — Revin Mikhael D. Ochave

PSE proposes VWAP and algorithmic trading 

BW FILE PHOTO

MARKET operator Philippine Stock Exchange, Inc. (PSE) is seeking to amend the revised trading rules as it is eyeing volume-weighted average price (VWAP) and algorithmic trading.

In a proposed circular posted on Sept. 5, the PSE sought comments from interested parties on its consultation paper containing the changes and the implementing guidelines on VWAP trading and algorithmic trading.

Under the proposal, the PSE plans to insert a provision related to VWAP trading that will become the new Article 6 of the revised trading rules.

The PSE defines VWAP trading as the “use of volume-weighted average price in the execution of transactions through the PSE trading facility.”

“In PSE, there is currently no facility for trading at VWAP. To enable investors to execute trades on a trading day using that day’s full-day VWAP, the Exchange proposes to provide execution and reporting facility for VWAP trades within 15 minutes before market close,” the PSE said in the consultation paper.

 “A number of market participants prefer to trade at the VWAP of a security as a matter of trading strategy,” it added.

The PSE said Bursa Malaysia (BM) and the Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) allow trading at VWAP, but are different in terms of execution facility and the timing of execution of the trades.

Aside from VWAP trading, the PSE also proposed that provisions allowing algorithmic trading be inserted in the revised trading rules.

It also suggested that the direct market access (DMA) rules be incorporated in the revised trading rules.

While the PSE’s DMA rules prohibit algorithmic trading, the market operator has granted exemptions.

“Algorithmic Trading pertains to the use of electronic trading platforms for entering orders to the PSE, with an algorithm deciding aspects such as timing, price, or quantity of the order without human intervention. It may also be referred to as algo, strategic or conditioned order,” the PSE said.

“Algorithmic Trading strategies involve making trading decisions based on predefined rules or conditions that are programmed into the trading facilities. It enables the market participants to ensure rule-based decision-making,” it added.

According to the PSE, algorithmic trading has been an acceptable and ongoing practice in other exchanges due to its advantages over strategic manual trading.

It added that the practice is being done in markets such as the SET, Thailand Futures Exchange, Singapore Exchange Derivatives Trading Ltd., and Singapore Exchange Securities Trading Ltd.

“Some of these advantages are related to trading accuracy, speed, and the ability to trade based on logical strategies,” the PSE said.

Sought for comment, Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. Chief Economist Michael L. Ricafort said via mobile phone that the move seeks to align the Philippines with practices done in other markets.

“The proposal is to adapt to new global developments and trends in able to better respond to the requirements of the investing public, provided that it is aligned with global best practices, especially on risk management,” Mr. Ricafort said.

The PSE said interested parties could submit their comments and requests for clarifications until Sept. 19. — Revin Mikhael D. Ochave

Like it or not, the UK is tipping more than ever. Here’s why

IAN TAYLOR-UNSPLASH

IF YOU’VE wined or dined in the United Kingdom (UK) lately, you may have noticed a sly increase when the check arrives: Higher levels of gratuities are being built into tabs, and there’s further pressure to give even more.

From computerized demands for additional tips to new per-person cover charges, the price of eating out while rewarding servers is on the rise. Automatic service charges added by restaurants — once a mere 10% of the total bill (and theoretically optional) — are steadily climbing, too. A 15% surcharge is not unusual.

This comes as diners in cities such as London are paying more than ever for food. The average price of a restaurant main course rose 11% as of July, compared to the same period a year earlier, according to data from the Office of National Statistics. And with labor shortages squeezing margins, restaurants are increasingly hoping that augmenting tips will help keep staff from walking off the job.

This, in turn, is fueling a wider debate on who should bear the higher costs of employing staff. Have servers become 5% better over time? Or are diners being asked to take on an American-style system in which tips are an integral part of a worker’s pay?

“When the guy opens a bottle of wine, where do the extra percentages go? Does it mean he has more skill or training?” asks Sam Harrison, owner of Sam’s Riverside & Sam’s Larder. His restaurants levy the now-standard 12.5% service charge. “What worries me is: It could have a negative impact if people cut back and don’t go out as much for what is a very short-term fix.”

WHAT HAS ‘NORMAL TIPPING’ BECOME?
While etiquette and travel guides say that tipping is the norm across the UK, surveys tell a tighter-fisted story. Only 53% of British diners said they “always” or “often” tipped their waiters or servers, according to a YouGov survey in late August. That’s down from 63% in 2019. Pub staffers fare worse, with the figure dropping to just 3%.

To be sure, British diners aren’t necessarily being stingy. Where servers in the US tend to rely on tips to provide a living wage, almost 70% of survey participants in London view the technically optional “service charges” as a gratuity — although trying not to pay one is likely to cause a scene.

The problem is that restaurants, diners and servers face a perfect storm. Rising costs for ingredients, energy and staff mean eateries are making lower margins, even as customers are being scared away by prices. And while some white-collar workers can escape the pressure from UK rents rising at the fastest pace in 18 years by moving away from cities, the nature of waiting on tables means the workers can’t leave.

That’s made tips more vital than ever for many UK workers, even though their minimum wage far exceeds those in the US. About 7% of UK workers receive tips as part of their work, according to government figures, and research suggests that hospitality workers are often paid well below what they deserve.

Tips “are the difference between a minimum wage waitress being able to keep their head above water in the current financial climate and not being able to pay rent or buy food,” says Bryan Simpson, a lead organizer at UK and Ireland-based union Unite Hospitality. Yet “the acute rise in the cost of day-to-day essentials, from rent and energy to food and travel, has had a negative impact on the tipping habits of customers, particularly in the casual dining market.”

HIGHER TIPS
For many restaurants facing rising costs and angst-filled diners, the answer has been to ramp up optional fees, from issuing higher service charges to asking some diners for a separate tip when they pay the bill via an electronic option on a point-of-sale terminal. A night out at The Wolseley, Socca Bistro, or Japanese eatery Koyn comes with a 15% service charge. Dovetale, a new high-end eatery in London’s upmarket Mayfair district, asks for that and a £5 ($6.34) cover charge per person. It’s easier to recruit staff with the promise of higher variable wages.

“To me, that lacks the fundamentals to what restaurants are all about — which is hospitality,” says Mr. Harrison. He views maintaining service charges at levels diners expect, while keeping staff happy, as vital to keeping the industry afloat. “Ready meals and frozen meals numbers are increasing month on month, as are delivery services — and that’s what we’re competing against.”

For Emanuele Mensah, co-founder of bar consultancy Liquid Nation and a finalist in Diageo’s competition for World Class GB Bartender of the Year 2023, tips and service charges are genuinely optional, a way for customers to thank staff for a good night out. Even so, he adds, the charges have become crucial and can represent 40% of a worker’s take-home pay.

While most patrons expect such levies to go straight to staff, that’s not always the case. At some establishments Mensah has served, operators took half for themselves — a trend that recently passed laws are designed to stop.

NO EASY SOLUTION
Sylvia Allegretto, a senior economist at the Center for Economic and Policy Research, warns that adoption of high-tech payments in lieu of cash is driving angst about tipping around the world. Where paying with cash returned coins you might happily pass to a server, electronic options require more effort — and even potential embarrassment when others are waiting. How do you let servers “keep the change” when you’re paying with the tap of a watch?

Ultimately, something will have to give. Ross Carter, chief executive officer at the Drinks Trust, a charity for people who work or have worked in the beverage industry, says demand for its well-being and counseling services looks set to increase 75% this year, compared to 2022, while requests for financial assistance are at record levels.

Even if diners grudgingly accept higher service charges and demands for tips, Carter doubts that drinkers will be willing to do so because of cultural norms and attitudes. Tipping at British pubs has long been more of an ad-hoc process, wherein customers occasionally let staff “buy” a round for themselves or keep the change from cash notes. This means that better pay to help workers cope can come only from higher prices.

“If the industry wants to keep the staff and staffing levels and the quality of staff, there’s little other option than to compensate them competitively,” he says. “An increased level of cost it will have an impact on demand — and sadly, the outcome may be that there will be even fewer operators.” —Bloomberg

Wilcon awaits higher sales starting September

WILCON Depot, Inc. expects sales to grow in the “Ber” months as it foresees seasonal heightened consumer spending, according to a company official.

“Many Filipinos definitely will come home and improve their homes, who will do soft renovations and some improvements in their homes, so we are expecting uptake in sales,” Rosemarie B. Ong, chief operating officer at Wilcon, said in an interview with ANC.

Ms. Ong noted that although a shift in consumer spending had been a concern, Wilcon still expects a return to normalcy.

“Despite the temporary shift in spending, we are still very confident that the home improvement will approach normalcy soon because we are still growing. But of course, it is muted because we came from a very high base and once we rebase, I think next year and the coming months will be better,” she said.

Meanwhile, Ms. Ong said that high prices continue to weigh on the company’s operational expenditures.

“There is still that downside risk of high input cost especially for us. Many of our fixed costs went up,” she said, citing logistics, fuel and utility costs as well as salaries.

“But on the other hand, we are experiencing deflation on the cost of our goods but of course, we still have a lot of goods that we bought prior to this period,” she added.

She said high prices had slowed down customers’ purchasing power, which the company hopes to address as it sees deflation in global pricing.

The company is also moving the deadline for its network expansion to next year, according to Ms. Ong.

“We are now at 86 stores and we are close to hitting 100 stores. Our target is to hit 100 stores in 2025 but we might accelerate it by next year,” she said.

“We are on track, we still continue to expand because we want to be ready when the market is ready,” she added.

Ms. Ong said Wilcon’s expansion plan is internally funded but noted that the company is open to potential capital-raising activities.

“Currently, we are still able to fund our expansion through our internally generated funds but we are open and we are still okay in terms of funding our expansion. We are still on track and we are expecting six more [stores] until the end of the year,” she said. — Justine Irish D. Tabile

Dining In/Out (09/07/23)

The Pen offers classic HK mooncakes

WITH the Mid-Autumn Festival fast approaching — this year it falls on Sept. 29 — The Peninsula Boutique is ready to unveil its classic mooncake offerings that are flown all the way from The Peninsula Hong Kong (HK). These Mini Egg Custard Mooncakes have become the most sought-after seasonal delights from The Peninsula Boutique. Seasonal favorites egg custard and the traditional white lotus seed paste with egg yolk come in boxes of six (Mini lotus seed paste with egg yolk) or four (Mini egg custard). For the best of both worlds, there is an eight-piece mooncake box that offers both these flavors in one box. For large quantity orders, e-mail penboutiquepmn@peninsula.com. For inquiries or further information on The Peninsula’s mooncakes, call 8887-2888 (trunk line), extension 6691 and 6694 (Restaurant Reservations), e-mail Dining PMN@peninsula.com, or visit the website peninsula.com/manila.

Marco Polo Ortigas Manila features ‘Mooncake Treasures’

WITH the annual Mid-Autumn Festival coming up this month, Marco Polo Ortigas Manila is all set to celebrate the occasion with its “Mid-Autumn Treasures.” Paying tribute to its Hong Kong roots, the hotel’s award-winning Cantonese restaurant, Lung Hin, is offering a selection of premium mooncakes from until Sept. 30. They come in four flavors: Red bean with double egg yolk, White lotus with double egg yolk, and Red lotus with double egg yolk, and Mixed nuts flavors. They are available in individual boxes (P938); a box of four (P3,488); a box of six (P5,168); a limited-edition box of four (P3,688); or a limited-edition box of six (P5,368). For more information on the “Mid-Autumn Treasures” contact the restaurant at 7720-7777 or e-mail lunghin.mnl@marcopolohotels.com.

New World’s Jasmine highlights handcrafted mooncakes

THE NEW World Makati Hotel offers a selection of mooncakes in celebration of the upcoming Mid-Autumn Festival, crafted by the chefs at Jasmine restaurant. Available until Sept. 30, the four varieties are Red Bean, Red Lotus, White Lotus, and Five Kernels. The first three variants each have two egg yolks inside. The Five Kernels mooncake contains a blend of watermelon seeds, sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, walnuts, and peanuts. A pair of mooncakes goes for P1,488 net and a set of four for P2,488 net, which come in red and gold packaging. A box of six mooncakes with a bottle of wine goes for P4,488 net. Bulk purchases as well as Club Epicure members can avail themselves of discounts. For reservations, guests can call 8811-6888 ext. 3679, e-mail fbreservations.manila@newworldhotels.com, or send a mobile message on Viber or Whatsapp via 0917-888-4194. 

Newport celebrates Oktoberfest early

FOR bier or wurst, Newport World Resorts’ Oktoberfest’s early bird promo is available until Sept. 17. In collaboration with Hilton Manila, Oktoberfest sets up a weekend-long festival from Oct. 19 to 21 at the hotel’s Grand Ballroom. Avail of the early bird rate of P4,800 net per head and look forward to free-flowing beers and spirits from the Weihenstephan Brewery, an authentic German feast featuring meats, pretzels, desserts, and more. The regular price of P5,200 net will be charged starting Sept. 18 to Oct. 21. For inquiries, contact Jimmy Iglesias at 0917-872-8734 and JD Dionio at 0917-878-8568.

Kee Wah Supreme Mooncake returns to Manila

AS THE MID-Autumn Festival approaches, Kee Wah Bakery once again brings its premium mooncakes to the Philippines for a limited time. The bakery’s new line of traditional and contemporary mooncake flavors is now available on its official social media channels, e-commerce platform store, delivery apps, and store branches. Kee Wah Supreme Mooncakes come in the bakery’s signature tin can dEcorated with a classic emperor’s portrait. Available are full six (185g) white lotus seed paste mooncake with two yolks and Golden lotus seed paste mooncake that both come in four-piece tins for P3,400. There are also mini variants (60g) which contain single yolks available in eight-piece boxes for P2,500. Other flavors include Red bean paste mooncake (four pieces/tin, P3,100), Assorted nuts mooncake (four pieces/tin, P3,200), and Red bean paste mooncake with two egg yolks (four pieces/tin, P3,300). Then there are Kee Wah Celestial Series Mooncakes in sweet and savory flavors. This series offer the Quadrangle Mooncake Gift Box containing four assorted best-seller mooncakes for P4,500, the Supreme Assorted Mini Mooncake with eight assorted mooncakes for P2,600, and the Supreme Selected Mini Mooncake with eight assorted mooncakes for P2,500. The bakery also offers more novel creations such as Mini red bean paste mooncake with mandarin peel (eight pieces/box, P3,200) and Assorted nuts mooncake with salted pork (P3,200). There are also lower calorie versions of their classic mooncakes, made with natural sugar substitute, maltitol.  Other mooncake flavors are a line of Egg Custard Mooncakes and several kinds of Chinese Ham Mooncakes. Produced and imported from Hong Kong, the Kee Wah Bakery products are available through the following channels: the Lazada Official Store (Hong Kong Kee Wah Products Philippines), the Shopee Official Store (Hong Kong Kee Wah Products PH); Pickaroo, Metromart, and GrabMart (Kee Wah Bakery); and the Tiktok Shop (@keewahph). There are also stores at Robinsons Magnolia, S Maison, and The Podium.

The Backroom adds new cocktails to menu

AWARD-WINNING speakeasy bar, The Back Room — at Shangri-La The Fort, 30th St., Bonifacio Global City, Taguig — is serving 13 unique concoctions. Each drink is served with question cards to spark conversation. “The bar’s philosophy is more tipple than fare. Our 13 new signature cocktails are categorized into five themes based on taste preference which were named after a specific narrative of the Prohibition Era: Jag Juice (strong, flavor-forward), Giggle Water (sophisticated and glamorous), Live Wire (refreshing), Moonshine (experimental), and On a Toot (for sharing),” Volkan Ibil, head mixologist of Shangri-La The Fort, said in a statement.

Palenque by Claude Tayag opens at New Gateway Mall 2

OPENING soon at Araneta City’s New Gateway Mall 2 is Palenque by Claude Tayag, a new food destination that will celebrate the diversity of regional specialties from all over the Philippines. The Pampango artist/chef and food show host Claude Tayag envisions the place to be a Filipino themed-food arena featuring some of the most sought-after chefs and restaurateurs from across the country, putting them together at the Upper Ground B level of the New Gateway Mall 2. The stalls will include Bale Dutung of Claude Tayag; Al Puruganan’s Ilocos cuisine; Tatung’s Cebu offerings and delicacies; Miguel Moreno’s Palm Grill which offers authentic cuisine from Zamboanga, Basilan, Sulu and Tawi Tawi; Sea Salt Davao Grill; Chicken Fandian and more Bacolod delicacies, among others. There will be bazaars and fairs to help bring regional celebrations closer to diners in the Cubao, Quezon City mall. Palenque by Claude Tayag will also offer a wide array of pasalubong to bring home. Several stores will be dedicated to regional specialties, produce and handicrafts. A special-event section will be the venue for cookbook and product launchings, cooking demos and lectures.

Luxury Tequila Don Julio 1942 now in PHL

DIAGEO, makers of liquors such as Johnnie Walker, continues to further develop the premium spirits segment by introducing Don Julio 1942 Tequila to the Philippines. “At Diageo, our purpose is to be part of every celebratory occasion of Filipinos. With the introduction of Don Julio 1942 Tequila, we are excited to offer a luxury tequila brand to discerning consumers while encouraging them to drink better, not more,” Rajesh Joshi, General Manager, Diageo Philippines, was quoted as saying in a press release. Don Julio 1942 Tequila is handcrafted in honor of the year Don Julio González began his journey as a tequila maker. Don Julio González revolutionized the tequila industry in Mexico more than 80 years ago with unconventional methods that led to the production of one of the highest quality tequilas in the world and set a new standard for decades to come. Don Julio 1942 is produced in small batches and aged for a minimum of two and a half years. This aging process yields a rich, complex flavor profile with notes of caramel and chocolate on the nose and heady flavors of tropical fruit, warm oak, vanilla and roasted agave on the tongue. It is packaged in a bottle whose tall, elegant shape was inspired by the long, pointed leaves of the blue agave. Don Julio 1942 received two gold medals and one silver medal at the Global Spirit Masters in 2022. Don Julio Tequila is now available at S&R, Zalora, and through Diageo Private Sales via diageoprestige.ph@diageo.com. For more information about Don Julio 1942, visit www.donjulio.com or follow @donjuliotequila on Instagram.

Louis XIII Cognac’s Rare Cask 42.1 now in PHL

A DECADE after the launch of the 2nd edition of the Rare Cask legacy, Louis XIII Cognac has released Rare Cask 42.1. The single tierçon contains a limited number of 775 uniquely crafted black crystal decanters. Its predecessors Rare Cask 42.6 was introduced in 2013 while Rare Cask 43.8 was first unveiled in 2009. Crafted by 20 master craftsmen, each jewel-like decanter sports a white gold and rhodium-finished neck, engraved with quadrilobe patterns like France’s fleur de lys. Its accompanying crystal glasses featuring black quatrefoils and a serving pipette crowned with a black medallion. To commemorate the unveiling of Rare Cask 42.1, an exclusive event was held in Venice, Italy, with a subsequent local launch in the Philippines at Gallery MiraNila in Quezon City. For more information, visit: https://rarecask-42-1.louisxiii-cognac.com.

Mang Inasal celebrates Grandparents’ Day

MANG INASAL Palabok treats customers to Palabok meals at discounted rates in celebration of Grandparents’ Day. Every day until Grandparents’ Day on Sept. 10, lolos and lolas can enjoy Mang Inasal’s Grandparents’ Day Treats which include two Palabok Solo plus two small drinks for ₱169 (saving ₱21) and two Palabok Solo plus two Extra Creamy Halo-Halo 8oz. for ₱189 (saving ₱39). “As part of our year-long 20th anniversary celebration, we give our lolos and lolas a special treat this Grandparents’ Day,” said Mang Inasal President Mike V. Castro. “We know how much our grannies love the Mang Inasal Palabok so we are offering it as special meals that they can enjoy with their families.” The Grandparents’ Day Treats promo is available for dine-in and takeout at all Mang Inasal stores nationwide.

Goldilocks releases 2 new celebration cakes

THIS September, Goldilocks has two new celebration cake offerings: Luscious Chocolate (P540), a double-layered chocolate chiffon cake filled and iced with velvety chocolate frosting, with a design of two-toned chocolate buttercream icing and a sprinkle of chocolate chips on top of delicate rosettes; and the Rainbow Magic cake (P590), a three layer cake with different flavors per layer — vanilla, strawberry, and ube flavor — with ube and strawberry buttercream between layers, and topped with rainbow-colored rosette and sprinkles. Check out Goldilocks’ menu and order via GrabFood, FoodPanda, or through www.goldilocksdelivery.ph.

Milkana’s creamy lollipops are here

MILKANA, Savencia’s international brand, was born more than 60 years ago in the Alps, with products made using milk from Allgäu. The No. 1 processed cheese in Germany and sold across Europe, China, Egypt, and Africa, Milkana now introduces its latest Creamy Lollipops to the Philippines. The Creamy Lollipops are new premium dairy snacks for children which are made with no added preservatives. They are available in four flavors: Fruit Heart Strawberry, with real fruit filling; Yogurt N Fruits; Mixed Berries; and Milky Ice Cream. Children can also collect the Creamy Lollipops’ fun sticks and animal designs packaging. Flora Guyenot, Southern Asia Marketing Director of Savencia Fromage & Dairy, makers of Milkana, said in a statement: “Here at Savencia, we are always looking at new ways to provide better nutrition to consumers worldwide. Guided by our company’s mission — To Lead the Way to Better Food — we are happy and proud to launch our Milkana Creamy Lollipops in the Philippines in the spirit of contributing and helping parents bring healthy and nutritional snacks to their young ones.” The Milkana Creamy Lollipops from Savencia are available at Robinsons, The Marketplace, Shopwise, South Supermarket, SM Supermarkets (SVI, SM Hypermarket, and Savemore), S&R, Landers, All Day, Unimart, Cash&Carry, Makati Supermarket, Pioneer Centre, Hi-Top, and Alfamart. The pops are suitable for children from three years and above.

Discerning bottling

RACOOL_STUDIO-FREEPIK
RACOOL_STUDIO-FREEPIK

About 50 years ago, most beverages sold locally came in reusable glass bottles. Soda and beer also came in bottles, and required a “deposit” when purchased, for bottle return. Plastic containers for beverages were uncommon here until Mr. Juicy came along locally in the mid-1970s. Around the same time, Sunkist started selling juice locally in plastic coated paper cartons.

Then the beverage industry shifted to carton bricks for UHT and chocolate milk, taking over from glass bottles. Soda and beer also became available in aluminum cans, then soda started using PET (polyethylene terephthalate) bottles as well. There were no “problems” associated with these plastic bottles back then. Until bottled water became widely available.

Now, plastic beverage containers and plastic bags are said to compose much of our ocean waste. Reusable glass or aluminum, or carton or metal beverage containers are heralded as the more environment-friendly beverage packaging alternatives. But sustainability and climate change have so many facets that, frankly, I am now unsure which packaging is truly better than plastic.

“Which is the best option for the environment?” asks Jane Turner in a commentary for online publication Ethical Consumer (www.ethicalconsumer.org), which is published by a nonprofit, multistakeholder cooperative founded in 1989 and based in Manchester, UK. “It’s a tricky question and depends on your priorities — some are better in terms of carbon whilst others are better in terms of reuse, recycling, and waste.”

“Glass and aluminum can both be ‘closed loop’ recycled — turned back into the same product, a potentially limitless number of times. Plastic, however, degrades each time you melt it. Although plastic bottles and cartons can be recycled, it is thus into a lower quality material, and only so many cycles are possible,” she adds.

Having considered several factors, and assessing the pros and cons of each packaging type, she says that picking the best is difficult as “there is more than one issue at stake.” But, in her opinion, “in terms of climate change, Tetra Pak cartons are the winner, followed by plastic, then aluminum, and glass is the worst.”

But, “in terms of plastic pollution and the ability to do closed loop recycling, glass and aluminum are the winners. And as you recycle them more times, their carbon emissions start to fall back down towards cartons and plastic,” she adds.

Beverage cartons are ahead in terms of lowest carbon footprint because they “take much less energy to make than other forms of packaging, and that makes them the winner in climate terms… They are also lighter to transport and because empty Tetra Paks can be transported flat, you can also fit far more into one shipment than you could glass bottles, plus, when filled, they are regular shaped and therefore more space efficient,” Turner notes.

Beverage cartons can be recycled, but not as much as glass bottles or aluminum cans, she adds. And that means every unrecycled beverage carton also come with plastic and aluminum waste in landfills. Beverage cartons are made from board or card layered with plastic. And cartons made to preserve liquids without refrigeration also have a thin layer of aluminum.

In the case of glass bottles, they “take a lot of energy to make, and also to transport because of their weight,” says Turner. “Both of these contribute to glass’ carbon emissions being the highest of all the packaging types, even when you take into account the likely amount of recycling that will happen,” she adds. So, in terms of climate change, glass bottles are “the worst,” she says.

As for aluminum cans for beverages, Turner adds that “the original manufacture of aluminum involves large amounts of energy use for smelting and the strip mining of bauxite, which is environmentally destructive… Aluminum cans thus have a high environmental and carbon footprint at first, but it does fall dramatically when they are recycled. Recycling an aluminum can only uses 8% of the energy required to produce a new one.”

So, where does this put plastic bottles? “PET bottles take much more energy to make than Tetra Paks, and their carbon footprint is much higher… They can’t be reused, as the sterilization would damage the plastic. You can recycle them but, in the best-case scenario in terms of the amount of recycling likely to happen, their carbon footprint only attains levels similar to the absolute worst-case scenario for Tetra Paks,” Turner adds.

I am sure that plastic bottle makers and users also have much to say about their choice of packaging. Obviously, Turner’s commentary is not the final authority on the matter. But I support her perspective that the matter should be assessed in terms of carbon footprint, and thus climate change, and in terms of reuse, recycling, and waste. After all, there are many factors to consider here, and not just the amount of waste that plastic bottling produces.

The same can be argued in the case of electric vehicles. As governments calibrate regulation to “encourage” the shift to EVs, and with market conditions seemingly validating the urgency of the shift, the matter should also be seen not solely in the light of carbon footprint. Reuse, recycling, and waste should also be material to the discussion.

Pushing this further, even the shift to renewable energy should be seen in similar light. After all, even renewables generate waste — used or broken solar panels, old wind turbines, etc. Even used batteries from EVs are not necessarily reusable or recyclable. Any production, or any consumption, has a carbon footprint, impacts the environment, and produces waste.

Moreover, consider all the effort and resources needed to extract minerals and materials used in the production of beverage containers, solar panels, wind turbines, and all electrical and electronic components and batteries of EVs. Most everything has at least one component coming from extractive industries in some way.

Simple arguments no longer make the grade. At every turn, there are decisions and tradeoffs to be made, by producers, regulators, and consumers. Consumers need to know more about the products they buy, how they are produced, and how they can be reused or recycled, and be more discerning in making purchases.

 

Marvin Tort is a former managing editor of BusinessWorld, and a former chairman of the Philippine Press Council

matort@yahoo.com

Seven in 10 Filipinos plan to travel abroad — Grab

STOCK PHOTO | Image by Stela Di from Pixabay

A SURGE in overseas holiday bookings in Southeast Asia is expected among Filipinos in the next year, sparking tourism opportunities, according to a report from Grab.

The GrabAds SEA travel insights report showed that seven out of 10 Filipinos plan to travel abroad at least once in the next 12 months, with 82% intending to have more than two trips.

“GrabAds data revealed a massive increase of 84% in international travel intent among SEA Grab users compared to just one year ago,” Jennie Johnson, head of marketing at GrabAds, said in a press statement on Wednesday.

“Last year, brands may have focused on short-term impulse campaigns based on pent-up lockdown FOMO (fear of missing out),” she added.

“But they now need to shift towards developing long-term relationships with savvy Southeast Asian travellers as they dream, plan, book, and experience travel.”

The Philippines has welcomed over 1.8 million international arrivals in the first four months of the year, according to Christina Garcia Frasco, Department of Tourism (DoT) secretary. This already surpassed DoT’s target of 1.7 million for last year, which the country also exceeded with 2.65 international arrivals logged in 2022.

Key preferences and behaviors among Filipino travelers included family companionship, with 66% of respondents inclined to travel with their families and relatives, 47% with their spouse, and 38% with close friends.

The report noted that Thailand was the top travel destination in Southeast Asia for Filipinos, followed by Singapore, Malaysia, and Vietnam. Japan, South Korea, and the United States were the top destinations outside the region.

Moreover, 54% of Filipino respondents were found to be determined to set a travel budget and stick to it.

GrabAds noted that brands should shift toward the surging travel demand, “Brands should seize this moment as an opportunity to transition from short-term ‘revenge travel’ campaigns.”

“Instead focus on developing enduring strategies that cultivate long-term relationships with repeat customers.”

“It could be as simple as maintaining year-round communication with consumers or utilizing online to offline channels to promote the latest offers,” Ms. Johnson said. — Miguel Hanz L. Antivola

Term deposit yields drop as gov’t works to stem inflation

BW FILE PHOTO

YIELDS on the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ (BSP) term deposits went down on Wednesday as the government implements measures to help lower prices after inflation picked up in August.

The central bank’s term deposit facility (TDF) fetched bids amounting to P311.766 billion on Wednesday, above the P260 billion on the auction block as well as P279.725 billion seen a week ago for a P280-billion offer.

Broken down, tenders for the seven-day papers reached P167.276 billion, higher than the P160 billion auctioned off by the central bank but lower than P170.616 billion in bids seen the previous week.

Banks asked for yields ranging from 6.498% to 6.6%, lower than the 6.56% to 6.6% band seen a week ago. This caused the average rate of the one-week deposits to decline by 0.69 basis point (bp) to 6.5833% from 6.6359% previously.

Meanwhile, bids for the 14-day term deposits amounted to P144.49 billion, higher than the P100-billion offering and the P109.109 billion in tenders for a P120-billion offer seen on Aug. 30.

Accepted rates were from 6.5% to 6.605%, slightly narrower than the 6.57% to 6.62% margin recorded a week ago. With this, the average rate for the two-week deposits inched down by 1.12 bps to 6.5872% from the 6.5984% logged in the prior auction.

The BSP has not auctioned off 28-day term deposits for more than two years to give way to its weekly offerings of securities with the same tenor.

The term deposits and the 28-day bills are used by the central bank to mop up excess liquidity in the financial system and to better guide market rates.

TDF yields were lower on Wednesday as the temporary ceiling for rice prices took effect this week, which could help bring down inflation, Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. Chief Economist Michael L. Ricafort said in a Viber message.

Malacañang last week issued an executive order imposing a nationwide price ceiling of P41 per kilogram for regular milled rice and P45 per kilogram for well-milled rice effective on Tuesday.

TDF yields were also lower “amid proposals to reduce the import tariffs on rice from 35% to help further reduce local rice prices from imported sources,” Mr. Ricafort said.

The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) is looking into a “temporary and calibrated” reduction in tariffs for rice to help lower domestic prices, NEDA Secretary Arsenio M. Balisacan said on Tuesday.

Headline inflation accelerated for the first time in seven months in August, amid a spike in the prices of rice, vegetables and fuel, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) said on Tuesday.

Preliminary data from the PSA showed the consumer price index (CPI) quickened to 5.3% in August from 4.7% in July, but slower than the 6.3% clip a year ago.

This was above the 4.9% median estimate in a BusinessWorld poll conducted last week. However, it settled within the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ (BSP) 4.8-5.6% forecast range for the month.

For the first eight months, the CPI averaged 6.6%, still above the BSP’s 5.6% forecast and 2-4% target for the year.

The BSP has kept benchmark rates steady at its last three meetings as it expects inflation to return to its target path within the year.

It has raised borrowing costs by 425 bps from May 2022 to March 2023 to curb inflation. — Keisha B. Ta-asan

Speciality Food & Drinks Asia returns with its 5th edition

JOSHUA ANG-UNSPLASH

GUESTS can visit a world of innovation at Speciality Food & Drinks Asia (SFDA) — Southeast Asia’s premier trade show for artisan, gourmet, and fine food and drink products and solutions. Held from Sept. 26 to 28 at the Sands Expo & Convention Centre in Singapore and co-located with the second edition of takeaway and delivery exhibition Food2Go, SFDA is expected to host up to 8,000 trade visitors and over 200 exhibitors and brands from across the world.

SFDA brings together trade professionals from the entire F&B industry, including restaurants, pubs and bars; meat and poultry; and speciality coffee and tea, to explore new products, create business opportunities, and share solutions to overcome industry challenges. A key focus this year is on embracing the digital shift in areas such as food service, packaging and production.

Visitors will be able to experience product showcases at the showgrounds, witness celebrity chefs such as MasterChef Singapore Season 4 contestant Mandy Kee and Executive Chef Victor Loy conduct cooking demonstrations at the Fine Food Live Stage, attend engaging panel discussions at the Innovation Stage, and taste the finest and newest brews at the Tap Room.

The lineup of exhibitors includes up-and-coming products and brands such as Limwood Gourmet, Irish Duck Company, Jeonbuk Institute for Food-Bioindustry, Unox, Isle Grocer & Co, LAP Spirits, and Allpress Espresso, among many others.

On top of a Singapore Pavilion showcasing some of the finest local products and suppliers, SFDA will also feature international exhibitors from 15 other countries including Belgium, China, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines, Poland, South Korea, Taiwan, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, the United States, and Vietnam.

Food tech investor Big Idea Ventures (BIV) will be hosting the international finals of the first-ever Big Idea Food Competition to identify the best innovations in alternative protein. The grand prize is a $200,000 investment package and automatic inclusion into Big Idea Venture’s Cohort #8 accelerator program.

The first-ever ASEAN Butchery Competition, hosted by Montgomery Asia and the Meat Traders Association Singapore (MTA), will bring together meat professionals from the region to showcase their workmanship skills in meat carving and presentation, for the title of ASEAN’s best butcher and a grand prize of S$5,000.

Returning to the event is the Singapore National Coffee Championship, organized by the Singapore Coffee Association in partnership with Speciality Coffee & Tea Asia. Singapore’s top baristas will compete in the Singapore National Latte Art Championship, Singapore Cup Tasters Championship, Singapore National Barista Championship and the Singapore National Brewers Cup, with the winners representing Singapore in the World Coffee Championships 2024.

To foster knowledge transfer within the industry, panel discussions will provide insights crucial to innovation, business growth, and sustainability. Industry leaders from organizations such as Grab, Deliveroo, foodpanda, Association of Catering Professionals Singapore, APAC Society for Cellular Agriculture, and A*STAR will delve into topics such as partnerships in the food delivery industry; the ethics of dining reservations; the future of specialty food retail and distribution; and the path towards food security, among many others.

SFDA will also witness the industry bringing the latest products and offerings to the table, and brand-new product launches by a myriad of exhibitors. These include LEI food&drinks’ organic and premium not-from-concentrate juices; Isle Grocer & Co.’s selection of hams, pate, olive oil and herbs; Wake the Crew’s cold brew coffee concentrate sachets; Choya Umeshu South East Asia’s extra smooth choya; Noomoo’s artisanal oat milk; VektroPack’s new recyclable packaging; Ecospec NovelTech’s beverage treatment products; Sanz Pte Ltd.’s new hygienic cutlery dispenser; and Smart Minds Holdings Limited’s SaaS logistics solutions; and many more.

Lucky visitors have a chance to win a specialty goods hamper (S$200) and a brand-new Thermomix TM6 (worth S$2,550).

Wider spectrum capacity and access boost download speeds

CHRISTINA WOCINTECHCHAT-UNSPLASH

IMPROVING access and quantity of spectrum capacity has boosted 4G and 5G download speeds in the Asia Pacific (APAC) region, according to Opensignal.

“Opensignal data shows that APAC users observe twice or even thrice as fast 4G download speeds and around 50% faster 5G download speeds when there are large amounts of spectrum bandwidth connected compared with low amounts. Video streaming services also benefit from increased spectrum bandwidth — however, the difference is more marked on 4G than 5G,” Opensignal said in an Aug. 31 report.

The analysis involved May to July data from 30 Asia Pacific markets, including the Philippines.

“When users are connected with greater amounts of 4G spectrum bandwidth, they experience much faster average 4G download speeds across APAC markets. While 5G has launched in many markets, 4G is still prevalent across many markets in the region and continues to contribute to the 5G experience when users connect to 5G with non-standalone access,” Opensignal said.

Average download speeds on 4G for the 20-40 megahertz (MHz) spectrum bandwidth used stood at 35.1 megabits per second (Mbps), 55.2% faster than for connections using spectrum capacity of 20MHz or less, it said.

“The 4G Download Speed score is even higher with at least three carriers used and more than 40MHz spectrum connected. Then users — see average speeds of 46.4Mbps, or more than twice as fast as when there is 0-20MHz spectrum in use. With more than 80MHz of mobile spectrum connected, average 4G download speeds in Asia Pacific rise to 64.1Mbps, which is nearly three times faster compared to speeds with just 0-20MHz connected,” Opensignal said.

“More spectrum bandwidth also boosts 5G Download Speed in the Asia Pacific region significantly. When smartphones are connected with more than 100MHz of total spectrum capacity, average 5G download speeds clocks in at 271.4Mbps. This is approximately a 50% increase in 5G Download Speed compared with 5G speeds with a spectrum bandwidth of 100MHz or less,” it added.

Among Asia Pacific markets, Malaysia benefits the most from wider spectrum bandwidth for 4G download speeds as it was two times faster for 40-60MHz and 2.3 times faster for 60-80MHz.

For 5G, download speed was up to 271.4 Mbps at over 100MHz, from 178.7 Mbps at 0-50MHz.

“4G Download Speed also more than doubles in Indonesia where more than 60MHz spectrum is used, compared to 0-20MHz — and is nearly twice as high in Australia and South Korea using respective bandwidths. Our users in Japan observe a smaller relative impact of more spectrum used for 4G connectivity — average 4G download speeds are only around 40% faster for 40-60MHz bandwidths and slightly more than 70% faster for 60-80MHz,” Opensignal added.

Higher spectrum capacity also boosted video streaming speeds, it said.

“With more spectrum assigned to mobile connections, our users in the APAC region also enjoy shorter initial delays in playing video streams,” Opensignal said.

“The Video Experience score increases from 59.7 points (out of 100) for a spectrum bandwidth of 20MHz or less, up to 71.6 points when the total spectrum bandwidth connected exceeds 80MHz,” it added.

However, Opensignal noted that some Asia-Pacific markets have limited access to spectrum, which affects their economies.

“More spectrum assigned to mobile operators leads to faster speeds and a better mobile user experience — which in turn leads to socioeconomic benefits,” it said.

Ronald Gustilo, national campaigner of Digital Pinoys, said spectrum access and allocation in the country should conform to constitutional limitations.

“Anyone seeking to access additional spectrum should secure a congressional franchise as it is a finite resource which should only be available to Filipino nationals under the 1987 Constitution,” he said in a Viber message to BusinessWorld.

“The government must welcome applicants so long as they comply with the requirements of the law,” he said on the creation of proper regulations for spectrum management. “Further, government should focus more on developing connectivity in isolated, far-flung communities.” — M.H.L. Antivola

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