Rebisco marks 55 years in business. Homegrown empire celebrates legacy in Filipino snack culture

When it comes to Filipino snack time favorites, Rebisco is a household name among families, friends and working professionals. Who doesn’t have fond memories of munching on the creamy goodness of Marie as a child? Or opening their baon to find staples such as Rebisco Sandwich, Rebisco Crackers and Hansel?

With an extensive portfolio of some of the nation’s most beloved snack products, Rebisco has steadily expanded its portfolio to appeal to the changing preferences of Filipino consumers.

Today’s kids and kids-at-heart have a lot more to choose from—biscuits and crackers like Rebisco Sandwich, Hansel, and Combi; cakes and breads like Fudgee Barr and Topps; chocolates and wafers like Choco Mucho, Krimstix, and Superstix; nuts and seeds like Ding Dong and Happy; chips and curls like Funky, Potato Plus, and Pop-O; and candies and gums like Lipps, Chubby, and Judge.

As the well-loved snack leader celebrates its 55th anniversary, Rebisco not only looks back on its legacy but more importantly, gears up for bigger plans ahead as it continuously grows its business and expands its market.

The company’s increasingly diversified portfolio reflects Rebisco’s drive toward innovation to meet the Filipino consumer’s changing preferences. One such product innovation is the country’s first commercially packaged donut, Doowee Donut, which was created for a growing market with a limited snack budget and access to popular donut shops in malls.

Another unique product is Mr. Keso, a savory candy filled with a delicious cheese filling that remains to be the first—and only—of its kind in the local market. This sweet-savory treat was named as one of the three Nielsen Southeast Asia’s Breakthrough Innovation Award winners in 2016 for Rebisco’s thoughtful combination of research, marketing, and consumer insight in developing and launching the product.

The launch of Hansel Premium Matcha, a limited-edition twist to one of Rebisco’s classic brands, further illustrate the company’s commitment to innovation. The product took the popular matcha trend straight from social media and digital magazine features to the production floor and the marketplace. Thanks to the efficiency of product development and on-point marketing, Hansel Premium Matcha took Philippine Facebook by storm and became viral within a few hours of launch. The product also sustained an upward trend in digital conversations until it exited the market as part of its limited-edition nature.

“Our company’s desire for continuous innovation has empowered us to increase efficiency, improve product quality, and test new concepts with record speed and accuracy,” said Rebisco President Jonathan C. Ng. “The preferences and market behaviors of the Filipino consumer are evolving swiftly and we want Rebisco to continue being their brand of choice for snacks and light meals.”

Beyond snacks

What started as a small neighborhood bakeshop in San Juan is now a homegrown empire. Buoyed by the triumph of various snack products, Rebisco has explored other markets where it can bring its successful production and business models, as well as the company’s reputation for stellar quality and affordability.

The company continues to expand its offerings to other food categories like ice cream with Creamline, spreads with Happy Peanut Butter and the Rebisco Yema Spread, and beverages like the Chalife Milk Tea.

Creamline offers a wide range of products such as cream bars, pinipig bars, ice cream cones, and family-sized tubs in flavors that Filipinos love and crave, at affordable prices. The ice cream brand will also be launched in the United States this July 2018—Creamline products will be available in Seafood City Supermarkets in the West Coast.

Ng added, “As we celebrate our company’s 55th anniversary this year, we want to express our gratitude to generations of Filipinos who have always loved our products and our people who have worked tirelessly to help us achieve milestone after milestone throughout the decades. Rebisco will continue to make deliciously delightful meals for everyone, every day.”

Amidst a cheering sea of pink, the Creamline Cool Smashers swept the Mall of Asia Arena Court with their combined prowess and trademark good vibes to clinch the coveted championship title of the Premier Volleyball League (PVL) Season 2 Reinforced Conference.

Led by team captain Alyssa Valdez, the Cool Smashers bested the PayMaya High Flyers and sealed the deal after only two games in a best-of-three finals round. In addition to the title, players Valdez, Jia Morado, and Michelle Gumabao received individual awards: best open spiker, best setter and finals MVP, and best opposite spiker, respectively.

“This championship is one of the biggest rewards we’ve received as a team who worked hard, trained hard, and really wanted to bring home the trophy for our Rebisco family and our fans,” shared Valdez.

One big family

The Creamline Cool Smashers credit their triumph in the recently concluded PVL to something more than the expert guidance of Coach Anusorn “Tai” Bundit and the individual skills of the players.

“Each member of the team is focused, driven, and hungry to win but we still enjoyed our time together because we loved what we were doing,” Morado said. “The Cool Smashers is my first pro club and it has been my childhood wish to find a team that inspires and takes care of me while I pursue my dreams in the court. Not every player gets it right the first time and I’m so lucky and thankful to be with the Rebisco-Creamline family.”

“I’m also thankful to the Rebisco-Creamline family for believing in me and the team. Without that support and the camaraderie that we’ve built, victory wouldn’t taste as sweet as it does now,” said Gumabao.

The Rebisco-Creamline family that the team found extended beyond the court and the training sessions—in fact, it is a big family that includes all of the snack giant’s employees, from executives to those on the production floor responsible for whipping up Rebisco’s trademark treats such as the Rebisco Sandwich, Hansel, Fudgee Barr, Choco Mucho, Ding Dong, Judge, and Creamline bars, cones, and tubs.

“Rebisco has always supported our employees in breaking their daily routines through sports and other physical activities,” said Noric T. Ng, Rebisco VP of Operations. “Everybody, from management to the factory employees, was excited when the Cool Smashers got into the PVL finals and we wanted to be here to support them all the way. This championship is the manifestation of our 55-year-old culture of teamwork, collaboration, and camaraderie. By working together for a common goal and doing this every day in every aspect of our lives, we have accomplished so much and have a lot to celebrate for our 55th anniversary.”

Buoyed by good vibes and the support of the entire Rebisco-Creamline family and their fans, the Creamline Cool Smashers are grateful that all the hard work, dedication, and sacrifice that led to their victory.

Mean spikes, generous hearts

As part of the Rebisco-Creamline family’s “champinkship” celebration, the Cool Smashers hosted the first-ever Creamline Good Vibes Day as a way to express their gratitude to their fans.

Held at the Buffalo Wild Wings restaurant in Capitol Commons, the event brought the team closer to their adoring fans through good food, fun activities, and a meet-and-greet session. The players even gamely answered fan questions and honored requests for songs, messages, and selfies.

The highlight of this special event, however, is a generous gesture from the Rebisco-Creamline family. Pursuing its advocacy of fostering youth development through sports, the Cool Smashers and the company donated volleyball sporting equipment to ten beneficiary public schools which participated in the Rebisco Volleyball League 18 & Under.

Team captain Valdez presented a symbolic volleyball to Metropolitan Sports and Events Managing Director Freddie Infante, one of Philippine volleyball’s leading figures.

The company is also spearheading the Rebisco Volleyball League, an under-18 tourney where 12 high school teams battle it out for the title. Another facet of Rebisco’s youth development advocacy is the Volley Fiesta, a series of volleyball clinics for young aspiring athletes in rural communities, with drills led by Valdez, Morado, Gumabao, and the entire Cool Smashers team.

“Volley Fiesta and Creamline Ice Cream Fiesta were borne out of our desire to spread good vibes at the barangay level,” said Rebisco Category Manager Chiara Fojas-Ferrer. “Not only do we pursue our advocacy of youth development through these events but we also get to bring Creamline products closer to communities and bring a smile to their faces through affordable ice cream, fun games, and the presence of their volleyball idols.”

“It’s so inspiring to be part of Creamline’s mission to spread good vibes across the Philippines through volleyball. The team is blessed to have the opportunity to share our knowledge and experience in the sport and to see young athletes in the provinces learn and dream just like we did once. So to all the future volleyball superstars we’ll meet in this year’s Volley Fiesta, hihintayin namin kayo dito sa Manila for your turn to represent the Rebisco family and even the country,” concluded Valdez.

In photo (back, L-R): Ivy Remulla, Coleen Bravo, Rizza Mandapat, Michele Gumabao, Nikolina Asceric, Alyssa Valdez and Jema Galanza; (front, L-R): Pau Soriano, Risa Sato, Kyla Atienza, Julia Morado, Alex Cabaños and Melissa Gohing

As the Creamline Cool Smashers began their rally for the Premier Volleyball League (PVL) trophy, a sea of pink cheered them on.

Clad in Creamline’s signature pink, over 800 Rebisco employees invaded the San Juan sports arena to show their all-out support for their very own company team. The proud cheerleaders included members of the snack-food giant’s production department. Seeing their own Cool Smashers team up close and live is a huge morale boost for sports-loving Rebisco employees.

“Everyone was thrilled to watch the Creamline Cool Smashers in action,” shared Noric Ng, Rebisco VP for Operations. “They were so impressed by how the team performed and to this day, everyone’s still talking about their favorite plays by Alyssa Valdez, Michelle Gumabao, Mel Gohing, and our imports Kuttika Kaewpin and Nikolina Asceric.”

Watching the PVL match live is just one of the snack-food giant’s various employee engagement activities and programs designed to promote the Rebisco core values and “good vibes” among its 7,000 people spread out across its numerous offices, manufacturing plants, and distribution hubs.

Nurturing brand advocates from within

In 2015, Rebisco— a homegrown Filipino company and one of the market leaders in well-loved confections, snacks, and food products—launched its very own employee engagement program titled “Love Ko, Rebisco.” This program aims to transform its people from employees into brand advocates, with all activities, including information campaigns, contests, and internal promotions cascaded across executives, factory personnel, and distributors. Rooted in brand love and loyalty, the program has successfully imbibed not only company culture among Rebisco employees, but also empowered them to act as Rebisco ambassadors among their own social circles.

Apart from the ‘Love Ko, Rebisco’ program, the company has also invested in leadership and coaching seminars and brand management training programs to promote a culture of learning and development for its employees. Rebisco has empowered its people to achieve more within and outside the company offices and factory walls through relevant knowledge and skill sets.

The company has also launched its very own Rebisco University in partnership with the Ateneo Graduate School of Business – Center for Continuing Education. This diploma program integrates core and new knowledge, builds competencies, and develops skills to empower key employees to advance their leadership and strategic capabilities.

In photo (back, L-R): Alyssa Valdez, Coleen Bravo, Risa Sato, Rizza Mandapat, Kuttika Kaewpin, and Ivy Remulla; (front, from L-R): Michelle Gumabao, Julia Morado, Alex Cabaños, Jema Galanza, Nikolina Asceric, Melissa Gohing, and Kyla Atienza

Meaningful rest and recreation are also important to develop well-rounded employees, which is why Rebisco also regularly organizes activities to add joy in their people’s daily lives. The annual summer outing provides Rebisco employees a chance to bond with their colleagues in a more relaxed setting.

“Our comprehensive employee engagement programs are a manifestation of Rebisco’s love for its people. As Rebisco celebrates its 55th anniversary this year, our people—and the rest of the nation—can expect more exciting things to come and more heartwarming, more memorable experiences to share with each other,” Ng concluded.