Consider the ingredients that go into the grilled meat of Chicken Inasal, which are all home-grown.
"Every Chicken Inasal order contributes to the livelihood of smallholder farmers under the Farmer Entrepreneurship Program of the Jollibee Group Foundation," Mang Inasal Business Unit Head Mike Castro said
"This is because FEP farmers supply fresh ginger, one of many natural ingredients used to make the marinade of our famous Chicken Inasal."
FEP is a multi-awarded initiative that empowers small farmers with leadership skills, and systems needed to collectively market their produce to institutional buyers like Mang Inasal, resulting in increased and sustained income.
"There are many barriers that our farmers face today in getting their crops to markets and suppliers," Castro added.
"By purchasing directly from farmers, Mang Inasal can support our farmers and uplift them, so they have more opportunities to earn and become entrepreneurs themselves," he said.
Ready buyer
The ginger used in Mang Inasal came from the AGAP Farmers' Association. It has 37 ginger farmers from three clusters who used to sell their vegetables on their own and struggled to find a stable market.
With JGF and its partner Ahon sa Hirap Inc, farmers from Laguna and Rizal learned to work together as clusters and produce ginger that adheres to the quality standards set by an institutional market like Mang Inasal.
In 2021, their first year as Mang Inasal suppliers, the farmers delivered 22 percent of the company's requirements for the year.
Vicente Bojawe, 58, is one of the farmers under AGAP. "At first, it was a big challenge for us to deliver to a big market as we needed training and we lacked experience. Through Jollibee Group Foundation and ASHI, we received guidance and achieved our dream of delivering to Mang Inasal," he shared.
Vicente's increased earnings helped him build his house and invest more in his farm.
