How far can P5,000 take you? For this Laguna-based couple, it was all they needed to launch their sweet enterprise: Spoonful Delights.

“When we began our business in 2016, we just used our own kitchen. Back then, I really liked leche flan, and I thought about selling flavored leche flan in a bottle. That eventually became one of our flagship products,” said Cholo Quiaonza, who owns Spoonful Delights with his wife, Gladys.

After quitting his job and several false starts, Cholo, a former retail and food service employee, found himself down to P5,000.

“It was with this seed money that we started Spoonful Delights,” he recalls.

“Since I didn’t have enough money for an actual store, I used online platforms instead. I realized I could earn even more money online, considering I didn’t have rent expenses,” he explained.

Today, aside from leche flan, they also sell local delicacies such as ube halaya and inutak, as well as alamang (sauteed shrimp paste) and specialty vinegar. They sell online, in bazaars, and supply pasalubong shops and grocery stores.

Recently, Spoonful Delights participated in PLDT and Smart’s exclusive employee sale held at their Makati headquarters, supporting micro and small entrepreneurs. This initiative is part of PLDT and Smart’s broader commitment to empowering MSMEs through technology and digital inclusion through their flagship program for MSMEs called “eBizNovation.”

Since 2021, PLDT and Smart have been working alongside the Department of Trade and Industry, local government units, business chambers, and e-commerce platforms to equip Filipino entrepreneurs with digital skills and e-commerce training to support the government’s efforts to strengthen the MSME sector. 

Covid-19 pandemic: Challenges and opportunities

When the pandemic hit, Spoonful Delights was among the many businesses affected. With traditional markets closing at the time, Cholo helped local vendors by selling their goods online. This also expanded Spoonful Delights’ customer base. Demand soared, and the business grew to employ 20 workers, producing 1,800 pieces of leche flan daily.

“We were surprised because it wasn’t exactly a necessity, but people were looking for it,” Cholo says.

Today, even as pandemic restrictions have long been lifted, work-from-home setups remain popular. Here, Cholo and his team found yet another opportunity for their business — and a way to support their hungry ‘WFH’ neighbors after hours.

“We noticed that a lot of people in our community worked from home, so we started selling silog (a Filipino breakfast dish) in the evenings. In just two hours, we could earn enough to cover our utility bills,” says Cholo, adding that his neighbors mainly contacted him on Facebook or via their group chats. 

 For Cholo, nothing beats the feeling of fulfilment that one gets from running his own business, even in the face of challenges.  He offers some advice to fellow MSMEs.

 “It’s not easy to run a business, especially in these times. If it were easy, everyone would be rich by now,” he says with a laugh.

 “You need a lot of courage and prayers. Don’t stop innovating and partnering with the right agencies, such as PLDT and Smart. Be open-minded to new updates and use e-commerce to promote your products. Sometimes, you don’t even need a physical store anymore. You can promote your business from home using social media,” he says.

 Today, Spoonful Delights continues to flourish, adapting to the changing market landscape through continuous learning and innovation.

 “As an entrepreneur, you can’t rely solely on what you know. You have to keep studying your market, especially online,” he says. The business now has a commissary and advanced equipment, a far cry from its humble beginnings.

 Spoonful Delights’ journey is a testament to the power of e-commerce and the internet in building and sustaining successful enterprises, regardless of size. Nearly a decade since its establishment, Spoonful Delights has demonstrated that with determination and adaptability, sweet success is within reach.

 It is one of the more than 32,000 MSMEs nationwide that have been supported by PLDT and Smart, highlighting their overall goal of helping MSMEs thrive through technology.