Turning a new leaf

He stood at the center, calmly smiling a little, for the cameras in front of him. He was not a rock star nor was he dressed in a designer suit that would have warranted him a page in a fashion magazine. But for those in the room that rainy afternoon, amid the onslaught of another of those treacherous monsoon typhoons, he was the person everyone wanted to snap a photo with. He was, after all, the benefactor that had made their dreams of owning a house and luxury cars a possibility.

Thirty something Carlito Macadangdang is a familiar name in direct-selling and multi-level marketing (MLM) circles in the country. He is half of JC Premiere, the other being his childhood friend Jonathan So.

The two go a long way back. It was in the mid-2000s when, almost fresh out of college, they decided to set up their own business. Coming from a Filipino-Chinese background, people expected them to put up a hardware store as their first venture. Instead, they chose what was then a relatively new concept – food cart franchising.

They started with a dumpling cart until it grew to more than one concept over the years. This year, the food cart franchising has six concepts, namely, Siomai King, Siopao Da King, Potato King, Sgt. Sisig, Noodle House and Burger Factory. It is just one of the businesses under the mother company JC Worldwide Franchise.

“They’re so busy. Twenty-four hours is not enough for them,” enthused Jeff Ang, assistant training director for JC Premiere Business International.

Ang was not joking. Macadangdang had barely enough time to sit down for an interview, but he was courteous enough to shake hands with this writer and exchange customary pleasantries as he immediately left for another appointment. That was when he obliged the distributors who were there at the company’s headquarters in San Juan despite the bad weather. As they say, come hell or high water, business must go on.

The years have been good to the duo. Steadily growing their food franchising business until four years ago, they ventured into another field that is now challenging both their business expertise and the very structure after which said industry is patterned.

Ang shared that he used to be part of three MLM companies when he met So and Macadangdang. The pair had also been dabbling in the same industry when they decided to put up their own with a vision Ang said convinced him to join them.

Collecting the yellow sap from the ashitaba plant. Japan Bio Science Laboratory website Photo

“I don’t want to sound biased, but I saw the difference in the way they charter the industry in the Philippines. The others are using the same system, same incentives. But as we’ve said in our fourth year anniversary, the industry is not going to dictate JC Premiere, it is JC Premiere that will dictate the industry. And we have changed so many… traditional approach,” Ang remarked.

He shared that one of the “dramatic” changes made by JC Premiere, which celebrated its fourth year last May at the MoA Arena, was to make their distributors earn bigger than what has been customary.

“Basically, an MLM company earns through products. According to president Jonathan, the average income of an MLM company is about 40 to 45 percent. When he observed this, he meant to change this. He was made to believe that that was the right way. When they [Jonathan and Carlito] saw this, they made the change. Instead of following the bandwagon, they sacrificed it. They just settled for five percent. The remaining 40 percent is given to the distributors. That is why JC Premiere is controversial right now,” shared Ang.

JC Premiere is said to be “The Dark Horse,” as labeled in the company’s YouTube video plug featuring So and Macadangdang who are seen riding and driving a brand of luxury car famous for its black stallion insignia. Their practices, Ang said, have been unconventional, putting a premium on their distributors.

He said JC Premiere was the first to provide an incentive of free house, cars and travels, as well as buy-one-take-one deals on their products and packages. This also applies to the food cart franchising business.

“They believe that in order for the business to prosper, they should practice the old Chinese saying of “It doesn’t matter if profit is small as long as sales are high.” They want their distributors to earn more,” Ang explained. The Chinese practice of putting importance more on volume of sales is the guiding principle in this “unpopular” approach.

This practice has made many of their distributors, who Ang said are estimated at 50,000 based on package count from here and abroad, happy. Proof is evident in a wall of photos of their distributors at the San Juan office, proudly standing beside their new Camarros, Dodges and Mustangs. These distributors just had to hit a specified number of sales match and when they do, the company provides a sum for the car’s downpayment and pays for its monthly amortization.

With these attractive compensation plans, how does JC Premiere earn?

“When they [Jonathan and Carlito] saw this, they made the change. Instead of following the bandwagon, they sacrificed it.

KAPE Supremo and Good Leaf Coffee with Ashitaba.

“That’s what we’re trying to change. We don’t actually promote the compensation package. It is just secondary,” Ang clarified. “What we’re promoting is the product. The truth is, that’s why we’re moving. Product movement is the lifeline of the company. Compensation will still be there. Even if your compensation package is excellent, but if your products are subpar, you will still not be able to sell. The success part in four years is the heavy investment in research and development.”

JC Premiere started with just two products —an herbal supplement and a non-acidic vitamin C. To date, Ang said they have a total of 28 products ranging from personal care, skincare to wellness.

Besides JC Premiere JC World wide also have popular food carts for franchising.

The company has three flagship products. There is OmniFit, a dietary supplement that has chitosan which binds fat and GlutaFit, another dietary supplement that has chitosan, L-glutathione and collagen.

There is one flagship product that JC Premiere is excited to share with health–conscious Filipinos.

Its Good Leaf Coffee with Ashitaba, Ang enthused, is unlike others in the market as it contains ashitaba as one of the main ingredients.

Ashitaba, which comes from the combined Japanese words ashita meaning “tomorrow” and ba meaning “leaf,” is a plant indigenous to the Hachijo Island in Japan. It is said to be high in vitamins and minerals, notably fiber, potassium and beta-carotene.

Its leaves and stems have been studied for their possible health benefits. Another vital part of the Ashitaba is its yellow sap which contains chalcones.

JC Premiere has tapped Japan Bio Science Laboratory, with offices in Tokyo and Kyushu, to source the ashitaba that is mixed with their coffee.

This is one of the first products offered by JC Premiere four years ago.

JBSL has listed through its website, www.jbsl-net.com, the efficacy of chalcones. Two of these chalcones ­— 4-hydroxidericcine and xanthoangelol — have been cited in JBSL’s studies for their efficacy in various health and wellness concerns. These include fat reduction, anti-bacterial, anti-oxidant and “inhibitory effect on carcinogenesis initiator/promoter.”

Being a company that prides itself in prioritizing research and development and attractive marketing and packaging, their coffee with ashitaba is sourced from the best suppliers. Ashitaba grown in JBSL’s plantation in Indonesia and processed in Japan is dehydrated and mixed into the coffee that they source from a high-altitude (about 1,200 above sea level) plantation in Vietnam. Ashitaba is then mixed with Arabica and Robusta varieties that results in that sweet and bitter taste, with a faint trace of green-tea like flavor.

“If you ask me, why I should drink this coffee? It’s simple. This coffee can save my life because of the Ashitaba,” Ang said.

Above performing distributors get to own their preferred car via JC Premieres lucrative compensation package.

Another good news, he added, is soon to be revealed. Besides the coffee packed with all the right stuff, another Ashitaba offering will cap off the year for the growing wellness brand.

In the long run, Ang said Jonathan and Carlito see their empire as the Filipino direct-selling company with its own mall full of JC Premiere premium products espousing “the good life.’’

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