Fly Ace flies high, overcomes trials
Fly Ace Warehouse
With Fly Ace Corp.’s Jolly canned corn and mushroom business growing beyond expectations, company president Jun Cochanco is emphatic as he tells the Inquirer the secrets of his success: “I never count failures. I always look at them as challenges to overcome and hurdle for us to be a better company.”
Fly Ace began as a rice trading business in 1972, carrying the trade name Jolly General Merchandise.
His parents, Lucio and Ederlina, had just migrated to Manila from Central Luzon. “My grandfather used to own a rice mill in Cabanatuan City,” says Cochanco.
But the government imposed price controls for rice, so the couple had to find other products to trade that would give them better profit margins.
In 1986, the administration of President Corazon Aquino liberalized importation. The family saw a bigger profit margin in trading imported goods, then known as “PX (post exchange) goods.”
In the early 1990s, the family incorporated Fly Ace Corp. and started to develop house brands.
Cochanco reveals: “Naturally, we used Jolly as our brand for our canned vegetables and fruits, as this was the name that our mother thought of for our original company, The Jolly General Merchandise.”
Introducing the brand Jolly to the market was not easy, Conchanco recalls, “There was resistance from the trade, and they needed a lot of convincing.”
But things turned out for the best.
Jun COCHANCO
“The moment that we were recognized by our trade partners and end-consumers, that was the turning point,” he explains.
It helped that consumers know Fly Ace as a company. They gave Jolly the chance to be introduced in the market.
Fly Ace made sure that the quality of Jolly products would be consistent and that the price provides value for money.
In no time, Jolly became known for its canned food products—mainly corn and mushroom products, which are heavily used during the holiday season.
The business had its challenges, however.
Among these was the need to hire professional managers as the company expanded.
Cochanco admits it was initially difficult to get good professionals who believed in the company’s aspirations, but they eventually came.
“Because we strove to be consistent with regard to the good reputation of our company, excellent and dedicated professionals began to join us on their own volition,” he says.
He adds, “I do not think of Fly Ace Corporation as a great company. We are still a work in progress. We will always learn and try to be a better company than the past years. We learn from our people, we even learn a lot from our management trainees.”
Cochanco believes in his people and their abilities. They’re like one big family at Fly Ace and a family that he hopes will be strong enough to carry the company forward.
“We intend to continue the growth of our brands. This way, we can afford to attract young talents and offer career growth and opportunity to our present employees,” says Cochanco.
Asked for his advice to young entrepreneurs, he says: “Know what you want in your career. Work hard. Do not be afraid of failure, learn all you can and never give up.”
“Today’s generation of young entrepreneurs has so much talent and energy, but they are in a hurry to achieve their goals. They need to learn the old-fashioned formula for success, which is no secret,” says Cochanco.
In the end, what will always work is the formula that is all about “being trustworthy, disciplined, hardworking, focused and gaining experience from actual jobs done.”
