Bread has been a valuable staple in all cultures for centuries around the world. In a country like the Philippines which embraces a colorful food culture and history, food staples like bread have become a massive part of every dining table. The ubiquitous Tinapay (the national term for bread), for instance, is a Filipino favorite, evident with the panaderias sprouting almost everywhere. For years, Filipinos delighted with the native breads and queueing up for a fresh pack every morning in one’s preferred neighborhood bakery has been so ingrained in the country’s cultural experiences. Add to this the psychological effect of eating bread, which has easily become a “comfort food” of sorts, and how every bite evokes feelings of warmth, well-being, and of home.
In 1997, Gardenia entered the Philippine bread market and established its factory in Binan, Laguna, and gave the country a delightful alternative; and thus, began the love affair of Filipinos with every delicious slice of a Gardenia loaf.
After 23 years since inception in the Philippines, Gardenia has emerged from its humble beginnings to become a much sought-after essential on every Filipino table—a comfort food we turn to from breakfast to lunch, snacks and dinner, to personal milestones and celebrations, holidays and special family occasions.
GROWING UP WITH GARDENIA
Perseverance, quality products and innovation coupled with a sincere desire to enhance the Filipino life make up the unbeatable recipe for Gardenia’s success. To date, they have evolved as the leading and fastest growing bread brand in the Philippines and they take great pride in their world-class standards as part of their commitment to provide excellence in delivering great-tasting breads that will satisfy even the most discerning, bread-loving Filipino palate.
Every morning at a typical family table, slices of Gardenia Classic White loaf (some eggs or jam and a cup of steaming coffee) are shared along with heartwarming stories during breakfast. Parents send off their children to school with lunchboxes of the kid’s favorite Gardenia sandwich. Workers and employees squeeze in two slices of Gardenia flavored breads into their bags for the long daily commute, or in the middle of a hectic day. During late night, some parent and child somewhere, sneak into the kitchen for a midnight snack, take slices of Gardenia loaf and slather them with their favorite bread spread.
Courtesy of Rowell Santiago/ Eat Well Pinas
Kiddie parties and special celebrations like Christmas, New Year, birthdays, are great occasions for serving Gardenia breads along with their favorite meals; a Gardenia-based hors d’oeuvres take center stage. One family weekend in the beach means biting into the glorious goodness of a Gardenia bread while celebrating shared laugher, fun stories, and the true spirit of ‘family’.
Behind all these soulful scenarios is a team of men and women working more than hard enough to keep these good times going. With a mission to serve consumers with the best quality assortment of great-tasting bakery products in a highly technical environment with world-class manufacturing facilities, all Gardenia breads are produced without any touch of human hands. The Gardenia plant is ISO 9001: 2015 and HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point) certified, a testimony that the company strictly adheres to the highest standards of food quality and safety. Thus every Filipino should be guaranteed not only of premium quality breads but also products with the highest standards of safety and sanitation.
Gardenia products have always been the Filipino’s top-of-mind when it comes to bread and bakery products for more than two decades now. As a way of sharing the success of the company and expressing its gratitude, Gardenia organizes and facilitates various philanthropic activities and encourage corporate social responsibility programs which include calamity donations, entrepreneurship, and sponsorships.
GARDENIA GIVES BACK
The reason behind Gardenia’s success is no secret: it is Filipino people who made them the kind of quality brand as they are today. Cognizant of the adage that it is the “yeast that raises the dough”, Gardenia is a staunch champion of social change and it has been relentless in contributing its resources and paying it forward to the consumer, and eventually uplifting the quality of life of every Filipino.
As Gardenia fared to fit into the evolving Pinoy tastes, preferences and style of eating bread, it has also managed to awaken every Filipino’s sense of spirit and solidarity by giving back their blessings to countless households. Especially during the height of calamities (natural and otherwise) such as flood, typhoons, and even fires, Gardenia has always been at the forefront of relief efforts to help alleviate the plight of victims and survivors of these disasters, as part of their genuine Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) efforts.
The year 2020 has not been easy for the Filipinos. As early as January, Filipinos were challenged with the Taal Volcano eruption, driving many out of their residence and livelihood into various evacuation centers. Another heavy burden came when enhanced community quarantine was imposed in Metro Manila and Luzon starting last March. In May, Typhoon Ambo heavily damaged the agriculture in CALABARZON, Eastern Visayas, Bicol, and Cordillera. Meanwhile, community quarantine is still being implemented across the country until now. Throughout these major calamities and crisis, Gardenia has been active in providing relief efforts to victims and frontliners. Even without any calamity, we see how Gardenia has headlined feeding programs, medical-dental missions, and other philanthropic endeavors that would sustain the company’s genuine social commitment to continually enrich people’s lives.
During this pandemic crisis when companies and families are down on their knees, Gardenia took on a dual mission to bake bread and support the country while trying to stay afloat because of all the delivery constraints and other quarantine restrictions. But because even governments around the world consider both the medical and food industries as strategic sectors during an overwhelming crisis like this, Gardenia stood up committed to their #LagingKasama (#AlwaysTogether) promise by providing thousands of loaves and snack products to hardworking medical and economic frontliners around Metro Manila, North and South Luzon including Calabarzon, Apayao, Abra, Ifugao, Ilocos Sure and the Mountain Province. Gardenia has also reached out to families as far as Panay, Negros, Bohol, Leyte, in the Visayas and in Mindanao, the company likewise extended relief support to families in Cagayan De Oro, Davao City, General Santos, and Marawi among others.
True to its deeds of being active in efforts to medical frontliners, Gardenia is also a refuge to the company’s own economic frontliners who brave the uncertain times whether through working at manufacturing plants or out there in the field. Through strict implementation of protective measures and health protocols, the company ensures safety first for its employees. One proof of Gardenia’s unwavering malasakit to its employees is how every day, each Gardenia employee is given a pack of the well-loved Gardenia Classic White Bread that he can take home to his family waiting.
As most of us are in a quagmire trying to cope with Covid-19’s aftermath, Filipinos turn to Gardenia to find a haven of comfort and nourishment, both for the exhausted body and soul.
The proverbial breaking-of-bread, as a meaningful humanitarian act of kindness, flourish in hospitals and institutions as medical staff share a smile and a slice of Gardenia after bouts of nerve-wracking and highly toxic duty. This is the same hope seen in the eyes of each family who reunite after months of not seeing each other, celebrating silent birthdays with a simple sandwich, and of exhausted economic frontliners wordlessly squeezing in a bite or two in between breaks.
Gardenia has created a tug at the heartstring as we witness the Filipinos’ undying hope and optimism and how even the simple act of sinking one’s teeth into a slice of Gardenia bread, now turns into tiny rituals of relief amidst this world-gone-mad.
Indeed, Gardenia has proven that while Filipinos make them part of their daily lives and happy personal celebrations, the company has long-established that it will always have every Filipino in its heart of hearts, especially during the worst of times.
BREAD OF LIFE
To sustain every Filipino family, to provide strength when times get rough and tough, and to motivate every person to stand up, continue to fight the good fight is the absolute essence of Gardenia’s inspiring social commitment. It’s a vow to provide truly delicious experiences that go beyond good taste.
Gardenia’s story is every Filipino’s story—of love, family, friendship, and solidarity during these uncertain times—one that each of us will live to tell and retell as we share bread over breakfasts, morning or afternoon meriendas,midnight snacks, and to every special occasion there is to break bread. Theirs is a narrative worth looking back on as we all—like the proverbial Phoenix—look forward to rising up from the ashes, one sliced bread at a time.
Their latest Laging Kasama video that says: “Dadalhin. Babaunin. Sa tuwing tayo’y babalik sa kuwento ng ating pagbangon… magkasama tayo. Laging kasama.” is inviting us all to face the sun together for each new morning, ready for a fresh start, just like another freshly-baked bread in warm sunrise. It evokes a genuinely encouraging sense of hopeful expectation for all the best that is yet to come; because apart from being over, our journey with them has truly just begun.
