2020—I would say—is the year where creativity & innovation were at their peak. There’s also no denying that Filipinos were resourceful and resilient—responding to such an unprecedented calamity with true bayanihan, grace, and grit. It’s as if we’re used to these scenarios after having experienced tragic storms in our lives, literally speaking. It’s because of the catastrophic impact the corona virus brought to our nation that pushed everyone to unite and battle a common enemy. After seeing many lay-offs, establishments closing down, and businesses going bankrupt, I was then able to come to the conclusion that the 3 major players that helped keep the food industry going are social media, trend optimization, and delivery apps. The number 1 player is social media. Trading found its way to different platforms. I would say, Viber came to be the strongest. Group chats were established for the purpose of buying and selling medical supplies at first, then slowly directing towards food. Here we see how the physical market place converted to a digital platform. Agora MarketPlace, Market place South, Makati Market place, just to name a few—all born during the pandemic. There were a lot of groups created in the entire NCR. What’s amazing is this: it’s like a mini globalization of products internally. Products from Baguio, Batangas, and Bicol, for example, were readily available to anyone and everyone. People somehow belonged somewhere. And it did work for the majority. It’s even more convenient than the physical store because everything now is within reach by a mere tap of a finger. Who needs private transportation when items are delivered to your doorstep? People turned to social media, it became the window to what’s happening around the world, too. It became an outlet to divert from the atmosphere of fear, anxiety, and depression. People started creating food videos, vlogs, and created more communities for the purpose of sharing and interacting through the means of food. It only means this: people need to belong and be part of a group in order to feel alive. Another observation I saw was that big companies even shared their recipes. Main products were being sold online as well. Even traditional dishes have turned into commercial products. For example, Karaage or Torikatsu. Chefs were also teaching live so viewers could follow. And because of this successful experience, it led to the 2nd major player that helped our food industry. I call this: Trend optimization, or shall we say, “monkey see, monkey do.” The rise of the quarantine food! When everyone else was showing off their sushi bakes, everyone started selling sushi bakes, too. Everyone was exploring and creating their own version. Baked rice of different sorts were created as well. Furikake bake, Nacho bake, shawarma bake, longganisa bake, et al. It’s all about deconstruction! What about the different kinds of breads like the ube pandesal, ube-cheese, sourdough bread, sourdough pandesal, lechon bread or a wreath bread? There were also fancy versions of the SPAM luncheon meat and instant noodles—how it was dressed up, plated, and even sliced. People were bored, people had to level up what is ordinary. And not only did ordinary people get creative, but even restaurant owners had to change their game plans. How did some restaurant owners pivot their business? They converted their food all for take out with matching video clips and tutorials on how to plate the dishes they ordered. DIY kits were more available. Just take a look at Ramen Nagi! Famous establishments who were once adamant about allowing their food to be taken home from the restaurant now had to reevaluate their long-standing policies. So, how did all of these become available? It’s through the beauty of the delivery service—via apps! Regarding the restaurant industry, people will still have a hard time dining out in fear of their health and safety. Dining out will still not be a priority in 2021. Now more than ever, the best option is to make restaurant food available at home. The third strongest player is the “PABILI” or “PASABUY” service of the different delivery apps in the market. This extra service was created specifically for the purpose of grocery/food and essential items shopping under the lockdown order of the government. It became a saving grace for everyone—for both buyers and sellers! Since there's a sensible demand for this type of service, all the big companies opened their doors to the public via online grocery shopping with the help of a personal shopper. More delivery apps were created as well. For example, Toktok and Happy Move Looking back at 2020, I’m proud to say, it’s because of our culture, the Filipino’s culture of “maparaan” that we survived and we will continue to survive in any given calamity.
We have it in us to help, to share and to give when there’s a need for it. There’s no promise that 2021 will leave us unscathed, but we can expect that with the New Normal, the existing players we have will continue to stay strong—probably with a more fine-tuned and improved service. Who knows?
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AuthorIm Chef Peach and it's obvious that I love food. In fact, I love food so much that I decided to make it my profession. You know what's ironic, I was a Finance graduate! Archives
January 2021
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