DOST 7 SET-UP Product Catalogue - DOST 7! - Department of ...

Tessie’s Sweets and Pastries
Sweet Signs From Above
This could very well be the trailer of a new movie, but it is not. It is the start of Tessie’s Sweets and Pastries.
Tessie Pagdato was seated in their living room while taking care of her child when she noticed that their dog,
which was passing by, was biting what seemed to be a notebook. Tessie was curious so she got it. Much to her
surprise, it was a diary of her grandmother containing among others, the recipe of their favorite polvoron.
Believing that this was a sign that should not be
ignored, Tessie made concrete steps to continue a
family tradition. Having a grandmother who was a
good cook and a mother who is a Home Economics
teacher, Tessie started her cooking tutorials from
her mother in the evenings after completing her
school assignments. The result was a revival of old
fashioned cookies served during fiestas and occasions.
The delicious taste of these pastries did not
escape the discriminating palate of their neighbors
and friends.
The orders started to pour in. Soon, Tessie’s friends
prodded her to open a business. Unsure of its outcome,
a door to door marketing strategy with a canvasser
taking the orders and delivering them during
town fiestas and regular celebrations was adopted in
1994. The canvassers who were all females, females
being known for their patience and people skills, were
paired with males, for the deliveries. This approach
proved very successful.
Five years after, a bakeshop was opened to accommodate
the increasing number of customers. With
only two ovens, the first pastry products were baked
- the favorite Baclayon old fashioned baked polvoron,
peanut bars, butter and egg cookies, and torta.
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DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY VII
Product Catalogue 2011
This time, marketing the products was not difficult.
Regular customers were the first to spread the good
news. Distribution was also done in the malls. There
was a time when Tessie could not deliver as she was
out of stock of these products.
To widen her exposure, Tessie joined Profoods, an
association of food industries in Bohol. It was here
that she learned of DOST’s assistance to SMEs
through a project called SET-UP.
In due time, Tessie’s Sweets and Pastries was a
beneficiary of the project. As a result of SET-UP, the
regular plastic container with colored bond paper as
labels was changed to good quality plastic with sticker
labels and cartons with designs. Another oven was
added and now the bakeshop has five. Other equipment
purchased from the SET-UP funds included a
bond sealer, roller, and mixer. All these contributed
to an increase in production volume by at least 15%.
Rejects of cookies due to product breakage was
reduced from 15% to 5%, and a longer shelf life was
achieved. Correspondingly, gross sales increased by
at least 15%.
This positive development and more importantly,
the realization that the family business must not only
continue but taken to the next higher level, led one
of Tessie’s children to take up the challenge.
A Computer Engineering graduate, Iris left her job
in Cebu to bring their family business and tradition
to greater heights. Her vision is to expand the
distribution outside the province.
Seemingly orchestrated by a Divine Hand, Iris
qualified for the 10,000 Women (450 are in the
Philippines) Scholarship Program given to underserved
women which partnered with the University
of Asia and the Pacific in Manila for a business
management and entrepreneurship short course
composed of three modules.
Awed by this series of events, Iris believes that
these are signs for her to pursue the responsibility
of continuing the legacy of their family. Just like her
mother who believed in a sign when she started the
business, Iris also believes that these occurrences
are no simple coincidences. These must be
“heaven sent.”
Tessie’s Sweets and Pastries
Baclayon, Bohol
Mr. and Mrs. Jessie Pagdato
Proprietor
Tel No: (63)(38) 540 9033
Mobile: 0939 914 0475
Email: tessiessweetsandpastries@yahoo.com