BY: RIZALIE A. CALIBO
SIQUIJOR, March 12 (PIA) -- This has always been the goal of SETUP program of the Department of Science and Tec
True to Siquijor province where a number of SMES are enjoying and are already reaping the results.
Oliver “Ever” Ogoc”, a maker of peanut products is one example.
He got his skill from a factory of a famous maker of peanut products in Iligan City where he used to work. In less than a year, and with savings from his work, he decided to go back to Siquijor to make his own peanut-based products – roasted peanuts, peanut brittle, peanut balls.
Came the Ever Specialties in 2003, starting with products only packed in ordinary plastic sealed using the heat from a lamp.
Determined to make his products known for its taste and quality, Ever sold them by going house to house in his municipality in San Juan, all the way to Siquijor proper.
Still, with so much determination, he became a regular member of the Siquijor Association of Food Entrepreneurs (SAFE) where he got knowledge of the assistance and services that various government agencies provide.
It was no wonder then that Ever’s Specialties was included in the 13th cycle of the Manufacturing Productivity Extension (MPEX) for the food processing industry. Results of the MPEX study recommended the improvement of the layout of its facility to ensure production efficiency and quality.
Through the technology upgrade in the SET-UP Program of DOST, the MPEX recommendations were implemented in 2007. The peanut roaster made cooking easy since it only required gas as contrasted to the original cooking vat or “kawa” utilizing firewood, which was a very hot process.
The capacity of the traditional roasting method is only five kilos which takes more than two hours to cook. The upgraded equipment’s capacity is now 15 kilos and cooks in one hour.
One need not do any mixing while the cooking is in progress to evenly roast the peanuts, unlike in the vat where peanuts are still not evenly roasted despite continuous mixing.
The peanut granulator made the crushing of peanuts fast, safe and efficient. Before SET-UP, peanuts were crushed using long neck bottles. Nine kilos of peanuts would take four hours to crush, while it only takes the same amount in 10 minutes, using the granulator.
Turning a switch on is all it takes to do the work. The continuous electric sealer can seal two or three packs at the same time compared to the electric manual sealer which can only seal one pack at a time.
DOST also designed the packaging of the products to make it more attractive and to increase shelf life. Production has more than doubled including sales. Rejects are very minimal.
Marriage in 2010 changed not only Ever’s status, his residence in another municipality, but also the business. It was left under the care of his brother Jessie.
Capital and marketing are now the major concerns of Jessie who sees the great demand for the products. It is “a good business”, he says.
While Ever has not been active in the operations of the business that carries his name, he has left with his family, a skill that produces the taste of peanut products that will forever be distinct from the rest of the few peanut-based makers in Siquijor. (mbcn/RACalibo/PIA7-Siquijor)