How hopia sales survived the pandemic

When the going gets tough, the tough go online. That was the case for many businesses in 2020 and 2021, when the pandemic forced people to stay at home. Binondo, a bustling district with many restaurants, supermarkets and retail stories, became a ghost town.

Eng Bee Tin, which is known for its hopia, had to close its operations, including manufacturing, for a month in 2020. The business was already online on the company website, Shopee and Lazada even pre-pandemic, but things were at a standstill for a month because of the government-imposed lockdown. After that, Eng Bee Tin, like many businesses, had to mostly rely on sales online from those e-commerce platforms, aside from foodpanda and Grab.

"We were doing OK because we had online sales but we lost the walk-in customers, the balikbayans who would buy a lot from the stores, and our exports," said Gerik Chua, vice-president for operations of Eng Bee Tin.

After the lockdown, Eng Bee Tin reopened its stores even if some outlets remained closed.

"Our focus was to open everyday. Our staff members were reassigned to different stores. Our family would not starve if we didn't sell anything but our staff needed to survive. They needed income during the pandemic," said Gerik.

Gerik is the eldest of the three Chua siblings who work for the family business. He has been with Eng Bee Tin since he was in college at the University of Santo Tomas. He’d be in school in the mornings and at Eng Bee Tin in the afternoons.

A graduate of BS Business Administration Major in Marketing Management of University of Santo Tomas (UST) in 2012, trained in Baking Science and Technology at the American Institute of Baking in 2012, Gerik is also executive director of the Filipino Chinese fire volunteer brigade called TXTFIRE Philippines. He is also a past-president of Philippine Society of Baking (PSB).

Of the three Chua siblings, it was Gerik who got into the business the earliest. In 2009, their father Gerry encouraged him to come up with his own ideas to further grow the business.

"It was my idea to open more branches. We had 11 branches in 2009. We are now at 45 all over Luzon," said Gerik.

We asked Gerik whether he met some resistance from his dad about having their famous hopia and other products online.

"My father is very innovative. He's also a techie so having online stores was nothing new to him."

Gerik credits his father for establishing the brand's foothold by coming up with offering new flavors, including Eng Bee Tin's signature ube hopia, and upgrading the packaging. It was also Gerry Chua who came up with Eng Bee Tin hopia's well-loved super thin crust.

It's not surprising that Eng Bee Tin's signature color is violet. The color can be seen everywhere from the store's facade to the hopia's packaging, to the uniform shirts that Gerik and his siblings Gerald and Geraldyn wear to work everyday.

At the heart of the Eng Bee Tin (which is not anyone's name but means "forever beautiful and precious) is its commitment to giving its customers goods of the highest quality.

But the main reason for the interview is Bakery Fair 2023 on March 2, 3 and 4 at the World Trade Center organized by the Filipino Chinese Bakery Association Inc. (FCBAI), of which Gerik is the president.

Bakery Fair is the biennial civic project of the FCBAI to promote and uplift the Philippines bakery industry and support socio-economic development. FCBAI is also part of the Federation of Filipino Chinese Chambers of Commerce & Industry Inc.

"Our last edition was held online due to the pandemic but now, we’re back to doing it as a face-to-face event. Our main goal here is for the industry players to have a venue to exhibit their products and services, and for the consumers to try them out," said Gerik.

To pre-register for admission to the Bakery Fair 2023, visit https://www.bakeryfair.ph.

Image credits: Dinna Chan Vasquez

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