Sunpride’s legacy, achievements all in a coffee table book

 MINERVA BC NEWMAN

CEBU CITY – Who would have thought that most of the breakfast viands of Filipinos come from Sunpride--tocinos, hotdogs, bacon, ham, Holiday corned beef and others in different variants have been there for 50 years.

This was the realization of most of the members of media during the virtual launching and unveiling of Sunpride’s commemorative book, “Fuller at 50: Retracing Sunpride’s Proud Legacy” on Sept. 24 as part of the “Cebu Press Freedom Week” celebration.

Don Hanley Wong, Marketing Head of Sunpride Foods Inc., in his opening message during the virtual event said that the book covers the company’s three journeys— its rich past, its present achievements, and its pursuit of innovation and excellence for the next 50 years.

“We wanted a commemorative book to mark our 50th anniversary. We know that the trend now is to go digital. But more than accessibility in mind, we wanted something tangible and lasting. We're proud to have it alongside all the other historical books with the Cebu City and Mandaue City public libraries and in the Cebuano Center Studies Library,” Wong said.

Penned by a Cebu-based journalist, Cris Evert Lato-Ruffolo, the book retraces Sunpride's humble beginnings, especially the roles of founders Dr. Sergio Wong, George Castillo and Sixto Castillo, and was written for the younger generation of leaders to have a better idea of what traditional companies went through to get to where they are now.

Ruffolo commented on her favorite parts of the book where she singled out the portion about the challenges that Sunpride encountered, endured, and overcame over the years.  It showcases an organization that is not immune to problems but whose people chose to come together and find solutions and answers.

The author also noted the importance of looking back and reflecting on the past to charter a meaningful direction for the present and reach the desired destination in the future.  The anniversary book is truly a collective effort of committed individuals who share a common vision of documenting Sunpride’s 50th year in a commemorative publication.

“Sunpride sets the example for Cebuano companies to look inward and reflect on their rich history, heritage, and socio-economic contributions so they can celebrate their milestones as they plan on what else to accomplish in the years to come,” Ruffolo added.

The coffee table book will soon be available at the Cebu City Public Library, Mandaue City Public Library, and Cebuano Studies Center Library.  The digital storybook version can be found on Sunpride’s newly revamped website, https://www.sunpridefoods.com.

The ceremonial turnover/unveiling was led by Sunpride’s Marketing Head Don Hanley Wong and Marketing Team Leader Bryan Astrolabio.  Receiving their commemorative book copies were Angelina Cagatulia from Mandaue City Public Library and library staff Sharon Jakosalem representing Chief Librarian Rosario Chua from Cebu City Public Library.

As part of the company’s milestone, Sunpride has prepared several exciting activities for its loyal customers and employees until the end of the year. 

Renowned Cebuano Chef Myke Sarthou, better known as Chef Tatung, will hold a live cooking demo in October to share his simple yet delicious recipes for Sunpride brands such as Holiday, Sunpride, Good Morning, Shoppers, and Kassel.

There are also numerous surprises for its workforce, including employee recognition and special videos about Sunpride leaders and exemplary employees.

Sunpride continues to work hard to constantly evolve. The family-run business created over 100 products and multi-class brands, providing jobs to more than 1,000 regular employees and on-call workers.

With its 50-year track record of providing Filipinos a fuller, tastier, better lifestyle, Sunpride is looking forward to reaffirming its position as a leading provider of affordable protein in the years to come.