Lola C’s Calamansi and Honeymansi Concentrate is a homemade fresh calamansi concentrated product manufactured by MTC Mendoza Enterprise from Imus City, Cavite. Ms. Maria Theresa “Marissa” Mendoza, owner of the MTC Mendoza Enterprises, started this business in 2017.
Ms. Mendoza worked as a bank employee for 10 years. She was affected by the retrenchment program of their company, which made her decide to try her luck in business. Her first business venture was a franchise of “A Rice in a Box” at Lotus Mall in Imus City, Cavite. It only lasted for two years because she thought that she lacked knowledge about managing a business back then.
To help with their financial needs, she looked for another job in a private company. From 2004 to 2014, she worked as sales counselor in a pre-need company that sells pension and educational plans. Also, in 2013, she entered into a multi-level marketing of a nutritional product.
It was in 2015 when Ms. Mendoza decided to make a concentrated calamansi, which was a recipe of her mother, Ms. Angelita Hernandez Cruz or Lola C. At the start, she just considered it as a hobby and sells it to her friends, families, and neighbors. Later on, she decided to register a business name at the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), and made it a part-time source of income. Eventually, she secured a business permit and registered her business with the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) to complete her business registration.
Ms. Mendoza continuously strived to grow her business. In 2018, Ms. Mendoza joined a trade fair in SM City Bacoor organized by DTI-Cavite. Since then, she has started to participate and attend different programs and services conducted by DTI–Cavite as well as other government agencies.
OTOP Next Gen
Her product, Lola C’s Concentrated Calamansi was included in the 2018 One Town, One Product Next Gen (OTOP Next Gen). It is one of the programs of DTI that provide package of assistance to capacitate MSMEs.
During the following year, she filed an application for the License-To-Operate and Certificate of Product Registration with the Food and Drug Administration. Furthermore, she invested in different machines and equipment that would help her business. Soon after, the FDA approved her application for LTO and CPR.
Just this year, Ms. Mendoza took part in the Kapatid Mentor Me—Money and Market Encounter (KMME-MME) Online program of DTI to increase her knowledge about the ins and outs of business even more. She, together with other mentees from Cavite and Quezon Province, was able to finish the 10-week business coaching and mentoring sessions via Zoom application.
Ms. Mendoza had a lot of sacrifices and challenges while working in different companies and businesses. After years of grinding and working hard, she was able to put up a successful business that does not only support them financially but is also good for the health of their families and customers who patronize their products.