From a Mother’s Homemade Juice to a Growing Healthy Food Enterprise

What started as a mother’s effort to create a healthier drink for her children has grown into a thriving food and beverage enterprise for 57-year-old Rhodora Angeles of Barangay Mabacan, Calauan, Laguna.

For years, Rhodora earned a living selling fruits at a stall in the busy town center of Calamba, Laguna while supporting her three children’s education.

Her business journey took a different direction when she noticed her 10-year-old daughter frequently drinking processed fruit-flavored beverages after school. Concerned about her daughter’s consumption, Rhodora decided to create a healthier alternative at home.

Drawing from her childhood experience of drinking turmeric when she was ill, she experimented with turmeric juice, malunggay extracts from their backyard, and calamansi juice. Her children liked the drink, inspiring her to share it with others.

She called the product Trio Juice, named after its three main ingredients—malunggay, turmeric, and calamansi. Rhodora initially sold the homemade beverage to members of their church community, neighbors, and customers at their fruit stall.

What began in simple 350-milliliter and one-liter bottles eventually developed into a formal enterprise called DoRenies Food and Beverage Trading. To expand production, Rhodora used her personal savings and secured a microbusiness loan from CARD Bank, Inc., a microfinance-oriented rural bank.

In 2015, Rhodora expanded her product line by developing a natural rice coffee as another healthy beverage option.

Although sales were initially modest, she noticed that the products she brought to market were consistently sold out. This encouraged her to study herbal and natural food products further and gradually build a team to help with production.

A major opportunity came in 2019 when a representative from Mga Likha ni Inay (MLNI) discovered her products. Seeing their potential, MLNI connected Rhodora with the CARD-Business Development Service Foundation, Inc. (CARD-BDSFI) to help formalize and strengthen her business operations.

MLNI also helped improve DoRenies’ production processes and packaging and eventually became a major marketing partner, distributing her products nationwide.

Then the COVID-19 pandemic brought another major challenge.

While DoRenies initially managed to continue operating, prolonged lockdowns disrupted the supply of raw materials and caused inventory to remain unsold. The family's funds were eventually depleted, leaving the business heavily in debt.

“Nung time na 'yun, parang gusto na naming huminto kasi wala na talaga, tapos ang daming utang,” Rhodora recalled.

With assistance from her account officer and based on her financial discipline, Rhodora transitioned from CARD Bank to CARD SME Bank, where she secured a ₱150,000 loan to help rebuild the business.

With renewed capital and continued support from MLNI, DoRenies gradually recovered. As demand increased, Rhodora decided to modernize production and secured a ₱1-million loan from CARD Leasing and Finance Corporation (CARD LFC) to purchase manufacturing equipment and machinery.

Today, DoRenies Food and Beverage Trading employs 11 permanent workers, along with additional seasonal workers. Its product line has also expanded to include Calamansi Concentrate, Ginger Tea, Fruit Detox Teas, and Turmeric Powder, which are marketed nationwide through Mga Likha ni Inay.

Rhodora acknowledged the role of the institutions that helped her expand her business, saying they enabled her to reach a market and production volume that would have been difficult to achieve on her own.

As the business grew, Rhodora also turned to digital tools to improve financial management and business operations. In 2023, her efforts earned her the Digital Financial Inclusion Award from the Microfinance Council of the Philippines and the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas.

Her business journey has also allowed her to achieve a personal milestone. All three of her children have completed their education and are now professionals in different fields.

Her youngest daughter, now 27, works alongside her, handling the financial and compliance aspects of the business while Rhodora focuses on production and maintaining the quality of their products.

For Rhodora, however, the success of her business goes beyond income.

“Yung gusto mo para sa sarili mo ay gawin mo rin sa kapwa mo,” she said, encouraging entrepreneurs to consider the needs and welfare of consumers when developing their products.

She also believes that entrepreneurs should focus on creating quality products rather than simply pursuing profit.

“Bilang negosyante, 'wag mo lang isipin yung pera. Dahil darating naman 'yan, kasunod ng magandang produkto mong gagawin,” Rhodora said.

Today, every bottle of juice and every product made by DoRenies reminds Rhodora of where her journey began—a mother simply looking for a healthier drink for her child.

From a homemade recipe in her kitchen to a growing enterprise serving consumers across the country, her story shows how a simple idea, when nurtured with persistence and support, can create opportunities not only for a family but also for the community around it.

Rhodora’s Trio Juice, a blend of turmeric, moringa, and calamansi, is also currently marketed by Mga Likha ni Inay.