NINE winners were selected for just six categories in this year’s KATHA awards at the Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions’ (CITEM) preview for this week’s IFEX, the country’s largest food trade show.
The awarding was done on May 15 in Pasay City, ahead of the 2025 edition of the trade show (which kicked off in 2015). The trade show will be held from May 22 to 24 at the World Trade Center in Pasay City.
Nineteen products from 15 companies became the finalists for this year’s awards.
Winner included Kalamancello by Sol’s Italian Food for the Beverages category; Royal Blue Instant Purple Yam (Ube) Dessert by Innovative Packaging Industry Corp. for Bakery Products and Confectionaries; One Vizcaya Dimsum Pork Siomai with Mushroom by One Vizcaya Export Corp. for Meat, Poultries, and Dairies; Buenas Vegan Bagoong by Gem Foods International, Inc. for Functional Foods, Health Foods, Alternative Foods; Cócoes Organic Coconut Flower Aminos Teriyaki by Lionheart Farms (Philippines) Corp. for Processed Fruit and Vegetables, Sauces and Condiments; and Kangkong King Water Spinach Chips Salted Egg Flavored by KKK Food Corp. for Snacks and Ready-to-Eat.
A special citation for Best in Packaging Design was also given to Century Pacific Food, Inc.’s unMeat line of products. Century Pacific Food was part of a triple-tie for the Seafood category: the three winners were Century Superkids Crispy Tuna Nuggets, Barrio Fiesta Bagoong Hipon by Prime Global Corp., and Napoleon’s Bangus Karaage by Hou Yang Food Corp.
Prior to the awarding, guests were also given an opportunity to try out the finalists’ wares, which were displayed in booths at Casa Ibarra where the ceremony was held.
Aside from the winners, top on our list was Dark Chocolate Covered Pili Nuts by Theo & Philo, Instant Home-made Hard Ice Cream Mix (Vanilla) by Miguelito’s International Corp. (just blend with milk and freeze it overnight), and Vegan Dinuguan by Orange Country Enterprise (made with black beans, tofu, and coconut milk).
Other finalists included Vizcaya Fruit Pops by One Vizcaya Export Corp., unMeat Bao Plant-based Buns and unMeat Meat-free Hotdogs by Century Pacific Food, Inc., Sheentaro Dried Lemongrass by Dry Tech Manufacturing Corp., Northbay Salmon in Oil Classic Tapa and Salmon Reserve Fiery Glazed Salmon in Soya Oil by Kai Ana Foods Int’l Corp., and 3 Sisters Unsweetened Banana Chips by Three Sisters Home Made Banana Chips.
CITEM also recognized new “FOOD Philippines Advocates Par Excellence” for 2025 — media personalities Erwan Heussaff of FEATR by The Fat Kid Inside Studios, Anne Kristel Cabral Laysico of Philtimes AU and Masterplan Global, as well as Abigail Marquez, a content creator who has collaborated with Gordon Ramsay and is best known for her renditions of Filipino spring rolls, lumpia.
CITEM Executive Director Leah Pulido Ocampo said in an interview that they have almost doubled the number of exhibitors this year for this year’s IFEX, moving the number up to more than 700, from last year’s 400+.
“We opened it to foreign exhibitors, (and) there’s more participation from the regions,” she said about the increase.
CITEM also runs Manila FAME, the country’s design trade show. Ms. Ocampo talked about their agency’s metrics for success: “We have key performance indices: the number of exhibitors, the export sales.” Aside from the export sales reports, they also keep track of the number of buyers every year. “It keeps increasing.”
Visit ifexconnect.com and citem.gov.ph for details on the 18th edition of IFEX Philippines on May 22 to 24. — JL Garcia