Success Story: Adonai: Where God Guides, He Provides
Known as the Tree of Life, the coconut tree indeed has many uses. Various livelihoods use coconuts, and Adonai is one of them. Mr. Claudio Melicado Cruz was an OFW for ten years until he felt the urge to settle down and put up a business back in the Philippines. Having experienced being a coconut dealer in Pampanga in his younger years, he decided to sell fresh and bottled coconut juice this time around. He also explored other coconut products and byproducts.
Claudio named his business Adonai which is one of the most common names of God in the Old Testament. Like God, coconut trees provide us with our needs. In 2018, his eldest daughter, Mary Ann, came back home from Jeddah to handle their business. Being a registered nurse, she is new to the entrepreneurial world but is willing to take risks and learn the ins and outs of business to help her father out.
Though their business is doing well, they wanted it to grow and expand so they reached out to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) for guidance and assistance. They visited the Negosyo Center to inquire about Barangay Micro Business Enterprise (BMBE), upcoming seminars, and other services given to startups and small businesses.
In 2019, Mary Ann qualified as a mentee of the Kapatid Mentor Me (KMME) program where she took business management training. She learned about proper documentation, marketing strategies, and more. Before, 65% of the sales were from their market in Angeles City. The sales increased up to 85% after they expanded their market to nearby cities.
Adonai is also part of One Town One Product (OTOP) where they received help in improving their packaging. With better branding, they gained the confidence to participate in various trade fairs of DTI and other groups. The fairs gained them additional customers and partnerships with a few Korean Supermarkets in Angeles City.
Adonai is now a member of Angeles City Association of Micro and Small Entrepreneurs (ACAMASE). The group is one of their support systems in their entrepreneurial journey.
Amid the pandemic, by God’s grace, they were able to develop new products from coconut wastes like coco peat, coco fiber, and coconut charcoal briquettes. They have also adapted to this digital era by strengthening their social media presence and by partnering with several delivery services. Adonai was recently featured in Where in Pampanga, an online magazine of food and tourism in Pampanga.
“Being a businessman is not easy because of trials, difficulties, and failures. Obstructions teach us more about how to grind, to strive, and to learn to be able to become successful in doing business. Overcoming those is a good measure of success” Mr. Claudio said.
Business Owner: Mr. Claudio Melicado Cruz (Mary Ann Cruz –Daughter)
Business Name: Adonai Coco and Sari-sari store
Business Address: L&S Brgy. Santo Domingo, Angeles City
Contact Number: 0935 015 2847
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AdonaibukopieCocowater/
By Alfine B. Bonus, | Negosyo Center MACCII
