Learning from Typhoon Ondoy and COVID-19

The memories of Typhoon Ondoy in 2009 still remain fresh in the mind of Henry Gomez, General Manager of Soy Yummy. Like many parts of Metro Manila, their commissary in Marikina was inundated, their products and equipment washed out.

They were forced to scale back their operation. But they were determined to overcome the obstacle. After several years, their business was back in the green and Soy Yummy has been steadily growing. Now, Soy Yummy, like many businesses, is facing another challenge—the economic impact of the pandemic.

“This wave of crisis is really difficult. Some of our plans for expansion have been halted. Our primary concern is also the safety of everyone from the virus,” Henry says.

To help ensure the safety of the employees, Soy Yummy shouldered their testing and also provided lodging near their commissary so that their factory workers would not find it difficult to report to work. Back when the lockdowns were first implemented, they also provided service vehicles for their employees. Henry says that the aid provided by SM to its partner tenants has been a big help for them.

“The terms granted by SM are giving us a much higher chance at survival. On the sustainability part, SM is really wanting to save as much as possible the MSMEs that are hit by the pandemic,” Henry says.

Aside from the operation of its stalls in malls, Soy Yummy has also thought of ways to reach their customers even despite the limited public mobility.

“People have been ordering online through our Facebook and Instagram accounts. The reception has been really good, so, we’re also launching our online shop. We have also included in our menu other ready-to-eat and more exciting items such as soy pudding and leche flan. We are also developing our ice cream and introducing recipes for our customers who love to cook,” Henry says. For more details on their delivery, visit @SoyExpressPH and @Soy.Yummy on Facebook.

Opposite to the soft texture of their taho and other soy products, Soy Yummy exemplifies a resilient and determined spirit amid the challenges.

“We truly believe in the idea of not giving up. We have been in situation when we were tangled in financial issues. As long as we remain committed to serve our customers and innovate products, we know that things will bounce back eventually,” Henry says.