How would you introduce yourself to the world? The answer is short, but sweet: By keeping it cool, classy, and… juicy?
Yes, a cool, classy, and juicy introduction did actually happen when world leaders convened in Manila for the 31st Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) Summit. And tropical Philippines being the host country, one of the more heartwarming welcome gestures for the distinguished delegates was being served indigenous local fruit juices as refreshments.
Locally by Nutri Asia, the first quirky Filipino juice line made with uniquely indigenous local fruits, enthusiastically gave summit participants that included heads of state and journalists from different parts of the globe a taste of the homegrown goodness of local fruits cultivated in Philippine soil: Tamarind My Bell (tamarind), Pomelong & Lasting Love (pomelo), Save the Best for Siniguelast (siniguelas), Calamansi’z the Day (calamansi), Guyabano-Body But You (guyabano), Mangosteenie Minie Mo (mangosteen), and You’ve Dalandan It Again (dalandan).
Gretchen King, group product manager-specialty F&B at NutriAsia, revealed that Locally Blended Juice Drinks which come in cool eco-friendly bottles or recyclable cans with bright-colored and informative labels caught the fancy of Asean delegates and the foreign press not only because of its creative packaging but more so because of its natural ingredients and refreshing sweet-sour flavors that are proudly Filipino.
“There was no more fitting venue to promote something that’s uniquely and ‘Locally’ Filipino than a gathering of friends and allies from different parts of the world,” King said. “We are not just marketing a brand; we are also putting Filipino culture and identity in the front row of the global stage and showcasing the fruits of Filipino hard work and innovation.”
King likewise pointed out that participating in and covering various meetings during the week-long summit must have been tedious.“For this reason, we happily provided our friends from the association and the media with natural and healthy thirst-quenchers that best evoke Filipino hospitality.”
“We wanted their brief stay in our sunny country to be sweet and flavorful, with more than a little help from a quirky juice drink that is truly Filipino in every drop and we would like to believe that we were able to do that.”
Locally elicited an overwhelmingly positive feedback from Asean summit participants and members of the international press, encouraging the brand to expand its target market and set its eyes on going global.
The week-long summit, which coincided with the regional bloc’s 50th founding anniversary, gathered top officials of Asean member-states, namely Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Brunei, Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar, and Cambodia, as well as delegates from its dialogue partners like the United States, Australia, Canada, China, Japan, the European Union, South Korea, India, New Zealand, and Russia.
Local fruits squeezed to produce Locally Blended Juice Drinks are sourced from different parts of the country, namely: tamarind from Batangas, Pangasinan, and Bulacan; calamansi from Isabela, Tarlac and Nueva Ecija; dalandan from Laguna and Mindoro; guyabano from Cebu and Misamis Occidental; pomelo from Davao; and siniguelas from the Negros provinces.
Aside from its Blended Juice Drinks, Locally also offers the first Eco-Certified and purely organic coconut water in the Philippines, Merci Buco, which also comes in buco pandan and buco lychee variants.
Locally is the first quirky Filipino juice line that uses homegrown fruits that suit the unique and fun characters of Filipinos. Locally products are available in 7-Eleven stores, PureGold, Robinsons, Rustan’s, and WalterMart supermarkets nationwide.
For inquiries and more information, visit the official Locally Facebook and Instagram pages at www.facebook.com/LocallyPH and www.instagram.com/locally_ph or email locallyph@gmail.com
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