Chef Bruce Lim joins Sunny Farms as its first culinary authority partner

CEBU CITY – Chef Bruce Lim, widely recognized in the Philippine culinary scene not only as a television personality, but as a chef with deep professional and operational experience, has joined Sunny Farms PH as the brand’s first Culinary Authority Partner, in a contract signing Friday, February 6 at Seda Hotel Cebu.

Sunny Farms Brand Manager, Louren Chua-Sy introduced Chef Bruce to the media and content creators saying this is not like any typical traditional celebrity chef endorsement. This collaboration is built as a working partnership. Chef Bruce collaborates with Sunny Farms customers-- helping them use the products, develop dishes, refine menus, and create practical solutions designed for real-world food service environments.

Sunny Farms is a food service brand offering essential ingredients sourced specifically for chefs and professional kitchens.  It is exclusively distributed by Global Pacific Distribution Network and backed up by its centralized ordering and distribution system, hotels and restaurant groups can place Sunny Farms orders through a single ordering point, with delivery coordinated across its multiple locations nationwide, Chua-Sy bared.

Chef Bruce talked about his endorsement of Sunny Farm products and their personal experience with them and explained that his decision to be part of Sunny Farms is based on his long-term use of the brand and the company’s commitment to endorsing products that align with their beliefs and daily use.

“I have seen the evolution of Sunny Farms from a simple oil product to a diverse range of products including French fries, bread crumbs, mushroom cherries, and butter.  The brand’s focus on consistency, transparency, and flavor and how these qualities are reflected in their products and packaging,” Chef Bruce shared.

Chef Bruce elaborated on the importance of consistency and transparency in Sunny Farms products, particularly for professional chefs. The brand's practice of listing drained weight on cans ensuring chefs know exactly how much product they are using.

He describes his personal process of tasting products straight from the can to understand their flavor and adjust recipes accordingly.  The versatility of Sunny Farms products is superb that it allows chefs to create a variety of dishes from different culinary backgrounds.

“I have worked across different types of food operations and how it shapes their approach to cooking and the need to tailor recipes and ingredients to the specific operations of Quick Service Restaurants (QSRs) and fine dining establishments,” Chef Bruce said.

He reiterated the importance of consistency in Sunny Farms products, making it easier for chefs to replicate recipes consistently, he said there are challenges of training non-professional cooks and the role of Sunny Farms in simplifying the cooking process for them.

Chef Bruce is best known for hosting shows on the Asian Food Channel (AFC), including Tablescapes, where he explored Filipino culinary traditions, and The Boss, which highlighted leadership and execution in professional kitchens. He has also served as a judge on AFC’s Next Celebrity Chef.

Beyond television, Chef Bruce’s background reflects the discipline and scale that modern food service demands. Trained at Le Cordon Bleu in London, he gained international experience working in professional kitchens in the United States before returning to the Philippines. He was also entrusted with leading large-scale food operations for major sporting events, serving as Executive Chef for the 2019 SEA Games, overseeing meals for thousands of athletes and officials, and later supporting Team Philippines during the 2023 SEA Games, ensuring nutrition, cultural, and dietary requirements were met around the clock.

It is this combination of culinary authority, operational discipline, and real-world scale that drew Sunny Farms to Chef Bruce — and shaped the nature of the partnership.

Under the partnership with Sunny Farms, Chef Bruce will work closely with the Global Pacific Sales Team collaborating with restaurants, hotels and cafes to ideate new dishes and build menus that are exciting, consistent, and operationally sound across multiple branches.

“Many of our partners are growing their operations by opening multiple branches. Through Sunny Farms and Chef Bruce’s involvement, we’re able to support these operators beyond supply — by working with their teams to develop menus and dishes that work across locations, teams, and service formats,” said Gracey Malaluan-Jose, National Sales Director of Global Pacific.

There will be a nationwide cooking caravan where Chef Bruce will also conduct demos designed to help operators and their teams strengthen skills, get new recipe ideas and improve consistency and profitability.  In addition, he will join Sunny Farms in live cooking demonstrations at the World Food Expo (WOFEX) in Cebu, Davao, and Manila, offering chefs and operators an up-close look at how Sunny Farms ingredients perform across different cuisines and applications.

Through this partnership, Sunny Farms and Chef Bruce aim to deepen the collaboration within the food service community — combining dependable ingredients with chef-led guidance to help professional kitchens cook with confidence, consistency, and creativity at scale.

For updates on Chef Bruce Lim’s cooking demos, nationwide caravan, and WOFEX schedules, visit www.globalpacific.com.ph. (Photos: Sunny Farms & MBCNewman)

 

Contempo Holdings, Sunberry Homes celebrate growth

CEBU CITY -- Contempo Property Holdings, Inc. and Sunberry Homes, Inc. celebrated company growth and success through the 2025 Sales Performance Awarding Ceremony on January 16 at the Sinulog Grand Ballroom, City Sports Club Cebu, honoring the dedication of their brokers, agents, and sellers whose collective efforts have driven the company’s continued growth under the theme, “Rising Higher’ to highlight how ‘Together We Reach New Heights.”

‘When We Have Faith in People, We Rise Higher Together.  We were naming a truth when we chose the theme.  Our growth has never been the result of one person or one moment. It has been built through our shared effort, resilience, and an unwavering belief in what we are building together.” said Contempo CEO Beverly Dayanan

In her message, Dayanan reflected on the rhythm and discipline that have guided their journey, much like the spirit of Sinulog. “We needed faith to get to where we are now.”   There were seasons of testing, moments of uncertainty, and times when progress demanded patience.

She commended their people’s commitment and celebrating what is beyond any sales figure—the character and courage they have consistently gifted Contempo and Sunberry. They are proof that when everyone has faith in people, everyone rise higher together.

 

The program recognized outstanding sellers, agents, and brokers whose commitment and performance exemplified Contempo and Sunberry’s mission of building communities and nurturing meaningful partnerships. In spite of recent disasters experienced in Cebu, their performance continued to drive success.

Key company updates and insights from Contempo and Sunberry’s leadership team were also featured. Operations Senior Manager – Support Services, Jojie Tajanlangit, welcomed attendees and underscored the company’s focus on operational excellence and partner support.

Meanwhile, Marketing Manager, Rochie Lumain, presented the latest project updates and sales promotions designed to empower brokers and agents in achieving stronger results.  Dayanan reaffirmed Contempo and Sunberry’s commitment to strengthening their partnerships, even as they look ahead to greater opportunities and achievements.

  Contempo Property Holdings, its success and development

 Contempo Property Holdings, Inc., and Sunberry Homes, Inc., continues to shape communities and create pathways for growth—together reaching new heights. Contempo Property Holdings, Inc., from its humble beginnings, has grown into a formidable force in the real estate sector, spearheading projects that redefine urban living. The company first made waves with the successful completion of its 800-unit, three-tower Bamboo Bay Community in Cebu City that generated over Php 1.81 billion in total revenues.

Contempo expanded its footprint with Ashana Coast Residences, an exclusive enclave of 126 single-detached homes along Cebu’s scenic coastline. With its elegant design and master-planned community features, the development is expected to generate Php 1.243 billion in revenue, further solidifying Contempo’s reputation for excellence.

As part of its strategic expansion, Contempo is set to launch Belle Residences in Davao City. This ambitious project consists of 219 single-detached homes catering to the growing middle-class market. With home prices ranging from Php 7 million to Php 11 million, the development is projected to generate Php 1.969 billion in revenues.

Contempo has secured significant land banking across Visayas and Mindanao, to support this new venture, ensuring a steady pipeline of future projects. The company’s land reserves, valued at over Php 1.8 billion, will enable it to roll out five to six additional developments in the coming years.

With the Vis-Min region’s property market experiencing robust growth, Contempo is seizing the opportunity to expand further. Over the next five to seven years, the company plans to develop a total of 15 new communities, catering to both middle-income and affordable housing segments. Cities such as Cebu, Davao, and Cagayan de Oro are at the heart of this expansion strategy, promising homebuyers well-designed, master-planned developments that align with their evolving lifestyles. (Photos: MBCNewman)

 

 

From kitchen startup to GT Cosmetics

CEBU—From soap-making in her kitchen into GT Cosmetics Manufacturing Inc., now a trusted brand in the cosmetic industry in the country--such is the story of Engr. Leonora Salvane, gaining recognition as the Innovation Leader of the year during the 2025 Grand Chamber Awards on November 24 at the Waterfront Hotel Cebu.

“The recognition represents more than personal achievement, it's a testament to decades of purposeful innovation, unwavering faith, and a commitment to transforming lives through entrepreneurship,” Salvane said, in a media interview at the 2025 Grand Chamber Awards and Fellowship Night.

Salvane's journey to innovation leadership began in 1994 in the most unlikely of places—her home kitchen. Armed with only ₱500, a baking pan, and her chemical engineering degree from the University of San Carlos, she began producing handmade herbal soaps. With her children assisting in packaging, the family turned out roughly 50 bars each day.

"Life was hard. We were not earning enough for the family. I prayed hard for a business where I can practice my profession as a chemical engineer," Salvane recalled. Born to a poor peasant family in Bohol, she understood struggle intimately. But she also understood chemistry, formulation, and the transformative power of natural ingredients.

Today, GT Cosmetics operates a modern Cebu facility that has earned Halal, ISO 22716 (Good Manufacturing Practice for cosmetics), Food and Drug Administration, and Halal certifications. These credentials highlight the company’s growth from small-scale production to world-class manufacturing. GT is also compliant with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), and the Department of Labor and Environment (DOLE).

Innovation as a Way of Life

GTCMI now has three distribution facilities and employs over 382 people nationwide. What once gave employment to some neighbors has grown into a company with far-reaching impact.  What distinguishes Salvane as an innovation leader isn't just her company's growth, it's her consistent commitment to product development and market responsiveness.

From the original papaya and carrot soaps made from natural extracts, GT Cosmetics has expanded to offer a comprehensive line of skincare products including moisturizing and bleaching creams, sunblock, clarifying toner, and lotions. In 2018, the company launched an entire color cosmetics makeup line, demonstrating Salvane's willingness to evolve with market demands.

Salvane used her technical knowledge to experiment and develop formulations that resonated with Filipino consumers, particularly focusing on natural ingredients and affordable quality. She recognized that the Cebu market was particularly discerning—convince Cebu, and you could convince other markets. Her strategy worked. GT Cosmetics products are now distributed nationwide through major retailers.

Salvane's innovation extends beyond cosmetics formulation into business model innovation and social entrepreneurship. Understanding that empowerment requires more than products, she designed GT Cosmetics' distribution network to encourage women to become entrepreneurs themselves.

"Our products are designed to help women feel confident in their own skin. More than that, we provide opportunities for women to gain financial independence. Through our distribution network, we encourage women to become entrepreneurs themselves, giving them the means to build their businesses,” she explained.

This approach to business, viewing commerce as a vehicle for community transformation, led to one of her most ambitious innovations: GT Northeast Academy (GTNA). Established in 2014 with her husband Rogelio Salvane, Sr., both charismatic Couples for Christ members, the school represents an innovative approach to education focused on business, entrepreneurship, science, and technology.

The vision didn't stop at traditional education. In April 2022, Salvane inaugurated the GTNA Recreational and Events Center, a more than ₱60 million investment that seamlessly integrates hospitality education with actual business operations. The facility features 10 hotel rooms, three swimming pools, a function hall, and the Zef’s Plate, all serving as living laboratories where students learn hotel management and hospitality operations through real-world experience.

This integration of education, entrepreneurship, and practical training represents the kind of systemic innovation that distinguishes true innovation leaders from mere product developers.

The Innovation Leader of the Year award joins an impressive collection of honors that recognize Salvane's entrepreneurial excellence. Earlier in 2025, she received the Inspiring Filipina Entrepreneur Award at the Go Negosyo Women Summit on March 15, where First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos and Department of Trade and Industry Secretary Cristina Roque celebrated women entrepreneurs who are "breaking boundaries."

In 2015, she was named Grand Chamber Countryside Entrepreneur of the Year by the same Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry—a recognition of her journey from countryside roots to business success. She also earned the Asia Pacific Entrepreneurship Awards 2015 Philippines in the Most Promising Category and the Semper Fidelis Award for Leadership from the USC Alumni Association.

But ask Salvane about the secret to her success, and she doesn't point to awards or revenue figures. Instead, she identifies five principles: passion for excellence, hard work, humility, faith, prayers, and sharing. These values, named GT—"God's Talent"—reflect her conviction that her abilities are gifts meant to be used for others' benefit. (Photos: GT Cosmetics)

 

 

Allbirds opens its door in Cebu

CEBU – Allbirds, the globally recognized US brand, opened in Cebu on November 28 at Level 1, Ayala Center Cebu and experience “The World's Most Comfortable Shoes” celebrated for its incredible comfort and commitment to sustainability.

Expect to discover a revolutionary collection of footwear famously dubbed as "The World's Most Comfortable Shoes" by Time Magazine. Allbirds is the perfect holiday travel companion and offers the ideal go-to shoe for travel, work, and errands, and literally everyday use.

Allbirds shoes are travel ready. Their lightweight and supremely comfortable designs are perfect for long flights, city strolls, or exploring new destinations. No need to sacrifice comfort for style during your holiday trips.  Whether running errands, enjoying a casual walk, or just spending a relaxing day out, Allbirds has the perfect pair to keep feet happy.

With the holiday season and and peak travel period kicking off, there's no better time to upgrade footwears. Allbirds shoes are a must-try styles. Visit the store and try on these two iconic styles and feel the difference.

The classic and original wool Runner style, made with premium Merino wool, offers cozy comfort, temperature regulation, and a signature fit, a true Allbirds essential.  The Tree Runner is the ultimate comfortable, lightweight, and breathable shoe. Made from eucalyptus fiber, it’s perfect for the Cebu climate, providing a cool and breezy feel with every step.

Allbirds is dedicated to making better things in a better way.  Its footwear is crafted from innovative, nature-based materials that prioritize the planet without compromising on comfort or style.

Eucalyptus Fiber, used in the Tree line for a light, breathable, and cooling feel.  Sugar Cane (SweetFoam™), used in the insoles for a comfortable and springy experience and Premium Merino Wool, used in the Wool line, providing soft, temperature-regulating comfort.

To celebrate its arrival in Cebu, Allbirds prepared special treats just for the Cebuanos with a 10% Off, a special discount on every purchase. There are also special gifts and surprises and receive exclusive items and little surprises when shopping at the Allbirds store in Ayala.

Try on a pair, shop at the collection, and finally experience the comfort that Allbirds offers. (Photos: Allbirds)

Virginia Foods launches “Basta Pasko, Virginia!” Xmas Campaign

CEBU CITY -- Virginia Food, Inc. officially launched its 2025 Christmas holiday season campaign dubbed as “Basta Pasko, Virginia!” nostalgic tribute to the warmth, traditions, and flavors that define the Filipino Christmas experience.

This year’s campaign goes beyond presenting the brand’s well-loved products. It highlights the stories that shape Noche Buena tables across generations, stories rooted in family, shared memories, and the familiar tastes that make Christmas in the Philippines truly special.

At the heart of the campaign is a commitment to honoring Filipino creativity.  Virginia introduces local singer-songwriter Jethro Alaban as the featured artist for this year’s celebration. His original composition, “Kahapon,” serves as the campaign’s official song, adding emotional depth to the brand’s holiday storytelling. With lyrics that evoke nostalgia and melodies that resonate with Filipino families, the song reinforces Virginia’s message of connection and togetherness.

The campaign also spotlights Virginia’s premium charcuterie line, positioned as centerpiece offerings designed to elevate holiday gatherings. From hams and sausages to deli meats, the selection aims to highlight the richness and creativity of Filipino holiday dining—perfect for intimate celebrations and festive spreads.

“Basta Pasko, Virginia!” rolls out through a series of digital films, social media content, and on-ground activations showcasing heartwarming stories inspired by real Filipino Christmas moments. The campaign is set to run nationwide throughout the holiday season.

For more information and updates, follow Virginia on its official social media channels.

CHBC kicks off Mega Year-end Sale, Nov.15-30, 2025

CEBU – The Cebu Home and Builders Centre (CHBC) branches at A.S. Fortuna St., Banilad, Mandaue City, Natalio B. Bacalso Ave., Cebu City, Mactan, Consolacion, Minglanilla, CarCar and Toledo City kicked off the much-anticipated Mega Year-End Sale 2025 from November 15 to 30, opening their respective doors to offer the biggest discounts and deals of the year.

Whether buying for the dream house, home makeover or the next big building project, CHBC has everything under one roof, from essential fixtures and quality construction materials to stylish home upgrades.  The sale promises unbeatable value to help anyone build better and smarter.

Shoppers can expect to find deep discounts on a wide range of products, expert advice from friendly staff, and convenient access to trusted brands. This is the perfect chance to invest in durable home essentials or those finishing touches you’ve been planning all at prices that make sense.

With locations spanning key areas in Cebu, visiting a branch is easy and exciting. Take advantage of this limited-time event and discover why Cebu Home and Builders Centre remains the go-to destination for homeowners, builders, and renovators alike.

Don’t miss out, mark those dates and join the celebration of building dreams, saving big, and upgrading home at the Cebu Home and Builders Mega Year-End Sale 2025. (Photos: CHBC-FB)  #BuildingTogether, #CebuHomeAndBuildersCentre

Aventus champions early detection for breast cancer

Aventus Medical Care marks Breast Cancer Awareness Month with a strong reminder for women everywhere: Be breast aware and don’t skip your screenings.  

“Every woman should be familiar with her own body and alert to any changes,” said Dr. Liz Ginete, Associate Director for Multi-Specialty Clinics at Aventus Medical Care. “The most important step is to get regular check-ups and mammograms. Early detection makes treatment simpler and more successful.”

Dr. Ginete emphasized that maintaining breast health is a key component of overall wellness. “Living a healthy lifestyle—eating well, exercising regularly, and maintaining a healthy weight—can lower your risk,” she said. “It’s not just about awareness, it’s about taking action.”

Aventus extends its advocacy beyond its clinics, supporting early detection through workplace wellness programs, health lectures, and on-site services.

"We support this through wellness programs, on-site health lectures or webinars/seminars, and making health services easily accessible. We offer services such as Annual Physical Exam (APE) and other diagnostic tests to companies," said Dr. Ginete. The annual physical exams and diagnostic packages make screening convenient and accessible to women in offices and communities.

“Detecting cancer early gives women the best chance for a cure,” she added. “It saves lives and reduces the need for invasive treatments.”

She also warned that not all breast cancer symptoms appear as obvious lumps. Women should watch out for skin dimpling or redness, nipple inversion or unusual discharge, and areas that feel thicker than the surrounding tissue.

To encourage more women to get screened, Aventus is offering a 15% discount on breast ultrasound and mammogram services until November 30.  Through these efforts, Aventus reinforces its life-saving message this Breast Cancer Awareness Month: Know your body, take action, and make screening a priority.