28 February 2023, Cagayan de Oro City - The Cagayan de Oro Trade and Investment Promotions Center (Oro-TIPC) successfully conducted product development training for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in the health, beauty, and wellness (HBW) sector, February 28, at the VIP Hotel, this city.
Oro-TIPC Assistant Department Head Raelita Legaspi welcomed participants from as far as Barangay Dansolihon to the training handled by Bless Drilon Nacua, owner of Blessed Potions Artisanal Soap and Candle.
The training was held to address a need identified through a value chain analysis conducted online at the height of the pandemic.
Trainer Bless Nacua made sure that the raw materials used, such as fermented cacao beans, aloe vera, honey, turmeric, citronella, coffee, herbs, tomato, and coconut oil, could be easily sourced from:
- The local produce of farmers traded in the public markets in Cagayan de Oro and nearby localities;
- Distributors are widely dispersed all over the country; and
- The participants’ own gardens
Issues discussed included the availability of good quality materials, the added expense of packaging, the requirements for Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval, and the high cost of training.
At the end of the training, the participants brought home the natural and organic soaps, lip balms, lotions, and moisturizers they created during the sessions.
