Gardenia is Happy to be Part of the Filipino Household for 15 Delicious Years

1998:  Gardenia started its first full year of operations

Gardenia revolutionized the bread industry with its world-class, most advanced large scale bread manufacturing facility that produces delicious breads which delight the Filipino consumers.

Being customer-driven, Gardenia focused on meeting the expectations of its target consumers. These are:
First, freshness.  Everyone likes to eat bread that’s just come out of the oven. Gardenia responded to this need with the G-lock as assurance for freshness. The g-lock is a small but durable resealable clip used to seal in the bread’s freshness. There is seven G-lock colors assigned for the seven days of the week, making it easier in pulling out unsold breads every day of delivery, and to make sure that only newly baked breads are displayed on store shelves. Gardenia’s unique G-lock system keeps consumers informed of the date the bread is baked for, the suggested retail price, the production line the bread was produced, and batch number.

Second is taste. The local term for loaf bread is “tasty.” In the case of Gardenia, to differentiate the promise of taste, it claimed “masarap kahit walang palaman.” Gardenia uses only the finest ingredients from all over the world.

Next is aroma. Filipinos believe that food must smell good to taste good. Inaamoy muna bago kinakagat. The natural freshness and enticing smell of Gardenia breads stand out among other brands.

Fourth is softness.  Pinoys also prefer soft breads, because for them, softness means freshness. For them, the bread is old if it is not soft. It is a common observation that when buyers approach the bread shelves, they pinch and squeeze the bread. And did you ever notice that Gardenia loaf slices can be rolled without breaking? Try this out!

Nutritive Value. And of course, eating’s purpose is primarily for nourishment and nutrition. The nutrients most of us need are Vitamin A, Iodine, and Folate. Gardenia breads are fortified with essential vitamins and minerals that make it really nutritious.
1999: The healthy High Fiber Wheat Bread Loaf is launched

With the increasing demand for healthy and nutritious food products, Gardenia launched its High Fiber Whole Wheat Bread. It is high in fiber which may help promote good digestive health and proper weight management. Studies show that fiber is also known for its role in helping maintain normal blood glucose level.

Also this year, Gardenia’s widespread supermarket distribution goes into high gear.

2000: Gardenia delighted the Filipino consumers by expanding its current bread line

Consumers have more delightful ways to enjoy high quality, fresh and delicious Gardenia breads in the new millennium. Gardenia introduced the Flavored and Bun Lines. The first flavored loaves included the California Raisin and Chocolate Chip Loaves. The natural sweetness and soft, moist texture of the flavored loaves make it a favorite for all ages. The hotdog and hamburger buns were also offered.

This year also marked the start of Gardenia’s Corporate Social Responsibility programs.

2001: Gardenia launched its own version of the Philippine’s staple bread and an innovative bread product

Gardenia further delighted its consumers by launching a bread line that is close to every Filipino’s heart, the Pandesal. Made from the finest ingredients, consumers will surely enjoy Gardenia Pandesal because it’s full-to-the-bite and delightfully crusty on the outside but deliciously soft inside.

A hit in the Filipinos’ palate, Gardenia also introduced an innovative bread product that combines two delicious flavors baked in one amazing loaf—the Double Delights Ube and Cheese Loaf.

2002: Gardenia’s free plant tour experience started

School plant tours begin as a way to educate its visitors on modern bread making, proper sanitation and healthy eating. Visitors are guided to a catwalk where they can see the actual baking process untouched by human hands. The plant is currently toured by as much as 3,000 to 8,000 students per day, making it one of the top tour destinations in the country today.

Also in 2002, the company’s distribution network reached all the way up to Baguio.

At the same year, Gardenia’s first specialty health bread was launched, the High-Calcium Loaf.

2003: Gardenia received both the ISO and HACCP certifications

Gardenia has been awarded the ISO (International Organization for Standardization) certification for quality excellence and the HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) certification for food safety. Both these awards signify that the company has strengthened its commitment and continued implementation of Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), ensuring that the highest international standards are followed constantly.

These guarantee consumers that they only receive delicious breads that are fresh and safe.

2004: Consumers already recognized Gardenia’s unparalleled dedication to delight Filipino families with high quality and delicious breads

From 2004-2010, Gardenia was accorded Superbrands status by Superbrands Ltd., an independent authority and arbiter on branding. It re-affirms that Gardenia has met the stringent criteria of market dominance, longevity, goodwill, customer loyalty and overall market acceptance.

From 2004-2008, Gardenia was awarded the Annual National Consumers’ Award (ANCA) as the “Outstanding Bread Manufacturer”. Gardenia was recognized and rewarded because of its combined efforts and hard work in making sure that they provide the best products for the Filipino consumers. The award with an ANCA statuette, symbolizes the consumers’ appreciation for having served and championed their interest.

This year also marked Gardenia’s presence in Iloilo and the Bicol Region.

2005: Gardenia inaugurated two new plants and its Distribution Centre

In February 2005, an additional 2,000 loaves per hour plant and snack cake plant were opened to serve the growing demand of consumers for best quality bakery products. The snack cake plant produced its first snack cake, Twiggies. Twiggies is a delicious, moist, soft and flavorful snack cake perfect for kids and kids at heart who are looking for a new delightful snack experience.

In addition, Gardenia inaugurated its Distribution Centre that will reinforce further its outbound distribution capability resulting to a more efficient delivery of fresh breads every day.

2006: Gardenia introduced the Mini-wonders loaf line and the Muffin-tastic line

What’s big in delight can now be enjoyed in convenient little packages—Gardenia Mini Wonders, a carnival of flavors that comes in scrumptious bites. Conveniently packaged, they are easy to keep and carry wherever and whenever there is a craving for these fun and flavorful breads.

Moreover, the Muffin line was developed to provide more delightful and delicious snack products to the Filipino consumers.

Along came the expansion of Gardenia’s network of outlets particularly in the provinces.

2007: Gardenia indulged the consumers through introduction of its Amazing Flavored Loaf Line and the Cream Roll Line

The first to be introduced was the Amazing Black Forest Loaf. This seasonal loaf has become Gardenia’s mainstay due to insistent consumer demand.

And to give a new twist to the Filipino’s everyday ice cream snack, Gardenia launched its Cream Roll line. Now, this exciting treat comes in nine (9) different flavors.

Another specialty bread was launched, in addition to the health line, for the health-conscious and diabetics—the Sugar Free 12-Grain Loaf.
2008: Gardenia marked its 10th year in the baking industry

Indeed, Gardenia’s tagline, “So good… you can even eat it on its own,” was not just a clever advertising phrase, but exactly what its customers have been saying to its bread products for the past 10 years.
So what is the secret ingredient of Gardenia’s success? “It is Gardenia employees’ untiring collective efforts to achieve excellence. These dedicated individuals are the driving forces that propel Gardenia to be number one”, Simplicio Umali Jr., President and General Manager, stated. He added that they truly adopted their rallying cry by heart which is, Quality Begins with Me.

Gardenia also formed its Nutrition and Wellness Team as an advocacy to educate the market about healthy eating, proper diet, that leads to a healthy lifestyle.

2009: Gardenia inaugurated its 6K plant

This state-of-the-art bread manufacturing plant is capable of making 6,000 loaves of bread per hour or nearly 150,000 loaves per day, almost doubling its production capability. The new plant’s increased capacity enables the bread-manufacturing giant to deliver more freshly-baked breads to more households, marking another milestone for the company since it began operating in the country.

Also in 2009, Gardenia introduced the Slim N’ Fit. It is the only bread in the market that contains L-Carnitine, a nutrient that helps the body turn fat into energy.

2010: Gardenia once more delighted the consumers with the addition of health product

Who says healthy can’t be delicious? Gardenia once again developed an innovative health product to give a twist to its already existing High Fiber Whole Wheat Bread. The flavorful, plump, and juicy High Fiber Wheat Raisin Loaf was a combination of high fiber content from whole wheat flour and juicy California raisins.

2011: (1) Gardenia inaugurated bread plant in Cebu, and (2) the company bagged the three Program Achievement awards from DTI

Gardenia Bakeries Philippines Inc. inaugurated its bread manufacturing plant in Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu which has a daily production capacity of 50,000 loaves catering to the needs of the Central Visayas and the Northern Mindanao market.
The company fast tracked its expansion plan after receiving numerous requests and demands of bringing Gardenia products to Cebu and nearby provinces.

Also in 2011, Gardenia emerged as the only company which got all the Pro-active Program Achievement Awards for the three categories, namely Labor Management Relationship, Family Welfare/Community Relations, and Quality and Productivity.

2012: Gardenia held its own version and the first ever Happy Bread Day celebration in the country

To celebrate the importance of delicious breads in the Philippines, Gardenia partnered with the country’s well-known food and beverage brands. This major brand activation was packed with fully enjoyable activities like various booth samplings, games, interactive cooking demos, and a variety show. This event gathered thousands of participants composed of families, students, young workers, media, and just about any bread lover.

2013: Gardenia Now on its crystal year! The world-class bread that has become an integral part of the happy Filipino families for 15 years

With such state-of-the-art plant, technologically-advanced process, superior product, and dedicatedpeople (4P’s), it is not surprising Gardenia has always been the favorite brand that is so delicious that it can be eaten on its own, even without “palaman.”
When Gardenia was first introduced to the market 15 years ago, people weren’t very particular about the kind of loaves they served on their breakfast table. Gardenia almost instantaneously changed the Filipino’s bread-buying habits.  A single try made Gardenia the instantly preferred brand for loaves because nothing in the market came close to Gardenia’s freshness, taste, aroma and softness.

Today, on Gardenia’s crystal year, nothing still does.