The food industry is a tough market to crack in the Philippines. With so many new competitors vying to place first in consumer awareness, it takes a well-formulated and executed business formula to come out on top in such a competitive landscape.
A perfect example of a brand that has mastered this kind of standout marketing leadership is Jolly, a packaged fruits and vegetables brand under Fly Ace Corporation. Backed by heritage and a steadfast dedication to fulfill the needs of its market, Jolly has retained its position of being the leader of its niche twenty-five years since its launch. Now, the brand continues to gain success by following a simple formula: staying true to its consumer promise.
“The vision of Jolly is to be part of every Filipino household,” shares Larry Cochanco, one of the directors of Fly Ace Corporation. “We want to develop a trusted brand that is delicious and nutritious for the common Filipino to use.” By providing fresh and nutritious ingredients that are easily accessible to everyone, Jolly gives the consumers the capacity to be more creative in the kitchen.
This consumer promise is rooted in the history of the brand itself. Lucio S. Cochanco Sr. and Ederlina Cochanco established the Jolly General Merchandise in the 1970s with the vision of providing high-quality produce that is accessible to Filipinos. Together with their children Jun, Larry, and Louie, the family launched Fly Ace Corporation in 1997.
Since then, Jolly has remained focused and consistent in meeting the needs of its market. What really set it up for success, in particular, is its discernment of the needs of Filipino families. The brand understands that having nutritious, delicious, and convenient meals is what every homemaker wants access to, and they have remained steadfast in meeting this need despite the ever-changing market landscape. By learning the aspirations, challenges, and things that delight their market, Jolly was able to come up with innovations that became helpful to the daily lives of their consumers.
Jolly’s commitment to its brand vision has earned them a steady lead in the market. The brand is now the top choice of many because of its “siksik sa laman” value, the quality of its products, and its accessibility. Moreover, it remains to be the undisputed market leader for the canned vegetables category according to the Kantar Worldpanel Household Panel Study. In terms of consumer awareness, Jolly remains to hold the lion’s share in the market.
So what’s next then for a 25-year-strong market leader like Jolly? According to Cochanco, the brand will remain focused on delivering the consumer promise that they’ve fulfilled in the past decades. “After 25 years, the plan is for the Jolly brand to be available everywhere. We believe that eating healthy, nutritious, and delicious food should be accessible to Filipinos. We want all Filipino families to be creative with their recipes and make their families more Jolly.” As he succinctly puts it, “Yan ang Jolly Love.”