I'm constantly thinking about this, specially when it comes to fine dining and Filipino food. There's a beloved Kusina in Philly that is near and dear to my heart, but as a person who doesn't make that much money, I can't really financially support on a weekly basis lol
I hear from family members and some friends that they feel a little priced out, and there's a level of understanding their opinions but also wanting to be proud that a place exists where the food and the culture is celebrated...vs another quick carenderia type feel that most first generation Titas and Titos feel comfortable going to or opening.
Sorry if I'm rambling, as a mom of two under 5, talking and typing this much is new to me.
This is a great piece, and it opens the door to even more important questions.
At Dear Flor, we're very intentional about how we operate as a company. We believe that a humble gummy can be an ambassador for Filipino people and culture, and that belief shapes everything we do, from business decisions to product development and marketing. We don’t have a formal charitable arm, but we actively support many community and cultural organizations like FANHS, NAAFA, and House of Gongs that primarily serve Filipino Americans across the U.S. What this looks like in practice: we don’t just donate. We show up.
I did want to tackle this question: Do you feel like prices for a U.S. market make a Filipino product any less “authentic”?
I don't believe so. When we launched Dear Flor in California's licensed dispensary market, we stood by our pricing, which was on par with the market leaders, Camino and Wyld. We refused to take a haircut because doing so would only reinforce the idea that Filipino products are worth less. We stood by our pricing, and within six weeks, our gummies became one of the top three selling gummy brands in the dispensaries we entered.
That’s not an exception. It’s part of a broader trend. Filipino-owned brands like Sanzo sparkling water are positioned at a premium compared to Spindrift and other leading sparkling water brands.
Beyond Sanzo in the CPG space, you have folks like Daniel Corpuz, Kora, and Elle Karayan building unapologetically premium brands because they’re built with care, quality, and culture. Each of these brands raises the bar for how Filipino products can be valued in the U.S. market. And this is important because if we're going to create generational wealth and cultural influence for our community, we have to start demanding that our product be priced in line with the market.
Authenticity doesn’t mean undervaluing ourselves. It means knowing what we’re worth and owning it.
Thank you for your thoughtful comment and for sharing your POV as a business owner, Lisa! I love hearing that you support Filipino orgs, and it’s an important reminder that giving back doesn’t only have to be monetary.
I agree with you and loved your point that “if we're going to create generational wealth and cultural influence for our community, we have to start demanding that our product be priced in line with the market.” Calls to mind Monique Lhuillier–she’s originally from Cebu and is considered one of the best wedding designers in the world. Her gowns can cost $10,000! And that makes sense for couture. She doesn’t position herself as a “Filipino brand” per se (I think that distinction is important), but it shows we can and should imagine more for our community. There's no *one* way to be a Filipino-owned brand!
Oof - I have a lot of opinions on this matter. I am Philippine born, American raised. I visit my family in the Philippines every few years. I have worked for a clothing company that made their product in Los Angeles, so I understand pricing. I think being Filipino owned (Patrick Starr, Monique Lhullier) is different from being Filipino inspired/made. I remember your post about Bahay Kubo. I love supporting Filipino owned businesses, so I visited their site. I gasped at the price - a $35 scrunchie? I understand if the product is made in the Philippines, using Filipino artisans who are paid a fair wage, and then have to be shipped to the US - prices need to reflect that. There are companies that do that and do it well. But nothing about Bahay Kubo says that’s what she is doing. And to use the name Bahay Kubo and connecting it to “community” without responding to the backlash, makes it seem like she is using being Filipino as a marketing tool. And to me she doesn’t necessarily have to price her items so Philippine locals would be able to afford it, but she also doesn’t have to use the names she uses for her company and products.
I'm constantly thinking about this, specially when it comes to fine dining and Filipino food. There's a beloved Kusina in Philly that is near and dear to my heart, but as a person who doesn't make that much money, I can't really financially support on a weekly basis lol
I hear from family members and some friends that they feel a little priced out, and there's a level of understanding their opinions but also wanting to be proud that a place exists where the food and the culture is celebrated...vs another quick carenderia type feel that most first generation Titas and Titos feel comfortable going to or opening.
Sorry if I'm rambling, as a mom of two under 5, talking and typing this much is new to me.
This is a great piece, and it opens the door to even more important questions.
At Dear Flor, we're very intentional about how we operate as a company. We believe that a humble gummy can be an ambassador for Filipino people and culture, and that belief shapes everything we do, from business decisions to product development and marketing. We don’t have a formal charitable arm, but we actively support many community and cultural organizations like FANHS, NAAFA, and House of Gongs that primarily serve Filipino Americans across the U.S. What this looks like in practice: we don’t just donate. We show up.
I did want to tackle this question: Do you feel like prices for a U.S. market make a Filipino product any less “authentic”?
I don't believe so. When we launched Dear Flor in California's licensed dispensary market, we stood by our pricing, which was on par with the market leaders, Camino and Wyld. We refused to take a haircut because doing so would only reinforce the idea that Filipino products are worth less. We stood by our pricing, and within six weeks, our gummies became one of the top three selling gummy brands in the dispensaries we entered.
That’s not an exception. It’s part of a broader trend. Filipino-owned brands like Sanzo sparkling water are positioned at a premium compared to Spindrift and other leading sparkling water brands.
Beyond Sanzo in the CPG space, you have folks like Daniel Corpuz, Kora, and Elle Karayan building unapologetically premium brands because they’re built with care, quality, and culture. Each of these brands raises the bar for how Filipino products can be valued in the U.S. market. And this is important because if we're going to create generational wealth and cultural influence for our community, we have to start demanding that our product be priced in line with the market.
Authenticity doesn’t mean undervaluing ourselves. It means knowing what we’re worth and owning it.
Thank you for your thoughtful comment and for sharing your POV as a business owner, Lisa! I love hearing that you support Filipino orgs, and it’s an important reminder that giving back doesn’t only have to be monetary.
I agree with you and loved your point that “if we're going to create generational wealth and cultural influence for our community, we have to start demanding that our product be priced in line with the market.” Calls to mind Monique Lhuillier–she’s originally from Cebu and is considered one of the best wedding designers in the world. Her gowns can cost $10,000! And that makes sense for couture. She doesn’t position herself as a “Filipino brand” per se (I think that distinction is important), but it shows we can and should imagine more for our community. There's no *one* way to be a Filipino-owned brand!
Oof - I have a lot of opinions on this matter. I am Philippine born, American raised. I visit my family in the Philippines every few years. I have worked for a clothing company that made their product in Los Angeles, so I understand pricing. I think being Filipino owned (Patrick Starr, Monique Lhullier) is different from being Filipino inspired/made. I remember your post about Bahay Kubo. I love supporting Filipino owned businesses, so I visited their site. I gasped at the price - a $35 scrunchie? I understand if the product is made in the Philippines, using Filipino artisans who are paid a fair wage, and then have to be shipped to the US - prices need to reflect that. There are companies that do that and do it well. But nothing about Bahay Kubo says that’s what she is doing. And to use the name Bahay Kubo and connecting it to “community” without responding to the backlash, makes it seem like she is using being Filipino as a marketing tool. And to me she doesn’t necessarily have to price her items so Philippine locals would be able to afford it, but she also doesn’t have to use the names she uses for her company and products.