Every Lasallian knows that University life goes beyond the four walls of the classroom. It’s the hustle and bustle along St. Miguel Hall, the cool air of the library where you meet your friends for a cram session, and of course, who could forget stepping into Agno for a quick bite? Yet, while these experiences make for a distinct experience, there are students who may never get to bask in the simple pleasures that Taft has to offer.
Because of the pandemic, students have traded their Uniqlo duds for pajamas. Students now experience classes from their homes, with others even attending from halfway around the world. Nevertheless, they aren’t missing much; the lively ambiance of vehicles speeding through the smoky air that older students have grown to love is long gone, leaving behind empty roads, quiet streets, lonely buildings, and too many spaces in between.
The world is slowly getting back on its feet, but the pre-pandemic normal may never be restored. Despite these circumstances, every student deserves a glimpse into the things that make life in and around their University special. Upon recognizing that, The Junior Entrepreneurs’ Marketing Association and The Taft Initiative conducted a webinar last August 20 titled where students met the minds behind select food establishments that many Lasallians cherish. Harry Ong and Nichelle Hung, founder of Orange & Spices and co-owner of Colonel’s Curry, respectively, spoke passionately about their beginnings, the Lasallian community, and how their businesses are coping amid the pandemic.
Changes and constants
Invigorate mainly served to enlighten newbies and budding entrepreneurs on the successes around Taft, but older students were also in for a treat. The webinar’s icebreaker was a trip down memory lane, where attendees participated in a 4 Pics 1 Word game full of many distinct Taft-like qualities that most students recognize. Its focus on food established the tone for the rest of the event.
Harry Ong began his talk with an eventful, decade-long history of Orange & Spices, a reinvention of a food establishment that he purchased in 2011. While fulfilling the cravings of hungry students, the ten-year period saw three logo changes, several menu additions, and a change in service. The latter had been implemented last year upon realizing that there will be no students in the area to cater to for the foreseeable future. As a result, Orange & Spices transitioned from a Taft hotspot to a home delivery service.
“We are known to serve the DLSU community,” Ong highlights. Despite the changes brought on by the pandemic, one business aspect that remains a constant is its unwavering loyalty to that crowd. 2020 was a rough year for Orange & Spices financially, but he understands the community’s need for some semblance of what campus life used to be and hopes to recreate some of that magic in people’s homes.
Adaptability is key
As a co-owner of one of the University’s most beloved food kiosks, Nichelle Hung expressed similar sentiments during the webinar’s second installment when she discussed how Colonel’s Curry fared in the last year. Its on-campus popularity led them to expand their horizons, resulting in the company’s first commercial branch in R Square Mall. But, unfortunately, their efforts were hampered by bad timing, “Inayos namin ‘yung itsura at pinag-gastusan namin ang lahat. We were sad nung nag-lockdown,” she mused.
(We fixed the store’s overall appearance and financed everything. We were sad when the lockdown happened.)
That did not hold them back for long. They assessed their situation and the options that came with it. Colonel’s Curry was a success because it spoke for itself with its quantity and smell, but these feats can only be observed in person. There was a great need to strengthen its online presence, seeing that face-to-face selling was no longer feasible. Hung stresses that changing times called for new promotional strategies, and whether that entails better product visuals or an influencer, they must fulfill today’s ultimate business goal: to survive.
Food for thought
No matter the setback, Ong and Hung are adamant in keeping these Taft hallmarks alive. Beyond entrepreneurial reasons, there is an innate need to protect the essence of these beloved establishments and what they represent to many students. Both Orange & Spices and Colonel’s Curry were conceived with this group of people in mind, and whenever one finds themself yearning for how things used to be, these simple pleasures are now one click away. The student community’s staunch support helped keep these business ventures afloat, and this is how the latter express their gratitude.
Perhaps this can urge aspiring business leaders to look past the corporate perspective and into the humanity that constitutes the bigger picture. By providing a little escape for those missing the good old days, Ong and Hung’s impact on people’s lives is undeniably greater.
