Since day one, it has always been about Cebu—the food, its people, and the good vibes.
Raymund’s love for humba, lechon, kinilaw, sinugba, chorizo and buwad (just to name a few) dipped in vinegar spiked with loads of sili kulikot gave him a silly idea, and since then he believed that turning hand-sorted chilis into hot sauce and selling them in bottles will eventually make sense.
Raymund Inajada is a person with a disability (PWD), a real estate broker, and an architect by profession. He was diagnosed with Muscular Dystrophy in high school after his legs were progressively feeling weak. Despite that, he felt normal because he was not treated differently. He did not feel inferior.
While studying architecture, he happened to have found a deep passion for food which brought him to start a hobby of making hot sauce, which eventually became Senyor Silly.
Despite the physical challenges, he started making his own hot sauce in late 2014 out of curiosity, and after almost a year of some fun and spicy research and development, he released his samplers in 2015 along with his friend-turned-business partner. The business was legally registered in July 2016.
Raymund’s takeaways from DTI’s Kapatid Mentor Me Program has paved the way for Senyor Silly. To date, they have supplied hot sauce to homegrown food establishments, specialty product retailers, and souvenir shops in Cebu and some parts of the Visayas.
The business also became part of the hottest club in the country—the Philippine Hot Sauce Club. Some of his spicy concoctions are continually bagging awards from 2018 to 2020 through the yearly Philippine Fiery Cup initiated by the club. Most recently, the Verde Hot Sauce won 1st place under the Fruit Hot Sauce Category and 2nd place under the Native Labuyo Category.
During the pandemic, Raymund felt grateful to have stored stocks on his inventory which kept the business going. He also strengthened their social media and e-commerce presence, which was applied even before the crisis.
For Raymund, “Kung dili makaya sa pakusganay, adto mubawi sa diskarte (If I can’t do it with physical strength, I focus on strategies).” He finds ways.
“We just have a strong belief in our product, that if we introduced it to our fellow Cebuanos and Filipinos, it could fill in the need for spicy condiments in every home and restaurant without having to import foreign brands.”
This year is also the third Christmas with The Hot Box, a spicy gift set composed of the condiments, that makes the best Christmas present this yuletide season.
Interested buyers, resellers, and distributors may reach them via their Facebook page: Senyor Silly HOT SAUCE and e-commerce platform such as Lazada. For more information on local products and produce proudly made from Cebu, visit the DTI Cebu Facebook page.♦
Date of Release: 18 December 2020