In Photo: Ms. Ella Baybay, the sole owner of Adong and Minting’s Agri Farm, situated in Maitim II East, Tagaytay City, Cavite.

Ms. Ella Baybay, the sole owner of Adong and Minting’s Agri Farm, situated in Maitim II East, Tagaytay City, Cavite. She chose to name her business in honor of her grandparents, from whom she inherited a small piece of farmland that she successfully transformed into a profitable venture.

After recognizing the growing demand for mushroom production, she set forth into mushroom farming, driven by consumers shifting towards healthier food choices.

In 2018, Ms. Ella started attending various seminars and trainings on how to properly grow mushroom. From steps on how to make mushroom grow bags to implanting fungi into bags to keep up with the business.

In 2019, Ms. Ella became a beneficiary of the Kapatid Mentor Me (KMME) and One Town One Product Next Gen (OTOP NG) programs. These initiatives offered her guidance on business strategies and aided her in developing new mushroom-based products.

She skillfully harvests her mushrooms from approximately 3000 bags twice a year. What started as a raw mushroom product has now expanded to include by-products like mushroom tocino, rolls (lumpia), and patties.

However, she stopped her mushroom production due to a travel ban and restricted movement when the pandemic struck in 2020. She utilized the internet to broaden her market reach by promoting through the Facebook Marketplace and selling to her local community in Quezon City. She generated an estimated sales of Php 30,000 per month. She also imparts her mushroom production knowledge to start-up mushroom growers.

Now, Ms. Ella is continuously researching ways to extend her product’s shelf life in preparation for securing an FDA license, improving her new product packaging, and exploring partnerships with bulk raw mushroom buyers.

“Patience and Determination is a short but meaningful and inspirational dictum from Ms. Ella in relation to business. Venturing into business requires endurance and a calm mind to face the challenges, setbacks, and delays it may have. You need to be firm and focused on achieving a goal despite every difficulty. Also, a strong will is essential to keep going and not easily give up.” -Ms. Ella Baybay ♦

Date of release: 4 January 2024

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