Ilocos Sur is not just about its scenic views – it’s also home to unique local food. Favorites include Vigan longganisa, Narvacan’s crispy bagnet, and Sugpon’s ube products.
During the Ilocos Sur Food and Trade Fair 2025, local entrepreneurs showcased their takes on traditional products, promoting both culture and creativity.
Balipop: A new twist on ‘Balicucha’
Santa Maria town introduced “Balipop,” a version of the classic sugarcane candy balicucha, now shaped like a lollipop. This makes it easy to use as both a sweetener and a coffee stirrer.
Michael Escobar, Santa Maria’s Tourism Officer, said this innovation came from the Provincial Government of Ilocos Sur and the Department of Trade and Industry’s (DTI) suggestions to improve product visibility.
“Last year, we developed a concept to individually wrap each piece of balicucha while still keeping them in a single package. This allowed us to create attractive gift boxes and packages/containers to make them appealing and suitable for gifting,” he said.
Hotels in Vigan City have shown interest in featuring these gift packs. At the Food and Trade Fair, Balipop quickly sold out due to strong demand.
Santa Maria also revamped the “sinambong” — sticky rice with muscovado wrapped in banana leaves — by packaging it in gift-ready boxes.
Crunchy, creamy peanut delights
Santa Lucia town meanwhile introduced new peanut-based products, including “crunchy creamy nut” — a chewy, crunchy square-shaped treat — and peanut-based polvoron in chocnut and milk flavors.
Santa Lucia Tourism Officer Jennifer Rewarin stated that all these products are produced by the Conconig Farmers Cooperative.
“The LGU plays a vital role in promoting and helping sell these products, which truly benefits our agricultural community,” she said.
Santa Lucia’s peanut butter and peanut brittle are also available at the town’s Tourism Display Center. For orders and inquiries, buyers can contact 09397935032 or 09558967024.
Sugarcane ice cream
In San Ildefonso town, Virginia Piano of VP Piano Food Products, created a unique ice cream made from sugarcane juice.
She developed the product in December 2024 and received positive feedback from family and neighbors.
“At first, I asked my family and neighbors to try it, and they loved it. So I launched the product at my booth during the Food and Trade Fair this year, and luckily, many customers kept coming back to buy it,” Piano said.
Made from pure sugarcane juice, evaporated milk, and cream, the ice cream earned Piano the Most Innovative Product award in the snack foods category.
From waste to innovation
Emmylou Jomero, owner of Salcedo town’s WYNN’s Food Products, turned cacao seed husks — often considered waste — into “Tsokolatea,” a unique tea product. Each pack contains 10 teabags made from pure cacao seed husks.
The product won the Most Innovative Product award in the beverages, wines, garnish, and condiments category.
“When we won the award, our stocks immediately sold out, even though customers weren’t paying much attention to it before,” she said.
Jomero added they also sell on various online platforms, with resellers from Baguio City and other areas nationwide.
Ilocos Sur’s innovative flavors
These exciting food products reflect the creativity and dedication of Ilocos Sur’s local entrepreneurs.
With continuous support from the provincial government, LGUs, and national agencies like DTI, local producers are seeing growing opportunities and increased sales.
Don’t miss the chance to explore Ilocos Sur and savor these amazing local flavors! (AMB/JMCQ, PIA Ilocos Sur)
