LAGANGILANG, Abra(PIA) – Six months to perfection; entrepreneur Nommel John Zamora shares how listening to customer suggestions and perseverance helped him improve his bagoong alamang (shrimp paste) business.
 
“Naisipan ko tong business ko dahil naniniwala ako sa mga feedback ng customers ko. ‘Yung mga suggestions nila na kailangan kong i-improve is ginawa ko hanggang ma-perfect ko yung lasa ng iba’t-ibang variants. Meron akong nine variants,” he said.

Zamora sells not only nine flavors of bagoong alamang but also makes chili oil and chips from mushrooms.
 
His passion for cooking and experience from working in a restaurant  became assets in his food business that he discovered while trying to make dish.
 
“Nagluto ako ng kare-kare tapos bumili ako ng bottled shrimp paste which is nakulangan ako sa quality niya, ngayon ang ginawa ko is gumawa ako ng sarili kong recipe,” he shared.
 
After six months of perfecting his bagoong alamang recipe, Zamora was able to come up with more products, and he  put up his own business named “Quinnammet.”
 
He said that he coined the term Quinnammet when he was just planning to come home to Abra to settle.

“’Yung Quinnamet po is actually nakuha ko kasi kumakain kami ng family ko sa kamayan. Uuwi na ako ng Abra, so actually I was planning to put up a restaurant then gusto ko in Ilokano,” he said
 

As a starting entrepreneur, he joined business upskilling workshops and seminars such as the Kapatid Mentor Me of the Department of Trade and Industry and other entrepreneurial trainings to grow his business.
 
Zamora is also thankful to the government for the invitations to trade fairs and other avenues where he can promote and sell his products to a larger market.

“’Yung assistance ng government sa akin is yung mga invitation sa trade fair, pino-promote din nila yung mga unang-una na products ko kaya nagpapasalamat po ako sa inyo,” he said.

He shared that his local version of bagoong alamang with local ingredients such as chili, garlic, and sugar has helped him financially.
 
“Ang naitulong na business na ito sa akin is symepre financial, mayroon akong college so nakakapagbigay ako ng baon , tuition fee at nababayaran ko yung mga bills ko,” he said.

With more than P8,000 weekly income from his food business, Zamora continues to refine his business  amidst the challenges such as increase in the prices of his raw ingredients.

He also thanked his customers for their continuous support to his small business.

 
“The support from customers is crucial for the business to thrive,” he emphasized.
 
For those curious to taste his products, Quinnammet is in Lagben, Lagangilang, Abra.  (JPM with Rachelle Alvis, PIA Intern)