Happily married with DATES become sweeter and happier as the days go by for Mr. Samuel and Mrs. Cheryl Arquerro.

As an Overseas Filipino Worker in the MiddleEast, Samuel opened a business opportunity from a pasalubong of pre-processed Dates fruits to his family and became processor of Dates products.  He is now having a business, named Mid-East Sweets, located at Tuao South, Bagabag Nueva Vizcaya.

To maintain the idea of offering healthy products of Mid-East Sweets, Cherryl processed Dates fruit and the seed is replaced with almond seed and coated with dark chocolate.  It started its business operation under the helm of G & B buko pie during its trial markets.  To find out the market share of Mid-East Sweets, a survey was conducted by the couple for four months (December 2013 to April 2014) to observe the acceptance of the travelers and the community and they gained appreciation in the market.  This inspired the Arquero couple to diversify.  On August 2014, a new packaging of the Dates with almond coated with chocolates was launched.

Simultaneous with the repackaging of Mid-East Sweets pioneering product, five more varieties were introduced such as Dates with honey and Sesame seeds, Dates stuffed with honey and Pistachios, Dates Bar with mixed Nuts, Dates Bar with Cashew and Coconut, and Dates Tart.  To date, it developed six variants of pies and picking up in the market.

Having limited resources to expand its production with only 120 boxes per month of assorted products, in 2015, they tapped the assistance of the DOST 02 through the Small Enterprise Technology Upgrading Program (SETUP) . This was for the purchase of needed equipment such as spiral mixer, cooling rack, stainless working table, storage chiller, horizontal flow sealing machine and semi-automated oven considering their increasing demand for its best seller pies (like mango, ube, coconut). Other DOST02 interventions were offered in the succeeding year like consultancy service on Good Manufacturing Practices through TAPI-CAMPI, laboratory services, and trainings on Basic Occupational Safety for Hazard, productivity management and enterprise development.

Mid-East Sweets tremendously increased its gross sales to 800% in 2016, having quality products for pasalubong treats.  At present, this enterprise is the only one in Region 2 who has the Halal certification of products. It now offers product display to five branches of Robinson’s Malls in Northern Luzon.

To meet its customers increasing demand, the Arqueros advertise that products of MidEast Sweets are uploaded in onestore.ph, a web-based online marketing strategy for SETUP Clients. Also, Mr. & Mrs. Arquero forged a memorandum of agreement with DOST02 as oneSTore hub in Nueva Vizcaya and oneSTore store at Royale Phaternon Square, Tandang Sora St., Quezon City, in Metro Manila.

Through their participation in different regional and national trade fairs, being hosted by different national radio programs, having live interviews and posting of products and activities on social media, it is picking up its market share not only in the Philippines but having transactions of deliveries in the Middle East.  Sweeter and happier ties of the couple with their Dates when Mr. Arquero decided not to go back in his work abroad but to help Cheryl push for their business growth in mid2016. Samuel may go back to the Middle East, not as an OFW ,but as owner of the Mid-East Sweet’s.  True enough, Sweets in Middle East are sweet success of the MidEast Sweets.