by Robin Barranda

Editor’s Note: Below is an excerpt from a journal of a senior currently in Beijing as part of the Xavier overseas study program. The students had a chance to visit Shanghai, which included a trip to the Oishi plant. The visit was arranged through the efforts of Carlson Chan of Batch 82.

As we arrived at the Oishi Shanghai Plant, we immediately noticed the Filipina who was inside the boardroom. She was Ms. Marissa Go, executive assistant to Mr. Carlos Chan, chairman of Liwayway Holdings Company Limited and a parent of Xavier School alumni. According to Ms. Go, Oishi is now one of the leading national brands in China, with over 100 varieties of snack foods and confectionery products.

In addition, she also mentioned that Liwayway’s beginnings can be traced back to post-war Manila. It started as a small family business engaged in repacking corn starch. In 1966, the business was incorporated as Liwayway Marketing Corporation (LMC) to distribute starch, coffee, confectioneries, and basic commodities. Brothers Carlos and Manuel Chan, members of the second generation, took active roles in tracking the future of the company.

After showing us some Oishi commericals, orienting us on the Asia-wide operations of the company, entertaining our questions about China’s economy, and feeding us with a variety of Oishi snack products, we were given a guided tour of the Shanghai plant.

Ms. Go explained in detail what happens in the assembly line of candies, potato chips, and other snack items. We were actually amazed at how large-scale the operations are. We also felt a sense of pride that what we saw was a corporation that’s also truly Filipino.