A visit to Filipina-Bruneian agribusiness of Cinta sauce products

A visit to Filipina-Bruneian agribusiness of Cinta sauce products in Brunei Darussalam  

by Elmer R. Esplana, May 17, 2011

In my last day in Negara, Brunei Darussalam I got the chance to visit with BFAR-Region 12 Director Sani Macabalang to a Filipina (Hjh. Khadijah Mangate) who married with a Bruneian, Mr. Hj. Ilias Bin Matusin. Khadijah Mangate originated from Saguiaran, Lanao del Sur.  She has been in Brunei since 1984. She has been about 26 years in Brunei. They have seven children, six girls and one boy. Mrs. Mangate and her husband is now an owner of a chili sauce business establishment which they called as Sahamada Corporation Sdn. Bhd.

Their corporation has been producing eight classes of chili sauces with the following names: 1) Sos Chili (Chili Sauce), 2) Sos Cili Pedas (Extra Hot Chili Sauce), 3) Sos Pencicah Serbaguna (Multi-purpose Dip Sauce), 4) Sos Pencicah Ikan Tahai (Dip Sauce with smoked fish), 5) Sos Cili Nasi Ayam ( Chicken Rice Chili Sauce) and  6) Sos Lobak Merah Bersama Cili (Carrot Sauce with Chili).  Their two latest products include Sos Halia Bersama Cili (Ginger Sauce with Chili) and Sos Bawang Puteh Bersama Cili (Garlic Sauce with Chili.  Their brand name is called as "Cinta" which means "love" or "sinta" in the Tagalog word. The success of their business is product of the love of this couple.   They have started  their chili sauce company in 2003 as a cottage industry business at the residence of Haji Ilias with only one small blender.  His family members are the workers of the business.   At that time, there are only three types of Chili sauce products namely Sos Cili, Sos Pencicha Serbaguna and Sos Cili Pedas.  The bottle filling is done manually at that time.  They are just using a small cooking pans before in processing their sauce products. During that time, they are using computer-made stickers in their company brand name "Cinta". Around 50 bottles are sold each day to friends and relatives. The small family business started a capital of only B$1,000.  After 7 years (in 2009) of their operation, the company had already been employing 12 personnel.  There production output have reached 20,000 bottles per day.  Their capital have increased to B$600,000.  In August 2009, Ho Tai Company Sdn. Bhd. was declared as the sole distributor of Cinta Chili Sauce products.  The company was awarded as "Progressive Entrepreneur 2009" during the Agrifood Expo 2009 held in Tungku, Gadong, Negara Brunei Darussalam. In 2010, they have already made a trial export to Czech Republic.  The have new distributor for Brunei market, the Malar Setia Sdn. Bhd.  In 2010, they also started to supply Cinta Chili Sauce to Royal Brunei Catering (RBC).  For this year, they are targeting going into the the global market by exporting more of their products. The have also aimed to be more competitive both in local and in the global market. They also would like to improve the quality of chili sauce by establishing effective GMP, HACCP Food Safety System and having an ISO 22000. 

Aside from an award in 2009, the company had an Halal Certificate  from Majlis Ugama Islam Brunei in 2008.  There is also an ongoing ISO 22000 program under the National Standards and Accreditation Centre Brunei Darussalam.   In the interview with the couple the vision of the company is "to produce healtheir and highly quality products." 

My picture with the couple Haji Ilias Matusin, Khadijah Mangate, Dir. Sani Macabalang



The company brand logo for "Cinta"



The eight different chili sauce that they are producing in their sauce processing plant

The Chili sauce which they market for the food service establishments

Matusin receiving an award from Brunei Sultan Hasannal Bolkiah

His Majesty Sultan Bolkiah signing guest book in one of the exhibition in Brunei with Ilias Matusin

One particular achievement of the company is the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with a  company in Japan in 2006 for supplying for the Japanese market.  They started exporting chili sauce to Japan for their Sos Pedas and Sos Pencicah Ikah Tahal.  They have also exposed the company in overseas product exhibition such as in Japan, Dubai, Uman, Malaysia, Thailand and Singapore.  For this year, for their participation to the International Food Expo and Exhibition this May 2011 and Agrilink this coming October 2011, they believed they would be able to get Filipino clients and be able to initially market their sauce products in the Philippines. They are also planning to have an alternative supplier of chili raw materials,  including the supply of bottle from the Philippines.  For more information about Sahamada Corporation, Sdn. Bhd. you can contact Hj. Ilias Bin Hj. Matusin at email address shahmada@yahoo.com or contact them at Telefax No. 673-2791348 or visit their office at Unit G4 & G5, Block G, Menteri Complex, Kampong Menteri, Jalan Kota Batu BU 1929, Negara Brunei Darussalam.