Imagine if you can send balikbayan boxes less the need for sea or air cargo? When the pandemic delayed, or at some point even halted shipments of cargos across international seas, three overseas Filipinos came up with the idea of opening a local gift delivery service in the Philippines.
Partnered with local brands, they wanted to make it easier for balikbayan boxes to reach homes.
“At the height of the pandemic in 2020/2021, a lot of Filipinos abroad are unable to come home, missing family occasions and other celebrations. If they can’t come home, they would send gifts or balikbayan boxes (gifting is a big Filipino custom and tradition). But then, the pandemic dramatically delayed this. So we thought, what if Filipinos abroad can give gifts to their loved ones minus the delay, saving time, energy, and money? This is how Mithi & Co. reimagined the nostalgic balikbayan and dubbed it as the new balikbayan box,” said Ieth Inolino Idzerda, one of the company founders.
They said they specifically chose locally-made crafts and products to be included in their gift bundles.
“This time, it’s local, conscious, and curated–giving the attention, power, and revenue back to the Philippines/Filipino MSMEs,” said Idzerda.
Coming from diverse yet similar backgrounds, the service was created by three OFWs from different parts of the world. The company’s Chief Executive Officer, Ieth Inolino-Idzerda, is an immigrant in based in Amsterdam.
“I’ve worked in Manila most of my life before moving to Amsterdam, the Netherlands in 2016. When I moved, I started working as a stylist which was my latest job in Manila before I moved (I was doing editorial and commercial styling in Manila). I mostly did e-commerce styling before I moved to my next job doing marketing and sales for a social enterprise in Amsterdam. Currently, I am working as a business development representative in a SaaS company in Amsterdam as well,” said Idzerda.
Her business partners are Sarah Fernandez, who is based in Manila and serves as the company’s Chief Operating Officer. She is a daughter of an OFW who spent her childhood in the Middle East. And Niccolo Tuason, who calls the Bay Area his home, is a second generation Filipino-American born and raised in California. He is Mithi & Co’s Chief Commercial Officer.
“Mithi & Co. is a Philippine, SEC registered business whose platform, www.shopmithi.com, is created for Filipinos all over the world for an easy, safe, and convenient gift shopping experience. The products of Mithi & Co. are gift bundles that highlight the story of every brand. We are a discovery tool for unique finds, hidden gems, and amazing stories of local Filipino brands, artisans, and craftsmen. It is a place where people learn some of the best locally made products,” said Idzerda.
Idzerda explained the step-by-step process on how you can send a the new balikbayan box to your loved ones:
Choose the perfect gift box
When you go to our website at www.shopmithi.com, you can choose gift bundles from categories based on recipient, occasion, or collection. After adding the item to the shopping cart, you will be led to an easy, safe, and secure checkout and payment system. Your purchase will be confirmed via email and our gift experts will start to work on your order.
Your gift is lovingly packed in local hubs
Our thoughtfully curated gift boxes are made with love and handled with care. We partner with local, artisanal, and conscious Filipino brands. They use sustainable materials and produce in small batches. The gifts you give celebrate Filipino craftsmanship!
Delivered anywhere in the Philippines
Always free shipping in Metro Manila with easy tracking. Your gift arrives at your recipient’s doorstep safe and sound (no sea sickness nor cabin fever needed)
For Idzerda, she considers highlighting Filipino brands through her business as her greatest achievement as an OFW.
“Knowing that I can contribute and even make an impact back home in the Philippines even if I live abroad. Through Mithi & Co., I am given the opportunity, in Malcolm Gladwell’s words, with the slightest push in the right places, to tip what seems like an immovable, implacable situation,” said Idzerda.
“We at Mithi & Co. believe that Filipino brands deserve worldwide attention and international recognition–and we want our platform to be a tool for that because our primary audience is Filipinos abroad. We want to show that Filipino brands can compete in a global scale,” she added.
Idzerda also shared the stories of some of the local brands they partner with:
Coco Dolce
Coco Dolce chocolates is a healthy blend of premium superfood ingredients: single origin cacao beans, organic coconut sugar, and virgin coconut oil–all communities traded from tropical Mindanao. It is a delicious immunity-boosting treat, sweetened with low-glycemic organic coconut sap sugar that is not only better for diabetics, but also rich in minerals and inulin fiber, which is why it’s called #TheGoodChocolate.
Marikit MNL Candle Co
Marikit MNL Candle Co is a passion project that started during the pandemic. In a time of isolation and uncertainty, many people found themselves struggling with mental health. The company is composed of a small team of candle enthusiasts and making candles has always been a therapeutic and mindful release for them. They decided to share this with other people, in the hope that these hand poured candles may bring light and hope in the darkest and most impossible times. What makes its candles unique is they are 100% natural soy wax-based, hand poured, made in small batches, eco-friendly, and thoughtfully sourced. The candles are proudly Filipino and each scent has a story to tell and an experience to be felt.
Happy Camper
How can anyone not fall in love with the beaches and the mountains of the Philippines? Proprietor and chief maker Chellene dela Cruz loves traveling and a challenge she always encounters is the hassle of liquid restrictions. Happy Camper is perfect for people who are always on the go. Each product is handmade in small batches using all-natural ingredients. Everything is formulated while having your comfort and needs in mind.
JIM Weaver Designs
JIM Weaver Designs was founded in 2016 by four women, friends who share the same passion to make art wearable through fashion. Its goal is to design with purpose, to enchant through its original designs, which are inspired by stories of the people they meet, current trends, their Filipino culture and heritage and their very own experiences.
Una Ricci
Una Ricci is a concept store unlike any other, the first of its kind in the Philippines. You will find items that are exclusively curated by the two-women powerhouse Nina Ricci Eleazar and Margaux Salazar. The fashion pieces that are proudly made in the Philippines are complemented by its product lines that are designed and made in various parts of Europe, the US, and Asia with our goal to share an extension of themselves—their interests and preferences, what they find both useful and fascinating—and provide its customers with a distinctively satisfying, one-of-a-kind shopping experience.
Marta’s Handmade
Handcrafted in Manila using all natural and chemical-free ingredients, Marta’s Handmade’s range of skin and home essentials help improve and protect your skin’s health. Each batch of handmade soap is unique, with colors creating its own pattern in every motion as part of the design process. The proprietor and chief soapmaker Marta Ortoll serve customers that are conscious of the environment and their health.
Cheese Crafter
Combining a love for good food and unique experiences, Cheese Crafter is a proud Filipino brand specializing in decadent charcuterie grazing box to be enjoyed at home. Boasting a range of gourmet cheese, high quality deli, fine wine and other premium accompaniments.
“We are an international platform for creative Filipino makers and businesses. By championing our local merchants and their unique products, we are able to promote them to a wider global audience and gain support and appreciation from the Filipino communities here and abroad,” stated the brand in their website.
Idzerda’s advise to other OFWs who are also dreaming of putting up their own business: “Think of a business that can create impact, something that adds value to society, something that can enrich you as a person. Surround yourself with people you can learn from and with people you can trust. Do the hard work. Embrace the challenges because they will give you the best lessons. Don’t forget to have fun and enjoy the process.”
