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| ZEST-O ORANGE JUICE DRINK, 1990 Print Ad. |
The country’s best selling juice drink was conceived by
self-made magnate Mr. Alfred M. Yao, who
rose from humble beginnings to become the founder of one of the most successful
homegrown business in the country today. Mr. Yao took over the care of his
family at age 12, when his father died. Five years later, the young entrepreneur
who did not even finish high school, took a bank loan of Php3,000 to put up a
printing press, which proved to be very viable.
While on a 1979 business tour in Europe, he chanced upon
a new packaging technique introduced by French inventor, Louis Doyen, back in
1962. He introduced a specially-shaped plastic bag that can be aseptically
filled with liquid products, that could stand on its own. Called “doypack”, it
was significantly cheaper than traditional carton packaging.
To test the new packaging, the rising businessman mixed
juices in his kitchen and packaged them in doypacks. He was so satisfied with
the results that in 1981, he decided to shift his attention to creating a
beverage company known as SEMEXCO Marketing Corporation, with ZEST-O Orange Juice Drink as its lead
product. The jucie drink in its innovative foil pack with a plastic straw was
launched that same year.
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| SEMEXCO COPRORATE AD, 1989 |
ZEST-O was
enthusiastically received by the market, as it was so affordably priced, and
had a really refreshing orange flavor that can be cooled easily in its own foil
pack. It wa handy, could be disposed easily,
and provided more value for one’s money. ZEST-O soon became widely available nationwide, and overtook
leading brands to emerge as the no.1
juice drink in less than a decade—replacing more expensive sodas and juices
during parties, meriendas, and funeral wakes!
WATCH ZEST-O 2006 TVC HERE:
More new flavors under the ZEST-O name were introduced in the ensuing years: Guyabano, Mango,
Grape, Pineapple, Calamansi, Apple, Strawberry.
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| SUN-GLO, another SEMEXCO juice brand. |
Using the same modern doypack technology, SEMEXCO branched
out into more jucie brands (Sun-Glo), milk ( Dutch Maid, Milkland), along with
other traditional canned and bottled products (Tulip, Tita Frita).
The ZEST-O brand, however, built more positive
and enduring equities that it was adapted eventually as the name of the corporation.
When the company forayed into other product lines and
business, the name ZEST-O was used,
as in the case of its ZEST-O
chocolate drink. In 2008, Mr. Yao
ventured into aviation and launched Zest Airways which, like his famous juice
drink, was known for low-cost fares. Integrated
with Air Asia, it became Air Asia Zest in 2016.
ZEST-O juice drinks
continue to dominate the juice market today, even with the additional taxes
levied on sugared beverages in 2015, that threatened to close down some plants. In picnics, memorial services, family reunions, company and school parties, chances are, you will find a packs of ZEST-O being passed around, proof that
the humble drink has become a part of our everyday life.
WATCH ZEST-O 35 YEARS TVC HERE:
SOURCES:
Zest-O Juice Drink Commercial The Best 2006.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SrDn5-Lvi8c,
posted by Zest-O Videos, Oct. 18, 2015.
Zest-O 35 Years TVC,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7lvfGBlKtT4,
posted by Zest-O Videos, Oct. 18, 2015.
Doypack:
Success Story of Alfredo Yao: The Juice King: http://primer.com.ph/business/2017/06/19/success-story-of-alfredo-yao-the-juice-king/,
Philippine Primer, The expats Guide to the Philippine Lifestyle, 19 June 2017.
In 1981-82, the late teen star Julie Vega was one of the early product endorser of Zest-O pouch drink. her catch phrase was "Kilig sa Lamig, Zest-O juice drink", then followed by "Sarap to the bones."
ReplyDeleteDo you have a copy of the commercial which uses Bon Jovis living on a prayer?
ReplyDelete