356. MAYA BIBINGKA MIX for Christmas 1962-1965

MAYA BIBINGKA FOR CHRISTMAS 1962

What is Christmas without the ubiquitous “Bibingka”? Those round rice cakes cooked on banana leaf-lined clay pans covered with a sheet of tin topped with live coals to “bake” the dough completely. 

Original native “bibingkas’ were made from “galapong” or ground gelatinous rice, coconut milk, milk, sugar, butter or margarine, and eggs. Special ones have embedded slices of red eggs and cheese. In more modern times, some baking powder was used. Nothing evokes nostalgic Christmas memories better than a slice of “bibingka”, sprinkled with grated coconut, and slathered with more butter.

MAYA BIBINGKA, Omnibus Christmas Ad, 1965

In 1961, MAYA, one of the more successful flour mix products from Liberty Flour Mills, attempted to make the cooking of the native “bibingka” more convenient, while retaining the genuine deliciousness of the native treat. Beginning in 1961, MAYA came out with print ads touting its MAYA BIBINGKA MIX SPECIAL  as perfect for the holidays, that’s “full of tasty, old fashioned-goodness”.

While it was not intended to replace the original homecooked goodness of native bibingkas, MAYA BIBINGKA MIX SPECIAL  found a considerable following among Filipino housewives in the 60s and 70s, who wanted a break from the drudgery of cooking. With MAYA BIBINGKA MIX SPECIAL, there’s no more soaking of malakit rice in water overnight, no more milling with the hand-turned gilingan, and no more long waiting for the bibingka dough to cook as it lay sandwiched between fire and coal.

 Competitor White King, of Republic Flour Mills eventually took over the market due to its marketing strength, and MAYA’s bibingka mix was phased out, and was left to concentrate on hotcake and cake mixes. Meanwhile, White King Bibingka continues to be available in the market today.