OMGpeke Magnolia Ice Cream & Meats
In a recent statement, Ramar Foods asserts that it owns the incontestable rights to the Magnolia brand for ice cream and meats in the United States.
Sure it’s technically legal, but it sure as hell isn’t ethical.
Any unbiased person who hears of the details of the OMGpeke scandal understands the situation clearly.
“United States trademark law allows it, but it doesn’t mean it’s ethical.”
Magnolia Ice Cream was created by San Miguel in the Philippines in the 1920s. It is known as the first name of ice cream in the Philippines, if not in Asia. It is an honor for Filipinos to have that distinction.
For decades, San Miguel used its resources to cultivate consumer trust not only in the Philippines, but overseas as well. Who hasn’t heard of San Miguel Beer? Filipinos are rightly proud that we have an internationally recognized brand. Magnolia is another popular brand that San Miguel developed in the same way — producing quality products for its target markets.
In the early 1970s, Ramon and Maria Quesada in California started marking their own products with the Magnolia name in order to surf on the goodwill already established by San Miguel among Filipinos.
In the 1990s, that Quesada family — by then operating as RaMar Foods — formally registered the Magnolia mark in the United States… including the iconic oval logo!!!
We say to Filipino Americans. READ THE LABEL.
If it doesn’t say SAN MIGUEL, it’s not the Magnolia that Filipinos grew up with in the Philippines.
And it’s not just ice cream — it’s meats as well. Tocino, Beef Tapa, Longanisa (sic), Frozen Hot Dogs…
Be a smart consumer. When you see that iconic oval logo on a product in the United States or Canada, check the label.
Don’t be duped by the OMGpeke.
