Filipino American knockoffs

Be informed that there are USA-registered food companies that have been immorally capitalizing on the name recognition of Philippine brands in order to increase their sales among Filipinos overseas.

Most egregious is the wholesale piracy of San Miguel’s Magnolia name and logo by Ramar Foods USA, whereby they managed to legally acquire a trademark, such that they now own the exclusive rights to the name and logo in the United States, despite the fact that it was San Miguel who created and has been developing Magnolia in the Philippines since the 1920s.

Ramar Foods has no access to San Miguel’s proprietary recipes and processes. That is why iba ang lasa ng produkto nila sa orihinal.

In the year 2000, Ramar Foods USA also managed to secure the trademark in the United States for Pampanga’s Best, the name of a company that has been in business in the Philippines since 1967. There is no licensing between the two companies.

Martin Purefoods USA does not blatantly claim itself to be San Miguel Purefoods… however, quite a number of Filipino Americans have assumed that it is the PUREFOODS they know from back home. In this case, the onus is on the consumer to be more careful about reading the product label.

Same thing with Billy Jong’s Choco-Vim, which clearly is a knockoff of San Miguel’s Magnolia ChocoVim. At least, Billy Jong is not using the Magnolia name.

Mga Nagpapanggap na OMGpeke:

Magnolia Ice Cream USA of Ramar Foods
= absolutely NO relationship to the Magnolia Ice Cream of San Miguel Philippines

Pampanga’s Best of Ramar Foods USA
= absolutely NO relationship to Pampanga’s Best of the Philippines

Martin Purefoods USA
= no relationship to San Miguel Purefoods of the Philippines

Señor El Rey of Anaheim, California
= no relationship to Marca El Rey chorizo bilbao, which is now also produced in the USA by another company ethically using the heritage of the original known to Filipinos

Billy Jong’s ChocoVim
= no relationship to San Miguel Corporation’s Magnolia Choco-Vim

It is up to Filipinos overseas to be wise about their consumer choices at the “Filipino” stores they shop in. Hindi ibro-broadcast ng mga tindero’t tindera ang tungkol sa OMGpeke scandal kasi bibilhin ba ng tunay na Pilipino ang mga panindang ganyan kung alam nating nagpapanggap lang sila na kesho produkto daw sila ng Pilipinas?

Minsan ang presyo ay may premium pa at willing pa tayong magbayad ng extra kasi akala natin imported from the Philippines o gawa ng kumpanyang Pilipino, and one way or another mapupunta ang profits sa Pilipinas. Eh hindi naman pala ganoon.

Siempre kung informed tayong mga Pilipino tungkol sa kalokohan ng OMGpeke companies, hindi tayo mag-aaksaya ng pera sa mga produkto nila.

Kaya nga, obligasyon din nating pagsabihan ang ating mga kababayan tungkol dito. Basahin mabuti ang product labels.

Mga produkto ng Ramar Foods na sana’y i-boycott ng mga nakauunawa sa isyung ito: Orientex Lumpia, BesTaste Siopao/Shumai, Frescano Bangus, Manila Gold Calamansi, Turo-Turo Frozen, Kusina ni Maria, Magnolia Longanisa (sic), Magnolia Tocino, Magnolia Beef Tapa, Magnolia Frozen Hot Dogs

Tangkilikin ang sariling atin. Huwag magbigay ng pera sa OMGpeke na namirata ng mga marka mula sa Pilipinas.

Don’t support brand piracy. Don’t support trademark piracy.

Mabuhay ang Pilipinas !!