The story of Caramel is a story of a woman who, behind her shy demeanor, is a strong-willed, resolute and empowered.
Caramel started with only six eggs and half a kilo of sugar which cost less than P50.00 in the early ‘70s. Whipping these up into sugar cookies popularly known as meringues, Arlene A. Vergara, the founder of Caramel, was amazed at how people flocked to their apartment to buy these sugar cookies as early as 5 am. In a matter of days, her P50.00 multiplied into a thousandfold.
Back in her high school days, she already displayed her passion for baking and cooking. Being resourceful, she would improvise an oven using an empty tin can of oil. Putting some burning charcoal below and above this tin can to balance the heat, she would bake simple delicacies to serve to her family and friends.
Undoubtedly passionate about baking and cooking, she enrolled in every baking and cooking schools she could find in Metro Manila to hone her culinary skills. She improved on the recipes and techniques that she acquired and concocted her own.
Aside from raising up three kids, she started accepting orders for decorated cakes and conducted culinary classes in an apartment. Restless as she was, she put up the first burger joint in Daet, Camarines Norte. Inspired by the success of this burger joint, she eventually built a two-story building to house Siennalo’s, a restaurant well-known for its different varieties of noodles, siopao and lomi.
Arlene, an indefatigable worker, decided to venture into cakes and breads. In 1996, she built a three-story building to house Caramel Bakeshop in Daet with about 10 employees. Fast forward to today, she has about 150 employees.
Since a bakeshop and restaurant business is all about the littlest details, Arlene’s approach to business has always been hands on. Although she attended baking and cooking classes, she has no formal training in baking and cooking. She, however, has built the habit of formulating recipes of her own which turn out to be best sellers.
In 2010, she was recognized by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) as Exceptional Businessman in Camarines Norte. The following year, she was a recipient of the prestigious Halyao Award as 2011 Bicolano Business Person of the Year in the province of Camarines Norte.
In 2020, Arlene built a bakeshop/commissary in Pili, Camarines Sur to serve Caramel’s future expansion plans. It also houses one of the biggest pasalubong centers in the Bicol Region. Its second floor is now a full-service Bicolano restaurant.
According to Arlene, food business is not an easy undertaking. There are ups and downs. There are times when it requires working 24 hours a day. This is one venture that demands commitment, patience, perseverance, determination, a lot of hard work and yes, a lot of prayers.
Despite the numerous and seemingly unending challenges made even tougher by the current and looming global crises, Arlene, however, has remained unfazed and is still bent on dreaming big, notwithstanding the uncertain times ahead.
Editors’ note: Arlene A. Vergara is also the President and COO of Pineapple Island Resort, a vacation, events, and convention destination in Daet. Learn more…
Pineapple Island Resort is a sprawling 5-hectare ecotourism property located in Calasgasan, Daet, Camarines Norte. The resort is owned by Pineapple Island Leisures, Inc., with Arlene A. Vergara at the helm, serving as its President and COO. This project was envisioned by Arlene to boost the growing catering services of Caramel Bakeshop and in pursuit of her passion to express herself in another field. She developed this property into a premier water park and a vacation destination for those seeking calm and quiet away from the hustle and bustle of city life.
At the heart of the resort is a stunning swimming pool complex with two and three-level slides which offer everyone a whole new experience of thrill and adventure. A kiddie pool with a turtle slide and a play station is a sure attraction for kids.
The resort, to date, has the biggest venue in Camarines Norte that provides an idyllic setting for weddings, retreats, conferences, seminars, conventions and every other imaginable celebration.
Pineapple Island Resort offers a range of accommodation options where guests can choose from 25 spacious rooms. Some of the rooms have attics that are perfect for families on staycation and cozy cabins with a veranda overlooking the lush greenery of the surroundings.
The resort has a freshwater lagoon teeming with tilapias, catfish, eels and other freshwater fishes. One can go fishing and get excited with a fresh catch as one whiles away the time.
It has a greenhouse with a wide variety of rare plants for plant hobbyists. Chirping birds are all over the place. Visitors will marvel as they watch seasonal butterflies fluttering around. The area is ringed with mahogany, narra, coconut and pili trees as well as various fruit trees. A koi pond will surely give joy to koi lovers. All in all, Pineapple Island Resort, with its beautiful setting and amenities, is the perfect place to escape the stresses of everyday life and a perfect place to just relax, meditate and commune with nature.
About the author: Atty. Racquel Sienna A. Vergara was a consistent honor student since her elementary days at La Consolacion College in Daet. She spent her high school days at Universidad de Sta Isabel; graduated with bachelor’s degree in Legal Management at Ateneo de Manila University; and finished her juris doctor at the Ateneo School of Law. She completed her master’s degree in Entrepreneurship at Asian Institute of Management with honors. As her mother Arlene has eased back from the day-to-day management of Caramel, Sienna and her sister Jetjet have now taken over management of the family businesses – she in Daet and latter in Naga/Pili.
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