Naman Shrestha
In an attempt to celebrate Filipino cuisine with the rest of the world, Fila Manila introduces a range of Pinoy ingredients, including various sauces, that allow you to savor the rich and unique flavors from the comfort of your home. Putting an emphasis on the quality of their brand and line of products, the owner of Fila Manila pitched the company in front of a host of sharks in the 16th episode of ‘Shark Tank’ season 15, in hopes of expanding the size of their business so that they can spread the Filipino flavors to more people.
Fila Manila: Who Are They and What Do They Do?
Although Jake Deleon was born in the Philippines, he was raised in New Jersey, making him a 1st generation Filipino American. During family gatherings, his family created an abundance of memories. In each gathering, one thing remained constant — home-cooked Filipino dishes. Alongside the laughter and conversations he shared with his family, Jake also remembered the delightful flavors of his favorite Pinoy cuisines that used to keep his stomach and heart full. As a child, he used to do his part and help out his family by selling Filipino delicacies to family and friends just to get some extra money to run the household.
With the love for his roots always in the back of his mind, he completed his education at Drexel University and Harvard Business School Executive Education. Starting off his professional career as a Multimedia Producer at Unisys Corporation, Jake switched to Procter & Gamble where he served as a Brand Manager for Asian Pet Care for three years and Brand Manager for Japan Snacks for 13 months. In July 2010, he landed a job at Blizzard Entertainment as a Marketing Manager, Southeast Asia, before getting employed as a Group Marketing Manager at Spa Esprit Group. With almost a decade of professional experience, he became an employee for Starbucks where he worked as a Marketing & Category Manager, China & Asia Pacific. Then, in October 2015, he founded his first brand — Origin Almond.
As Jake was able to create a rather profitable business with Origin Almond, he thought that it was the perfect time for him to cash in on his nostalgia related to Filipino cuisine. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020, it gave him the opportunity to research the Filipino diaspora in the States, and he learned that Filipinos are known to be the second-largest Asian ethnic group in the nation. Moreover, Filipino food was the fastest-growing Asian cuisine in the packaged goods market. But he found it strange that Filipino food was missing from the shelves of grocery stores. So he decided to fill the gap with the help of his family recipes, determination, years of experience in the market, and a $1,200 stimulus check.
After working in the test kitchen and coming out with some authentic Pinoy recipes, he founded Fila Manila in 2020, with the aim of bringing the joy associated with Filipino culture and delicacies to all households across America. On a side note, Jake also became the founder of Founders Heritage, which is a community that consists of founders working on global flavors. Made naturally with gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan ingredients, Fila Manila claims to contain no added colors or flavors in each of their delicious Pinoy recipe. What makes Fila Manila an authentic brand is the fact that it is not only founded by a Filipino-American but its squad is made up of 100% immigrants and POC.
Other than that, the company shows utmost support to other minority-owned agencies and suppliers. When it comes to the lineup of their products, Fila Manila consists of various Filipino-inspired sauces, condiments, and spreads, all of which are inspired by Jake’s favorite comfort foods while growing up. Authentic Pinoy ingredients, such as Coconut Vinegar and Date Syrup, are used in the making of all the products. The brand’s flagship products include Kare Kare peanut sauce, Caldereta zesty tomato sauce, and Adobo sauce and marinade. Jake also introduced some new flavors to the lineup, such as Ube Purple Yam Jam, Coconut Jam, and Banana Ketchup.
Fila Manila: Where Are They Now?
Since Fila Manila’s inception in 2020, Jake Deleon has been able to raise a couple of rounds, amounting to $100,000, for his brainchild. Just a few months in, Fila Manila went on to become the best-selling Filipino sauce brand in America, taking about 80 percent of the market share. The awards and accolades the company has collected over the years, including consecutive New Hope Network NEXTY Awards for Best New Condiment in 2021 and Best New Pantry Food in 2022, and a KeHE “On Trend” Award, are a testament to the fact that they are leaving a significant mark in the food industry.
To get a taste of this authentic Pinoy-based food, individuals can purchase Fila Manila products through several avenues — offline and online. It is available in different states across the country in stores like Target, Whole Foods Market, and Sprouts Farmers Market. If you wish to buy their products online, you can either head to the brand’s official website, where they currently have a Shark Tank Pack for sale, or search for Fila Manila products on Amazon.
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