Ube, Calamansi, and Manggang Kalabaw Showcased to Australian Food Industry Experts in FilOz Flavors

03 FEBRUARY, MELBOURNE –

In the culinary capital of Australia, the Philippine Consulate General worked with PTIC-Sydney, RW Marketing, and Masterplan Global in showcasing the distinct Filipino ingredients of ube, calamansi, and manggang kalabaw in an event entitled Filoz Flavors: Tickle you Palate, Taste your Imagination.

Over 80 guests from Australia’s food and beverage industry attended the event, including chefs, buyers, suppliers, and distributors, and the noted celebrity chef and influencer Gabriel Gaté.

Consul General Maria Lourdes M. Salcedo, in her remarks, was pleased to note that FilOz Flavors, which has gathered together key movers and shakers in the industry, comes at the heels of the growing interest in Filipino cuisine and Filipino flavors in Melbourne, building on the success of the Ube Festival: Color our World Purple and the Flavors of Freedom in held in February and June 2024, respectively.

PTIC-Sydney Special Representative and Commercial Consul Emmmanuel Ang, Richard Warneke of RW Marketing, Raine Cabral of Masterplan Global, also welcomed the guests and expressed their excitement for the future of Filipino cuisine in Australia.

7000 Islands Wine and Spirits Co., an Australian importer of Filipino alcoholic beverages, served ube cream liqueur, Engkanto beer’s mango and ube-flavored lagers, and other Filipino spirits in an open bar for the guests. According to its owner/manager Ziggy Bacani, they also export Australian wine from Yarra Valley with distinct tastes to the Philippines for Filipino palate, complete with their creative packaging.

The event provided an excellent sample of what the Philippines can offer. The two TV screens played videos of ube, calamansi and manggang kalabaw with English subtitles. Classical Filipino pieces were played by Bernard Soler in the anteroom, and the whole place from the entrance to the stairs foyer, anteroom and the demonstration kitchen were decked with unique Filipino decor.

After the event, the Philippine Consulate General provided the guests with gift bags containing 7D dried mangoes from Tho Lim, ube pastillas, and a small card containing descriptions of the flavors that they experienced.