Premium Philippine Coconut Essentials

Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in food and beverages but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Raquel Konrad, owner of Bukobaba Essentials Inc., located in Vancouver, BC, Canada.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

Bukobaba is a Vancouver-based, family-owned business. Our mission is to provide healthy premium coconut food and wellness products to markets in Canada by supporting and working directly with local organic coconut farmers in the Philippines. All of Bukobaba’s products are made and packaged in the Philippines.

We use production methods that preserve the integrity and quality of each of our products. Each item is made in small batches, hand-crafted, and sustainably sourced. Our current customers are Canadians who prioritize in eating good food and taking care of their health and wellbeing.

Tell us about yourself

My name is Raquel Konrad. (I recently got married on October 10, 2021, so people may still know me by my maiden name, Stewart.) I was born in Las Piñas, Philippines, but grew up in BC, Canada. Although I am only half-Filipina, I have always kept strong cultural ties with my birthplace; from the food to the karaoke.

My parents, siblings, and I regularly travel to the Philippines to visit our extended family, but in 2017, we had the opportunity to meet some farmers at a local organic coconut farm. There we saw how premium, truly cold-pressed coconut oil was made, from the tree to the jar. It was on that trip that a passion sparked in me, and I was inspired to bring premium quality coconut products from the Philippines to Canada.

I was only 19 at the time, but I was so excited to share my Filipino heritage and healthy coconut food products with people in Canada. It’s my passion to inspire healthy cooking using Bukobaba’s coconut essentials. I’m motivated to keep doing what I do because I see the positive impact our family business has on our own health, the community, and the farmers back in my second home, the Philippines.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

My biggest accomplishment is being able to support the Filipino farmers and their families financially through Bukobaba. One example is during Christmas time; we deliver food gift packages to each of the farmer's families. Giving back is the most rewarding thing about what I do and makes all the hard work worth it.

I encourage everyone who has the opportunity to do good, whether in business or just their everyday life, just do it. We all have the power to do good… for our bodies, our souls, and for the people around us.

What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?

You have to be patient. Business can pay off in the long run, but it always takes time. It’s easy to feel like giving up when you don’t see it growing as fast as you’d like, but you have to stay strong and persevere.

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

Do not "wait for the right time" to start a business. It will never come. Sure, there is a lot of risks, but there is a lot more to gain from starting a business.
Be content with the monotonous. There will be dull moments in your everyday business life, and you need to stay determined to get the work done.
Surround yourself with people who you can learn from and want to see you succeed. Who you become is heavily determined by who you spend the most time with.

When it comes to business, you don't just need to have a passion for what you do… the truth is, you also have to be good or be willing to become skilled at your passion.

In the beginning, you wear a lot of hats. During those days, take note of what you enjoy doing within your business, but also take note of aspects you don’t enjoy as much, as you may consider hiring someone else to fulfill that role in the future. I encourage anyone that wants to start a business to take that first step and go for it!

Life is very short, and there is so much to learn and discover from the adventure of running a business.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://bukobaba.ca/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bukobaba.essentials/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bukobaba.essentials/

If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solopreneur that you'd like to share, then email community@subkit.com; we'd love to feature your journey on these pages.

Feel inspired to start, run or grow your own subscription business? Check out subkit.com and learn how you can turn "one day" into day one.