After taking a year off, the popular annual event The Negros Trade Fair is making a comeback, albeit digitally, with goods that could be delivered to Metro Manila.
After getting canceled last year due to the pandemic, the annual Negros Trade Fair has now launched online. From May 29 to June 30, over 30 small to medium businesses are offering a wide selection of Negrense cuisine, delicacies, and artisanal crafts.
Since 1985, the Association of Negros Producers (ANP) has been promoting the culture, tradition, and products of Negros Occidental. What began as a program to help displaced workers is now supporting many different individuals, communities, and businesses. Now on its 35th year, the fair is also hosting an onsite event in Bacolod named The HUB.
All these products on the trade fair website are available for delivery to Metro Manila.
Negrense cuisine
From savory dishes like Chicken Inasal, Kansi, to sweets like Piaya and Napoleones, Negros Occidental doesn’t fall short of the delectable cuisines it can offer. Bacolod’s Ereñeta Manaloto Chorizo, for instance, joins the trade fair this year. The well-known chorizo brand offers sweet and savory variants: Hamonado and Recado.
For sweets and sugary snacks, Sugarlandia Barquillos is the go-to destination as they are the longest-running pasalubong center in Bacolod. The store is offering its signatures like pinasugbo, lubid-lubid, piaya bites, and barquillos.
Other stores in the food and beverage section include Ading’s Gourmet Food, Casa Carmela, Clara’s Food Products, El Ideal Bakery, Felicia’s Patry Shop, Inasalan sa Dalan, and Virgies Homemade.
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Style pieces
Now more than ever, fashion labels are empowering individuals, especially locals. By inviting them into the business, they are creating livelihood for themselves.
Through their woven bags, Kiculo Philippines supports those in need such as the women of Gawad Kalinga, a humble workshop in the municipality of Valladolid, and Persons Deprived of Liberty (PDL).
The trade fair also has products for children. Ines Moda Infantil makes exquisite hand-smocked children’s clothes, each one hand-crafted by housewives who are now breadwinners of their families.
Other fashion labels include CrisVil Creations, Creative Definitions, Chievs Stones and Crystals, Allege Handcrafter Fashion, Handmade by Princy, Loreyn Hammock, Negrense Volunteers for Change (NVC) Foundation, Saturn Arts and Fashion, and Rublyine Fashion.
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Artisanal crafts
Sustainability is becoming the focal point of many furniture brands. From handwoven textiles, indigenous fibers, to natural materials like bamboo and rattan, these design companies bring the outdoors into the home while protecting the environment.
For instance, Hacienda Crafts produce distinct lamps, furniture, and furnishings with a rustic feel. Among their designers include Wataru Sakuma who won awards for his paper product designs like the Hozuki Lighting.
There are also many artisanal craft-finds like Milvidas that creates hand-crocheted spiral coasters, table napkins, potted plant covers, and even ornaments in bright hues.
Other furniture labels include Art Energy, Artisana Island Crafts, Babylan’s Cococrafts, Golden Arts and Furnishings, Tumandok Craft Industries, Vallerhermoso Helping Hands Foundation Inc., and Yssa’s Handicrafts.
Click here to visit the rest of the featured businesses in Negros Trade Fair.
