Lydia E. Malot
- Center Name:
- B-660
- Branch:
- Metro Davao Branch 1
- Product:
- Nata de Coco Production
- Years in the Business:
- 17
- Loan cycle:
- 7th (14,000)
- Net worth Growth:
- (876,480)
- Employees:
- 15
‘Taking Home the Bacon’
A mother of eight children, Lydia Malot started her business in 1993 out of curiosity to try a nata de coco recipe she accidentally skimmed from a magazine. With barely limited tools on hand, she managed to produce her first ever nata de coco using a small pail and utensils found in her kitchen.
The success of her first product try-out prompted Lydia to process nata de coco in the morning and juggle her full-time work as a teacher at Calinan High School. It was only when large orders came when she finally decided to concentrate on the business.
Initially, she started with 300 produced trays of nata de coco until it has grown to 8tons a week. But like other businesses, her lowest point came when her biggest client, the Crown Fruits International stopped its operation. Correspondingly, her multi-cab business is not doing well. By 2003, her house and lot was foreclosed due to mounting debts.
Despite the bad luck, Malot and her family remained positive with the promise of the nata de coco production boom. On that same year, DOLE engaged her as one major supplier with a regular target of 8 tons a week.
To date, aside from DOLE, she is supplying big time markets in Davao and Cagayan de Oro. She juggles her time between her family, business, and her active participation in her Center as president and the community.