Commercial Consul Emmanuel Ang of PTIC-Sydney and Richard Warneke of RW Marketing at the FilOz Flavors: Tickle Your Palate, Taste Your Imagination event
Commercial Consul Emmanuel Ang of PTIC-Sydney and Richard Warneke of RW Marketing at the FilOz Flavors: Tickle Your Palate, Taste Your Imagination event.

The vibrant and evolving landscape of Australia’s food and beverage industry welcomed a new wave of bold flavors, thanks to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) through its trade and investment promotion office in Australia, the Philippine Trade and Investment Center in Sydney (PTIC-Sydney). With its mission to elevate Filipino cuisine on the global stage, PTIC-Sydney took center stage in the recently concluded FilOz Flavors: Tickle Your Palate, Taste Your Imagination on 3 February 2025.

The event, held in Melbourne, the culinary capital of Australia, was a showcase of the Philippines’ finest flavors — ube, calamansi, and Philippine mango or otherwise known as manggang kalabaw — bringing together over 80 key players from Australia’s food and beverage sector. Among them were celebrated chefs, buyers, suppliers, distributors, and special guest celebrity chef and influencer Gabriel Gaté.

The growing interest in Filipino cuisine presents an incredible opportunity for businesses and food innovators to incorporate the Philippines’ unique flavors into mainstream menus and retail shelves. PTIC-Sydney bridges that gap and open doors for Philippine food exporters.

In fact, for PTIC-Sydney Special Representative and Commercial Consul Emmanuel Ang, FilOz Flavors was more than just a tasting event — it was a strategic move to position Filipino ingredients as premium and versatile products in the Australian market. Moreover, this event is a testament to how Filipino ingredients are captivating Australian consumers.

In collaboration with RW Marketing and Masterplan Global, PTIC-Sydney also played a significant role in curating an immersive experience for the guests. From a thoughtfully designed space adorned with Filipino decor to engaging video presentations highlighting the origins and versatility ofthe featured flavors,every corner of the venue was carefully crafted to leave a lasting impression.

Adding to the evening’s festivities, 7000 Islands Wine and Spirits Co., an Australian importer of Filipino alcoholic beverages, offered an open bar featuring ube cream liqueur, Engkanto beer’s mango and ube-flavored lagers, and other Filipino spirits. Owner and manager Ziggy Bacani shared that the company has also been exporting Australian wines from Yarra Valley to the Philippines, tailoring selections to Filipino palates with innovative packaging.

Con Buada of Drom Bakery, Consul General Maria Lourdes Salcedo of PCG Melbourne, and Marvid Buada of Drom Bakery posing for a photo during the event
Con Buada of Drom Bakery, Consul General Maria Lourdes Salcedo of PCG Melbourne, and Marvid Buada of Drom Bakery posing for a photo during the event

Philippine Consul General to Melbourne Maria Lourdes M. Salcedo lauded the efforts of PTIC-Sydney and its partners in driving Filipino flavors forward. And to ensure guests took a piece of the Philippines home with them, the Philippine Consulate General (PCG) gifted attendees with thoughtfully curated packages containing 7D dried mangoes, ube pastillas, and flavor guide cards detailing their experience.

Through events like FilOz Flavors, PTIC-Sydney continues to pave the way for Filipino products to gain recognition and appreciation in Australia. With growing enthusiasm and strategic industry collaborations, Filipino flavors are on their way to becoming a staple in global gastronomy. ♦

A collage of photos showing rows of Engkanto bottles and wineglass; as well as photos of Siegrid Bacani, Richard Warneke, Emmanuel Ang, and Terri Reyes posing with bottles of Engkanto products during the event, along with photos of Engkanto bottles
A photo of a Fil-Australian recipe and a bottle of Kanto Salted Caramel by Destileria Barako
A photo of a Fil-Australian recipe and a bottle of Kanto Salted Caramel by Destileria Barako.
A group of people participating in the FilOz Flavors: Tickle Your Palate, Taste Your Imagination
A group of people participating in the FilOz Flavors: Tickle Your Palate, Taste Your Imagination.

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Date of Release: February 18, 2025