Brand Origins

Chris Garin

Learn about the Origins of the Biggest Brands in the Philippines, as well as the histories behind the biggest brands in the country (Ayala, SM, Jollibee, Shopee, Lazada). A podcast for Filipino entrepreneurs.

  1. 12/01/2025

    Nescafe & the Philippines' Instant Coffee Wars

    In this episode of Brand Origins, we dig into the true history of Nescafé and the instant coffee wars. We uncover the early inventors who came before Nestlé, how instant coffee existed decades earlier, and how Nescafé still became the global leader and the Philippines’ #1 brand. We break down how World War I and World War II turned instant coffee into a battlefield essential, how the Great Depression almost killed the idea entirely, and how Max Morganthaler saved a cancelled project that Nestlé had already abandoned. We also explore Café Puro, Blend 45, Nescafé Gold, Nespresso, Dolce Gusto, Starbucks At Home, and why Nestlé invested in Blue Bottle Coffee. If you want to understand how instant coffee became part of Filipino culture, and how Nescafé won a global war it didn’t even start, this is the full story. Episode Sponsor: The Sauce For bite-sized, easy-to-digest business news in the Philippines, check out The Sauce on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thesauce.ph/ Want your brand to be featured in future episodes? Visit chrisgarin.com for sponsorships, partnerships, and collaborations. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chris.garin/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@chris_garin Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100077660561299 Threads: https://www.threads.net/@chris.garin Timestamps 0:00 – Intro 0:50 – Ad: The Sauce 3:52 – Satori Kato 4:35 – George Washington Coffee 5:37 – World War I 6:18 – “Cup of Joe” Origins 8:25 – Nestlé Enters the Picture 9:05 – The Great Depression 11:23 – Brazil Taps Nestlé 11:36 – Max Morgenthaler 15:09 – Why They Called It “Nescafé” 16:33 – World War II 18:44 – Nescafé in the Philippines 19:25 – Nescafé’s Competitors 23:35 – Nescafé’s Foreign-Looking Ads 26:01 – Nescafé Gold 27:05 – Nespresso 28:31 – Dolce Gusto 28:48 – Starbucks At Home 30:27 – Blue Bottle Coffee 32:07 – The Nescafé Empire About Brand Origins Brand Origins tells the stories behind the biggest brands and the ideas that built them. Each episode dives deep into the business moves, cultural moments, and turning points that shaped the companies we see today.

    33 min

  2. 11/17/2025

    The Underdog Story of Skyflakes, FITA, & MY San

    SkyFlakes: The Complete Brand HistorySkyflakes is one of the biggest cracker brands in the Philippines. You will find it in lunch boxes, sari-sari stores, office drawers, long bus rides, merienda tables, and OFW care packages sent across the world.But how did a simple cracker become such a big part of everyday life in the Philippines? In this episode of Brand Origins, we uncover the complete brand history of SkyFlakes and the rise of M.Y. San, the company behind some of the most iconic biscuits in the country. From its early origins before World War II, to its reinvention in the Philippines, to the launch of SkyFlakes and FITA in the 1960s, this episode breaks down how a humble cracker became a cultural staple. We explore M.Y. San’s beginnings, the debt crisis it survived, and how SkyFlakes managed to outlast competitors like Rebisco and Magic Flakes.We also dive into the surprising story of graham crackers and why M.Y. San became the go-to brand for mango float in Filipino homes. If you want to understand how a biscuit became part of our national identity, this is the full story. Episode Sponsor: The SauceFor bite-sized, easy-to-digest business news in the Philippines, check out The Sauce on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/thesauce.ph/ SponsorshipsWant your brand to be featured in future episodes?Visit chrisgarin.com for sponsorships, partnerships, and collaborations. Say HiInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/chris.garin/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@chris_garin Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100077660561299 Threads: https://www.threads.net/@chris.garin Timestamps0:00 – Intro 0:50 – Ad: The Sauce 2:33 – The Founder, M.Y. San 2:57 – Escolta Ice Cream Parlor 3:24 – Escolta and Binondo History 7:20 – M.Y. San’s Debt Crisis 10:19 – M.Y. San in the Philippines 11:18 – FITA History 12:05 – Graham Crackers History 13:16 – SkyFlakes History 14:29 – SkyFlakes Marketing Strategy 16:27 – SkyFlakes Ads 20:00 – Outro About Brand OriginsBrand Origins tells the stories behind the biggest brands and the ideas that built them.Each episode dives deep into the business moves, cultural moments, and turning points that shaped the companies we see today.

    21 min

  3. 10/22/2025

    How Payoneer Empowers the Rise of Filipino Remote Workers

    In this episode, Chris is joined by Monique Avila, Head of Customer Success at Payoneer, the fintech platform helping small and medium-sized businesses thrive on the global stage. Together, they discuss how Filipino entrepreneurs and freelancers are breaking barriers, building international businesses right from home. Discover how Payoneer is reshaping the way Filipinos get paid, connect with clients worldwide, and transform local talent into a powerful global force. 📍 TIMESTAMPS 0:00 – How Filipinos are building careers and income streams from home 5:00 – Payoneer’s Monique Avila joins the conversation 8:15 – What Payoneer Philippines looked like then vs. now 10:25 – The Origins of Payoneer 13:50 – How Payoneer earned the trust of freelancers and businesses 16:30 – Why Payoneer set its sights on emerging markets 18:13 – How Payoneer gained its first users in the Philippines 22:00 – Stories of how Payoneer changed lives for Filipino freelancers 26:22 – What the next 10 years looks like for Payoneer 29:00 – Payoneer’s Promo: Why you should sign up now 🎁 PAYONEER PROMO: Register to Payoneer and get a $40 cashback reward once you reach $4,000 in outgoing eligible transactions within the first 90 days. Promo runs until November 15, 2025. See the full terms and conditions in the link. Sign up here: https://tinyurl.com/pdec46us

    31 min

  4. 10/18/2025

    Why SM chose Watsons over Mercury Drug | Complete History

    Watsons: The Complete History of the Philippines' Biggest Health and Beauty Retailer Watsons has become a household name in the Philippines. You will find it in nearly every SM mall, beside every grocery, and in almost every major city. But how did this happen? And why did SM choose to partner with Watsons instead of Mercury Drug, the most established pharmacy chain in the country at the time? In this episode of Brand Origins, we uncover the full history of Watsons in the Philippines and how it became one of SM's most powerful retail partners. From its beginnings as A.S. Watson & Co. in 19th century Hong Kong, to its rapid expansion across Asia, to the critical partnership with SM Investments, this episode breaks down how the brand grew from a small apothecary into one of the largest health and beauty retailers in the world. We explore how Watsons built its reputation for trust, accessibility, and convenience, and how SM's business strategy helped the brand dominate the Philippine market. Timestamps 00:00 – Intro 00:58 – Henry Sy's Vow to Crush Mercury Drug 02:40 – How Britain Took Hong Kong 06:49 – The Hong Kong Dispensary 07:55 – A.S. Watson's Rapid Growth 10:17 – Watsons Water 11:07 – Hong Kong and Whampoa Dock 11:23 – How Li Ka-Shing Acquired the Company 12:02 – Brands A.S. Watson Owns 14:20 – Watsons in the Philippines 15:08 – Watsons' Secret Cash Cow (Optimo) 18:39 – Watsons Pink 19:43 – Outro Sponsorships Want your brand to be featured in future episodes? Visit chrisgarin.com for sponsorship opportunities, partnerships, or collaboration inquiries.

    20 min

  5. 04/03/2023

    How The Secret Company Behind Vivo, Oppo, Realme beat Samsung

    In this episode, Chris talks about BBK Electronics — the Chinese smartphone company behind Vivo, Oppo, Realme, OnePlus, and iQOO. Learn about why they decided to launch multiple brands instead of just launching one big brand, their growth strategies, and how they defended their market share against the threat of Xiaomi.  ------ TIMESTAMPS: (3:00) - Humble beginnings of Duan YongPing and BBK Electronics (8:49) - The Real reason why Vivo and Oppo invest heavily on advertising (12:37) - The Battle for India: Xiaomi vs. BBK (15:26) - Why BBK launched Realme (17:18) - Why BBK launched multiple brands instead of just one big brand (21:50) - BBK Electronics clever distribution strategy ------ Subscribe to my YouTube channel  For shorter clips, follow me on Tiktok and Instagram Want to sponsor an episode? Check out the details on my website.

    23 min

  6. 02/10/2023

    The Origins of Chinese Car Brands in the Philippines: Are they finally worth buying?

    In this episode, Chris breaks down the auto industry in the Philippines, the auto manufacturing industry in China, the history of each Chinese car brand that has entered the country, and whether China-made cars are finally worth considering.  ------ TIMESTAMPS: (4:26) - Which car brand is winning in the Philippines? (7:29) - The auto manufacturing industry of China (13:38) - "The Big Four", the largest automakers in China (15:54) - Brief history of each Chinese car brand (Geely, MG, Changan, etc.) (22:54) - Can we trust Chinese brands? ------ Subscribe to my YouTube channel  For shorter clips, follow me on Tiktok and Instagram Want to sponsor an episode? Check out the details on my website. Read More Quick LinksGet Embed PlayerDownload Audio File

    30 min
  7. Shopee vs. Lazada | In-Depth Strategy Breakdown

    01/28/2023

    Shopee vs. Lazada | In-Depth Strategy Breakdown

    Shopee and Lazada implemented different strategies in terms of logistics, funding, marketing, inventory, expansion, and even management style. Go in-depth into the reasons why they different routes, and how it affected their present-day situation.  Subscribe to my YouTube channel  For shorter clips, follow me on Tiktok and Instagram Want to sponsor an episode? Check out the details on my website.

    23 min
  8. Lazada | How Lazada Kickstarted the eCommerce Race in Southeast Asia

    01/28/2023

    Lazada | How Lazada Kickstarted the eCommerce Race in Southeast Asia

    Learn about Rocket Internet, the startup incubator that founded Lazada. Learn about the logistical and cultural problems that Lazada had to find solutions to in order to get people to embrace eCommerce. And most importantly, learn about the Alibaba acquisition and how Lazada became as big as it is today.  Subscribe to my YouTube channel  Message me on Instagram Want to sponsor an episode? Check out the details on my website.

    24 min
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About

Learn about the Origins of the Biggest Brands in the Philippines, as well as the histories behind the biggest brands in the country (Ayala, SM, Jollibee, Shopee, Lazada). A podcast for Filipino entrepreneurs.

Information

  • Creator
    Chris Garin
  • Years Active
    2019 - 2025
  • Episodes
    92
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Chris Garin
  • Show Website
    Brand Origins