Before CDO Foodsphere became one of the Philippines’ most recognized food companies, its founder Corazon Dayro Ong began her career in a completely different field—clinical nutrition.
Her academic background initially pointed her toward a professional career in healthcare rather than entrepreneurship.
“I was a graduate of Food and Nutrition,” Ong says. “I studied in Far Eastern University. I took up Nutrition and Dietetics. Yan ang naging background ko.”
After graduating, she began working as a dietitian, first in a company cafeteria and later in a hospital’s dietary department.
“I started working in a company cafeteria as a dietitian, and later on, I became a dietitian also in a Dietary Department sa hospital.”
At that stage, her career path reflected a traditional professional trajectory based on her academic training. Entrepreneurship was not yet part of her plans.
During her time in school, however, she met the man who would later become both her husband and her early business partner.
“I met my husband in school,” Ong recalls. “He had already graduated from college, but he wanted to take up medicine.”
Although he had already completed his degree, he returned to school to take additional courses in physics. Ong happened to enroll in the same class.
“So he took some courses in physics, eh ako naman kumuha rin ng physics noon, so that’s where we met in the class.”
Marriage eventually changed the direction of her career. Ong continued working in the hospital after getting married, but when she had her first child, she made a decision that many mothers face.
“When I got married, I was still working in the hospital,” she says. “So when I had my first baby, I resigned from the hospital.”
Her husband, meanwhile, was pursuing an academic career.
“My husband was a professor sa Botany and Sociology sa Ateneo de Manila University.”
As their family grew, Ong chose to devote her time to raising their children.
“When I had Jerome, our firstborn, I decided to quit so I could take care of him. Later on, I also took care of our second child, Charmaine.”
At this stage, her focus was entirely on family life. But years later, when her children had grown older and were already attending school, she found herself looking for something meaningful to do.
“When they were already going to school, I got bored,” Ong admits. “I started to look for something to keep me busy.”
Many entrepreneurial journeys begin exactly this way—not from an immediate ambition to build a company, but from a desire to stay productive or pursue a personal interest. For Ong, the spark came from something she had always loved.
“I went back to my first love—cooking.”
Her training in food and nutrition gave her a natural advantage. Unlike many home cooks, she had formal knowledge about food composition, preparation, and quality.
“I experimented on different products to keep me occupied.”
Eventually she began producing siopao in her home kitchen.
“Then I decided to make siopao, sa bahay lang.”
Rather than simply copying existing products in the market, Ong began experimenting with different variations.
“Later on, I experimented with different kinds of fillings.”
One particular idea stood out.
“Then I thought of creating another variant and introduced skinless longganisa to make it as a filling.”
The result was an innovative fusion of two familiar Filipino foods.
“Yan yung siopao that’s filled with skinless longganisa.”
This small innovation highlights a key principle in the food industry: successful products often emerge not from entirely new inventions, but from creative combinations of familiar flavors. By introducing a longganisa filling, Ong created a product that felt both new and culturally familiar to Filipino consumers.
Before selling the product to the public, she followed a simple but effective testing process.
“Pina-try ko muna sa family ko.”
Their feedback became the first stage of product validation.
“They liked the taste—they approved it.”
Encouraged by the response, she began introducing the product to neighbors.
“And then I introduced it to our neighbors, nagustuhan naman.”
Eventually, the product reached a slightly larger audience.
“Later on, pati sa ibang hospitals and cafeterias.”
This step-by-step expansion reflects a common pattern in early-stage food businesses. Rather than launching immediately on a large scale, many successful products first gain traction within small communities—family circles, neighborhood networks, and local institutions.
These early adopters often provide the feedback that helps entrepreneurs refine their products.
As demand for her siopao increased, Ong realized she could no longer handle everything on her own.
That was when her husband became actively involved in the business.
“So when all this came in, that’s when my husband decided to help me.”
The couple began dividing responsibilities based on their strengths.
“He assisted with production and delivery, while I focused on the research and development of new products.”
Many successful family businesses begin as partnerships between spouses. One founder often focuses on product development, while the other manages operations, logistics, or distribution.
Their small operation soon developed a routine built on teamwork and discipline.
“I would get up early in the morning to make siopao,” Ong says.
Her husband handled much of the dough preparation.
“Siya yung gumagawa yung pagma-mash nun, kagaya nung dough.”
Everything was done manually.
“Manually lang kasi ginagawa noon,” she explains. “Parang time-consuming and medyo mahirap.”
At that stage, the business was still a modest home-based operation. But the foundations of a future food company were already taking shape: product innovation, customer validation, and a family partnership that divided responsibilities effectively.
Many of the Philippines’ most successful food brands began in similar circumstances—small kitchens, limited equipment, and founders willing to do every step themselves. What eventually distinguishes those that grow into large enterprises is the ability to transform a simple homemade product into something that consistently meets the demands of a wider market.
For Corazon Ong, what began as a way to pass the time eventually evolved into the early beginnings of CDO Foodsphere, a company that would later grow into one of the country’s largest food manufacturers.
Her story demonstrates a recurring lesson in entrepreneurship: sometimes the most enduring businesses begin not with ambitious plans, but with a simple passion pursued with persistence and curiosity.
