Herba Monte
From the fields and farms all the way to your cup, Herba Monte in the town of Valencia has been passionate about connecting people with the power of organically grown produce from the rich soil of Negros Oriental. The company promotes the health and wellness of the community, with gratitude to the hardworking farmers who have contributed to its success.
But behind every ground of success are stories of humble beginnings, countless challenges, lessons learned, and a helping hand from the Department of Trade & Industry.
Herba Monte, located in Apolong, Valencia, was established in 2019. They offer a diverse selection of healthy teas made from ginger, turmeric, and 15 plants and herbs. Their mission is to produce products that promote personal wellness and contribute to improving the health of the community.
The company was founded by Nelsa Shahidi, who says she is a “proud daughter of a farmer”. Growing up, she experienced the challenges of economic hardship firsthand. In her early years, Nelsa sought employment abroad, where she met her husband. With her husband’s previous business experience in the US, and her innate passion for entrepreneurship, they embarked on their business venture, initially driven by the need to provide for their family.
The company’s foundation is built on the desire to create healthy products that benefit everyone involved, especially the hardworking farmers and their families. Herba Monte sources its raw materials directly from local farmers, and formed a group of potential supplier farmers from the community, encouraging them to grow root crops in their backyards, and promoting sustainability through community farming initiatives.
Reflecting on the challenges of her early years, Nelsa recalls the challenges of marketing and promoting their products, as newcomers to a market where there was little interest in new products. Shahidi fondly recalled the perseverance that got them through. She said it is important to acquire the necessary skills, and to actively seek mentorship from those who can provide the knowledge she needs.
Despite their initial uncertainty, they found hope in the support of government agencies like the DTI, which provided them essential business development training to impart knowledge and cultivate skills in business management. Through its One Town-One Product (OTOP) program, DTI-Negros Oriental had been instrumental in helping create a bright future for Herba Monte.
With the joint effort and full support of the provincial DTI team, a series of training sessions were conducted to improve their products. These included seminars on food safety, mandatory food labelling requirements, good manufacturing practice, standard operating procedure, and risk management plans.
In addition, capacity-building sessions on shelf-life determination of pre-packaged processed foods were conducted, and business consulting services were provided to assist in obtaining the operating license from the Food & Drugs Agency. These measures ensured that products are produced safely, legally, and with high quality.
They also enrolled in DTI’s Kapatid Mentor ME (Micro Entreprenuers) program to scale up, and further learn how to run a business with a competent mentor. With this training, Herba Monte’s management is now equipped with the knowledge and confidence to run their business.
With the knowledge gained through various trainings and seminars, Shahidi said her business is now thriving, and with the recent US FDA approval, she continues to expand her marketing reach.
Beyond entrepreneurship, Shahidi is a devoted mother who understands the sacrifices required to provide for her family. Her experience and empathy drive her belief that her healthy product should benefit everyone involved – those who create it and those who consume it.
With a focus on empowering women, she founded another company, Herbs R Us, which primarily employs women and mothers. Shahidi said she believes in equal rights for women in the workforce, seeing them as capable as well, extending job opportunities to women in her community, valuing their potential over prior work experience, and supporting their career development. “I hope that one day I can provide more jobs for the people around me, especially the women. All of our workers are women, and I want to empower them, especially the mothers,” Shahidi said.
She shares her success with her supplier-farmers and workers, giving them bonuses and other forms of support such as school supplies and educational assistance for their children.
For all these achievements, Shahidi said she is overwhelmed with hope that these interventions will lead to long-term growth, increase the value of their product, and improve the economic well-being of all involved.
More than ever, Herba Monte has become a source of inspiration for other small entreprenuers who may be struggling and growing from humble beginnings.
As the fruit of their hard work graces your table — from that first cup of morning tea till the end of a hard day’s work — know that none of this would have been possible without the dedication of farmers growing, harvesting, processing, and serving their product. (DTI Region 7)
