There may be over a month left before Christmas, but hundreds of Filipinos have already felt the festive cheer. Julie’s, the nation’s beloved bakeshop chain, along with brand endorser Kim Chiu brought unforgettable fresh and sulit moments to fans during the Sama Saya Caravan, held on November 9 at the Ayala Malls Trinoma Activity Center.
Throughout the day, visitors engaged with various booths and tried their luck in games for a chance to win exciting prizes from Julie’s. Thirty lucky winners had the opportunity to meet and greet Kim herself.
Alongside Kim, Pinoy merienda favorites were the highlight of the caravan. Visitors were treated to Julie’s everyday fresh and sulit baked goods such as ensaymadas, cheese breads, pan de cocos and Julie’s Violet Cream Loaf.
For Julie’s Marketing Director Marc San Juan, their Sama Saya Caravan is all about bringing fun and happiness to Filipinos. “The Sama Saya Caravan aims to give everyone a chance to enjoy our delicious freshly baked bread, find out what makes them fresh and affordable every day, and, more importantly, have fun,” he said.
A Family Affair
San Juan shared that Julie’s has a deep connection with Kim, with stories that parallel each other.
“Kim is a proud Cebuana who, through hard work and dedication, has become one of the country’s top celebrities. Julie’s began in 1981 in Wireless, Mandaue, Cebu where our founder, Julie Gandionco, opened the very first bakeshop at the age of 50. From that humble bakeshop, and through hard work, resilience, and goal to feed Filipino communities, we’ve grown to over 600 branches nationwide,” he said.
Kim, meanwhile, fondly recalls memories with Julie’s iconic baked goods. “After school, I’d always stop by the jeepney terminal, and while waiting, my little ritual was to buy binangkal and choco German from Julie’s. Those simple treats brought so much happiness, making the wait something to look forward to every day. That warm, freshly baked smell and the comforting taste of binangkal and choco German made those moments unforgettable and a big part of my childhood joy,” she recounted.
Kim’s connection with Julie’s runs deep with the family, as her sister, Lakam, is a Julie’s franchisee herself. Family has also played an important role in Julie’s continued growth: according to San Juan, they are seeing second-generation franchisees inspired by the success of their parents’ original franchises.
“Having these second generation franchisees, many of whom are the children of existing store owners, is a testament to the brand’s strength, sustainability, and positive relationships with our business partners,” he said.
Julie’s Holiday Gifts
The Sama Saya Caravan and the opportunity for fans to spend time with Kim are just a few of the holiday surprises Julie’s has in store for Filipinos. The bakeshop chain will soon roll out their Pan Regalos, including holiday classics such as Ube Cheese Pan Regalo and Banana Krunch Loaf, in stores nationwide.
Julie’s also launched the “Pamasko PANalo Raffle” during the Sama Saya Caravan. The raffle, which serves as a “thank you” to Julie’s loyal customers, offers exciting prizes, such as brand new cellphones and motorcycles, to lucky winners nationwide. Customers who purchase P100 worth of Julie’s bread along with any Mismo or 1.5L Coke products can join the raffle, which will run between November 10 to December 10, 2024.