Davao City has long been known for its rich soil and fresh produce. With a mission to harness this gift and bring healthier alternatives to the market, Shechem Marketing, Inc., created its flagship product: Belle’s Refreshing Juice.

Shechem Marketing began in 2015 when the founder, Ms. Gilda Flores, a vegetarian and devoted mother wanted to create fresh, all-natural juices free from preservatives. Her own family became the first “taste-testers.”

With the support of her husband, the juices were brought to the market and the response was positive. What started as a persona passion grew into a brand named after Ms. Flores’ daughter, Belle.

The juices are a testament to the best of what Davao can offer – pure, natural, and proudly homegrown. Shechem’s commitment to local sourcing not only delivers natural products but also that support Davao’s local agricultural sector.

From its humble beginnings with just three employees, Shechem has grown into a team of 18 employees and three plants in Davao City, Tacloban City, and Metro Manila. This growth was further supported by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) which helped Shechem acquire new machines to ramp up their production.

Just four years after their launch, Shechem earned regional recognition as the 2019 Region XI Regional Winner of the Productivity Olympics under the Micro, Industry Category. It was again named Regional Winner under the Small, Industry Category this year.

Today, Shechem is led by Ms. Belle, the founder’s daughter and current CEO. Before taking over the business, she was a human resource practitioner in one of the big establishments in Davao City. Transitioning to entrepreneurship, Ms. Belle credits the productivity trainings offered by RTWPB-XI as instrumental to their growth.

Among these, the 7S of Good Housekeeping, stood out. 7S of Good Housekeeping introduces a workplace organization method consisting of different approaches to maintain a tidy, clutter-free work area that fosters efficiency and improves productivity.

“One of the major challenges that we encounter as business owners are the people, the office, and the systems that we need to put in place,”, Ms. Belle said.

Shechem Marketing still regularly sends out their employees to attend the ever-expanding list of productivity training by RTWPB-XI.

While many businesses struggled during the COVID-19 pandemic, Belle’s Refreshing Juices experienced a boom. With more consumers turning to health options, demand surged.

Now navigating the post-pandemic world, Shechem continues to adapt by studying market trends, innovating the way they handle their business, and creatively introduce new products—all with the goal of introducing Davao in every bottle. Mao jud ‘pag produktibo, aasenso (It is really true, productivity brings progress)!