JCF Soap Manufacturing, Company

“DAGTA HERBAL SOAPS”, Products that peddles “a better look” as the end result makes a lot of money, given the right quality, price, and marketing. It’s a theory proven again by a maker of “whitening” soaps- now a hit among Filipinos, many of whom believe that the standard of beauty depends on the whiteness of the skin. Peddling beauty products is not something new to Josephine Festejo, as she has had years of experienced in marketing various known cosmetics and beauty care products such as We Believe & Care (WBC), Avon, Aura Beauty Care, Herway and among others. It was from these companies that she was able to establish sales network and business partners that makes her easy to market any products that she intend to sell. Her knowledge of soap-making first came from the chemist of the local cosmetics firm where she worked who thought her all the basics. Notwithstanding with the basic soap making skills and knowledge, she still took up formal course in soap manufacturing with the TLRC (now TRC, Technology Resource Center). Josephine said, “I saw the potential of making beauty bars. Besides being able to source the raw materials locally, the beauty bars also gives a higher return on investment,” especially since at that time there was really a huge demand for papaya soap and an emerging market for soaps that could whiten the skin of an increasingly vain market. The backyard business kicked off with the production of Papaya Soaps, Akapulko Soap, Oatmeal Soap and other Herbal Soaps. Also, other products like powder detergent, liquid detergent and other home care products which they sold, albeit haphazardly, to friends, relatives, neighbors, and even acquaintances who knew market vendors. Josie and her husband Ricardo, who’s in charged in soap production, labeled her soaps “Dagta” the Filipino word for the sticky substance or sap that comes from plant-trees, fruit trees, even flowers. To distribute the product, she then called up her former subordinates and colleagues in the cosmetics firm where she worked for. They then sold the soap directly to the beauty products companies, multilevel marketing members, and even to individual consumers. Today, many companies buy soap from Mrs. Festejo, although they do not use the “Dagta” label but replace it with their own brand. “Dagta” reached up to different places in the Philippines like Luzon Region, Ili-ilo, Cebu, Leyte, some parts in Mindanao, and even outside the country.