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HIS drug addiction in 1997 nearly ended his cakes and pastry business, which his sister put up for him in 1983.
But Vicente E. Aldanese was able to overcome his addiction and recover his reputation as a businessman.
He slowly regained the trust of his customers. In 2008, he went full blast and launched his own brand of pastries called Tico's Kitchen.
Aldanese, who also runs his own rehabilitation center, admits that his addiction to illegal substance almost destroyed him.
?(It was a) good thing I was able to open my eyes, went into treatment and got back up on my feet,? Aldanese said.
Aldanese said his mom, Piluling, of barangay Ramos, Cebu City had the greatest influence on him and his siblings when it came to their passion for baking and cooking.
?She really loves to bake and we took it from her. While staying in Manila until we moved back here in 1983, we were already baking and selling to augment our allowances. I can say we really started as entrepreneurs back then,? he said.
When they moved back to Cebu, his sister continued to bake and eventually open her own cafe which she called City Bites.
?I took over in 1990 when she had to move back to Manila. She started the business here in Cebu for me,? he said.
Aldanese did not find it difficult to take over his sister's business because he, too, loved baking pastries and sweets.
All was well until, he got into illegal drugs.
?As an addict, I started to sacrifice the quality of my products, cutting out on some ingredients in order to gain more profits. I started overpricing and started losing the trust of my customers because I don't anymore return their change because of drugs,? he said.
He said the business suffered ? he lost his credibility as a baker and a businessman. Eentually his customers stopped ordering from him.
His father died on June 16, 1997. This made him realize that he had to overcome his addiction.
Aldanese decided to get into treatment.
?From June 20, 1998, until now, I?m totally clean from all types of drugs including nicotine and I have been very lucky to still find business partners, after what happened, who invested in this center,? Aldanese said referring to, We Do Recover, the rehabilitation center he founded in January 2009.
In 2000, Aldanese started baking again. He offered his products to some restaurants in Cebu.
?My polvoron is my bestseller. I often tell my customers that if you taste my polvoron you would no longer buy it from anyone else but me,? he said.
Aldanese also makes Foods for the Gods, Chocolate Truffles, Cheese Cakes, Frozen Chocolate Moose, Almond Crunch Balls, Fantasy Fudge, and Chocolate Crunch.
His prices range from as low as P150 for a box of the Fantasy Fudge, Chocolate Crunch and 25 pieces Polvoron; P175 for a box of the Almond Crunch Balls, and a box with all combinations, to P200 for the Chocolate Truffles.
For his investment, Aldanese said he only has to spend for the ingredients because he has all the equipment already at home.
Aldanese said people are now starting to order from him again including his old customers.
?I have to say that my orders in a day are still not that much but are slowly picking up nowadays,? he said.
For Valentine's Day, Aldanese has already received orders of his chocolate products.
Aldanese said he planned to open his own little counter in the future where his customers could visit, place and pick up orders.
?That?s my long term dream which I hope to achieve it within two years. Hopefully I can also find business partners for that,? he said.
For now, he is negotiating with a major restaurant in Cebu so he could supply the pastries.
?We're still negotiating, nothing final yet but I hope it will push through,? he said.
Being a former drug addict, Aldanese hopes to to also help those who also made the wrong turn and guide them back in the right direction again through his rehabilitation center.
He also intends to keep on baking to augment his income and help take care of his mom.
As a passionate baker, Aldanese said he would continue search for new recipes and experiment new products for his Tico's Kitchen.
