Kept from boarding cruise ship, OFW couple cash in on baking craze by selling eggs

A husband and wife who both used to work on a cruise ship overseas made the most of their time in the Philippines by selling eggs to cash in on the baking craze amid quarantine.

According to Mav Gonzales’ Tuesday report on “24 Oras,” Aljin and Mary Casela got the idea to sell eggs when they saw how many people started baking while stuck at home.

“Ang daming nagpo-post about sa leche flan, mga nagba-bake na tao, so nag-decide kami siguro kami ‘yung kailangan niyo. Mayroon naman kaming ipon kahit papaano so ‘yun ‘yung ginamit naming pagpaikot ng business instead na matulog ‘yung pera namin,” Aljin said.

Prior to the coronavirus pandemic, Aljin and Mary worked together on the same cruise ship.

In December last year, Mary returned to the Philippines when she got pregnant with their second child.

Aljin followed not long after.

“That time may COVID na rin so medyo safety na kami no’n kasi that time, nahihirapan nang umuwi mga kasama namin, so until now nando’n pa rin sila,” he said.

With only P5,000 as capital, the couple purchased 20 trays of eggs from a supplier.

They get the 50 to 70 egg trays from their supplier thrice a week.

Most of those trays had already been preordered by loyal customers.

“‘Pag three trays ‘yung in-order nila, free delivery na so parang ayon na ‘yung impact. Natutuwa naman sila sa service na ‘yun so nagbibigay sila ng tip,” Aljin said.

Once the pandemic ends, however, the couple plan to return to work aboard a cruise ship.

“Teamwork talaga. Ano lang ‘to, pagsubok lang. Madadaanan din natin ‘to, matatapos din natin kasi parang alon lang ‘to sa barko,” Aljin said.

“‘Wag lang mawawalan ng pag-asa. Kapit lang kay God, matatapos din ‘to. Sabi nga nila Pinoy tayo, virus ka lang. So laban lang,” Mary added. -Julia Mari Ornedo/NB, GMA News