January 1, 2025 - Drawing from the nostalgia of Christmas, six hundred Balikbayan boxes with free shipping are available to lucky Canadian Filipinos in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA).
In an interview with Canadian Filipino Net (CFNet), Coca-Cola’s Senior Director for Multicultural Marketing Stephanie Eaddy described the Coca-Cola Balikbayan program as a way for Canadian Filipinos “to send heartfelt gifts to their loved ones in the Philippines during the holiday season.” Coca-Cola is providing custom-designed Balikbayan boxes and complimentary shipping “to help families feel more connected despite the distance.”
Eaddy acknowledged the vital role of sari-sari stores in the fabric of Filipino culture by not just as businesses but also as gathering places. “These partnerships also allow us to deepen our connection with the Filipino Canadian community, providing them with a meaningful way to share the joy of the holiday season with their families back home.”
The initiative by The Coca-Cola Company began in December on a first-come, first served basis with boxes distributed among nine sari-sari stores in the GTA. These stores include Philippine Oriental Food Market, Mangyan, Bernard’s Pilipino Store, and the two Tagpuan Restaurants in Toronto. Also on the list are Kiko’s Restaurant, Pinoy Mini-stop and H’s Beauty Studio all in North York and the Manila Bakery in Mississauga.
Aside from the sari-sari stores, Coca-Cola partnered with Atin Ito Remittance Ltd. Cargo Express to provide door-to-door delivery of the Balikbayan boxes which are especially designed with the Coca-cola brand logo. Delivery times are typically between 12 and 16 weeks
Coca-Cola has been in Filipino sari-sari stores for 112 years, exceeded only by the company’s own 138-year history in the beverage business. The iconic Coke bottle is a common fixture in Filipino Christmas, New Year’s Eve and summer family gatherings.
This is the Coca-Cola Balikbayan Box program’s second year with triple the amount of free boxes from its first year.
The boxes are available until supplies last so contact the participating sari-sari store nearest you. As of press time, less than 50 boxes are still available at the Philippine Oriental Food Market.
About the Author
Rachel Ramos-Reid started writing for magazines and newspapers when she was still a junior at the University of the Philippines’ Communication degree program majoring in Journalism. She continued to write in a public relations/corporate communications capacity in various private and government offices until moving out of the country in 1997 to work as Programme Officer for the arts and culture branch of the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO-SPAFA) in Bangkok, Thailand. At the end of her term, Rachel found herself immigrating to Canada in the year 2000 and again searching for new beginnings. Currently she is the Executive Assistant to a small rural college on Vancouver Island.
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