Hanabishi, the Filipino appliance brand founded in 1986, has marked its 40th year under a second generation of family leaders who are reshaping its products for younger households. The company is now run by the four children of founders Jose and Conchita Ong, who started out selling flat irons.
Jasper Ong serves as president, with Jevon as vice president for purchasing and merchandising, Candice as vice president for operations and Cherish as vice president for finance and marketing. Their parents have stepped back from the business. Under the siblings, Hanabishi is targeting people living on their own for the first time, from students in dormitories to young professionals moving into condominiums or first apartments. Its range now runs from electric fans and LED televisions to chest freezers, air conditioners and handheld mini fans.
The shift has meant new designs. Younger buyers favour retro and minimalist styles and want smaller appliances for smaller homes, so the company has added handheld fans and coffee equipment, including a gooseneck kettle and a retro-minimalist kettle in its Legacy line. It also released a special-edition mini fan featuring BT21, a character brand linked to BTS. Speaking at the anniversary event, Jasper Ong said the family had to learn how to evolve together “without losing who we are.”
Competition has grown harder. Cheap, little-known brands sold through online marketplaces have made it tougher to reach younger buyers, and the company says it felt the impact at first. Hanabishi sources its products from China, so a weaker peso and higher fuel costs linked to the oil crisis are major pressures, and dealers have become more cautious. The company has absorbed much of the increase, though some price rises were unavoidable. Sales have still grown every year as dealers expand into provincial areas and second- and third-tier cities, and its products are now sold in more than 2,500 outlets.
The Ongs remain optimistic about the long term, pointing to a young population that will need appliances as more people move into apartments, condos and houses. Jasper Ong said the company has come through the financial crisis, the pandemic and now the oil crisis. “But you know what stayed open? Us,” he said. The task for the siblings is to update the line without giving up the reliability that built the brand.
