go through Almira Louise S. Martinez,reporter
In partnership with Mercato Centrale Group, the food and lifestyle marketplace, De la Salle-College of St. Locals (DLS-CSB) offers students short courses, workshops, and internships, as well as micro, small and medium-sized enterprise (MSMES) entrepreneurs in the food industry.
Mercato Centrale said the program aims to provide food entrepreneurs with the skills and knowledge to build a “sustainable and growing business.”
“With the things we built at Mercato, we have a real opportunity to help make these businesses more sustainable,” said RJ Ledesma, co-founder of Mercato Centrale, in a press release.
In 2023, the Ministry of Trade and Industry (DTI) recorded 1,241,733 (99.63%) of operating MSMES in the Philippines. The department added that 190,899 of the businesses are from the accommodation and food service activities industries.
The short courses launched in the coming months will be open to home food suppliers, market stall owners, and individuals entering the food industry. It will cover food business management, marketing strategies, financial knowledge and culinary innovation.
The partnership involves student internships and faculty participation in DLS-CSB's hospitality and entrepreneur programs that can provide real-world practical experience. Additionally, selected courses will be microscopic to align academic products with operational needs in the food and hospitality industries.
DLS-CSB and Mercato will also co-host data analytics workshops and workshops to enhance students and professors’ understanding of market trends and consumer behaviors
To bridging academic learning through practical applications, students will participate in project-based learning led by Mercato to help learners solve “real-world entrepreneurial challenges.”
“Our mission has always been to advocate for local food entrepreneurs by providing the right platform and support for local food entrepreneurs,” Ledesma said.
He added: “Through this partnership with CSB, we further adopt this commitment by enabling MSMES to access quality education and training – a tool that can help them maintain and grow their businesses.”
