Titay’s Rosquillos: The Rosquillos with a Heart
Cebu is known for sumptuous and superb delicacies. There are plenty to choose from; Lechon, Chicharon, Dried Mangoes, Otap, Danngit and plenty more. But Rosquillos, the tasty flower-like biscuits with a ring shaped hole in the middle, has a special place in many Cebuano hearts.
When we think about Rosquillos, Titay’s is what comes to mind. ZeroThreeTwo had the opportunity to sit and talk with Titay’s Liloan Rosquillos and Delicacies’ Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Aljew Fernando Frasco. He told us a little about Titay’s story and what we should look forward to in the future.
The story
In 1907, many locals visited Liloan to knock on the door of Margarita “Titay” Frasco. They would look for her nameless biscuits and usually paired it with a bottle of soda. The biscuits became so popular that the news reached the provincial governor who then dropped by the town. Since the biscuit was nameless, the governor dubbed it Rosquillos from the word rosca meaning ringlet.
The rest is history.
Today, Titay’s still stands as the premiere maker of one of the most loved pasalubongs in Cebu.
The products
Titay’s products are divided in to three categories. Biscuits which include Rosquillos, Otap, Galletas del Carmen, Galletas de Bato, Hojaldres, Polvoron and Sinudlan. The other two categories are breads and pastries.
What to look forward to?
Titay’s will be launching their new product called Rosquillos Corazon in February. Why Corazon?
Three reasons. First, it’s named after Corazon “Azon” Frasco who was responsible in growing the business and in keeping the heritage alive. Second would be because of the creamier and richer taste. I can attest to this since I tried both the classic and the Corazon one. The last reason is the most important. Rosquillos Corazon is the “Rosquillos with a Heart” not simply because of its heart shaped hole in the middle but because for every purchase a five peso contribution is given to charity. The company is currently supporting the Special Education Fund in their hometown of Liloan.
The CEO
Mr. Aljew Fernando Frasco took over the company’s management last year and has focused on streamlining their products. I couldn’t help but ask, “What is Titay’s secret?” in the hopes that he’d share something. He didn’t reveal anything but he shared that he does the pre-mixing of their secret recipe every Mondays and Fridays. So I assume that the secret is in Aljew’s hands.
The Store
They are planning to open more stores out of Cebu soon. In the meantime, the main store is located in Poblacion, Liloan. If you’ve ever taken a roadtrip to northern Cebu, then you’ve likely visited Titay’s. If you haven’t, then shame on you! You need to go.
Now na.
