Video summary

He helped design a local wine maker's bottle and it sold out! See his tropical HQ and home!

Main summary

Key takeaways

Lifestyle

Summary of Key Points

  • Belief in design as a business tool

    • Good design helps elevate a brand and supports a mission to improve perceptions of Filipino spirits—encouraging people to try or rediscover them.

  • Who they are / what the space is

    • Ken Alonso and Maina Alonso welcome viewers to their home and shophouse, which also functions as:
      • Office space for their company: Proudly Promdi
      • Distributor of artisanal Filipino spirits
      • Venue for tasting sessions with clients
      • Host space for “HOHOL (Hang Out Hang Out)” nights every Saturday, featuring private cocktail tastings

  • How their business started

    • Maina previously worked as a graphic designer.
    • Her mom asked for help redesigning a label for a local winemaker in Adams, named Doc Bielma (the product was Bugnay fruit wine).
    • After agreeing to sell at a bazaar, they discovered people were surprised and pleasantly impressed that Filipino wines/spirits could come from the Philippines—specifically from a small province in Ilocos.
    • They continued selling at bazaars, then expanded:
      • Maina later met Tapuey makers after trying Cuatro Canto from an older man during a town celebration (described as rice wine).
      • She met Nanay Ernanie, and began selling Tapuey in Manila, including handling packaging and labeling.
    • Result highlight: At a Manila bazaar, 24 bottles sold out on the first day—a sign that the products were great, but that many people didn’t know they existed.

  • Growth strategy

    • Continue selling through bazaars, then expand into restaurants as demand grows.

  • Design and layout of their shophouse

    • The building is two-story:
      • Downstairs: office/work space for business operations
      • Upstairs: living space
    • Their goal was to make the area multifunctional while keeping it warm like a home.
    • They gave architects specific design requests: glass blocks and jalousie windows to create a lasting “statement” look.
    • Design style:
      • Downstairs: more colorful and vibrant
      • Upstairs: more neutral, but still connected to the downstairs theme
    • Overall intent: an environment that’s easy on the eyes for everyday living, productivity, and their daughter’s happiness.

  • Interior design choices and themes

    • They wanted the space to feel like “Fresh Province / Preskong Provincia”—fresh, provincial, modern, and nostalgic at once.
    • Featured design elements include:
      • Vibrant colors with mixed textures/prints
      • Greenery to reflect the country’s tropical nature
      • Local artists/artisans
      • A bar designed/visualized with help from Addi Panadero as part of the “Preskong Provincia” concept
      • Banig (woven mat) used as a focal wall feature, sourced through travel and framed to preserve it
    • Their design thought process ties to Philippine identity through:
      • multiple island colors
      • a tropical feel
      • local nostalgia elements

  • Packaging as a key “opener” for customers

    • They believe the products’ quality is world-class, but people may hesitate without the right presentation.
    • Strong branding/packaging helps:
      • grab attention
      • reduce hesitation
      • make people more open-minded enough to try Tapuey and Bugnay

  • Health/health routine or recipes

    • No explicit health routine or full recipe steps were provided in the subtitles.
    • Consumption details mentioned include:
      • Tapuey (described as rice wine)
      • Bugnay (as fruit wine)
      • Cuatro Canto (the bottle they received/used to try)

  • Lifestyle takeaway

    • After stress outside the city (traffic/pollution), coming home should feel:
      • at ease
      • calming
      • restorative—helping them reset mentally in a comfortable home environment

Notable Locations, Products, and People

Locations

  • Adams
  • Ilocos
  • Manila

Products / Spirits

  • Bugnay fruit wine
  • Tapuey (rice wine)
  • Cuatro Canto

People / Creatives Mentioned

  • Ken Alonso
  • Maina Alonso
  • Doc Bielma
  • Nanay Ernanie
  • Addi Panadero

Business / Space Concepts

  • Proudly Promdi
  • HOHOL (Hang Out Hang Out) Saturday tastings

Architecture Mention

  • Radius Architecture

Original video