The Success Story of Lolita Hizon

Mrs. Lolita O. Hizon or Apong Lolet to her fellow Kapampangans is the woman behind
the famed tocino of a multi-million meat processing company, Pampangas Best Inc., operated
and owned by her together with her husband, Mr. Angelo D. Hizon Jr., and their twelve children.
It manufactures eleven core products Tocino, Hotdogs, Longaniza, Ham, Bacon, Tapa, Burger
Patties, Corned Beef, Embotido, Barbecue, and Chicken Nuggets, which are distributed and sold
nationwide. Lolita learned to cook at an early age using the ingredients that her family could
gather in their farm. Apong Lolet grew up to become a teacher but felt that, that was not her
calling. She recalled herself that her heart and mind was just not into teaching since she was
always absent-mindedly thinking on the whereabouts of her husband who was always travelling,
managing his gasoline and trucking business.

In the website of Pampangas Best Inc., the first thing you will notice is the title, It all
started with a helping hand. The venture of Lolita Hizon to the meat processing industry started
in a humble way through her neighbor, a meat vendor who had some unsold pork at the end of
the day in the market and not wanting the unsold pork to be spoiled, the neighbor asked for
Lolitas help in cooking them. Lolita came up with a formula how to cure the meat she revised
the traditional Capampangan pindang (fermented pork), causing the pork to acquire that unique
salty-sweet taste that we have all come to love. She called it tocino, derived from a Spanish
delicacy that is sweet. She eventually refined the formula and the processing procedures that
caused the birth of Pampangas Best Tocino the original version of what has now become a
national favorite that started out as just a neighborly gesture to help a friend and has turned out to
be the foundation of a business and the birth of a Filipino staple food on the breakfast table.

From an initial capital of P3,000 she grew the business. Lolita pawned her ring for the
amount. She started making tocino everyday and was praying to God that the orders will double
the next day. Like one answered prayer after another, the numbers continued to double. Soon

enough, she and her husband were inseparable in what became a 20-hour-a-day job. Her twelve
children, eight of whom are boys, naturally slipped into their respective roles in running the
business.

Lolita Hizon, believes that the reason behind her success is more of a divine plan. She
sees a visible hand guiding her always for a purpose which she thinks is Divine Providence.
"Always the best from Pampangas BEST", the sincere motto of the company which puts
prominence on the importance of high quality throughout its more than 40 years in the business,
creating customer value, satisfaction, and loyalty. The company acquired the AAA Category, the
highest level for a manufacturing plant, from the National Meat Inspection Service.

In 1991 when Pampanga was badly hit by the Pinatubo eruption, with ash flows covering
and devastating several towns, Lolita was among the first people to rebuild and start anew. They
owned a four-hectare lot in Cabalantian that got buried in lahar and decided to build 100 houses
for families who couldnt afford it. Lives were changed and since then, they continued to reach
out to those in need. They named the place Ing Bayung Cabalantian, which means the new
village.

Consumers taste for something new is endless, which leads to the development of new
products based on the consumers preference and his environment. With the expertise and
creativity of its Research and Development Team, the company is able to cater to the different
needs and demands of the consumers.
Today the company processes not kilos but tons of meat a day. Pampangas Best provides
livelihood to about a thousand employees, all of which are treated like family. Pampangas Best
helps their employees families with medical needs, even assistance in times of death.