Conquering Stages: CITEM celebrates KATHA Awardees recognized at Inaugural ASEAN Food Excellence Awards
By Eleanor Satuito | October 30, 2025
October 24, 2025 – The Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions (CITEM) proudly welcomed three KATHA for Food 2025 Awardees recognized at the inaugural ASEAN Food Excellence Awards, held during the 18th ASEAN Food Conference 2025.
Oh So Healthy’s (OSH) Royal Instant Ube Halaya, a 2025 KATHA Awardee, clinched the prestigious ASEAN Heritage Food Excellence Award. This marks a significant win for Philippine food products on the regional stage, with other KATHA winners gaining recognition at the ASEAN competition in other categories. For the ASEAN Innovative Food Product of the Year finalist: Kalamancello by Sol’s Italian Food; and for the ASEAN Sustainable Food Excellence Award finalist: Cocoes Organic Coconut Flower Aminos by Lionheart Farms (Philippines) Corporation.
The ASEAN Food Excellence Award recognizes exemplary products from member nations that demonstrate advancements in food science, technology, sustainable development, and authenticity, while showcasing the region’s food diversity.
CITEM, led by Deputy Executive Director Malou Mediran and IFEX Philippines Project Director Rowena Mendoza, officially hosted the handover awarding of the certificates and awards to the recipients in a ceremony. Philippine Association of Food Technologists, Inc. (PAFT) President Julieta Austria, representing PAFT as the country's official adhering body to the Federation of the Institutes of Food Science and Technology in ASEAN (FIFSTA), personally received the certificates and awards on behalf of the finalists and the winner during the ASEAN Food Excellence Awarding Ceremony held in September 2025 in Davao City. The PAFT saw the huge opportunity for the winning products from the KATHA Awards and entered the 2024 and 2025 awardees in the ASEAN competition.
"This is exactly the kind of bridge-building that propels the industry forward," said Deputy Executive Director Mediran. She lauded PAFT's instrumental role in opening this crucial avenue for KATHA winners, adding that this latest recognition affirms the competitiveness of Philippine food products and SMEs, boosting their potential for global market expansion. Mediran also expressed CITEM's goal of expanding the KATHA Awards nationally.
The event also highlights the importance of strategic partnerships and collaborations among industry organizations to further develop the export food industry by opening new pathways to global markets for local manufacturers. This reflects the main thrust of IFEX Philippines, which is expected to draw bigger and more diverse industry movers to the country when CITEM opens the doors to the 19th edition of IFEX Philippines on May 21-23, 2026 at the World Trade Center Metro Manila in Pasay City, Philippines.
Banner caption: A collaboration of new possibilities between CITEM and PAFT as they celebrate the latest achievement of several IFEX Philippines KATHA for Food Awardees in the maiden edition of the ASEAN Food Excellence Awards. CITEM Deputy Executive Director Malou Mediran and IFEX Philippines Project Director and Department Manager Rowena Mendoza (4th and 2nd from left, respectively) share the stage with PAFT’s President Julieta Austria (5th from left), PAFT Secretariat Josephine Del Mundo,(1st from left), Charina May Tandas (2nd from right); and representatives from KATHA Awardees Lionheart Farms (3rd from left); Oh So Healthy (6th-8th from left; 1st from right); and Sol’s Italian Foods (3rd from right).