The milestone adds a consumer-facing presence to Big E Food Corporation’s growing footprint at LIMA Estate, where the company is also establishing a major southern manufacturing base.
(Left to Right) Big E Food Corporation Ernesto Vergel De Dios, Chairman; Erika Gloria Regina Vergel De Dios, Head of Corporate Innovation Office; Ernesto Rafael Vergel De Dios, PLS Director & Head of Family Investment Office; Lemon Square mascot Caramel; Ma. Dulce Vergel De Dios, Vice-Chairman; and Enrique Jose Vergel De Dios, Chief Strategy Officer/Strategy Director.
Lipa-Malvar, Batangas, Philippines – Lemon Square, Filipino homegrown makers of cakes, pastries and snacks, and the flagship brand of Big E Food Corporation, has opened its 150th store at The Outlets at LIMA Estate in Batangas.
This milestone builds on Big E’s growing presence at LIMA Estate, one of Aboitiz Economic Estates’ integrated industrial developments following the recent launch of its manufacturing plant. Together, these two facilities further reaffirm the commitment of how LIMA enables both industrial operations and commercial activity across its developments.
The Lemon Square brand is a staple in Filipino households, with products distributed through supermarkets, convenience stores and neighborhood retailers nationwide.
“Our 150th store is an important milestone for Lemon Square, because it is a reflection of our vision to serve more Filipino families wherever they live, work and grow,” said Ernesto Ramos Jr., Technical Director of Big E.
“As communities continue to thrive around LIMA Estate, we want to be part of their everyday lives by making our products more accessible. The presence of a retail format complements our initial foray into LIMA, allowing us to deliver the quality and service that people have come to expect from our brand,” he added.
Big E’s 118,132 square meters (11.8 hectares) manufacturing footprint in LIMA Estate adds to the growing number of Aboitiz’s key industrial locators across a community of manufacturers food, mobility, and consumer goods that have made the estate a base for serving the local market and the wider region. In addition, the plant is expected to generate at least 2,000 jobs while supporting workforce development through a technical skills training program that equips workers for long-term career growth once fully operational.
For its part, Aboitiz’s LIMA Estate’s mixed-use development in Batangas provides Big E the scale to put up its largest manufacturing facility in Southern Luzon, complementing its existing plant in Bulacan and strengthening the company’s production capabilities.
According to Clifford M. Academia, Vice President of Industrial and Commercial Business, Aboitiz Economic Estates, Big E’s presence at LIMA Estate shows how industrial growth and commercial activity can reinforce each other within an integrated estate.
“With its manufacturing base and now Lemon Square’s 150th store at The Outlets, Big E is expanding across both production and consumer touchpoints, while serving the workforce, residents, and visitors who make up the LIMA community,” he added.
LIMA Estate is now home to more than 200 companies, supporting approximately 75,000 jobs spanning in electronics, automotive components, precision manufacturing, consumer products and other industries. LIMA Estate has also expanded into offices, retail, hospitality, housing, education and higher-value services, creating a more complete operating environment around its growing industrial workforce.
Lemon Square’s 150th store milestone is made sweeter by a warm welcome from its communities and supporters as festivities of the day featured a commemorative cake to mark the event.
The milestone culminated with a playful festivity, as guests were welcomed by Caramel, Lemon Square’s newest mascot, who entertained visitors, posed for photos, and joined employees in commemorating the milestone. The lighthearted launch underscored the company’s commitment to creating memorable experiences for its customers while bringing the brand closer to the LIMA Estate community.
Lemon Square’s 150th store is located within The Outlets at LIMA Estate. Billed as the province’s first and largest outdoor lifestyle mall, the space remains an integral part of LIMA Estate’s dynamic business and lifestyle ecosystem.
Together with Biz Hub at LIMA Estate, the Central Business District (CBD) at the heart of the estate development, it completes the business, lifestyle, and leisure ecosystem that supports all its stakeholders within LIMA Estate.
