Kimmy Fernandez’s commissary is a no-nonsense blue and cream building whose austerity is blighted by colorful letters forming the words “Shapes Bakeshop” above the entrance. Not only is it Fernandez’s playground, but also a stronghold for classic Filipino biscuits.

Not many bakeries make Filipino biscuits, Fernandez tells CITEM, adding that these seemingly simple delicacies require time and precision.

The former Abu Dhabi-based nurse took over her parents’ small bakery in Odiongan, Romblon when she returned to the Philippines in 2017. The former ACF Bakeshop was a modest business that featured old family recipes. Fernandez used this foundation to build a much bigger goal.

One of her first business decisions was to rename the bakeshop Shapes, which not only explained the various silhouettes of biskwit, but was also more relatable to a wider audience.

For her ideas to come to fruition, Fernandez enlisted the help of the Department of Science and Technology. She joined its Manufacturing Productivity Extension Program (MPEX), which aids small to medium manufacturing enterprises, as well as the Consultancy for Agricultural and Manufacturing Productivity Improvement (CAMPI), which offers technology-based strategies. Both DOST projects are intended to boost MSMEs productivity.

In 2019, Fernandez and Shapes won DOST’s Best SETUP Adaptor prize. SETUP, or Small Enterprise Technology Upgrading Program, is an initiative that pushes for technological innovations to improve the value chain. Since joining SETUP, Shapes tripled its monthly revenues.

“DOST MIMAROPA, through the DOST SETUP, helped our company a lot in the progress and success of Shapes,” Fernandez explained. “They trusted us from the start and until now, they help us enhance our technology and machinery to make our work more efficient.”

After her DOST stint, Fernandez asked a local architect to design a new commissary that fulfilled manufacturing protocols and standards. In the blue and cream building, she and her team churn out a legacy of biscuits passed on from her grandparents.

Commercial Biskwit

• When nurse Kimmy Fernandez returned to Odiongan, Romblon, from Abu Dhabi, she decided to take over her parents’ modest ACF Bakeshop.
• She had big plans, which began with renaming it Shapes for easier consumer recall.
• Shapes also quickly explained what the bakeshop was all about—the fun silhouettes of Filipino biscuits.
• Fernandez joined various programs hosted by the Department of Science and Technology.
• Through DOST’s SETUP, CAMPI, and MPEX initiatives, she learned ways to modernize production and use technology to be more efficient.
• Thanks to this productivity, Shapes can keep the legacy—and quality—of Filipino biscuits. 
• Here are some of its bestsellers.

(BISCUITS)

Tipin

• Shapes’ headliner is a Romblon specialty.
• Locals consider tipin bread, but this classic pasalubong is coin-thin and crunchy.
• The circle-shaped biscuit gets its white hue from its main ingredient, coconut milk.

Jacobina

• These biscuit cubes comprise paper-thin layers to resemble egg cracklets.
• Jacobinas are crisp and perfect with coffee.

Ugoy-Ugoy

• Another layered biscuit, ugoy-ugoys are long, crispy rectangles served with sugar.
• Other bakeshops would sprinkle the sugar on top, but Shapes paints over a sweet glaze instead.
• Fernandez recommends enjoying this with hot chocolate.

Aglipay

• Not too sweet, Aglipay is an ideal alternative to salty snacks.
• These thick, round, crispy biscuits are usually served as nibblers to accompany coffee or dessert.

Dalagang Bukid

• This snack uses a simple combination of flour, vanilla, sugar, breadcrumbs, margarine, and baking powder.
• They’re rolled and shaped into long, rectangular sheets then sliced into squares. 
• Slightly puffy but still in the realm of biscuits, Dalagang Bukids are delightfully messy—a testament to its crispiness.

 
Shapes features an entire catalog of classic, local biscuits. Just like her parents, Fernandez maintains her grandparents’ recipes to make her delicious Filipino delicacies.