Alfredo M. Yao
Alfredo M. Yao is a Filipino-Chinese and a rags-to-riches businessman who founded the privately held company, Zest-O Corporation. His other businesses include Semexco Marketing, Inc., Harman Foods, Amchem Marketing, Inc., American Brands Philippines, Inc., SMI Development Corporation, Philippine Business Bank and Zest Airways. He also served as the Special Envoy to China for Tourism and Cooperation. He was conferred as the Most Admitted ASEAN Enterprise Award in the Innovation Category for his Zest-O Corporation. Yao was the awarded 2005 Master Entrepreneur by Ernst and Young.
The company was established as SEMEXCO Marketing Corporation, soon after it adopted the name Zest-O because of its fame. In 1980, Zest-O juice drink was launched and soon, it became a big-hit in the Philippines and eventually capturing 80% of the market for ready-to-juice drinks. Soon, other flavors were introduced to the market such as orange flavor are mango, grape, pineapple, strawberry, guyabano (sour soup), apple, calamansi, mango-orange, mango-calamansi and mango-lemon lime flavors.
Yao soon launched other brands including juice brands including Sun-glo Juice Drink, Big 250 Juice Drink, and Plus! which exported to other neighboring countries in Asia like China, Korea, and Singapore and in some parts of America and Europe, Tita Frita Tomato and Banana Catsup, Beam Toothpaste, One Ice Tea, and Tekki Yaki Udon.
Yao soon launched other brands including juice brands including Sun-glo Juice Drink, Big 250 Juice Drink, and Plus! which exported to other neighboring countries in Asia like China, Korea, and Singapore and in some parts of America and Europe, Tita Frita Tomato and Banana Catsup, Beam Toothpaste, One Ice Tea, and Tekki Yaki Udon.