How has the idea of “home” changed for us since that fateful month of March 2020? For many of us, it is no longer simply a place where we retire after a long day, but is now also an office, a gym, a classroom, a restaurant, and for some, a business. What changes have we made to thrive in a situation so unsure? How do we stay safe while providing basic needs to ourselves and our families? Out of crisis, uncertainty, and a need for food, a business was born.

Ulam Mama is the first brand under Fat Kid Kitchen Solutions Inc. In July 2020, the business was created as a response to the pandemic and the paranoia of not wanting to go outside to buy or order food. Ulam Mama provides fully cooked frozen food packs that come in 23 classic Filipino variants. Some of their popular products are their versions of kare-kare, pork steak, chicken curry, and laing. All products are cooked and quality tested in FDA-approved kitchens and the business itself is an FDA-licensed food trader.

While heat-to-eat meals have become more common during the pandemic, Ulam Mama notes that they are the only business to sell these frozen packs in single-serve portions. This is for the convenience of people who may not have the time to cook or may be living alone (e.g. single parents, or those who live in condos). People could purchase multiple meal packs at one time, keep them in the freezer for up to 3-6 months, and easily pull them out and reheat them to have a delicious, quality meal within minutes.

Ulam Mama’s food selection is also purely and proudly Filipino. Knowing the heart of Filipino food, they emphasize the feel of “lutong-bahay.” True to the brand’s name, they wanted people to remember their mothers’ cooking through their food—the kind that feels more nutritious and wholesome than regular takeout.

Another way that Ulam Mama has been helping others is through their Bizkarte Partners Program, which is open to those who want to be resellers, distributors, and wholesalers of their products. This was created to help entrepreneurs starting small in the food business, especially those whose work has been affected by the pandemic. This program aims to provide them an opportunity with low risk yet high returns.