Cucumber and carrot ice cream. Broccoli bites. Pickles, several kinds. On August 21, 2026, 11 teams brought their vegetable products to a community park in Canlaon City, Philippines, where people came to taste, vote, and answer one question: would I buy this? 

The idea behind the day is simple. Farmers in Canlaon City grow good quality vegetables, and a vegetable that nobody buys in time is a loss. Turn that moringa leaves into crackers, or that broccoli into cookies, and it keeps longer, travels farther, and earns more. 

CARE Philippines through the ReLiEF Canlaon (Recovering Livelihoods and Enhancing Resilience of Volcano-affected Farmers of Canlaon) project organized the Vegetable Value-Adding Innovation Challenge. Eleven teams from different project partner communities participated. They cooked at home, filmed how they made their product, designed their own labels, and displayed their finished jars, tubs, and packets at the Children’s Park in Barangay Mabigo.  

Judges scored all entries on taste, presentation, use of local vegetables, and whether the product could actually sell. The public voted, too. Anyone who walked through the exhibit tried the products and cast a ballot for their favorite. Between rounds, Tribu Panu-Binal, grand champion of the Pasayaw Festival 2026, performed, and local singers filled the gaps while the judges added up scores. 

BeRaChe, a team from Barangay Pula, won first place with cucumber and carrot ice cream, scoring 90.2%. The judges also handed the team three of the five special awards: best packaging, best market potential, and best use of a local vegetable. 

The flavor was a deliberate choice.

“We agreed to make an ice cream out of carrot and cucumber because we know some kids do not eat vegetables,” said Faith Shaira of BeRaChe. “Ice cream we can market to all ages, from toddlers to senior citizens. And we can help our local farmers, because we can buy the vegetables they cannot sell.” 

Students display their vegetable products entries at the innovation challenge. Xyrus Cabonilas/CARE

Jeno of Barangay Binalbagan placed second with Brocco Bites (87.2%), and Joshua Jay of Binalbagan placed third with Organic Pickle Artisan (83.8%). JBCMHS Main Campus in Barangay Panubigan came fourth with Veggie Viva Pickles (83.6%), and Emanuel of Barangay Binalbagan came fifth with Emans Vegetable Atshara (78.6%). 

Two awards did not follow the rankings. Emans Vegetable Atshara was named most innovative product. Veggie Viva Pickles won the People’s Choice Award, decided entirely by the crowd. It was a reminder that the people who buy food have opinions of their own. 

Representatives from the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), the Department of Education, and the Canlaon City tourism and agriculture offices came to watch. The city agriculturist had opened the program that morning. 

“As City Agriculturist, our office serves as the primary operational link with CARE Philippines, mobilizing local government technical, logistical, and administrative resources to maximize recovery support for all ReLiEF Canlaon participants,” said Dr. Andrea Canoy. 

A jar of atchara or pickles made at home is not yet a business. It needs a consistent recipe, a label that meets food safety rules, a price that covers costs, and a shop willing to stock it. 

CARE Philippines plans to connect the winning teams with DTI and the Department of Agriculture, and to hold the challenge again next year. 

Some are not waiting.

“I plan to keep growing my organic artisan vegetable pickle business, and I hope it becomes known as one of Canlaon City’s delicacies,” said Joshua Jay, who placed third. “This town is the vegetable basket of Negros Oriental which means I have several choices of what products I can make. What I still need is my DTI certificate and business permits, plus more stable capital.” 

Read more stories like this: Our Stories – CARE Philippines: International Humanitarian Organization