By GRACE C. DIEZ / Photography by MAU AGUASIN
When life threw him lemons, Kono Salinas didn’t just make lemonade. The former fast food crew member, store stockman, tricycle driver, factory worker and security guard, among other things, established his own business — and in doing so, made a difference.
Like many startups, Kono used his personal passions as a compass for his first venture. This led to a successful buy-and-sell business for motorcycles, cars and other vehicles. That was until the pandemic shuttered many once-successful ventures in its wake — Kono’s business, included.
Determined to bounce back, the young businessman studied the market in search of new opportunities. Soon, he noticed that his friends had started to sell food items and meals online to tide them over the economic impact of the lockdowns. This, according to him, resulted in a “lightbulb” moment. “I knew that there will always be a demand for food but opening a restaurant, which I initially wanted to do, proved a bit too risky back then. That’s why I decided to build a farm in Quezon, instead, where I could meet the demands of the market in another way,” says Kono.
And so, Farm to Market Agriculture (F2M) was born in 2020. Kono, who has since proudly described himself as an “agri-preneur,“ envisioned to supply meat, poultry, vegetables and other forms of produce at a friendly rate to wet market vendors and eateries through this venture.
He initially invested in 150 pigs and a small vegetable farm three years ago. These days, he has thousands of pigs, a rice farm and a poultry. Showcasing his business savvy, Kono eventually converted his vegetable farm into a cornfield, which enables him to grow his own corn and turn it into feeds for the piggery.
Not one to take all the credit, Kono says that his mentors at the farm, whom he fondly calls Tatay Ed and Tatay Tuchi, are crucial to his success. The young entrepreneur learned everything about agriculture and farming from these father figures. “I learned from them that it’s important to listen to the experts. They taught me the value of trusting the team,” he says, adding that their sound advice and eventual output finally helped him overcome trust issues that he’s always had as a businessman.
“I saw the farm grow. It would not have happened without their concern for both the business and for me. I’m happy to share this success with them and their families,” the bedimpled businessman says.
Giving back
To show his gratitude, Kono offered scholarships to his staff’s children so that they could finish their studies. “Every parent dreams of seeing his or her kids graduate,” he says in the vernacular.
In the same way that his father encouraged him to step out of his comfort zone and enter his own venture, Kono also encourages and supports his staff to launch their own businesses, when the time comes.
Kono also recently launched an advocacy project called “Maong Mo, Katuparan Ko” (Your Jeans, My Fulfillment). With the help of underaged individuals from various rehabilitation facilities, Kono and his team collect used denim pieces, which are later repurposed and sold as bags. “The bags, made and recreated by the youth from these rehabilitation facilities, symbolize hope and second chances,” he explains.
The “Maong Mo, Katuparan Ko” advocacy not only promotes recycling and repurposing old denim clothing, it also aims to empower the youth, whom Kono considers as the future of our society. Proceeds from the sales are used to support these beneficiaries.
As a young agri-preneur and enterprising businessman, he dreams of growing F2M into a conglomerate that combines his ventures in agriculture with his passions for the buy-and-sell businesses. Kono is also keeping his eyes peeled for opportunities in the food business.
While he is undoubtedly starting to blaze a trail in business and agriculture, Kono admits that life hasn’t always been rosy for him.
For one, this gentleman, who became a dad at 19, experienced massive heartbreak when he lost his second child, a five-year-old daughter, because of a congenital heart condition. The incident served a heavy blow to him, especially as a father, because his family struggled financially back then and thus couldn’t afford the best medical care for his only daughter.
Perhaps it is the same heartbreak, according to Kono, that first fueled his fire. He wants to make sure that his family never has to face the same ordeal again. “Even now, I’ve only visited her grave once. My tears just fall down for my only girl, whenever her death anniversary approaches. That’s why I work hard and sacrifice. In the end, that’s how it is when you’re already a parent,” he concludes.
