From waiter to entrepreneur: How an OFW built a Filipino snack brand in Dubai

VJ Estander, an overseas Filipino worker who first arrived in Dubai in 2018 as a waiter, is now the managing director of Great Harvest Foodstuff and Trading Services after years of side hustles, setbacks and savings. Estander launched Krunchaa, the company’s flagship snack product, using personal savings built from selling dried fish, clothing and packed meals to friends and roommates, and expanded the range to include flavours such as honey coated, nutty chocolate, cookies & cream and ube coated. He weathered a year of unemployment during the pandemic and financed the business entirely from his own earnings and household sacrifices after marrying in 2023.

“It wasn’t easy. I struggled, failed, and got rejected many times. Through all the challenges, the support of my family, friends, relatives, fellow influencers, and community kept me going,” Estander said, summarising the perseverance behind his transition from hospitality worker to entrepreneur.

Estander attributes his entrepreneurial instincts to a lifetime immersed in family businesses in Negros Occidental, where relatives ran restaurants, fish farms and poultry ventures. He recalled a formative setback: a small food shop his parents opened was demolished just a month after it opened. “I still remember that painful moment. Just a month after we built our food shop in the Philippines, it was demolished right in front of us. We collected each part of what was left after the demolition. But instead of giving up, I used that experience as a motivation to push myself even more,” he said.

In Dubai, Estander combined his hospitality wage with after-hours micro-businesses. Selling dried fish started as supplementary income and evolved into practical lessons in customer service and sales. The pandemic forced him out of work for a full year, a period he describes as testing both his finances and confidence. “I learned that every challenge helps you become a better and stronger version of yourself. For me, failure is not the opposite of success, it is part of the journey towards success,” he said.

Product development and market strategy

Krunchaa began as a personal project in which Estander developed the concept, selected flavour profiles and shaped the product identity to showcase Filipino-inspired flavours to consumers in the UAE. The line launched with three signature flavours and later added ube coated — the purple yam taste that has become popular in Filipino desserts and snacks.

• Initial flavours: honey coated, nutty chocolate, cookies & cream
• Expanded: ube coated
• Company: Great Harvest Foodstuff and Trading Services

Funding came from disciplined saving and household sacrifice. After marrying in 2023, Estander and his wife deliberately deferred luxuries and travel to invest in their business plan. He says every dirham saved represented a choice toward building a shared future and a business in the UAE.

Outlook

Estander began sharing his journey online in 2024 with the aim of inspiring other overseas workers rather than seeking fame. He has set a five-year goal to grow Great Harvest into a stronger brand and to create opportunities for others. “Building a business here is not just about earning income. It’s about creating something meaningful, supporting my family, inspiring fellow OFWs, and proving that dreams built through hard work, humility, and faith are possible,” he said. As Great Harvest builds supplier and distributor relationships in the UAE market, Estander plans to expand product availability and continue promoting Filipino creativity in snacks sold across the Emirates.