As the economy begins to re-open, we have unfortunately had to say goodbye to a lot of businesses closing their doors for good because of unrecoverable losses from the ECQ. Meanwhile, a new trend has slowly been increasing: micro-businesses. From home baked meals to instant fashion and essentials, people have had a lot more time on their hands while at home and decided to use that time to earn more income while in quarantine with small business ventures from their own home. Here are the top SME trends we’ve been seeing pop-up all over the country.

1. PPE/Face Mask Production 

Fashion designers, clothing brands (like Uniqlo), and even the online sari-sari stores have begun selling the most in-demand “fashion” commodity there is: face masks. From cloth to wool, with some even coming with its own filter pocket. 

Plastic companies have also been producing more and more face shields. Even hardware stores are now selling these in bulk and it’s usually the first thing you see displayed when you walk into the store. With more cities requiring the use of face masks whenever we go out, it’s no surprise this was the first trend to pop up among SMEs.

2. Cookies and Baked Goods (and even “almost-baked-goods”)

Cooking has seen a steep learning curve these past few months as more and more millennials have had to learn how to cook at home with no easy-access. Some have even stepped it up with their sourdough starters, fresh pasta, and homemade cookies. More businesses have been popping up because of this. Bakers selling off their own Facebook page to friends and family, and home cooks showcasing their family’s recipes on Instagram.

One trend that’s stood out is the “almost-baked-goods”. New online spaces selling all the essentials you need to bake bread, cookies, you name it. Some examples are frozen cookie dough, dry mixtures for pancakes, pizza, flour, frozen pizza dough, etc. They come with instructions to help you finish the process, sort of like a semi-DIY pastry.

3. Book an Errand-boy/girl

Going outside will never be easy. All the steps you have to take to protect yourself when you leave and disinfect yourself when you get home can take up to an extra 1-2 hours of your day. The “errand boy/girl” system has started booming these past few months.

We’re seeing more and more people offer their services for doing menial tasks like grocery shopping, laundry, or even picking something up from the bank, the department store, or hardware shop. A lot more apps have been developed since the ECQ started to meet this demand. If you have some disposable income, why not save time by hiring someone else to do your errands for you while you stay home?

Indeed the diskarte of us Filipinos has never been more creative since today. The rise of micro-businesses has begun and it's no question they will be here to stay in the new normal. Let’s all support our local businesses trying to make their own living through the pandemic.