Brave, bold, and visionary are some of the things that make Rachel Carrasco a total girl boss. Growing up in a family where pursuing a career in finance or tech is the definitive formula to success, she defied it and built a professional life in the field of lifestyle and marketing. Since then, she has led some of the world’s top luxury brands, explored different consumer demographics, and produced numerous ‘experiences’ that elevated brands’ relationship with their consumers.
“Marketing has a lot to do with creating moments for people. On a personal level, I love doing this. I love seeing the moments I create come to life and bring joy in others,” she says. “Marketing also has a lot to do with communication. I feel that comes more naturally to me.”
Selling experiences
Rachel first dipped her toes in the world of marketing as a Marketing and Productions Assistant for a friend’s events company. She then braved the international scene and moved to Singapore in 2012. Working in another country came with a series of challenges, but she was determined to learn and see what an organizational structure would be like beyond the Philippines and gain global experience. Her first role, Executive Assistant and Business Manager to the Head of Operations APAC at the Royal Bank of Scotland, was something she described as a “wildcard.”
“Being there taught me how to structure my work—be methodological,” Rachel muses. “It also helped me organize myself.”
After working in the finance industry, Rachel found herself back in marketing and landed a job at LVMH, a French multinational holding company known for its dazzling list of luxury brands. She handled its prestigious champagnes portfolio as a Brand Manager. Later on, she moved to Kimberly-Clark as a Senior Brand Manager for feminine care and got promoted to a regional role and then later returned to take on baby care.
“Singapore is the regional hub in Asia for most of these brands. The competition is high and it is tough, especially in the field of marketing,” Rachel recalls. “It was a very diverse experience for 12 years. You have finance, luxury, and fast-moving consumer goods. It broadened my knowledge. What I do now for both of my businesses are a culmination of all of that.”
Creating something, for the longest time, has fueled Rachel to be a champion in marketing. But when an opportunity came for her to lead something on her own, she confessed that it took her some time to fully jump in. But thanks to the unwavering support of a former colleague at LVMH, her first business baby was born.
In 2017, she established RACHE, a Singapore-based marketing consultancy firm. It was a daunting task for a Filipina to launch a business in Singapore, but it was a natural step for Rachel to take. She led the marketing firm all while still working for Kimberly-Clark. A testament to its success was its list of big-time clients such as Evian, Hilton Luxury Group, American Express, Diageo Rare & Exceptional, and Moët Hennessy.
“Companies would come to me to create experiences for their brands,” Rachel explains. “It’s almost like storytelling, you have to get to know your consumer to understand their motivations and behaviors. Once I have that, I create a very tailored journey for them.”
Cooking up Baken
Soon enough, Rachel, as someone passionate about new experiences and innovations, introduced a new product to the market. Backed by her love for food—particularly bacon—she went on a mission to put the porcine goodness that comes from the breakfast staple in a bag through Baken.
Inspired by Rachel’s dining experience at an all-bacon restaurant in Cape Town, South Africa in 2017, Baken is a premium, all-bacon snack and confectionery line born from the founder’s self-professed obsession with bacon. To bring it to life, Rachel worked with her friend Kelly Parreño in formulating the snack. They started working on it in November 2018. After a series of kitchen R&D trials, they discovered that what they were trying to produce is something unique.
“Normally, when you R&D, it is much easier to take a product that’s already available. But with our Real Bacon Crisps, it was a different story,” Rachel says. “When I did my research on meat snack formats in the market, I realized that nobody was doing ready-to-eat, crispy bacon in a bag. So I said we should do it!”
While presenting a product that is new is a key to success, bringing Baken to life comes with several challenges. According to her, pork is the most highly regulated meat in the world. Plus, in introducing a new product or category, education is essential for consumers to fully understand it and then include it in their shopping carts.
But Rachel and her team persevere. During the pandemic, they dedicated their time to perfecting their products and learning more about their target audience and target markets. After four years of R&D and consumer testing, they are now on a path of commercialization. Baken has a unique line of products—- their OG Real Bacon Crisps, Bacon Cookies, and Bacon Jam—that are now available nationwide in the Philippines and online in Singapore and Australia. Recently, Baken was recognized as one of the winners of the 2024 Katha Awards at IFEX Philippines 2024.
“The brand has a very versatile product range that can be used in different ways—bites, garnishes, plates, even non-alcoholic and alcoholic beverages,” Rachel says, “At Baken, what we want to deliver is something we call true indulgence. It is the feeling I had when I walked into that all-bacon restaurant, like wow, this is heaven! That is the same feeling we want to evoke in our consumers- to let them feel they can indulge and thereby be their snack of choice when they want to indulge.”
Baken is available in major outlets in the Philippines such as Brera Delicatessen, House of Cravings, Joel’s Place, Landers, Kultura, One World Deli, Terry’s Selection, LazMall, and The Seven Pantry. The products are also at shopbaken.com, with shipping offered to customers in Australia, Singapore, and the Philippines. Follow @shopbaken on Facebook and Instagram for more information and updates.