Nothing is more fulfilling than knowing that something you worked hard for benefits not only you, but also the lives of others. When driven by purpose, the rewards go far beyond anything tangible.

This is exactly what 22-year-old Kieth Charles Bequibel experienced when he founded BlackGold Food Corporation—a student-led food manufacturing enterprise based in Butuan City that produces the Philippines’ first-ever locally made superfood snack bar.

BlackGold calls it the Nutribar, a compact bar powered by one key ingredient: black rice. What makes it more meaningful is that every grain is sourced directly from black rice farmers in Butuan City, particularly the members of the Butuan City Organic Agriculture Cooperative.

“Most farmers are discouraged from planting black rice because if you eat black rice, most people automatically think you have diabetes,” the young CEO shared.

Bequibel explained that the Caraga region remains one of the biggest suppliers of black rice in the country, which often results in surplus.

“That’s why we saw this as an opportunity to further innovate. It would be a waste to use imported ingredients like wheat, oats, and cereals,” he added.

To elevate the Nutribar’s flavor profile, BlackGold blends the black rice with other locally sourced and nutrient-dense ingredients: mangoes from Guimaras, cashew nuts from Palawan, dark chocolate from Davao, and more.

The idea for the Nutribar was born when Bequibel and his team joined the Department of Science and Technology’s (DOST) InnovEats competition, where they were challenged to create a novel food product.

“During our market research, we identified that the snack bars in the market are, if not all made out of imported ingredients, they are entirely imported. But by heart, our idea is to create something out of local produce,” he shared.

Even their brand name carries intention and symbolism. For Bequibel, BlackGold has two meanings: black reflects the struggle of farmers, while gold represents turning the struggle into something valuable. On a product level, it highlights both the black rice and the nutrient-rich value of each bar.

One major milestone for the team was winning the Young Farmers Challenge (YFC) in July.

“It was rewarding and overwhelming,” said Mauro S. Goyo Jr., Chief operations officer of BlackGold, who also recently placed in the top 10 of the Licensure Examination for Agriculturists (LEA). “During preparations, it was finals week—we were struggling to balance academics and extracurriculars.”

Other team members—Juveriel Tenio, Emmanuel Ipanag, Juniel Rey Gigaquit, and Sophia Feby Villago—have also been actively involved in agri-related initiatives that shaped their leadership and business skills.

But like all startups, BlackGold also faced its share of hurdles. Being full-time students and student leaders meant stretching themselves between academic deadlines and the growing demands of the business.

“Our bottleneck now is production, because one of our biggest challenges is rising demand. Filipinos—especially Butuanos—are proudly accepting it. We’re currently at a peak. We’re chasing demand, and our supply can’t keep up.”

Typhoon-related delays in sourcing raw materials also make it difficult to meet the growing demand for Nutribar.

To keep up with demand, BlackGold previously purchased 18 sacks of black rice—over 400 kilos in total—priced at ₱75 per kilo.

“We prepare enough sacks for three months because rice has a three-month cropping season. We need to secure enough black rice to sustain production,” Bequibel explained.

BlackGold produces the nutribars at the Caraga Food Innovation Center, a shared facility for MSMEs equipped with dryers, fryers, heaters, and large freezers, all available at minimal cost.

“We were allowed to produce there temporarily until we could gather enough money to build our own,” he said.

The nutribars retail for ₱40–₱45, depending on the reseller, but BlackGold sells them at ₱35 to partners to make reselling accessible.

Most of their suppliers are from Butuan, but they also have a partner team in Cagayan de Oro that runs a gym with a branch in Butuan. “We interviewed a few, their comments are, they're buying the purpose, in a sense that, they're not just nourishing themselves, they're also helping the farmers,” he shared.

More than producing a profitable product, BlackGold has strengthened the bond between young entrepreneurs and the farmers they work with. “We're really close to the farmers. We also introduce and explain our vision to them. We sat down and talked about our product,” Bequibel said.

Goyo agreed, adding, “We really got to know their situation better. And with the initiative of the company, we really plan to lessen the burden they carry.”

It takes a brave soul to turn a vision into a movement—one that creates sustainable livelihoods for farmers while showcasing the richness of local agriculture. In many ways, the young team behind BlackGold embodies that courage. (Photos courtesy of Kieth Charles Bequibel)