Snappie Foods Corporation: An ASEAN-inspired agri-business story
By Nora L. Molde
From a humble P500 cassava-based cart in Buenavista, Agusan del Norte, to a nationally recognized agribusiness, Snappie Foods Corporation has emerged as a powerful story of youth innovation, resilience, and strong government-supported enterprise development.
Founded by CEO Angela Lyza M. Abrau and COO Prian Tima Tadlip, Snappie first took shape in 2021 during the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Youth Entrepreneurship Program Shark Tank pitching, before pausing operations from 2021 to 2025 as its founders completed their studies. In 2025, the team made a decisive comeback – rebuilding the enterprise with renewed purpose and stronger support from government innovation and agribusiness programs.
Snappie’s growth was significantly strengthened by government interventions across multiple levels. Its foundation was shaped by the DTI Youth Entrepreneurship Program, and its re-entry into the startup ecosystem was boosted by a DTI Bootcamp, where it emerged as a Caraga Champion in November 2025. This momentum continued under the Department of Agriculture’s Young Farmers Challenge (YFC), where Snappie was Provincial Champion in December 2025, Regional Champion in February 2026, and ultimately National Champion – 1st Place in the Startup Component, Processing Category in April 2026, outperforming more than 1,000 startups nationwide. These milestones highlight the strong enabling environment created by national agencies in support of youth-led agribusinesses.
The enterprise also benefited from local government and legislative support through the “TuoNegosyo” initiative under Agusan del Norte Representative Dale B. Corvera, in partnership with the DTI and anchored on the “AGUSAN UP!” development agenda. This program emphasized value-adding, agri-industrial growth, and entrepreneurship development – key pillars that directly shaped Snappie’s cassava-based innovation model.
For Abrau, the journey reflects both struggle and opportunity enabled by support systems. “We started with just a P500 cart because we believed we had something exceptional,” she said. “But it was through programs like DTI and DA that we were able to grow, compete, and believe again in what Snappie could become.”
Today, Snappie’s success aligns strongly with national priorities under President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., who continues to emphasize agricultural modernization, food security, and agribusiness development as key drivers of rural transformation. The administration’s push for value-adding agriculture and youth empowerment has provided a broader policy environment that supports enterprises like Snappie in scaling innovation from farm to market.
From 50 kilograms of monthly production to 500 kilograms and expanding, Snappie has created jobs for out-of-school youth and strengthened demand for cassava farmers, contributing to inclusive rural growth. “This is exactly why we started Snappie – to create a meaningful impact,” Tadlip said. “Government support helped open doors for us, and every step forward means more opportunities for our farmers and community.”
Beyond national success, Snappie’s model reflects the broader vision of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), where agriculture remains central to inclusive growth, but continues to face structural challenges, such as aging farmers, climate vulnerability, and limited value-added industries. Snappie’s youth-led, innovation-driven approach represents the kind of agripreneurship ASEAN seeks to strengthen across the region.
Now formally established as Snappie Foods Corporation, the startup is preparing for expansion into ASEAN and international markets. From government-supported beginnings to national championship success, Snappie stands as a testament to what happens when youth innovation is matched with strong public sector support – transforming a P500 idea into a globally relevant agribusiness story. (NCLM, PIA Agusan del Norte)
