Carreons: Magalang's Renowned Sweetness

Magalang is known for its sweet mouth-watering  treats such as pastillas, plantanillas, and  ensaymadas. Carreon’s Sweets and Pastries is  probably the most famous among the makers of  the said products. Mrs. Lourdes Sanchez Carreon,  the founder of Carreon’s Sweets and Pastries,  started making these treats fondly as a hobby.  She serves them to guests or sends them as gifts  to family and friends.  

She has consistently received positive feedback  about the delicacies she makes which led her  to eventually make it a business. If you ask  her what her humble beginning looks like, she  would tell you it is selling products by offering  them door-to-door since she doesn’t have her  own store. Her efforts did not go to waste as the  demand for their products steadily increased.  

She then opened a small bakery called Lourdes  Bakeshop (which would later be changed to  Magalang Espesyal) where she offers her special  pastillas, plantanillas, ensaymada, and sans rival.  

In 2004, Mr. Francis Joseph R. Carreon, Lourdes’  grandson, took over and his first order of  business was to rebrand and introduce Carreon’s  Sweets and Pastries, first to Magalang, then to  the rest of Pampanga and hopefully beyond.  

Carreon’s Pastillas de Leche is, without a doubt,  their best-seller. It is made from their family’s  best-kept secret recipe using pure carabao’s  milk. As the brand grew, so is their product  line-up. They now also offer caramel pastillas,  marzipan de pili, empanaditas, yemas, pili roll,  sylvanna, and polvoron.  

Carreon’s Sweets and Pastries caught the  attention of both mainstream and local media  outlets. Some of the features were in NCCA  Padayon Online Show (2020); CNN (2018); TRiBE:  Making Pastries in Traditional Ways on NET25  (2016); Unang Hirit (2016 & 2015); Kapuso Mo  Jessica Soho (2015); ABS-CBN News (2015); GMA  News TV (2014); Travel Time (2013); I Juander  (2013); Ang Pinaka (2013); Market to Master –  Lifestyle Network (2013); and Umagang Kay  Ganda (2013) to name a few.  

Carreon’s Sweets and Pastries also participated  in various trade fairs that broadened their  market yet again. They are also a member of  Sweets N’ Pastries Association in Pampanga  (SNDAP).  

As part of Francis’ corporate social responsibility  projects, he provides financial support to the  children of their employees until they reach  college. He also supports local farmers by buying  raw ingredients, such as Carabao’s milk and eggs,  from them.  

His advice to aspiring entrepreneurs is to “Know  your passion. Start a business that you really  know and are happy doing. Don’t just hop on the  trend”.