SM and ANP welcomed nearly 80,000 visitors to BÚTLAK, setting a new benchmark for the Negros Trade Fair in Manila.

VIA GRAPHIC PLUS | MANILA, Philippines — BÚTLAK: The 40th Negros Trade Fair welcomed 79,512 visitors to SMX Convention Center Aura from September 22 to 27, 2026—double last year’s attendance and the highest foot traffic recorded in the fair’s Manila run. Organized by the Association of Negros Producers (ANP), in partnership with SM Supermalls through SM for MSMEs, and the Provincial Government of Negros Occidental, the six-day fair brought together 126 exhibitors across 177 booths. Visitors came to explore the food, fashion, crafts, home finds, and travel stories of the Negros Island Region—and left with more than a few bags in hand.

Strong foot traffic translates to strong sales

BÚTLAK generated nearly ₱118 million in reported sales, based on submissions from 120 exhibitors, with six reports still being consolidated. Of this amount, ₱75 million came from spot sales, a 39% increase year on year and a strong indicator of direct consumer demand. Another ₱43 million came from business-to-business transactions involving institutional buyers, retailers, distributors, and other partners.

The strong sales were evident in the food section, where several exhibitors—including Cocina Javellana, Bacolod Chicken House, and Wawa Bing’s Kitchen—sold out as early as the second day. Many food booths had also run through their inventory by late afternoon. 

Among the fair’s crowd favorites were Bacolod Chicken House’s inasal 21’s batchoy, Vaca Japonesa’s Wagyu Kansi and Wagyu Tapa N Rice; Wawa Bings Kitchen’s fresh lumpia; Cocina Javellana’s ube halaya; Felicia’s ensaymada and El Ideal’s freshly made hot piaya. Visitors also sought out Ading’s Gourmet Kitchen’s batuan fruit paste, blue crab paste, and smoked bangus; Ereñeta-Manaloto Chorizo de Bacolod; Nanette’s VCO, coco cider vinegar, and sinamak; and Filipino favorites from Imay’s Bar & Restaurant. The results point to a clear opportunity for future editions: helping exhibitors prepare more inventory and production capacity to meet growing demand.

A new generation refreshes Negros heritage

BÚTLAK’s strongest stories came from the meeting of legacy and new energy. Heritage brands continued to draw loyal customers, while younger founders and next-generation family members gave familiar products a fresh look, new flavors, and a stronger connection with today’s shoppers. 

Bob’s, one of Bacolod’s most established food names, reintroduced itself through a retro-inspired Bob’s Sari-Sari Store concept, with members of the third generation helping man the booth. El Ideal, the heritage bakery founded in 1920, remained a crowd-drawer for its hot piaya while also attracting curiosity for its Guapple Pie. “We have been around for about 100 years because we never sacrificed quality,” said Maritess Sanchez of El Ideal. “The Negros Trade Fair has helped us expand our reach here in Manila.” The fair also made room for a newer generation of makers. 

Upcycled by The Little Vintage Shop gave donated clothing a second life through circular fashion, while LAKAT featured locally made footwear incorporating pineapple-based textiles and other Philippine natural materials. NVC Foundation’s Artisans of Hope showcased handmade mosaic pieces that support Bacolod-based artisans, while Alter Trade Philippines connected shoppers to fair-trade products that support Negros sugarcane producers and rural livelihoods. 

“Over 40 years, we have seen small businesses grow into enterprises and local products reach markets once thought beyond their reach.”

Young chefs put a modern twist on Negrense flavors

The celebration opened with Arima, the symbolic ringing of the bell that traditionally marks the start of the workday—and, for BÚTLAK, the festive opening of Negros in Manila. At the heart of the annual ritual is food: an invitation for guests to experience Negrense ingredients, heritage and hospitality at the table.

This year, Manila chefs brought contemporary flair to familiar flavors and ingredients sourced from participating exhibitors. Negrense chef Don Colmenares of destination restaurant Sauma served Kansi Croquetas with Negros beef, batuan mayo and langka purée, alongside an Atcharang Ukoy with dilis polvoron, sinamak mayo and malunggay pesto.

Chef Luis Locsin presented his signature Negrense-inspired pâté en croûte creations: a Pork and Native Chicken Mosaic Pâté en Croûte with native chicken, Victorias ham,  dried fruits, almonds and Don Papa Rum; and a Pork and Duck Pâté en Croûte with Victorias bacon, oyster mushrooms, herbs and port wine. Chef Cara Davis o Halong created a Saravia Coconut Crab Lumpia, served with coconut chutney, atchara, fermented garlic, kiwot honey and Vietnamese green chili sauce. 

Official caterer Epicura, the catering arm of Curio led by Pia Lago and chef Bettina Arguelles, completed the spread with KBL rillette on oat thins, seasonal seafood kinilaw with tultul salt, crab bibingka with calcag dust and bihod, corned beef kansi with kansi gravy, pancit luglug molo, and pork bellychon with batuan chimichurri.

New to this year’s Arima, private chef Bea Magalona reimagined familiar favorites through an Adobarquillo—barquillos filled with Ilonggo-style adobo cream—and Piaya Toast, made with langka piaya, kadyos hummus and pork. Together, the Arima menu showed how the flavors of Negros can remain rooted in heritage while finding fresh expression through a new generation of chefs and culinary collaborators.

A bigger marketplace for Negrense MSMEs

For SM Supermalls, BÚTLAK demonstrates how access to the right marketplace can help local businesses reach more customers and create new opportunities for growth. 

“Every purchase does more than bring home a piece of Negros,” said Joaquin L. San Agustin, Executive Vice President for Marketing at SM Supermalls, during the opening. “It supports a local business, celebrates Filipino creativity, and helps another entrepreneurial story move forward.”

Through SM for MSMEs, SM Supermalls works with partners such as ANP to help open doors for homegrown businesses—connecting them to shoppers, visibility, and bigger opportunities to grow. With nearly 80,000 visitors and nearly ₱118 million in reported sales, BÚTLAK’s milestone edition showed that when local products are given room to be discovered, the impact reaches far beyond the fair itself. It creates new possibilities for the people, families, and communities behind every product.  BÚTLAK: The 40th Negros Trade Fair was organized by the Association of Negros Producers in partnership with SM Supermalls and the Provincial Government of Negros Occidental.

A CELEBRATION THAT DREW THE CREATIVE COMMUNITY. Familiar faces from fashion, food, design and entertainment joined shoppers at BÚTLAK, exploring the people, products and stories that made the 40th Negros Trade Fair a standout Manila gathering.

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