Mang Tomas facts for kids
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| Owner | NutriAsia |
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| Introduced | Late 1980s |
| Markets | Worldwide |
| Previous owners | Southeast Asia Food, Inc. (1991–2010) |
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Mang Tomas is a very popular condiment brand from the Philippines. A condiment is something like a sauce or spice that you add to food to make it taste even better. Mang Tomas is most famous for its special lechon sauce. This sauce is often served with "lechon," which is a delicious roasted pig that's a favorite dish in the Philippines. The brand is currently owned by a company called NutriAsia.
The Mang Tomas brand started in the late 1980s. Two brothers, Hernan and Ismael Reyes, bought a secret recipe for lechon sauce. They got this recipe from a well-known lechon shop called Aling Pitang, located in Quiapo, Manila. The brothers decided to name their new sauce "Mang Tomas Sarsa." They chose this name because there was another famous lechon shop in La Loma, Manila, also called Mang Tomas.
In 1991, a company called Southeast Asia Food, Inc. (SAFI) bought the Mang Tomas brand. This company is now known as NutriAsia. Today, in the Philippines, the product is sold as "Mang Tomas All-Around Sarsa." If you find it in other countries, it's usually called "Mang Tomas All-Purpose Sauce."
What's in the Sauce?
Mang Tomas sauce is a bit different from traditional lechon sauce. Originally, traditional lechon sauce often included ground liver. For a while, Mang Tomas products sold internationally did list liver as an ingredient. However, this ingredient was removed from the label in 2017.
Later, things changed again. As of 2022, all the different types of Mang Tomas sauce once again include pork liver as an ingredient. This shows how recipes can sometimes change over time!
Products You Can Find
Mang Tomas makes a few different kinds of sauces. Each one has a slightly different flavor or use.
- Mang Tomas All-Around Sarsa: This is the classic, original sauce that can be used with many dishes.
- Mang Tomas Siga Hot & Spicy All-Around Sarsa: This version is for those who like a bit of a kick, as it's hot and spicy.
- Mang Tomas Lechon Paksiw Sauce: This sauce is specifically made for "lechon paksiw," which is a dish made from leftover lechon cooked in a vinegar-based sauce.
Learn More
If you want to read more about Mang Tomas, you can check out this link:
- Mang Tomas - Superbrands Philippines, Volume 2, pages 60 and 61
