From Cavite to Korea, how Irene Lee built a business that creates livelihoods for fellow Filipinos 

For many overseas Filipinos, working abroad is about providing a better future for their families. For Irene Lee, a Caviteña who now calls South Korea home, it also became an opportunity to build a business that creates livelihood for others. What started as a small venture supporting balikbayan box customers has grown into Oppa Kitchenware Wholesaler, a family-run enterprise that supplies quality pre-loved cookware from South Korea while helping hundreds of Filipinos start businesses of their own.

Despite her growing success, Irene remains grounded in her faith. “Before anything else, I thank God for all the blessings He has given us,” Irene said. “Everything we have achieved started with faith.”

The story of Oppa Kitchenware did not begin with cookware. In July 2021, Irene and her family established Trust Express Cargo, a balikbayan cargo forwarding service that helped overseas Filipinos send boxes from South Korea to the Philippines. As the business grew, they noticed that many customers regularly included cookware in their shipments.

Seeing the increasing demand, Irene began sourcing quality pre-loved cookware in South Korea and sending it to the Philippines, where her sister, Mylene Rodriguez, sold the items online to earn additional income while working at a call center. What began as a way of helping one family member soon revealed a much bigger opportunity.

In October 2023, Irene officially established Oppa Kitchenware Wholesaler. The business quickly became a family endeavor, with Irene, her husband, her sister, and her brother working together to build what is now a growing distribution network serving customers across the Philippines.

When Irene entered the cookware business, she admits she knew very little about the products she was selling. At first, she was simply fascinated by the colorful cookware she encountered in South Korea. But curiosity soon replaced fascination.

“I kept asking why some cookware was inexpensive while others were very expensive,” she recalled. “I wanted to know the difference.”

Instead of relying on trial and error, Irene immersed herself in research. She studied brands, manufacturing standards, materials, and cooking performance. The more she learned, the more she realized that cookware was not just another household item. Different materials offered different levels of durability, safety, and performance, and understanding those differences would allow her to provide better products to her customers.

Together with her husband, Irene built relationships with reliable suppliers who specialize in premium pre-loved cookware. Every shipment that arrives at their warehouse is personally inspected before it reaches customers.

“We don’t simply accept everything,” Irene said. “If the quality does not meet our standards, we return it.” That commitment to quality became one of the foundations of Oppa Kitchenware.

Every pot, pan, and kitchen utensil is carefully washed before inspection. The cleaning process is not merely for presentation. It allows the team to identify dents, scratches, or other imperfections that may not be visible at first glance. Each item is then classified according to its condition so customers know exactly what they are buying.

Premium branded cookware with no significant issues is placed under their “Selected” category. Branded cookware with only minor cosmetic imperfections is classified as “Premium A,” while other quality pre-loved cookware is sorted into additional categories to provide affordable options for different budgets without compromising functionality. The system has also become a major advantage for Irene’s growing network of resellers throughout the Philippines.

Because every product is cleaned, inspected, and sorted before shipment, resellers receive cookware that is ready to sell immediately after delivery. They no longer need to spend extra money on cleaning materials, additional labor, transportation, or other preparation costs. Qualified bulk orders also receive free door-to-door shipping, making it easier for aspiring entrepreneurs to start with lower operating expenses.

Many of Irene’s resellers operate their businesses from home while maintaining full-time jobs. For overseas Filipino workers, employees, and homemakers looking for additional income, selling quality pre-loved cookware has become a practical way to earn without giving up their existing careers.

As the business expanded, Irene discovered that selling cookware alone was never enough. She believed customers also deserved to understand why choosing quality cookware matters. Through regular online posts and product discussions, she began educating buyers about the importance of durable stainless steel cookware, particularly products made from high-quality stainless steel such as 304, 316, and 316Ti. She encourages customers to learn about the materials used in cookware so they can make informed decisions for their families.

“I want people to know what they’re cooking with,” Irene said. “It’s not only about selling. It’s about caring for the families who use these products.” For Irene, every sale represents more than another transaction. It is an opportunity to introduce Filipino households to quality pre-loved cookware that has been carefully selected, inspected, and prepared for another lifetime of use while giving families confidence in the products they bring into their kitchens.

One of the principles that continues to guide Irene’s business is her belief that quality products deserve a second life. Much of the premium pre-loved cookware sold by Oppa Kitchenware comes from South Korea, where many households replace kitchen items even while they remain in excellent working condition. Irene and her team carefully select only those that meet their standards before offering them to customers.

Their inventory includes pre-loved cookware made in South Korea as well as premium brands manufactured in Germany, Italy, and the United States. Every item is individually inspected, and those that fail to meet the company’s quality standards are rejected. In addition to pre-loved cookware, the company also wholesales brand-new Korean kitchenware, including Neoflam, Fika, and other trusted Korean cookware brands, along with a wide selection of kitchen utensils, tableware, and other essential kitchen products.

Beyond its pre-loved collection, the company also wholesales a wide range of brand-new Korean cookware and kitchenware. Its product lineup includes Neoflam, including the popular FIKA collection, as well as Happycall, LocknLock, Kitchen Art, PoongNyun (PN PoongNyun), Ecoramic, Queen Sense, Living Art, Hanil, and Cuchen. The company also supplies kitchen utensils, tableware, food storage containers, cookware accessories, and other essential kitchen products, offering retailers and households access to trusted Korean brands known for quality, innovation, and durability.

For Irene, extending the life of quality cookware is not only good for customers but also good for the environment. She believes that reusing durable products helps reduce unnecessary manufacturing, lowers the demand for newly mined raw materials, and minimizes waste that would otherwise end up in landfills. “Keeping cookware in use longer reduces the need for new manufacturing and lessens demand for raw materials,” she explained.

That advocacy for responsible consumption has become another defining characteristic of Oppa Kitchenware. Irene hopes that by choosing quality pre-loved cookware, families can save money, enjoy durable kitchen products, and contribute in their own way to reducing unnecessary waste.

The business has also created opportunities for many Filipinos who dream of having an additional source of income. Since launching Oppa Kitchenware in 2023, Irene has developed a growing network of around 100 distributors and resellers serving customers across Luzon, Visayas, Mindanao, Palawan, and Bicol.

Many of them are overseas Filipino workers, office employees, homemakers, and individuals looking for a business they can operate from home. Irene understands that starting a business can be intimidating, especially for first-time entrepreneurs, so she makes it a point to guide them before they invest their savings.

She conducts free seminars and training sessions for aspiring resellers, teaching them about product knowledge, pricing, online selling, customer service, and practical business management. More importantly, she encourages them to discover whether they truly have the passion to become entrepreneurs before they begin. “I want to know if they really have the passion,” she said. “I don’t want them to waste their hard-earned money by entering a business they are not ready for.”

As demand continued to increase, Irene and her husband decided to take another step forward by developing their own cookware line. Today, Oppa Kitchenware also offers its own OEM stainless steel wok and frying pan manufactured in South Korea, allowing the company to expand beyond carefully selected pre-loved cookware while maintaining its commitment to quality.

Although the business continues to grow, Irene believes success should never be measured by income alone. She credits her achievements to faith, hard work, continuous learning, and genuine concern for customers. Her advice to aspiring entrepreneurs reflects the values that have guided her own journey.

Always begin with gratitude. Learn everything you can about the products you sell. Understand their value instead of competing only on price. Be patient because success rarely comes overnight. Difficult customers and scammers are part of doing business, but they should never distract entrepreneurs from serving those who genuinely appreciate their products. “Passion comes first,” Irene said. “If you truly enjoy what you do, the income will follow.”

She also reminds fellow online sellers not to allow negativity to consume them. Instead of arguing with difficult people, she believes it is better to remain professional, focus on genuine customers, and continue improving.

Looking back, Irene never imagined that a cargo forwarding business would eventually lead to a thriving enterprise that has helped so many Filipinos earn additional income. What began with helping balikbayan box customers has grown into a business that supports families, creates livelihoods, promotes responsible consumption, and encourages people to appreciate the value of quality pre-loved cookware.

Thousands of kilometers away from Cavite, Irene Lee has shown that success abroad is not only about achieving personal goals. It is also about creating opportunities for others, sharing knowledge generously, and proving that Filipino entrepreneurship can flourish anywhere in the world.

Her journey is a reminder that every successful business begins with a simple idea, grows through perseverance and continuous learning, and becomes truly meaningful when its success is shared with others. Irene believes that business is not only about selling quality products but also about building lasting relationships with people. Her kindness, generosity, and genuine ‘malasakit’ for her resellers have helped many aspiring entrepreneurs gain the confidence to build livelihoods of their own. For Filipinos dreaming of starting a business, her story offers both inspiration and practical proof that with faith, determination, and a sincere desire to uplift others, even the humblest beginning can grow into an enterprise that transforms lives across borders.

Editor’s Note: Extending the service life of high-quality stainless steel cookware is consistent with the principles of the circular economy, which aims to keep durable products in use for as long as possible before recycling or disposal. Stainless steel is manufactured from raw materials such as iron ore, chromium, and nickel, all of which require mining, transportation, and energy-intensive processing. Producing new stainless steel also generates greenhouse gas emissions and consumes significant amounts of electricity and water.

When durable cookware is reused instead of being prematurely discarded and replaced, demand for newly manufactured products can be reduced over time. This helps conserve natural resources, lowers the need for additional extraction of raw materials, reduces industrial energy consumption, and minimizes waste sent to landfills. Reusing quality stainless steel cookware before it reaches the end of its useful life is therefore recognized as a practical waste reduction strategy that supports resource conservation and environmental sustainability.