Filipino-owned Kasama Rum and Fila Manila Partner for a Limited-Time Rum-Infused ‘Isla Sauce’

NEW YORK, N.Y.— Kasama, the small batch Filipino rum brand that brings a breath of fresh air to the rum category, and Fila Manila, the Filipino sauce and condiment brand, have collaborated to bring customers Isla Sauce —a boozy sweet and sour sauce that brings a taste of the Philippines straight to home kitchens across the US. The name nods to the 7,000+ islands that make up the Philippines and the bright, sunny flavor profile celebrates the spirit of the Southeast Asian country. Kasama x Fila Manila’s Isla Sauce also aims to modernize and play into the nostalgia of classic Asian sweet and sour sauce with a tangy yet sweet profile that’s tropical and fruity, complete with a splash of Kasama rum and crushed pineapple made to complement your favorite proteins and vegetables.

“We’re incredibly excited to partner with fellow Filipino founder brand Fila Manila to bring Isla Sauce to life. In Filipino culture, we like to say that dishes aren’t finished in the kitchen, they’re finished at the table,” says Kasama founder Alexandra Dorda. “That’s because we Filipinos are crazy about sauces and condiments, everything from banana ketchup, vinegar, fish sauce, sweet and sour sauce, and soy sauce…  the list goes on! The launch of our Isla Sauce with Fila Manila is incredibly exciting to me because it builds on Filipino storytelling and my culture which I’m so proud of. Plus, it’s just delicious.”

“Filipino cuisine, and its people, are globally known to be joyful, fun, full of flavor, and personality,” says Fila Manila founder Jake Deleon.“When Kasama Founder Alexandra Dorda and I were brainstorming a way to celebrate and share our culture, it was obvious that we had to create a boozy sauce that represented both of our expertise and would be a perfect addition to any summer feast– and that’s how Isla Sauce was born!”

Kasama x Fila Manila’s Isla Sauce offers a wide variety of uses cases and is ideal for adding a tropical, sweet and sour punch to burgers, grilled vegetables, pork dishes, french fries, salad dressings, or even snuck into the Filipino favorite Jollibee as a dipping sauce for their famous crispy chicken tenders. The sauce, with its hint of rum, also has a boozy application and can be shaken into a cocktail with Kasama rum, pineapple juice, lime juice, and tripe sec (recipe below).

Since its founding in 2020, Kasama is on a mission to uplift the Filipino community, culture, and cuisine and is dedicated to bringing a breath of fresh air to the rum category. Alexandra Dorda launched Kasama to celebrate her Filipino heritage and the rich, often overlooked, rum-making traditions of the region. Fila Manila, also founded in 2020, is an award winning sauce and condiment brand founded by Filipino-American, Jake Deleon, to bring the beloved flavors of the Philippines to the US through inspired, regional recipes. The two brands–with their shared mission–partnered to create a unique condiment that complements the robust pineapple notes found in Kasama and the tropical, warm flavors known and loved on the Philippine islands.

The launch comes on the heels of Kasama’s recent partnerships with fellow Filipino-owned brands, including a makeup collaboration with indie beauty brand Filipinta, a rum-infused chocolate collaboration with Oodaalolly, and LTO bottle and beach bag collaboration with Filipino-American fashion brand Natori. Kasama is dedicated to bringing the hospitable, kind values of the Philippines to the states through highly crafted Filipino rum and hyper-intentional partnerships that proudly uplift Filipino culture and small business owners.

The condiment comes packed in a convenient squeeze bottle with a co-branded label inspired by the sunshine and tropical flavors of the Philippines. Each order comes with recipe cards for Isla Glazed Salmon, Pineapple Rice and Isla Glaze to help inspire your cooking along with Kasama Rum cocktail recipes like Watermelon Daiquiri, Sunshine Spritz and Kasama Colada to pair. Each bottle is 12 oz in weight and will be available to purchase online at filamanila.com and select online retailers.

Full product details

Ingredient List: Water, sugar, crushed pineapple, apple cider vinegar, pineapple juice concentrate, corn starch, natural flavor, Kasama small-batch rum, onion powder, garlic powder, Xanthan gum

Price: 3-pack for $40 & 5-pack for $55

About Kasama

Kasama, named after the Filipino term for “together,” pays homage to founder Alexandra Dorda’s Filipino-Polish heritage resulting in a rum that defies the category. As the daughter of the Belvedere and Chopin vodka co-founder, Alexandra brings the same level of quality and experience her family company was built on to her first solo venture. Kasama is distilled in the Philippines, bottled at her family’s distillery in Poland, and enjoyed in the United States. The brand represents sunshine and optimism inside and out with a golden rum that is aged 7 years in ex-bourbon American oak barrels and has notes of sweet pineapple, a hint of vanilla, and a pinch of sea salt. Leaving behind the typical tropes associated with old-school rum brands like sailors and pirates and absent of heavily spiced flavor profiles – Kasama brings a refreshing approach in both branding and palate to a category in need of a breath of fresh air.

About Fila Manila

Launched in 2020, Fila Manila offers an award-winning line of authentic Filipino sauces, spreads, and condiments to – finally – add representation to the 2nd largest Asian American community. The company’s products are inspired by founder Jake Deleon’s favorite dishes growing up as a 1st generation Filipino American immigrant. Their flagship cooking sauce line includes the iconic Filipino Adobo and the classic Kare Kare peanut sauce. More recently, Jake has expanded the lineup to include other iconic Filipino flavors such as the Banana Ketchup Condiment and the Ube Purple Yam Jam spread.

For More Information:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1siElBRmo_dWvvZzDuked7u7pciHi5_R6T8qSbJKXBVI/edit?usp=sharing