The story begins with one man’s personal interest in combating the debilitating effects of gout using natural products. 2005 TOYM Awardee Philip Cruz, became interested in the healing potential of mushrooms and started to research on the different varieties known for their effectiveness. One mushroom in particular caught his attention: Ganoderma lucidum, a polypore mushroom found growing on dead logs in the deepest forests in China. Known as Ling Zhi by the Chinese and Reishi by the Japanese, this mushroom was so revered in the Chinese Medicine Almanac that at one time it was thought to be an elixir of longevity and was exclusive only to the Emperor and the royal family.

Philip began to actively research on this mushroom. With his technical background and training, he was finally able to find a strain with the ability to thrive in the local environment. The cultivation of Ganoderma lucidum in Negros is currently the largest in the Philippines. His collaborative work with doctors, scientists and research institutions gave birth to Herbanext, Inc., a 100% Filipino-owned company, which focuses not only on the production of nature-based products that promote and maintain health, it also seeks to elevate the status of natural medicine and diet supplementation to a new level by combining the knowledge derived from folk healing modalities and ancient TCM with scientific research on phytotherapy.

Herbanext products, under a product line called the Gano Defense System, address the top modern health care concerns such as diabetes, hepatitis, arthritis, cardiovascular and immune-deficiency diseases, and cancer. Currently, the Gano Defense System includes two pure-grade Ganoderma products: Ganomax R, Ganomax 5:1, and four Ganoderma formulations which address specific diseases: GlucoGan (diabetes), HepaGan (liver protection), FlamaGan (inflamation) and GanoGest (digestion). Widely recognized for its potency, Ganoderma lucidum is one of only a few herbal medicines proven safe for use in large doses on a daily basis.

Herbanext, Inc. operates the first GMP-certified and Halal-certified processing plant for herbal supplements in Western Visayas and runs its own 5-hectare farm where it produces most of its organically-grown herbs and plants. The company practices farm-based HACCP to ensure the highest quality of its raw materials and strictly adheres to good manufacturing practices following guidelines set by the World Health Organization for the processing of herbal products. It works with organized farmers groups in Negros for the supply of its raw materials, abiding by set protocols in organic farming and fair trade. This way, supply and traceability of quality raw materials is assured and the sustainability of the farmers’ livelihood is promoted.

Herbanext spinned off its marketing operations to form Daily Apple Distribution, Inc. in 2007 which acts as its exclusive marketing arm. The products of Herbanext are all BFAD-registered and approved, and are thus marketed through leading drugstores nationwide as well as in Daily Apple stores in the country. Daily Apple maintains stores in leading malls as outlets for other products.

Interestingly, a perfect Ganoderma mushroom, headlining Herbanext’s roster of products, is characterized in Chinese art as apple-shaped. The Daily Apple therefore integrates this shape into its logo to signify not only the sustaining energy of nature’s bounty, as represented by the ubiquitous apple whose place in ancient folk wisdom persists to this day with such quaint saying as “an apple a day keeps the doctor away”. This icon also symbolizes the healing power of the Ganoderma.