# Josh Mojica
**Josh Mojica** is a Filipino entrepreneur and social media personality, the founder and CEO of Kangkong Chips Original (KCO), a snack company he started at age 17 in 2021 with ₱3,000 in capital[1](https://kami.com.ph/entertainment/celebrities/191177-josh-mojica-ipinagtanggol-ang-kanyang-kangkong-chips-matapos-ang-money-laundering-allegations/). He built the brand by selling water-spinach (kangkong) chips through Shopee and Facebook while still a senior high school student in Cavite, and became widely known as the "Kangkong Chips guy" on TikTok[2](https://www.esquiremag.ph/long-reads/features/kangkong-chips-josh-mojica-a00293-20220103-lfrm2) • [3](https://pop.inquirer.net/353807/teen-kangkong-chips-guy-shares-unconventional-path-to-success-sparks-debate-over-diskarte-o-diploma). No source documents a coffee brand called KOPI founded by Mojica; his verified brand is the kangkong-chips company KCO.
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Founded | Kangkong Chips Original (KCO), planned May 2021, launched with ₱3,000 capital from his aunt's recipe[2](https://www.esquiremag.ph/long-reads/features/kangkong-chips-josh-mojica-a00293-20220103-lfrm2) |
| Early earnings | About ₱5,000 a day within the first month; reported ₱150,000 monthly in the first six months[4](https://latestchika.com/omg/viral/2022/01/03/71680/teen-entrepreneur-from-cavite-earns-p5000-per-day-provides-employment-to-fellow-youth/) • [3](https://pop.inquirer.net/353807/teen-kangkong-chips-guy-shares-unconventional-path-to-success-sparks-debate-over-diskarte-o-diploma) |
| Sales volume | 1,500 to 2,000 bags per month through Shopee and Facebook, at ₱110 per bag[2](https://www.esquiremag.ph/long-reads/features/kangkong-chips-josh-mojica-a00293-20220103-lfrm2) |
| Product line | Seven flavors: sour cream, honey butter, chocolate, barbecue, cheese, classic, and spicy[5](https://www.pep.ph/lifestyle/food/171976/josh-mojica-millionaire-kangkong-chips-a717-20230308) |
| Employees | 10 in the early home-kitchen phase; a factory and 50 hires by January 2022, growing to about 100[2](https://www.esquiremag.ph/long-reads/features/kangkong-chips-josh-mojica-a00293-20220103-lfrm2) • [5](https://www.pep.ph/lifestyle/food/171976/josh-mojica-millionaire-kangkong-chips-a717-20230308) |
| Audience | Over 200,000 TikTok followers as of 2022[3](https://pop.inquirer.net/353807/teen-kangkong-chips-guy-shares-unconventional-path-to-success-sparks-debate-over-diskarte-o-diploma) |
| Controversy | 2025–2026 Facebook claims linking him to former Rep. Zaldy Co without evidence; he responded with a factory-tour video[6](https://radar.ph/rival-kangkong-chips-brand-takes-a-jab-at-josh-mojica/) |
## Background and early career
Mojica was a senior high school student at Saint Augustine School-Mendez in Cavite when he planned the business in May 2021, the birthday of his Lolo (grandfather), for which his aunt had cooked kangkong chips; his stated motivation was to help his parents earn money[2](https://www.esquiremag.ph/long-reads/features/kangkong-chips-josh-mojica-a00293-20220103-lfrm2) • [7](https://www.pep.ph/lifestyle/food/162982/josh-mojica-kangkong-chips-a717-20220103). He began making and selling the chips in June 2021, first to friends[3](https://pop.inquirer.net/353807/teen-kangkong-chips-guy-shares-unconventional-path-to-success-sparks-debate-over-diskarte-o-diploma).
**Startup capital and family roles.** He started with ₱3,000, and because he was a minor his family handled the financial side; his mother later managed finances while he ran the operation from a new home kitchen with a staff of about 10 school-age friends[2](https://www.esquiremag.ph/long-reads/features/kangkong-chips-josh-mojica-a00293-20220103-lfrm2) • [4](https://latestchika.com/omg/viral/2022/01/03/71680/teen-entrepreneur-from-cavite-earns-p5000-per-day-provides-employment-to-fellow-youth/).
**The Lacson boost.** Sales jumped after presidential aspirant Senator Panfilo "Ping" Lacson ordered in bulk and commended Mojica on social media; within a month of starting he was earning about ₱5,000 a day[4](https://latestchika.com/omg/viral/2022/01/03/71680/teen-entrepreneur-from-cavite-earns-p5000-per-day-provides-employment-to-fellow-youth/).
## KCO: products and business model
KCO sells kangkong chips, a snack made from water spinach, in seven flavors: sour cream, honey butter, chocolate, barbecue, cheese, classic, and spicy[5](https://www.pep.ph/lifestyle/food/171976/josh-mojica-millionaire-kangkong-chips-a717-20230308). Early retail pricing was ₱110 per 120-gram bag, initially in original, cheese, cream cheese, and spicy[4](https://latestchika.com/omg/viral/2022/01/03/71680/teen-entrepreneur-from-cavite-earns-p5000-per-day-provides-employment-to-fellow-youth/).
**Distribution and resellers.** Sales run through Mojica's Shopee store and Facebook, at 1,500 to 2,000 bags per month[2](https://www.esquiremag.ph/long-reads/features/kangkong-chips-josh-mojica-a00293-20220103-lfrm2). A reseller package costs ₱4,000 for 50 packs worth ₱80 each, intended to be resold at ₱120[2](https://www.esquiremag.ph/long-reads/features/kangkong-chips-josh-mojica-a00293-20220103-lfrm2). Products reached Baguio and, per Mojica's 2022 interviews, the U.S. and Canada, with resellers in Cavite and Pasay[4](https://latestchika.com/omg/viral/2022/01/03/71680/teen-entrepreneur-from-cavite-earns-p5000-per-day-provides-employment-to-fellow-youth/) • [7](https://www.pep.ph/lifestyle/food/162982/josh-mojica-kangkong-chips-a717-20220103). As of January 2022 the business had not reached Mindanao and the Visayas because it could not shoulder logistics given Luzon order volume[2](https://www.esquiremag.ph/long-reads/features/kangkong-chips-josh-mojica-a00293-20220103-lfrm2).
**The social-media funnel.** Mojica designed the logo and packaging himself, shot his own product photos, and marketed on social media, gaining his first loyal customer through a Facebook post[2](https://www.esquiremag.ph/long-reads/features/kangkong-chips-josh-mojica-a00293-20220103-lfrm2). With over 200,000 TikTok followers, he shares his life story openly as business inspiration[3](https://pop.inquirer.net/353807/teen-kangkong-chips-guy-shares-unconventional-path-to-success-sparks-debate-over-diskarte-o-diploma).
## By the numbers
The verified figures are modest and mostly from 2022. At ₱110 per bag and 1,500 to 2,000 bags per month, Shopee and Facebook sales imply roughly ₱165,000 to ₱220,000 in monthly revenue[2](https://www.esquiremag.ph/long-reads/features/kangkong-chips-josh-mojica-a00293-20220103-lfrm2). Inquirer Pop reported ₱150,000 monthly earnings in the first six months[3](https://pop.inquirer.net/353807/teen-kangkong-chips-guy-shares-unconventional-path-to-success-sparks-debate-over-diskarte-o-diploma). By January 2022 Mojica had a factory, a delivery van, and 50 hires that grew to about 100 employees[5](https://www.pep.ph/lifestyle/food/171976/josh-mojica-millionaire-kangkong-chips-a717-20230308).
**The "millionaire" claim.** In 2022, then 17-year-old Mojica claimed he was already a millionaire one year after starting[6](https://radar.ph/rival-kangkong-chips-brand-takes-a-jab-at-josh-mojica/). Asked in a Julius Babao interview how much he earned, he said only "Siguro po around seven digits na po" (perhaps around seven digits, in pesos) without further detail[5](https://www.pep.ph/lifestyle/food/171976/josh-mojica-millionaire-kangkong-chips-a717-20230308). No audited financials have been published, and the claim is consistent with cumulative revenue but does not establish profit.
## Market context: creator brands versus incumbents
KCO is a creator-founded snack brand. In Philippine instant coffee, Indonesia's Mayora Indah (Kopiko) held about 45% of a US$1 billion market by 2021[8](https://brandingnerd.ph/2021/06/28/kopiko-a-brand-that-grabbed-market-leadership-through-market-segmentation/), and its share rose from 45% in FY23 to 49% in FY24 after Universal Robina and Nestlé raised prices aggressively[9](https://verdhanaresearch.com/mayora-indah-myor-ij-buy-all-time-high-sales-market-share-ids); Euromonitor reports Mayora still held leadership in 2025[10](https://www.euromonitor.com/coffee-in-the-philippines/report). Philippine coffee consumption in 2024 was 379,500 tons, about 90% of it soluble (instant) coffee[11](https://cms.scout.asia/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/20251110-PHP-23-06.pdf).
Among Philippine beverage startups, Pickup Coffee, launched in March 2022, reached 404 stores within three years at a $130 million valuation[12](https://www.getchee.com/pickup-coffee/). Against these, KCO's documented scale in 2022 (roughly 2,000 bags a month and about 100 staff) shows how far a creator-founded snack brand remained from incumbent or venture-backed scale.
## The creator-to-founder path in context
Mojica's path can be viewed alongside documented Philippine research on influencer marketing and social commerce, though that research does not establish how typical creator-to-founder paths are. A Philippine academic study finds that influencer marketing creates value for SMEs by expanding brand awareness and influencing purchasing decisions through sponsored content[13](https://doi.org/10.1109/icbir57571.2023.10147643). A quantitative study of young professionals influenced by Filipino TikTok creators found 79.47% of respondents purchased products one to three times per month via TikTok, and 17.89% four to six times[14](https://getinternational.org/uploads/research/680f641e4300f.pdf). A 2026 Springer article documents young Filipino creators' algorithmic adaptation, such as a food creator posting Tagalog or Taglish videos on Facebook because her analytics show a mostly Philippine audience[15](https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s43151-026-00215-3), and a survey of 208 senior business students finds that motivational cues in social commerce selling content raise digital entrepreneurial intent among [Generation Z](https://www.edgepedia.org/generation-z)[16](https://doi.org/10.1145/3785171.3785186). Mojica's own inspirational content sits squarely in this loop: creator fame drives sales, and the founder's story becomes the marketing.
## Reception, criticism and controversies
**Mockery and the diploma debate.** Philippine outlets have documented online mockery of Mojica[17](https://www.sunstar.com.ph/cebu/why-the-internet-is-making-fun-of-josh-mojica-man-behind-kangkong-chips), and his story of success without a degree fueled a public "diskarte o diploma" (resourcefulness or diploma) debate[3](https://pop.inquirer.net/353807/teen-kangkong-chips-guy-shares-unconventional-path-to-success-sparks-debate-over-diskarte-o-diploma).
**Money laundering allegations.** In 2025–2026, several Facebook pages claimed without evidence that Mojica was connected to former Ako Bicol Rep. [Zaldy Co](https://www.edgepedia.org/zaldy-co), who is involved in the flood control scandal[6](https://radar.ph/rival-kangkong-chips-brand-takes-a-jab-at-josh-mojica/). Mojica responded with a September 20 Facebook video touring KCO's factory, showing stored product boxes, staff on production and packaging, and orders, saying in effect that the orders speak for themselves[6](https://radar.ph/rival-kangkong-chips-brand-takes-a-jab-at-josh-mojica/) • [1](https://kami.com.ph/entertainment/celebrities/191177-josh-mojica-ipinagtanggol-ang-kanyang-kangkong-chips-matapos-ang-money-laundering-allegations/).
## References
1. [Josh Mojica, ipinagtanggol ang kanyang Kangkong Chips matapos ang money laundering allegations, Kami.com.ph](https://kami.com.ph/entertainment/celebrities/191177-josh-mojica-ipinagtanggol-ang-kanyang-kangkong-chips-matapos-ang-money-laundering-allegations/)
2. [How Josh Mojica Started a Successful Kangkong Chips Business at 17, Esquire Philippines](https://www.esquiremag.ph/long-reads/features/kangkong-chips-josh-mojica-a00293-20220103-lfrm2)
3. [Teen 'Kangkong Chips' guy shares 'unconventional' path to success, Inquirer Pop](https://pop.inquirer.net/353807/teen-kangkong-chips-guy-shares-unconventional-path-to-success-sparks-debate-over-diskarte-o-diploma)
4. [Teen entrepreneur from Cavite earns P5,000 per day, Latest Chika](https://latestchika.com/omg/viral/2022/01/03/71680/teen-entrepreneur-from-cavite-earns-p5000-per-day-provides-employment-to-fellow-youth/)
5. [Teen millionaire Josh Mojica, asensado sa kangkong chips business, PEP.ph](https://www.pep.ph/lifestyle/food/171976/josh-mojica-millionaire-kangkong-chips-a717-20230308)
6. [Rival kangkong chips brand takes a jab at Josh Mojica, Radar.ph](https://radar.ph/rival-kangkong-chips-brand-takes-a-jab-at-josh-mojica/)
7. [Josh Mojica, 17, kumikita ng PHP150K dahil sa kangkong chips, PEP.ph](https://www.pep.ph/lifestyle/food/162982/josh-mojica-kangkong-chips-a717-20220103)
8. [Kopiko: A Brand that Grabbed Market Leadership through Market Segmentation, Branding Nerd PH](https://brandingnerd.ph/2021/06/28/kopiko-a-brand-that-grabbed-market-leadership-through-market-segmentation/)
9. [Mayora Indah (MYOR IJ) (Buy) – All-time high sales + market share, Verdhana Research](https://verdhanaresearch.com/mayora-indah-myor-ij-buy-all-time-high-sales-market-share-ids)
10. [Coffee in the Philippines, Euromonitor International](https://www.euromonitor.com/coffee-in-the-philippines/report)
11. [Philippines Coffee Industry Sector Report (2024), Ashu Research](https://cms.scout.asia/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/20251110-PHP-23-06.pdf)
12. [How Filipino Coffee Startup Pickup Coffee Built 400+ Stores in Three Years, getchee](https://www.getchee.com/pickup-coffee/)
13. [How Do Influencers Create Value for SMEs? A TikTok Review in the Philippines](https://doi.org/10.1109/icbir57571.2023.10147643)
14. [TikTok influencer purchasing-behavior study, Guild of Educators in TESOL International](https://getinternational.org/uploads/research/680f641e4300f.pdf)
15. [Entrepreneurial Selves, Emotions, and Algorithmic Creativity Among Young Content Creators in the Philippines, Journal of Applied Youth Studies](https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s43151-026-00215-3)
16. [Does Watching Social Commerce Selling Contents Drive Digital Entrepreneurial Intent? Gen Z in the Philippines](https://doi.org/10.1145/3785171.3785186)
17. [Why the internet is making fun of Josh Mojica, SunStar Cebu](https://www.sunstar.com.ph/cebu/why-the-internet-is-making-fun-of-josh-mojica-man-behind-kangkong-chips)
18. [Josh Mojica Net Worth 2026, Celebzage (unverified aggregator)](https://celebzage.com/josh-mojica-net-worth/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Society and history › Economics and business › Founders, operators, and investors › Consumer, industrial, and services founders › Southeast Asia and Australasia*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 19, 2026; Sep 30, 2026; Oct 10, 2026 · Edited: Sep 19, 2026; Sep 30, 2026; Oct 10, 2026; Oct 11, 2026 · Last review: Oct 10, 2026*
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License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license