Sandra Nagano-Liengaard, entrepreneur and owner of Shop VSS, a Filipino store in Denmark, shares how courage, trust and hard work helped her create a successful business.
Sari-sari stories, the ubiquitous shops that sell everything from food to prepaid mobile phone credits, are Filipino cultural icons that have found their way to Europe. In Sari-Sari Stories, TFEM would like to highlight Filipino sari-sari store owners who have become some of the best representatives of Philippine food and culture abroad.
Parang kargador!
Like a porter, is how Sandra Nagano Liengaard, owner of Asian and Filipino store Shop VSS described herself when she used to move sacks of rice from her warehouse to her sari-sari store, when they were still in different locations.
“For five years, twice, even thrice a day, I would carry 20-kilo rice sacks from one location to the other. It was really tiring. That’s why I told my husband, it’s time to do something,” Sandra told me during a video interview.
The decision to combine their store and warehouse to a much bigger location outside the city centre of Vejle coincides with the 10th year of Sandra’s business venture.
In 2019, Shop VSS expanded into Kusina Victoria, their import/export and distribution arm whose product range includes their very own brand of rice, Ube (purple yam) flavoring, and Christmas Ham, a product that is particularly a hit with their Danish customers.
Kakanin (rice cakes) and coffee await its customers during the weekends when the shop is full, as 70% of Shop VSS clients are walk-ins, a reserved trend compared to when she started in 2015 when most of her clients would order online. Sandra spends his Friday evenings cooking Pinoy delicacies to show appreciation for her customers who go out of their way to visit the store, located in the Mølholm district, southeast of Vejle.
“Shop VSS was built from the trust of my mother in-law. The more it grows, the more that I feel that I deserve to be trusted. It’s as old as my daughter Victoria. I’ve seen it grow, the struggles I had, the sleepless nights stressing about financing, thinking how I could grow it. That’s why I really love my shop, because I feel like the more it grows, the more I am able to show my mother-in-law ‘thank you for your trust. .”
Sandra Nagano-Liengaard
Owner, Shop VSS Filipino store in Denmark
Built on trust
In 2015, when the opportunity to own a sari-sari store presented itself, Sandra’s savings was not enough to cover the costs. Help came from the most unexpected person, her Danish mother-in-law, who lent her enough capital to be able to buy the shop from another Filipino. Sandra still gets emotional when she talks about her mother in-law, who passed on in 2022.
“Shop VSS was built from the trust of my mother in-law. The more it grows, the more that I feel that I deserve to be trusted. Not every daughter in-law is lucky enough to be trusted by their mother in-laws despite the cultural differences. Shop VSS is my second baby. It’s as old as my daughter Victoria. I’ve seen it grow, the struggles I had, the sleepless nights stressing about financing, thinking how I could grow it. That’s why I really love my shop, because I feel like the more it grows, the more I am able to show my mother-in-law ‘thank you for your trust. Your investment was worth it, this is how it is now.”
From student to shop owner
Sandra was only 24 when she braved overseas life to work as an au pair in Denmark. After her 18-month stint ended, she moved to Norway to work the same job for another two years. But Sandra did not see herself working in the domestic work sector for a long time. She wanted to get a diploma. So while her contemporaries rewarded their hard work with travels, clothes, and the latest gadgets, Sandra saved every penny to be able to save up for school. “I applied to schools in Norway and Denmark, and I told myself, whoever accepted my application, that’s where I am meant to be.”
Luckily for her, she was accepted at the International Business Academy in Kolding, Denmark. Aside from the expensive tuition fee, she needed to show proof of enough money to sustain her for one year. She wasn’t allowed to work either. But she had enough savings to see her through the completion of her degree in Marketing and Human Resources.
Life took a different turn when Sandra Nagano fell in love with Søren Liengaard. Four weeks after taking her final exams, Sandra gave birth to their daughter Victoria. Applying her education while taking care of a new-born baby, Sandra dabbled in the buy and sell business, using Facebook as her platform to sell clothes, bags, and perfumes.
Her knack for sales comes naturally, given her bubbly and spontaneous personality. When her Filipino client-base had grown, she toyed with the idea of a sari-sari store. “I might not be able to sell a dress every day, but I will be able to sell soy sauce, instant noodles or rice.”
Even today, Facebook remains Sandra’s primary platform to reach her customers, where she regularly updates them on the newest products and entertains them with funny videos showing snippets of her life as a Filipino sari-sari store owner in Denmark.
“What I enjoy the most is the appreciation of my customers, when I am able to satisfy their craving for the taste of home, when they tell me ‘Madam, thank you for making the effort.”
Sandra Nagano-Liengaard
Owner Shop VSS Filipino store in Denmark
Bringing life to a village
Sandra’s store has become a cultural curiosity to the sleepy neighborhood of Mølholm. Her neighbours tell her that Shop VSS has brought life to the area. She gets excited when Danish customers come to her shop. As a Filipino shop owner, Sandra has become an effective ambassador of Filipino food in Denmark.
“I always give them free samples. Whenever I see them hesitate about one product, for example siopao, I will take one, heat it in the microwave and let them taste it. How would you know if a product is delicious if you didn ́t try it?”
Because of her strategy, Sandra now has a regular stream of Danish clients. Instant noodles and siopao are among the favorites. Aside from product recommendations, she also gives them cooking and pairing tips so that they can fully enjoy Filipino food. Meanwhile, her Kusina Victoria long grain rice is her bestseller, given its lower price and high quality.
“What I enjoy the most is the appreciation of my customers, when I am able to satisfy their craving for the taste of home, when they tell me ‘Madam, thank you for making the effort.”
Challenges of a sari-sari store in Denmark
The effort that Sandra exerts to get the products that Filipinos in Denmark crave for, goes beyond simply sourcing suppliers. She notes that fish, and frozen fish in particular, are very difficult to import because of the shipping, storage costs and permits needed to bring and sell them in the European Union. One of her most expensive lessons when she was starting was when she was sold products that were expired or almost expiring. She lost a lot of money, amounting to one full container of goods from the Philippines.
“Three to six months is the crucial stage for an Asian or Filipino shop. If you are able to survive that, you are good. I just embrace the challenges and carry on. Yes, I get stressed but I know I can do this.”
Another challenge for an Asian or Filipino sari-sari store owner is the regular inspections from government authorities. Sandra has to keep up with the latest changes in rules and regulations so that she is prepared for any inspection of her store and her products.
The tax rates in Denmark are also among the highest in Europe. Its Value Added Tax (VAT) is 25% on all products and services, except books and periodicals while profit tax is 22% sole proprietorship. “It’s nice to earn but you still have to pay taxes.”.
Going beyond a Filipino store
Sandra has big plans for the future. She wants to bring in more Filipino products that are not available through the bigger distribution channels, including chips, cookies, and chocolates. She has also started delving into research and development of new products that would cater both the Pinoy and European palates.
“I like researching new products, from the legal requirements to the E-numbers for sales and distribution in the EU. Unfortunately, it was hard to get documentation from bigger importing companies in the Philippines so we looked for alternatives. So we have a lot of Philippine products in the line-up that are not sold yet in the EU.”
For Sandra, running her Shop VSS sari-sari store is not only a way to generate income. The emotional capital far outweighs the monetary investment that went into her business. For her it is a symbol of faith – faith from her mother- in-law who invested in her business, and faith in herself, that she is able to achieve her goals through hard work and determination.
This article is originally published in Issue 23, 2025 of The Filipino Expat Magazine.
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