Power Wheels Magazine A Notch Above
“Pridjider”. Growing up in the late 1960s and early ‘70s, that’s what everybody calls their refrigerator. When I was a young boy, I looked at our “pridjider” as one of the most important appliances in our household because it kept the good stuff in cold storage. You know, good stuff like Coke, ice cream, butter, milk, fruits, and most importantly, cold water and ice. During hot summers, iced water was a must to cool down an active little boy playing all day.
When I was a young boy, we used to have a “pridjider” that looked something like this.
When I learned to read, I looked at the emblem of our “pridjider” and sure enough, it said “Frigidaire”. Of course, I later learned that we Filipinos have inadvertently been calling things by their popular brand name or proper noun instead of their actual common noun. We call soft drinks as “Coke”, toothpaste as “Colgate”, photocopiers as “Xerox”, and of course, refrigerators as “pridjider”, which is how we Filipinos pronounce “Frigidaire”.
I distinctly remember the emblem of our Frigidaire because it says “Product of General Motors, USA”, which also makes the 1952 Chevy Styleline Deluxe and 1963 Chevy II Nova, that my dad and grandpa drives.
A Little History Lesson
The first self-contained refrigerator was invented by Nathaniel Wales and Alfred Mellowes in 1916 and was developed by the Guardian Frigerator Company, which was based in Fort Wayne, Indiana, USA. Two years later, General Motors (GM) founder William Durant personally invested in the Guardian Frigerator Company, which adopted the name Frigidaire after GM took over in 1919.
Frigidaire’s long storied history stretches 110 years from 1916 with the Guardian Frigerator Company to 1919 with William Durant and General Motors (GM)…
Under GM ownership, Frigidaire initially became a subsidiary of Delco-Light, the conglomerate’s electrical and electronics division. It later became an independent division and became the “Home Environment Division of General Motors”, with logos featuring the phrase “Product of General Motors”. Frigidaire also manufactured air conditioning compressors for GM cars. In 1979, after 60 years of ownership, GM sold Frigidaire to the White Consolidated Industries, which was purchased in 1986 by Electrolux, which owns the brand today.
… up to the 1970s when Frigidaire made air conditioning compressors for GM car brands – Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Oldsmobiole, Pontiac and GMC. (Hah! We found a motoring connection for Power Wheels Magazine! – Ed.)
Extraordinary Brand Recognition
The refrigerator brand became so popular and well known from 1919 to the middle of the century that a lot of people, Americans and Filipinos included, called any refrigerator a Frigidaire regardless of brand. Frigidaire is said to have influenced the word “fridge” that was the slang for refrigerator, instead of “ref”, which, more often than not, refers to a referee in a ball game.
Frigidaire ads were so prolific that people called refrigerators as “Frigidaires” regardless of brand.
Aside from the electric self-contained refrigerator in 1918, Frigidaire also claims to have pioneered the home food freezer, room air conditioner, 30-inch electric range, and coordinated colors for home appliances. For a large number of Filipino households including ours, Frigidaire was not just a refrigerator. It was a reliable appliance, a staple in the kitchen, and was even considered as a part of the family.
Frigidaire pioneered the electric refrigerator, home food freezer, room air conditioner (top), 30-inch electric range and color-coordinated home appliances (bottom).
Grand Comeback in the Philippines
On April 22, 2026 at the Ballroom of the Novotel Manila Araneta Center, CYA Industries, Inc., the new official licensee of Frigidaire in the Philippines, celebrated their Silver Anniversary – 25 years in the home appliance distribution business – while commemorating Frigidaire’s 110th Founding Anniversary and its Grand Relaunch in the local market. “The Philippines is definitely a vital market in the burgeoning consumer appliance sector worldwide and we are optimistic of tapping into this with such a strong legacy brand,” stated CYA Industries General Manager Franklin Chan.
CYA Industries Genral Manager Franklin Chan sets the nostalgic tone in his opening remarks during the company’s 25th Anniversary event held at the Novotel Manila Araneta Center.
The company’s 25th anniversary celebration, which was dubbed “CYA at 25: A Quarter of Legacy” was held at the Araneta Center as a subtle nod to the Araneta family who introduced and manufactured Frigidaire in the 1950s. Despite its brief respite from the Philippine market, Frigidaire remains a global powerhouse brand in home appliances while consistently ranking among the top in customer satisfaction. “It is a brand we see bridging generations especially with today’s strong nostalgia for products that stand for excellent quality and reliability,” announced CYA Industries Marketing Head Norman Reynoso.
With Taylor Swift’s concert at the Big Dome as the backdrop, CYA Industries Marketing Head Norman Reynoso waxes nostalgic about the Araneta Center and the Araneta family’s connection to Frigidaire.
Improving the Lives of Filipino Families
CYA Industries reiterated its commitment to improve the lives of Filipino families with products that are not only innovative but in step with latest trends in smart and sustainable technology. They unveiled the latest lineup of Frigidaire refrigerators, chillers and freezers, which boasts of design features that allow seamless and modular integration into modern kitchen interiors while offering state-of-the-art features such as Purefit technology, Metal-Tech Cooling, cost-saving inverter technology and eco-friendly refrigerants.
CYA Industries unveiled the latest Frigidaire refrigerators, chillers and freezers that allow seamless and modular integration into today’s modern kitchens.
Modern Frigidaires feature cost-saving inverters, Total No Frost cooling, 360° multi air flow, soft touch digital control, Clear Sky LED lighting, and R600a eco-friendly refrigerants.
Frigidaire glass top freezers come with energy-saving inverters, Metal-Tech cooling, stainless inner liner, Smooth-Glide sliding glass, inside condenser, and soft touch digital control.
Also introduced during the anniversary celebration were Frigidaire air conditioners and semi-commercial beverage coolers. CYA Industries teased about more products such as washing machines, microwave ovens and water dispensers that consumers can look forward to. After all, consumers can always count on Frigidaire for highly reliable and efficient cooling appliances and products at a price point that remains practical and offers great value for money. Aside from their commitment to improve our lives, CYA Industries is committed to bring the “pridjider” slang back into every household lingo around the country.
The semi-commercial beverage coolers feature dynamic cooling, anti-condensation vents, durable wire shelves, automatic defrosting, aside from inverters, digital control, Total No Frost, R600a, and other features.
Whisper-quiet and fast cooling Frigidaire air conditioners are available as window-type and split-type units ranging from 1.0 hp to 2.5 hp.
CYA Industries, Inc. executives led by GM Franklin Chan toasts to the Silver Anniversary of the company and 110 years of Frigicaire as they look forward to more years of “loving your home”.