SMC: No shortage of Purefoods hotdogs, luncheon meat

San Miguel Foods (SMF) and the Department of Science and Technology’s Food and Nutrition Research Institute (DOST-FNRI) have partnered to standardize the NutriBunformulation used in government feeding programs for underprivileged children to help address malnutrition and prevent stunting among vulnerable communities. The agreement, formalized through the signing of a memorandum of agreement, is seen to enhance the effectiveness of government efforts to improve child nutrition and health nationwide. The premixes will be used by DOST-FNRI’s nationwide network of “adaptors”--makers of enhanced NutriBuns distributed to children beneficiaries of the program. The program aims to ensure that sufficient, standardized nutritional values go into every NutriBun so all children get the full nutritional benefits intended. At the same time, it will also allow for cost-effectiveness for the program’s adaptors. 

What was once a seemingly barren stretch of sand in 2022 is now a developing mini ecosystem teeming with color and marine life, thanks to San Miguel Foods’ Coral Rescue program.

Eighteen employees from B-MEG Plant Bataan and 43 employees from B-MEG Plant 1 Iloilo planted 1,200 mangrove propagules and 500 mangrove seedlings respectively as part of their efforts to help preserve and enrich the coastal environment of their respective provinces. Through the program, the teams aim to provide environmental and economic benefits to the residents of Barangay Bantan in Bataan and Barangay Gua-an in Ioilo. From an environmental perspective, mangroves act like a shield, minimizing the impact of storms and tidal waves, reducing soil erosion, and combating climate change by absorbing and storing carbon dioxide in their biomass and soil. These essential ecosystems also serve as nurseries for marine life, offering community members a sustainable source of livelihood.

President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. led the inauguration of San Miguel Foods' Magnolia Poultry Farm in Hagonoy, Davao del Sur- the country's largest poultry facility and the first of 12 mega farms the company will build across the country. The poultry farm, which can produce up to 80 million birds per year, equivalent to 200 million kilos live weight, is set to revolutionize poultry production in the Philippines ensuring a more stable and cost-competitive chicken supply. It will complement San Miguel Foods' existing nationwide contract growing program and provide additional livelihood and business opportunities for local farmers. It is a significant stride towards bolstering the country's food security. San Miguel Corporation (SMC) President and Chief Executive Officer Ramon S. Ang said: "Food security is one of the most important issues of our time. Today, we reinforce our support for the Marcos administration in ensuring a food-secure Philippines. Our goal is to provide every Filipino with access to high-quality food at prices within their means. Poultry, one of the most economical source of protein, is vital to achieving this."

Malasakit combined with pag-asa. The stories of struggle, risk, and uncertainties of over 122 corn farmers across the country had a 180-degree turn when the direct corn-buying program of San Miguel Foods was introduced to them. The continuing expansion of the company’s feed milling projects helped resuscitate the stalled economy, with SMF’s purchase of over 35,000 metric tons of corn from local growers this year. Corn is one of the key ingredients in animal feeds.

“Chairing is caring!” San Miguel Foods (SMF) turned over 150 school chairs made from used B-MEG sacks to the Marcos P. Saez Elementary School in Davao del Sur. The donation is part of SMF’s initiative to upcycle 65 metric tons of used plastic sacks generated by the company’s feed mills in Mindanao into 325 school chairs. It is also a testament to the company’s long-standing commitment to sustainability. For the company, malasakit for the environment and for fellow Filipinos means taking only what it needs, repurposing and replenishing what it has taken and, in the process, helping to uplift the lives of people. SMF will donate the remaining 175 school chairs to Hagonoy Elementary in Hagonoy, Davao del Sur, a future host community of SMF. The success of this initial engagement can pave the way for the SMF to scale the initiative nationwide. To produce the upcycled chairs, SMF partnered with Envirotech Waste Recycling Inc. (EWRI), a local company known for helping corporations upcycle plastic waste through its innovative technology. EWRI sorts, shreds, melts, and molds used plastic in its recycling plant to create sturdy, durable, and comfortable chairs with arm desks.

Recognizing the need to augment the public school students’ learning gadgets, San Miguel Foods, in collaboration with San Miguel Foundation, provided 15 laptops to Hagonoy Elementary School (HAGES) students at the start of the school year. HAGES is located in the Municipality of Hagonoy in Davao del Sur, the future site of SMF’s poultry complex project. With the hybrid set-up today, laptops are a critical tool in making sure the students are not left behind in their lessons. “Your donation is very timely as we are focusing our efforts now on developing the reading capabilities of our learners using modern technology like laptops, especially after the pandemic,” said HAGES Principal Mayrefel Padillon. “It is also a big help in our "Recovery Intervention to Sustain Education" campaign and Brigada Pagbasa Project. This will go a long way to help our learners.” Present during the turnover ceremony were the faculty and staff of Hagonoy Elementary School and some parents. Randy Dominguez, External Relations Associate of San Miguel Foods, delivered the key message, reiterating that education is a primary concern of San Miguel. “We are here to assist our partner schools achieve their goal of producing quality learners,” Dominguez said. Three years ago, the company also gave tablets to over 100 students in different San Miguel Foods locations in the Visayas and Mindanao given the realization that digital tools are crucial in enabling students to learn more engagingly. These donations form part of SMF’s flagship CSR program, Handog, under the Karunungan pillar. This year’s Handog will continue to focus on the 5Ks, namely Kalusugan - preventing malnutrition among children through the “First 1,000 days” program; Kabuhayan - providing alternative livelihood opportunities to communities where we operate; Kalikasan - propagating corals in Anilao, Batangas to further cultivate its rich marine biodiversity; Komunidad - developing community farms as an answer to food security, and Karunungan - developing young agri-entrepreneurs through the School for Experiential and Entrepreneurial Development (SEED).

San Miguel Foods recently broke ground on its Davao Multi-Tier Broiler Farm, the first of 15 poultry mega plants the company is building in the next 10 years to ensure the sufficient supply of chicken and bolster food security in the country. Located in Hagonoy, Davao City, the complex will eventually house 28 world class climate-controlled farm houses that will produce 80 million birds a year to serve the whole of Mindanao. Total land to be developed is 921 hectares. “Today, we are not just breaking ground but also marking another milestone in the food industry,” said San Miguel Foods President Butch Alejo in his message during the ceremony. “What we are bringing to the table is not just a significant amount of chicken that our consumers can enjoy, but also the assurance of food security to every Filipino.” The broiler farm will have multi-tier cages that will allow more growing cycles per year and better efficiencies and practices, including an integrated sanitation management program to eliminate flies and neutralize odor. The establishment of the facility demonstrates San Miguel’s commitment to help achieve equitable development in the region. Aside from providing more than 1,000 jobs to the Davaoeños, micro-enterprise programs will open for farmers, their families, and communities nearby. This will spur not just socio-economic growth of the entire municipality but also provide hope for the families nearby, who, with the substantial opportunities given them, can gain more access to technology, education, and sustainability. Mindanao is considered the country's food basket, producing 40% of the country's food needs and contributing more than 30% to national food trade, with one-third of its land area devoted to agriculture. Within the next five years, San Miguel Foods will begin work on the four other priority mega plants in Sison, Pangasinan, Lucanin, Bataan, and Sariaya and Pagbilao in Quezon. In 10 years, these four mega plants combined with the Hagonoy complex will be able to produce 400 million birds a year, with each bird targeted to weigh 2.5kg.

The Purefoods-Hormel Company, Inc. (PHC), received certifications from Prime Certification and Inspection Asia Pacific for the export of San Miguel Purefoods Tender Juicy Chicken Franks and San Miguel Purefoods Corned Beef to the United Arab Emirates. These products can now be enjoyed by Filipinos in the UAE. Prime awarded the company with four certifications, reflecting Purefoods’ compliance with the UAE Halal standard, the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP), the PNS, and the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF). A HACCP certification means that our company’s food safety procedures are compliant with an internationally-recognized system. Assistant Vice President and Exports Manager, Carl Constantino said, “A lot of time, effort, and resources were poured into acquiring these certifications so that our kababayans in the Middle East can experience their favorite Purefoods products.” During the awarding ceremony, Prime CEO, Dr. Mary Jane Alvero, said they were very happy with this achievement. “We appreciate the commitment that the technical group of Purefoods-Hormel showed,” said Alvero. “Your food management system is really at par with international standards.” Also present in the event were San Miguel Foods SVP for Corporate Affairs, and Head of the Halal Management team, Tatish Palabyab, and members of Product Development, Quality Assurance, Tolling, Regulatory and Nutrition Compliance, and Corporate Communication. Vice President and General Manager of Purefoods-Hormel, Jogee Cruz, emphasized that the mark of trust and quality in Purefoods products is always a top priority of the company, and these certificates are a testament to this commitment. “Let us continue working together to acquire international certifications for our products so that we are able to bring them closer to Filipinos around the world,” said Cruz.