AB Pascual Foods invests US$17.07M to construct yorghut facility

PHILIPPINES – AB Pascual Foods, the yogurt business under Lucio Tan-led Asia Brewery Inc., has invested US$17.07 million (P1 billion) to construct a long-life yogurt production facility in Laguna, touted to be the first of its kind in the Philippines and Southeast Asia.

Michael Tan, president and chief operating officer of Asia Brewery, said the planned facility would enable them to rely on local production to meet their local yogurt requirements and eventually export to other markets in the region.

“It will also mark a breakthrough for the industry as we will be producing locally made long-life yogurt, a first in the Philippines and first in Asean (Association of Southeast Asian Nations),” Tan said in his speech during the National Dairy Authority’s event in Manila.

Tan added that the plant, which will produce shelf-stable, long-life yogurt, will rise beside Asia Brewery’s manufacturing complex in Cabuyao, Laguna, allowing the company to produce dairy on a larger scale.

The company presently sources its yogurt from Spain for local distribution; however, construction is set to begin soon, with the facility targeted for completion within two years.

The company would rely mainly on internally generated funds to bankroll the project.

National Dairy Authority joins SOXAARRDEC to strengthen dairy research

Recently, the National Dairy Authority joined the SOCCSKSARGEN Agriculture, Aquatic, and Natural Resources Research and Development Consortium (SOXAARRDEC) to strengthen dairy research and development efforts in the region.

The NDA Southern Mindanao Department joined SOXAARRDEC during the recent Regional Research and Development Coordinating Committee (RRDCC) meeting held at the Cotabato Foundation College of Science and Technology (CFCST) in Doroluman, Arakan, Cotabato Province.

Dr. Rayan I. Ysulat, a veterinarian and officer-in-charge manager of NDA Southern Mindanao, represented the agency at the meeting, emphasising the NDA’s commitment to advancing the Philippine dairy industry.

Ysulat highlighted that the NDA’s participation in SOXAARRDEC aligns with its mandate under Republic Act 7884, which tasks the agency with accelerating dairy industry development through comprehensive programs.

These initiatives include dairy animal distribution, technical assistance in breeding and animal health, establishment of processing facilities, development of feed centres, facilitation of market linkage, and access to credit facilities.

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