Many of the major food companies in the Philippines are becoming global brands and are joining the giants of the food industry.
You may be surprised to know how important Australia is to the long term plans of many of these companies and their involvement in our country.
For example, Monde Nissin is best known to most people for their Lucky Me noodles which have been the market leader in the Philippines and amongst overseas Filipinos for years. Lucky Me is a staple product that shops must carry if they want to attract Filipinos.
But not many people know that Monde Nissin is also a major supplier to our leading grocery giants Woolworths and Coles.
When Monde Nissin acquired dip maker Black Swan for an estimated $115 million, they became a serious player in the food distribution business in Australia.
This was followed up by the purchase of Nudie Juices for around $80 million. With the addition of Menora Foods for an estimated $55 million, they added may Aussie favourites such as Peckish to their growing product list.
Universal Robina Corporation (URC), considered to be the first Philippine multinational in the food industry, is one of the largest branded foods companies in the Philippines. It has subsidiaries throughout Asia and now is in the Australian market through the acquisition of Griffin’s Foods in New Zealand which distributes to mainstream shops in Australia.
The next time you are enjoying your favourite wine from Margaret River give some thought to the likelihood it was bottled by San Miguel subsidiary Portavin, which operates in New South Wales, South Australia, Victoria, and Western Australia. San Miguel is discussing further acquisitions in Australia.
While on the subject of San Miguel, everyone knows it as one of the world’s great beers; but I was pleasantly surprised to learn that Ginebra San Miguel is the largest manufacturer of gin in the world, since I rarely see any of my Filipino friends drink gin.
Century Pacific Foods has partnered up with Traditional Foods of Jandakot to manufacture a number of Filipino favourites under the Argentina brand name.
NutriAsia, owner of such favourite brands as UFC, Mang Tomas and Datu Puti is a major shareholder in Del Monte Pacific. Best known for canned pineapple and juices, they also supply products, such as mayonnaise, under the S&W brand. These are featured in the major food retailers.
I’m very fortunate to be in Manila at this time, eating outstanding food and meeting up with friends in the food industry.
This is also the first time I’ve been to Vigan, in Ilocos Sur, a magnificent city listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and now a personal favourite destination for my family. If you get the opportunity to see Vigan you must check out the Hotel Luna where you can enjoy the food and marvel at the artwork in this restored Spanish mansion.
