Century Pacific Food, Inc partners with Friends of Hope to donate quality seedlings to small holder coconut farmers

Century Pacific Food, Inc. through its coconut manufacturing arm Century Pacific Agricultural Ventures, Inc. (CPAVI), has signed a partnership with Friends of Hope to donate quality seedlings to smallholder coconut farmers -- enabling the planting ofproductive coconut trees and the replacement of non-fruit-bearing senile ones in South Central Mindanao.

Century Pacific Food donates seedlings to coconut farmers in Mindanao, helping enhance their livelihoods through increased productivity.

 

In addition to expanding long-term coconut supply in the region, planting the coconut trees will sequester about 416,680 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions over the next eight years. As a result, CNPF’s coconut subsidiary aims to be “carbon-neutral” by 2028.

 

Under the partnership, CPAVI will provide coconut farmers 100,000 coconut seedlings a year for the next five years, with Friends of Hope overseeing their distribution to farmer families and ensuring that the seedlings are given the proper care. Friends of Hope is a non-profit organization with expertise in coconut-based farming systems, as well as growing coconuts and other intercrops. Since its establishment in 2012, it has reached almost 10,000 farmers, providing them access to better seedlings, facilitating end-to-end trainings on coconut and intercrop production, and helping reduce costs by linking farmers directly to markets.

2000 dwarf seednuts were given to Sitio Macnit, Brgy. Nomoh, Maasim, Sarangani Province. Pictured here is one of the beneficiaries from the IP community, Ms. Dona Fanding.

 

The joint initiative between CPAVI and Friends of Hope will expand long-term coconut supply in South Central Mindanao and helpprovide additional income to some 16,000 families in the area. As its need for the coconut raw material rises, CPAVI also plans to onboard partner farmers as suppliers, giving them market access for their products.

 

Noel Tempongko, Vice President and General Manager of CPAVI, said, “This initiative is a unique opportunity to help our community, our planet, and our business all in one go. Coconut farmers in Mindanao get the benefit of improved quality and productivity of their farming, as well as market access to their products due to our growing company requirements. We are also able to offset our carbonemissions as a result of this project and, at the same time, ensure a more sustainable supply source of coconuts for our company. We look forward to continue showcasing the quality of Philippine coconut products, proudly made in Mindanao, to the rest of the world, whilst helping our environment and community of coconut farmers in the process.”

 

Christopher Po, CNPF’s Executive Chairman, added, “I am personally very excited about this project which allows us to augment the livelihoods of our farmers, enhance the supply of quality coconuts, and achieve a milestone of carbon neutrality for our coconut business. At the same time, the initiative supports our ambition to manufacture healthier products, and our vision of growth whilst doing business in a more sustainable and responsible way.”

 

Through the wholly owned subsidiary CPAVI, CNPF entered the coconut business initially as an integrated manufacturer of high-value coconut products for exports, in line with its pivot towards manufacturing healthier products. Its entry into the category began with an ongoing long-term contract with a leading global coconut brand. Recently, the Company also signed a long-term contract exporting coconut products to the Linaco Group, a leading regional coconut producer headquartered in Malaysia.

CPFI adopts enhanced safety measures in manufacturing plants

To meet the upsurge in consumer demand while ensuring the health of its employees against COVID19, Century Pacific Food, Inc (CPFI), makers of tuna and sardines brands such as Century Tuna and 555, is implementing stringent health and hygiene measures in its manufacturing plants to protect workers who continue to work amidst the pandemic. 

“We stand by our commitment to help ensure food security during the COVID-19 crisis by keeping our plant fully operational,“ says Greg Banzon, EVP and COO of CPFI. “At the same time, we have to make the welfare of our employees a top priority to sustain operations during the Enhanced Community Quarantine period.  We have also adopted a variety of actions for the health, safety and comfort of our employees.”

Social distancing, strict hygiene measures, wearing protective personal equipment and   incentives for employees are just some of the practices strictly implemented in CPFI plants to ensure the safety of its employees and its products. 

Before employees enter the plant, they go through a strict daily screening that include temperature reading, disinfecting footbaths, and hand washing. Hand sanitizer dispensers are installed all over the plants to sustain disinfection throughout the workday.

Social distancing is also required in all key processes of production with foot markers spread across the tuna and sardine plants in General Santos and Zamboanga to help workers maintain a safe distance from each other. These markers are based on the distance prescribed by the World Health Organization. Additionally, employee-resting areas during breaks are also laid out to ensure proper social distancing.

Employees are provided with masks, hairnets and manufacturing gowns while those who interact frequently with co-workers are required to wear face shields to add extra layers of protection for workers in the production lines. 

Implementing these practices consequently adds to overall safety of CPFI canned products, where each can is processed on high heat exceeding 120 degrees Celsius and under very strict quality standards. 

CFPI also looks after the well-being of its employees by increasing employee incentives. 

Banzon says, “Our employees are the backbone of our operations and we need to keep an eye on their welfare, even more so during this global health crisis when we are doing our part in ensuring food security.”

Workers receive assistance in the form of free canned goods for their families, free meals at the plant along with vitamin supplements to boost their immunity. CPFI was also among the companies who have released the pro-rated portion of the 13^th month pay. The company also offers free rides—practicing one seat apart—via the company shuttle for employees living outside the immediate community.

With these enhanced security measures in its manufacturing plants, CPFI ensures the safety of its plant workers and consequently leads to continuous availability and overall safety of CFPI canned products. 

Century Pacific Food Inc. assures enough food supply

The country’s biggest canned food maker, Century Pacific Food, Inc. (CPFI) assures the public of adequate supply of its products to meet the heightened demands of consumers during this period of Expanded Community Quarantine

“Thanks to the support of the Department of Trade & Industry and the Inter Agency Task Force, we are able to maintain a smooth flow of goods. Our factories are continually operating with enough capacity despite the use of a skeletal workforce. Thus, we currently have sufficient stock of products in our warehouses so there is no need to panic or worry that supply might run out,” says Ted Po, CPFI President. 

“There is enough raw materials and ingredients to sustain production. Our trade partners, distributors and retailers also have enough supply.” Ted Po says.

CPFI food products include such brands as Century Tuna, Argentina, 555, Swift, Birch Tree Fortified Milk, Angel Milk, Fresca, Wow Ulam, Hunt’s and Coco Mama. 

“Let us all do our share in beating COVID19 by not panic buying,” Po added.