CDO opens new plant in Batangas

MANILA, Philippines - Meat processing giant CDO Foodsphere Inc. will open on June 26 a new state of the art manufacturing plant designed to support the company’s expansion plan.

Built over a nine-hectare property in Malvar, Batangas, the new plant is expected to meet the expanding per capita consumption by Filipino consumers of high-quality and affordable meat products.

Each Filipino consumes an average of seven kilos of hotdogs, corned beef and other processed meat products annually, according to a study by the Philippine Association of Meat Processors of the Philippines, Inc. (PAMPI). CDO is a member of PAMPI.

The new facility in Batangas is capable of producing 150,000 kilos of different processed meat products daily. CDO Foodsphere is the company behind best-sellers such as CDO Karne Norte, Samba Corned Beef, CDO Bibbo! Hotdog, Bingo Hotdog, CDO Meatloaf, CDO Hamburger Patties, CDO Holiday Ham, CDO Bacon, CDO Liver Spread and cube cheese under the brand Danes.

The opening of the new plant will set the bar higher for occupational safety, food safety and product quality, said Jerome Ong, president of CDO-Foodsphere. The new facility is equipped with highly mechanized equipment that will help improve productivity, reduce wastes, increase yield, and attain better product quality.

“This plant is not solely intended to achieve global competitiveness but more so to fulfill the company’s commitment of satisfying and delighting the customers while safeguarding consumer safety and product quality,” Ong said.

The new CDO manufacturing plant in Batangas is considered the first of its kind in the area, because of its large and efficient production capacity designed to meet the international standards for food manufacturing.

“The new plant is a faster, cleaner and bigger operating hub for the company which is designed to increase our production capabilities and meet growing demands for meat products. This will also help us achieve economies of scale that will ultimately benefit the Filipino consumer in terms of affordable yet nutritious meat products,” he said.

Ong said he expects the meat processing industry to rebound from a flat growth in the first quarter to post a full-year growth of up to 10 percent in 2009, against the backdrop of global economic recession.

He said the growth in demand for meat products is expected even during this challenging period, because processed meat products have become essential components of Filipinos’ diet.