CNPF set to complete P700-M coco facility expansion
By JAMES A. LOYOLA
Century Pacific Food, Inc. (CNPF), one of the largest food and beverage manufacturers in the Philippines, is expecting to complete the P700-million expansion of its coconut OEM (original equipment manufacturer) facility in Mindanao by the end of this quarter.
In a disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange, the firm said it embarked on the expansion project to increase the plant’s capacity by 50 percent and add new lines to the facility.
CNPF explained that this came after the extension and expansion of long-term contracts with major partners, Linaco and Vita Coco, in 2020.
The Linaco Group is a leading regional coconut producer headquartered in Malaysia. It has an extensive range of high value products sold in major retail outlets domestically and internationally.
Linaco has a vast global network with a footprint in over 40 countries, located across Europe, Middle East, China, Hong Kong and Australia.
Vita Coco, on the other hand, is the world’s leading coconut water brand, with CNPF as one of its largest and long-time manufacturers. The Company has produced many of the brand’s coconut products, including packaged coconut water.
“The demand for coconut products has dramatically increased in recent years,” said CNPF Vice President and General Manager of Coconut Division Noel Tempongko.
He noted that, “More and more consumers are now aware of and actively manage their health and wellness every day, and they turn to coconut products, which are intrinsically healthy, to support their lifestyles.”
“This much needed expansion allows us to fully serve the needs of our key partners and consumers, both locally and globally. Investing in our facilities expansion is key to support our growth for both the branded and the OEM businesses in 2022 and years to come,” added Tempongko.
In 2019, CNPF launched its own line of branded coconut products which includes culinary packaged coconut cream.
The brand has been posting exponential growth since its launch, fueled by both organic demand and the pandemic. Other Coco Mama products include Extra Virgin Coconut Oil and Coconut Sugar blends.
This expansion is another major milestone for the Coconut Division. In 2021, CNPF completed the commissioning of a 5.2MW Solar PV plant for its Tuna and Coconut manufacturing facilities.
This serves approximately 15 percent of the power requirements of these two divisions. Thus, CNPF’s biggest manufacturing hub now harnesses over 60 percent of its power requirements from clean energy sources, hydro-electric and solar.