Philippines: Largest poultry plant launched through JV

The largest processing poultry plant in the Philippines has been inaugurated thanks to a joint venture between Cargill and Jollibee Foods Corporation (JFC).

The 867m peso ($17m) Cargill Joy Poultry Meats Production plant in Santo Tomas, Batangas, has a processing capacity of 45 million chickens a year and provides dressed and marinated chicken to meet the increased demand at JFC brands in the country. It is likely to generate 1,000 new jobs.

Paul Fulbright, president and chief executive officer of C-Joy, said: “We are bringing protein to families’ tables across the Philippines. Cargill and Jollibee came together to start this plant because of our common commitment to the highest standards in product quality and food safety.”

C-Joy is partnering with local poultry farmers to supply birds to the news plant. Vic Lao, president of Highcrest Corporation, a partner grower of C-Joy, said: “We are looking forward to producing the chickens that will be supplied to the C-Joy plant to meet the poultry meat requirements of Jollibee. I am impressed by the biosecurity requirements to control food safety at every stage of production,” he added.

Ernesto Tanmantiong, JFC chief executive officer, said the partnership with Cargill, which started in June 2016, was developing well. “This partnership will meaningfully benefit our customers, our operations as well as the overall Philippine food industry.

“We will continue to maintain our strong relationship with key chicken suppliers in the country and look forward to sustained long-term supply arrangements with them as our businesses grow together.”

Cargill has also announced plans to expand its broiler production facilities in Honduras. A new hatchery wing is due for completion in San Pedro Sula early next year, which will increase production by 20%, reaching a capacity of 1.2m day-old broilers per week.