Agriculture.ph Blog

Meat processor keen on investing in corned tuna

MEAT-processing firm Foodsphere Inc. has expressed its interest in investing in the tuna-canning business, citing the bright potential in the domestic market of corned tuna, a new product that is expected to boost the canned-tuna sector.

Jerome Ong, president of Foodsphere, said a new investment into the corned-tuna category would provide  Filipino consumers with better alternative to existing canned-tuna products in the market today.

“Foodsphere, with over 34 years of experience in meat processing, is venturing into the corned-tuna category, as a part of its expansion plan,” said Ong.

“This forms part of the company vision to diversify into other food products which can be enjoyed by the Filipino household,” Ong said.

Corned tuna, the first of its kind in the Philippines, is a new category in the canned-tuna industry which is expected to expand the market for healthy products demanded by consumers with active and healthy lifestyle.

“Corned tuna is a new category in the canned-fish industry. Its entry will make the industry grow bigger, to the benefit of the Filipino consumers,” said Ong.

The introduction of new product categories is expected to result in a more competitive canned-tuna industry, where only a few players dominate 90 percent of the market. There are less than a dozen brands competing in the local market today.

Corned tuna is expected to attract even nonfish consumers because of its delicious taste combined with healthy content, two factors sought by modern consumers who want to have satisfying meals while staying fit, active and healthy.

Foodsphere, founded by Jose and Corazon Ong on June 26, 1975, is one of the leading meat-processing companies in the country today.

It has been cited by the Department of Agriculture because of its ability to manufacture and market high-quality processed meat products at cost- competitive prices.

Apart from meat processing, Foodsphere is also into meat canning, fruits bottling, water distilling, cheese and mayonnaise production, and fish canning.

It has recently invested P300 million in a modern manufacturing and distribution facility situated over a 9-hectare property in Malvar, Batangas, that would expand the company’s capacity by an additional 150,000 kilos of food products daily.

Source: Business Mirror