Skip to content

Philippines Today

home of the Global Filipino

Menu
  • News Stories
  • Regional News
  • Business & Economy
  • Science & Technology
  • International
Menu

Universal Robina aggressively expanding in PHL, other Southeast Asian nations

Posted on May 27, 2015

MANILA, May 27 (PNA) — Gokongwei-led food and beverage manufacturer Universal Robina Corp. (URC) is aggressively expanding in the Philippines and overseas especially in Southeast Asian countries to keep pace with the rapidly growing economies.

“I think the first and foremost frontier are the Philippines and Southeast Asia which is a market of 600 million people, and rapidly growing economies,” URC president and chief executive officer Lance Gokongwei told reporters after the company’s annual stockholders’ meeting on Wednesday.

Gokongwei said the company has acquired New Zealand snack giant Griffin’s Foods Ltd. and forged new joint ventures Calbee-URC and Dadone-Universal Robina Beverages as it aims to deliver a premium product portfolio suitable to modern retail.

“We’re quite optimistic in the trends we’re trying to meet. The long term trend is really (towards) healthy (foods), it’s covered by Calbee, Nissin and Danone joint ventures,” he said.

Gokongwei said URC has invested 26 million New Zealand (Php841.3 million) to increase capacities in a new bar line in New Zealand which it hopes to start operating by October.

“In Myanmar, we spent US$ 30 million there primarily (for facilities producing) biscuit wafer and snack… Central Vietnam lines are currently being commissioned,” he added.

Gokongwei said they will start introducing various products in various URC markets by next year. It launches about 40 to 50 new products a year.

URC currently serves Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and China/Hong Kong markets.

The company has earmarked Php2.5 billion in capital expenditures for the first half of fiscal year 2015 ending March.

“We’re clearly in investment stage, so I think we expect to be profitable by three to five years,” he added. (PNA)

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • More
  • Tumblr
  • Reddit

Related

News Categories

  • Announcement (34)
  • Business & Economy (1,567)
  • Comment and Opinion (74)
    • Random Thoughts (18)
  • Current Issues (425)
    • Charter Change (1)
    • Election (228)
    • Population (6)
  • International (389)
  • Life In Japan (66)
    • Everything Japan (41)
  • Literary (34)
  • Miscellaneous (610)
  • News Stories (5,312)
  • OFW Corner (297)
  • Others (75)
  • People (408)
  • Press Releases (163)
  • Regional News (3,362)
  • Science and Technology (502)
  • Sports & Entertainment (287)

Latest News

  • BSP keeps policy rates anew December 17, 2015
  • NEDA cuts PHL additional rice import for 2016 by 25% December 17, 2015
  • DA cites serious implications of banning genetically modified products December 17, 2015
  • BBL is not yet dead – Drilon December 17, 2015
  • Comelec recognizes Duterte’s CoC for president December 17, 2015
  • NEDA chief sees 2015 growth at 6% despite typhoons December 17, 2015
  • House of Representatives ratifies bicam report on P3.002-T national budget for 2016 December 17, 2015
  • Cebu-based developer invests PHP430M to build 709 townhouse units in north Cebu town December 17, 2015
  • City gov’t eyes P75-M income from economic enterprise December 17, 2015
  • Baguio City LGU presents traffic plan for holiday season December 17, 2015

Archives

Meta

  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.org

Science and Technology

  • DOST-ICTO targets 500,000 web-based workers from countryside by 2016
  • (Feature) STARBOOKS: A ‘makeover’ for librarians
  • Science, research reduce ‘cocolisap’ hotspot areas in PHL
  • Montejo to further improve PAGASA and empower scientists
  • 1st PPP in biomedical research produces knee replacement system fit for Asians

Press Releases

  • Microsoft to buy Nokia’s mobile devices business for 5.44-B euros
  • New World Bank climate change report should spur SEA and world leaders into action: Greenpeace
  • Save the Philippine Seas before it’s too late — Greenpeace
  • Palanca Awards’ last call for entries
  • Philippines joins the global call for Arctic protection

Comment and Opinion

  • Remembering the dead is a celebration of life
  • Killer earthquake unlikely to hit Panay Island in near future – analyst
  • It’s not just more fun to invest in the Philippines, it is also profitable, says President Aquino
  • How does one differentiate a tamaraw from a carabao?
  • Fun is not just about the place, it is also about the people, says DOT chief

OFW Corner

  • Ebola infection risk low in Croatia
  • Death toll rises to 41, over 100 still missing in landslide in India
  • Asbestos use in construction a labor hazard
  • 500,000 OFWs to benefit POEA on-line transactions — Baldoz
  • 25 distressed OFWs return home from Riyadh
©2025 Philippines Today | Design: Newspaperly WordPress Theme