‘Life is better when you drink fresh milk’
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In a country like the Philippines where malnutrition and undernutrition are still an issue, fresh milk is a key component to a healthy and balanced diet. As a beverage, fresh milk can provide calcium, protein, and other essential nutrients,” says Jovy Hernandez, CEO of Metro Pacific Agro Ventures (MPAV), at the sidelines of the launch of “Fresh is Best: From Moo to You” at The Fifth at Rockwell.
MPAV, the wholly owned agriculture unit of businessman Manny V. Pangilinan’s Metro Pacific Investments Corp., introduced last week a new fresh milk line of Carmen’s Best, a Filipino dairy brand known for its premium ice cream. To “celebrate the joys of fresh dairy,” MPAV unveiled the brand’s 100-percent fresh and 100-percent Pinoy-made milk variants: whole milk, low-fat milk, chocolate milk, salted caramel milk and barista fresh milk.
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“Life is better when you drink 100-percent fresh milk,” says Jovy, my college friend and contemporary in UP Los Banoswhere he finished BS Agricultural Economics before studying at the Asian Institute of Management. He joined PLDT in 2000 and the following year, the telecommunications company sent him to Wharton for the advanced executive program.
He explained that the milk of Carmen’s Best is 100 percent fresh because “the milk is gently pasteurized to ensure safety, with its natural texture, creaminess and nutritional profile kept intact.” It is 100 percent local because “our milk comes from Filipino farms, not imported.”
In 2023, MPAV inaugurated its 22-hectare, P2-billion venture in Bay, Laguna with 450 cows. “Today, the herd has increased to 1,400. We have also ensured that they get the best care with modern barns and specially formulated feeds to improve yield,” Jovy adds.
The MPAV cows are pampered because, as Jovy said in my previous interview, “happy cows produce more quality milk.” Quality living conditions of the cows include having fans and misting technology for cooling at the barns. Their diet is a silage formulation that has corn as major ingredient.
“We grow our own corn. We also partner with local corn farmers,” says Jovy, adding that one cow can eat 30 kilos of corn every day.
How committed is Metro Pacific Argo Ventures to 100-percent fresh milk?
“We are serious about having a nationwide footprint. Apart from our farm in Laguna, we have also recently invested in the Universal Harvester Dairy Farm Inc. in Bukidnon, which will be the main source of our fresh dairy products in Visayas and Mindanao. Our recent Carmen’s Best Milk launch is just the start of many exciting innovations and fresh dairy offerings for Filipinos,” Jovy says.
The Bukidnon project has 410 hectares devoted to 1,000 milking cows.
“Dairy farming is probably one of the hardest agriculture sub-sectors to be in, given the complexities of the perishable nature of the product, supply and efficiency challenges, and the need for a very stringent cold chain logistics to make it accessible to more people. Yet we choose to be here, being the first agriculture investment of Metro Pacific. We believe that any contribution we can do can make a big impact,” he says.
MVP has a bottle or two of fresh milk every day
“Our chairman, Manny V. Pangilinan, has always believed that we must develop the ability to feed our people first,” says Jovy.
“The dream is to employ technology and modern farming practices so we may not just revive, but revitalize various agrisub sectors, so that the Philippines may be an agricultural powerhouse one day.
“And this is especially true in dairy, where Filipinos have had to live with just powdered options for the longest time. It is about time that more Filipinos, young and old, can get to experience 100-percent fresh milk, made right here in the Philippines.
“MVP himself is a fan of Carmen’s Best Fresh Milk; he always has a bottle or two every day.”
Hard facts about fresh milk
A fact-checking activity was introduced at the “Fresh is Best: From Moo to You” launch.
Fact-check 1: “Ninety-nine percent of the Philippines’ dairy requirements are imported. The local dairy industry only meets one percent of local demand.”
Fact-check 2: “The Philippines has one of the lowest per capita consumption of fresh liquid milk. Simply put, Filipinos consume very little fresh milk per person compared to those from other countries.”
Fact-check 3: :Millennials and Gen Zs are increasingly clamoring for real, healthy and whole foods, including dairy products that align with their values of nutrition, sustainability and authenticity.”
Given those facts, Jovy has this to say: “Metro Pacific AgroVentures aims to redefine the Filipino plate with real, whole, fresh food that is grown and produced right here in the Philippines. We believe that fresh is best, and Filipinos deserve nothing less than fresh. We focus on agricultural sub-sectors where we think the Philippines should be leading globally. We pursue businesses with export opportunities to deliver the best products from the Philippines to the rest of the world.
“We are committed to seeking the best technologies used in modern farming to deliver better quality, efficiency, sustainability, and yield in Philippine agriculture. We believe in a fully-integrated approach, from farm operations all the way to consumer experience.”
For his part, Toby Gatchalian, MPAV and Carmen’s Best chief commercial officer, says, “Filipinos deserve nothing less than fresh. And we subscribe to no shortcuts philosophy.”
Toby underlines the brand’s mission of producing high-quality, fresh, and locally produced milk accessible to more Pinoys. “We go back to where it all started, to the heart and soul of Carmen’s Best, the precious, nourishing, fresh milk that makes you enjoy every scoop of Carmen’s Best ice cream. That same milk is the very foundation of our brand,” he says.
The joys of having fresh dairy
“Life is always better when you drink 100-percent fresh milk,” Jovy repeats.
“Fresh milk is always best, when it comes to health and wellbeing. A glass of fresh milk will always outweigh the nutritional benefits of powdered counterparts, and is always a delight with its natural creaminess and texture.
“Apart from this, every bottle of fresh milk bought and consumed is a way to support our local dairy farming industry, as it brings more livelihood to our dairy farmers in the country,” he concludes.
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