The Philippine Board of Investments (BOI) recently approved the registration of Mega Prime Foods Inc.’s Php980 million zero-waste sardines manufacturing facility. As a new producer of canned sardines in Luzon, MPFI expects to increase the supply of the product in the Philippines and provide Filipinos easy access to affordable and nutritious food options in the market.
Mega Sardines is the country’s top sardines brand with a market share of 26 percent. The approved project is designed to boost the production of Mega Sardines by 20 percent and address the growing demand in Luzon, which comprises 80 percent of the total market.
The project features a state-of-the-art semi-automated sardines canning manufacturing plant, with zero-waste fish meal facility, cold storage, and warehouse. The whole plant will operate using an energy-efficient power source to minimize carbon emissions.
“This innovation by Mega Prime Foods Inc. supports the government’s overall direction to host clean and sustainable manufacturing practices in the country,” Trade Secretary and BOI Chairman Fred Pascual said.
The plant has a reduction facility where all protein-based waste products, i.e., heads tails, and entrails are converted into other fishery products or byproducts by drying them using a drum dryer and afterward grounded. These can then be sold or used as a protein source for animal feeds. Fish oil is also extracted during this process. The site boasts of zero raw material wastage and will not have any protein-based waste material coming out.
Initially, the firm has installed a 400kW Solar Panel which can optimize up to 15 percent to 20 percent of total power consumption during day time. It is designed to accommodate future expansion of solar panels up to twice the existing installation. The site master plan includes the future installation of a cold storage facility that will ensure raw materials and finished goods are well preserved and will reach the consumer with good quality.
According to MPFI, the facility is envisioned to be a world-class innovation hub that will produce new affordable and nutritious food products for Filipinos. The firm also has plans to open a portion of its facility to the public wherein students can be exposed to innovations used in producing canned sardines.
The Secretary pointed out that the new sardines canning facility is a great help to meet the rising local demand for sardines and will lessen the pressure on sardines stocks in the Zamboanga peninsula since canned sardines are the most consumed canned food product in the Philippines.
The Canned Sardines Association of the Philippines (CSAP) earlier issued a warning of a possible shortage in canned sardines due to lack of supply. According to CSAP, annual demand for sardines is around 1 million cases per month which translates to around 186,000 metric tons per annum. With local canned sardines’ production capacity estimated at 142,441 metric tons annually, canned sardines production in the country may be insufficient by around 43,559 metric tons. MPFI’s project can fill-in 27 percent of the estimated local supply insufficiency.
“The project is also expected to generate more business and employment opportunities for Filipinos, especially those situated in the Southern Tagalog area,” he added.