Mekeni’s focus on quality ensures strong international support for the company
CITY OF SAN FERNANDO---As a family brand, Mekeni Food Corporation has always been about products that come from the heart— and more importantly, products that showcase Filipino excellence to the world when it comes to food. This is the reason why numerous clients overseas continue to trust the company for food products that meet international st andar ds.
Mekeni’s industryleading manufacturing capabilities and proof of excellence have allowed the company to enjoy a level of global support that only a few others in the country are currently enjoying. These in turn reinforce the idea that Filipinos can create food products that they can be proud of, wherever they may be in the world and no matter what challenges they encounter.
Because of the company’s food manufacturing expertise, Mekeni has maintained its supply of food products to existing international markets like the UAE, Brunei, and Bahrain, just to name a few.
Additionally, Mekeni’s commitment to innovation allows it to continue working with product development partners outside of the country, such as those in Japan and Australia, even amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
It was not, however, an easy feat for Mekeni, which is also one of the leading food manufacturing companies in Central and North Luzon.
Since 2004, the company has been continuously ensuring that it has all the right ingredients needed to be able to deliver good and quality food, from trusted sources of raw ingredients, to state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities, to the strict implementation of food safety practices.
Mekeni sources its raw ingredients from trusted suppliers within and outside the Philippines, ensuring that they meet the standards the company’s in-house accreditation process and those of the National Meat Inspection Service (NMIS) before they can proceed to the processing phase.
Mekeni’s manufacturing plant in Pampanga is operating 24 hours a day and outfitted with the latest food processing machinery that are mostly from the US and Germany. To maximize this, the company regularly sends employees to various food safety and manufacturing seminars in the country and abr oad.
In addition, all facilities in its manufacturing plant, even office spaces, undergo stringent sanitation measures, which are made even more strict to ensure that they are free from COVID-19.
Mekeni’s strict adherence to manufacturing best practices have earned the company recognition from prestigious organizations in the Philippines and overseas. For instance, Mekeni’s
CLARK FREEPORT – One of the top locators here was recently cited by local executives from adjacent communities of this Freeport for continuously providing employment and economic activity amidst the pandemic.
In an article released by Yokohama Tire Philippines Inc. (YTPI), it was mentioned that local executives of Mabalacat City, Angeles City, and Bamban, Tarlac commended the Japanese-owned firm for its efforts in preserving jobs of workers and maintaining business operations in this Freeport.
YTPI also said in the same report that their strict adherence to safety protocols in mitigating the virus ushered in an unhampered operation for the company. This also earned the confidence of local executives to let them continue their business activi t y.
Referring to YTPI, Mayor Crisostomo Garbo, after the meeting with the company's executives earlier in the month said the Japanese tire maker may proceed in its usual business operations.
“It is important for these workers that their work continues, not only to help the economy but their families also. YTPI appears to be compliant with protocols and requirements of government,” he stated in a social media post.
Bamban Mayor Jose Antonio Feliciano cited the efficiency of YTPI in mitigating the dreaded disease as the company is equipped with technology and safety measures in the prevention of the coronavirus.
Feliciano also expressed the local government’s readiness to help YTPI not just on matters concerning the current crisis but also on business continuity and risk management.
Angeles City Mayor Carmelo Lazatin, Jr. also expressed support for YTPI's initiatives. Lazatin said the city government is always ready to extend assistance to YTPI. He likewise commended the company for ‘preserving jobs’amid the global health pandemic.
Meanwhile, YTPI President Tetsuya Nagao mentioned that despite the expected major job losses
plant is the first in Asia and the second in the world overall to receive the certificate of compliance to ISO 22000 Food Safety Management System (Meat Processing - Hotdog) standard. Mekeni is also certified compliant to the Food Safety System Certification scheme, the most comprehensive international standard on food safety and quality.
The company is also a recipient of the International Quality Awards of Gold in Geneva, Switzerland in 2012; Platinum in Frankfurt, Germany in 2013; and Diamond in Paris, France in 2016, as well as the first processed food company in the Philippines to be accredited by the Japanese government.
“Mekeni has been at the forefront of food manufacturing not only in the Philippines but globally. We attribute this to our relentless commitment to providing food products that people will want to serve their families. This is something that we promise to continue doing, and we assure everyone that we’ll do it even as we all continue our fight against this health crisis,” Mekeni President and CEO Pruds Garcia said. (PR)