Century Pacific Food, Inc. (PSE: CNPF), one of the Philippines’ leading food companies, has made its biggest move yet into the meat-free market launching its ‘unMeat’ brand – the first vegan meat alternative brand in the Philippines.
CNPF Executive Chairman Christopher Po said, “We believe ‘unMeat’ is a valuable addition to our brand and product portfolio as more and more Filipinos embark on healthier lifestyles. At the same time, this initiative supports both our ambition to become a healthier food company and to do business in a more sustainable and responsible way.”
‘unMeat’, currently sold to institutional customers only, serves as a healthy meat alternative made with nonGMO plant-based ingredients, with zero cholesterol and trans-fat, while remaining a good source of protein and fiber.
At the same time, it maintains the taste of real meat – becoming a viable food option, not only for vegans and vegetarians, but for meat lovers as well.
Currently, it serves as the patty of sister company Shakey’s Pizza Asia Ventures’ (PSE: PIZZA) “Goood Burger” available in all Shakey’s outlets across the Philippines.
Po added, “We are working towards more plant-based options, making meat alternatives accessible to a wider segment of the Filipino population. The key is to create a product that is affordable, healthy, yet tasty – with the flavor profile of real meat. We believe ‘unMeat’ meets all these criteria and we look forward to growing this brand moving forward.”
Apart from being good for the health, the supply chain for plant-based products requires lower consumption of various natural resources such as water, land, and energy, and generates less greenhouse gas emissions compared to the production process for meat.
This product launch comes on the heels of CNPF finalizing its sustainability strategy, which includes priorities such as addressing nutritional gaps in the Philippines, mitigating various environmental impacts, and diversifying and strengthening its workforce.
Recently, the Company signed an agreement with Plastic Credit Exchange (PCEx) for the certification of its plastic neutrality making it the first food company in the Philippines to pursue such third party verification for a plastic offsetting initiative.
CNPF celebrated its first year of being 100% “plastic neutral” earlier this year, following a push in 2019 to be plastic neutral by 2020. This means it is able to recover an amount of plastic equivalent to what it uses. It has also announced a joint initiative with Friends of Hope, a non-profit organization with expertise in coconut-based farming systems, to help expand long-term coconut supply in South Central Mindanao, providing additional income to some 16,000 families in the area and sequestering enough greenhouse gases to make its coconut subsidiary carbon-neutral by 2028.
