Gardenia Philippines assured Mindanao of sufficient bread supply as the construction of a P1-billion bread plant in Misamis Oriental province is expected to be completed this year.
Gardenia Philippines president Jun Umali said the new bread factory, with an estimated investment of P1 billion, would produce 130,000 Gardenia loaves and buns each day to be distributed across Mindanao.
“The construction of our bread plant in Mindanao is well underway and now almost halfway to completion. The building is almost finished, while the machines and equipment have arrived. Installation will soon follow,” Umali said.
The plant, located at Phividec Industrial Estate in Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental adjacent to Cagayan de Oro City, is expected to start operations by the third quarter, he said.
Umali said with the new Gardenia bread factory, consumers would be assured of more reliable and stable baked goods supply in Mindanao, especially during long weekends and holidays.
Umali said Gardenia would undertake a more aggressive market distribution in the region which showed huge potential for market growth.
Gardenia breads are currently delivered fresh through a logistics network from its plant in Cebu via the RoRo nautical highway.
The plant is equipped with fully automated, computer-controlled bread manufacturing facility integrating the most advanced baking technologies sourced from all over the world.
The giant tunnel oven, proofers, molders, dividers, conveyors and packaging equipment came from Germany and the Netherlands while the bread cooling tower was from Japan. The giant horizontal mixers were made in the US.
Once completed, the factory will be open for plant tours to showcase how bread is produced the world-class way, untouched by hand in a clean and sanitary environment.
The Gardenia Mindanao plant is also expected to generate hundreds of employment opportunities in manufacturing, distribution, sales and marketing, the company said.
“We’re glad that this investment and expanded operations will not only make fresh, quality and great-tasting Gardenia breads to consumers but also give more job opportunities for the people in Cagayan de Oro and the whole of Mindanao,” Umali said.
The new plant will be under the management of Nutrimax Fresh-Baked Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Gardenia International Pte. Ltd. Singapore, Gardenia’s parent company.