Unilever Philippines’ Nutrition business unit marked its 22nd year of nutrition advocacy with a call to action for partners and stakeholders to continue the fight against undernutrition in the country.
Led by its biggest food brand, Knorr, the company announced its commitment of reaching 15 million lives by 2030 under the Knorr Nutri-Sarap program and Makulay ang Buhay program.
“Our agricultural ingredients from the Philippines are 100 percent sustainably sourced, thereby contributing to the livelihood and continued upskilling of Filipino farmers. Previous investments made in efficient manufacturing operations have a positive impact on the value chain and help reduce our overall impact on the environment. We take great care on how we bring our products to consumers, from farm to fork,” Unilever Philippines Chairman and CEO Fredy Ong said.
He credited Unilever’s sustainable business model, where business performance integrates sustainability, as having enabled the company to grow the business and do more for its communities.
Knorr brand representatives, Hanna Laurel-Villaroman and Hannah Banocnoc, shared that the Nutri-Sarap program together with the Makulay ang Buhay program have reached 12.5 million lives cumulatively.
Villaroman said the intention is to scale program impact and reach its 2030 ambition.
Building on the success of Nutri-Sarap, Knorr also launched an improved Nutrition Education toolkit and fortified its products with critical micronutrients lacking in most Filipino dishes – the pork cubes now have iron, the sinigang mix has Vitamin C, and the soup bases have Vitamin A.
“Each nutritious, delicious, and affordable recipe shared and each household empowered through education, contributes to a healthier future for our country. We are very proud and very grateful that while Knorr and Unilever Nutrition has championed this for the last 22 years, the next decade will be brought to life by more nutrition advocates across the country,” said Marinelle Villanueva, Unilever Philippines Nutrition Business Unit Lead.
“Our recipe book empowers mothers by giving them choices to make delicious and nutritious meals within their budget,” added Banocnoc.
Collaborating with local chefs and nutritionists, and the DOST-FNRI, Knorr developed 63 nutritious, budget-friendly breakfast, lunch, and dinner recipes. Housed in education modules and recipe books, the Nutri-Sarap meal plans have been used in on-the-ground teaching activities, as well as the “Makulay ang Buhay” show, an educational program that aired on national TV.
Knorr Philippines’ brand ambassador Abi Marquez also led a cooking demonstration and talked about her personal views as an influencer of home-cooked dishes and its impact on the public’s perception of nutrition.
“We want a more sustainable future, one plate at a time,” Ong said.
