Asia Brewery eyes Q4 2027 start for P1-B yogurt plant

ABI Pascual Foods Inc., the dairy arm of tycoon Lucio Tan’s Asia Brewery Inc., said Tuesday it expects its P1-billion long-life yogurt production facility in Laguna to begin operations by the fourth quarter of 2027.

ABI President Michael Tan said the company has already ordered the equipment for the facility, which will be located beside its manufacturing complex in Cabuyao.

“We estimate that it will be operational by Q4 next year. The structure is already there, and the equipment has been ordered. It will take about a year to manufacture, ship, install, and commission,” Tan told reporters in Makati.

Tan said the facility would allow the company to produce yogurt products locally, eliminating the need for imports. At present, ABI sources its yogurt products from Spain, where they are manufactured by joint venture partner Calidad Pascual.

The company’s yogurt lineup includes spoonable yogurt and yogurt drinks in original, thick and creamy, nonfat, and Greek-style varieties.

“The market for dairy and other products is growing, so at least in the future, we will have local capacity. It’s better that we manufacture and grow our own food rather than rely on imports,” he said.

On Tuesday, ABI Pascual also launched a 100-day milk-feeding program for 500 students from kindergarten to Grade 6 in Santa Rosa, set to begin in September 2026.

“We see this as a long-term investment in both child development and the local dairy industry, made possible through strong collaboration with our government partners,” Tan said.

Asia Brewery Inc. started as a beer company in 1982 and has since diversified into non-alcoholic beverages, including energy drinks such as Cobra Energy Drink, bottled water brands Absolute and Summit Natural Drinking Water, and soy milk through Vitamilk.—MCG, GMA News