Gardenia Bakeries to open P250-M automated plant

Gardenia Bakeries (Philippines) Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of QAF (Sigapore) Ltd. is all set for an expansion binge in the country after claiming leadership in the local bread market in just over three years in operation.

GBPI general manager Simplicio Umali Jr. told a press briefing that the company will inaugurate a P250-million fully-automated plant at its existing bakery at the Laguna International Industrial Park (LIIP) to keep up with a growing demand for their products nationwide.

He said the new plant will enable the company to expand its network and bring its products to the Visayas and Mindanao areas.

Since its establishment in 1998, the Gardenia brand of processed breads have spread rapidly in Metro Manila and in other regional centers in Luzon, supplying leading supermarkets, groceries and convenience stores.

In 2001, company sales grew five-fold to P320 million and Umali said they expect sales this year to expand by another 50 percent.

Umali said as part of their long-term business expansion plan, the company is considering to tap the capital market through a possible public offering and listing of its shares at the Philippine Stock Exchange, although this would take around two to three years more to undertake.

Aside from the Philippines, the multi-national company has operations in Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand, using a fully computerized bread-making technology developed in the US and Europe.

The company offers a wide range of bakery products including the flagship enriched classic white bread, high fiber wheat loaf, California raisin, chocolate chip, mango loaf, double delights loaf, hotdog and hamburger buns, chocolate filled, ube filled and strawberry filled buns, garlic and butter toasts and the pan de sal variety.

Its products are now sold all over Metro Manila and neighboring provinces, including Bulacan, Pampanga, Olongapo, Nueva Ecija and Tarlac in the north and Cavite, Laguna, Batangas and Quezon in the south. – Conrado Diaz Jr.