High-quality agri products for the global market

In its early years, AgriNurture, Inc. started as a business that focused on the importation, trading, and fabrication of post-harvest agricultural equipment. Since then, AgriNurture Inc., or ANI, eventually blossomed into becoming a world-class agro-industrial company that supplies high-quality agricultural products—and has captured the attention of people from many countries around the world.

The underlying vision of ANI during its incorporation was to help uplift and improve the productivity and income of the Filipino farmer, which explains why it continues to foster the belief that the country’s rich yet largely untapped agriculture industry would be its biggest asset into becoming a fully-developed and self-sustaining economy.

To aid in this objective, the company implemented a “farm-to-plate” business model that is unique to ANI and fully in-sync with its corporate vision of becoming a globally-competitive supplier of high-quality agricultural food products. The farm-to-plate concept calls for the harmonization of all of ANI’s business activities, from farming, packing, trading, distribution, processing, canning, and even up to sales. With this concept, ANI is now in the most ideal position to elevate and encourage more private-sector investments in the agriculture sector, presenting it as both a viable business endeavor and at the same time, the most practical way towards self-sufficiency, sustainability and development for the country’s shaky economic condition.

The beauty about ANI as a fully Filipino-owned company is that it does not want to stop growing, and is fully dedicated in helping Filipino farmers become self-sustaining and encourage other Filipinos to invest in the agriculture business and help them grow together with ANI. Currently, company executives are developing a franchising model called “Pangkabuhayan Project,” a vegetable cart project under its FCA subsidiary, as part of its expansion initiatives. The project is deemed encouraging enough for potential franchisees in terms of substantial return of investment opportunities despite minimal financial exposure.

And to further its goal of providing only the best agricultural products to the world, ANI took a step closer towards realizing this by becoming the first agriculture-based company from the Philippines to be listed on the National Stock Exchange (NSX) of Australia, an exchange that caters to small and medium-sized companies like ANI. ANI will be traded under the NSX code “FCA,” which is also its flagship brand for its vegetable products in the Philippines, Fresh Choice Always, beginning January 19, 2009.

Antonio Tiu, president and chief executive officer of ANI, believes that listing on the NSX will provide its shareholders with the surety of a transparent and regulated market. “We believe aligning with the Australian capital market through a NSX listing, and eventually a capital raising, is the right strategic move for ANI and will greatly enhance our expansion plans,” he said.

At present, ANI is a company that was borne out of the consolidation of several agro-industrial businesses. Among its affiliates under its Fresh Foods group include First Class Agriculture or FCA, a company engaged in the commercial distribution of fresh fruits and vegetables to supermarkets and groceries together with another sister company, Fresh and Green Harvest Co. Lastly, Lucky Fruit and Vegetable Products, Inc. is involved in the wholesale trading and distribution of commercial crops through key trade points like hotels, restaurants, wet markets and other commercial establishments.

“Despite being a relatively young company, we see ourselves as a catalyst for growth of the agriculture sector, with the firm belief that it is in this sector where Filipinos can achieve financial stability by investing in it and ultimately, has the best potential for achieving significant economic growth and sustainability for the Philippines,” explains Tiu.