Jollibee Foods Corp. (JFC), an Asian foodservice company based in the Philippines, and Cargill Philippines, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Cargill Inc., Minnetonka, Minn., broke ground on a new poultry processing facility in Santo Tomas, Batangas, in the Philippines.

The new joint venture, called Cargill Joy Poultry Meats Production, Inc., is said to be the largest of its kind in the Philippines, projected to process 45 million chickens per year. The plant, which is expected to begin operations in the last quarter of next year, will create an estimated 1,000 new full-time jobs and develop new opportunities in the farming community in Batangas and nearby provinces, as local poultry farmers are contracted to grow chicken to supply the requirements of the processing plant. The facility will provide JFC with dressed and marinated chicken to augment the chicken supply requirements of JFC brands.

"This is a significant moment for Cargill, as we start construction of our first poultry processing facility in the Philippines in partnership with Jollibee,” says Paul Fullbright, managing director of the joint venture. “It will be built to the highest standards in efficiency, employee safety and environmental sustainability. As Cargill does everywhere we do business, we will contribute in improving the system of hygiene, food safety and quality in this world-class facility, and we look forward to having high level of partnership ‎with the poultry growers and farmers. The facility is a testament of the importance of the Philippines for Cargill and our continued commitment to invest in the country.”

"JFC looks forward to the completion and start of operations of this poultry processing facility,” adds Fernando Siy Yu Jr., chief business support officer of JFC. “This plant, which will provide JFC with dressed and marinated chicken, will augment the chicken supply to the fast-growing JFC brands. This partnership will meaningfully benefit our customers, our operations as well as the overall Philippine food industry. We will continue to maintain our strong relationship with key chicken suppliers in the country, and look forward to sustained long-term supply arrangements with them as our businesses grow together."