San Miguel Corp. said its food and beverage businesses have started to recover as the government reopens the economy.
“With consumption up, many of our own employees and those of our partners, dealers, suppliers, contract growers, and service providers are working again. On top of that, nationwide, a lot of micro, small, to medium enterprises–from sari-sari stores, retailers, bottle collectors, haulers, and the like–are also able to resume their business and livelihood,” said Ramon Ang, San Miguel president.
San Miguel’s food and beverage businesses under San Miguel Food and Beverage Inc. (SMFB) has interests in beer and non-alcoholic beverages, food, and spirits.
San Miguel Brewery Inc. (SMB), the country’s top beer manufacturer, said it was looking at better business performance entering the second half of 2020.
Ang said since the transition to lower quarantine levels, SMB has restarted operations at production facilities nationwide, as well as the transport and distribution of its products, while strictly observing modified liquor ban guidelines in specific cities and municipalities.
Ang said San Miguel Foods Inc. (SMFI) has also seen improvements in its revenues starting June. While the company was able to maintain essential food production throughout the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ), it was still affected by the closure of many food service and retail establishments and decreased foot traffic in markets.
However, SMFI was able to implement various programs to address consumer demand and increase food availability and sufficiency, Ang said.
“These include the rollout of mobile stores, community selling in barangays and villages, mobilizing a network of community resellers, and utilization of online ordering platforms and home delivery,” he said.
SMFB liquor unit Ginebra San Miguel Inc., (GSMI) at the same time reported that volumes have increased since more areas transitioned to modified ECQ to general community quarantine – from practically zero business activity in April, it was able to turn in record monthly volumes in June.
“While the company temporarily ceased business activities, GSMI reconfigured its operations to produce disinfectant alcohol, which San Miguel donated to hospitals and vital installations nationwide. GSMI produced and donated 1.3 million liters of alcohol, estimated at P97.1 million, as of June 25,” Ang said.
“It’s not just our food and beverage businesses that are starting to recover. Even power, infrastructure, fuels, have started seeing improvements in their industries,” he added.
