DESPITE a turbulent global environment, the Gokongweis? branded foods manufacturing arm Universal Robina Corp. (URC) expects its overseas business turning profitable this 2009 for the first time since aspiring to be a multinational a decade ago.

In an interview after the company?s annual stockholders? meeting Wednesday night, URC president Lance Gokongwei said URC was now targeting to generate at least $10 million in operating profit this fiscal year ending September 2009, a turnaround from the $7-million loss the previous year. Turnover was expected to hit $250 million after breaching the $200 million for the first time last year.

URC itself is likewise expected to post better overall corporate results this year after consolidated net income plunged by 94 percent for the fiscal year ending September 2008, to P341 million partly due to mark-to-market losses from bond holdings. ?We had a lot of extraordinary items last year particularly in mark-to-market losses. We don?t expect that to recur in the same magnitude this year,? Gokongwei said.

?Clearly, what we are in control of is the rate of revenue growth and rate of operating profit growth. We?re confident that both will grow by double digit even in the current environment,? he explained.

On the international business, he said URC would likely post its first full year of profitability.