CNPF unit aims for carbon neutrality by 2028

After achieving plastic neutrality early this year, Po family-led Century Pacific Food Inc. (CNPF) has stepped up efforts to balance its ecological footprint with a new commitment for its coconut subsidiary to attain carbon neutrality by 2028.

CNPF’s coconut manufacturing arm Century Pacific Agricultural Ventures Inc. (CPAVI) has signed a partnership with non-profit organization Friends of Hope to donate quality seedlings to small coconut farmers. This is to enable the planting of productive coconut trees and the replacement of non-fruit-bearing senile ones in South Central Mindanao.

In addition to expanding long-term coconut supply in the region, planting these coconut trees will offset about 416,680 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions over the next eight years. As a result, CNPF’s coconut subsidiary aims to be carbon-neutral by 2028.

The joint initiative between CPAVI and Friends of Hope is also seen to expand long-term coconut supply in South Central Mindanao and help provide additional income to some 16,000 families in the area by boosting coconut farm productivity in the region.

Under the partnership, CPAVI will provide coconut farmers 100,000 coconut seedlings a year for the next five years. Friends of Hope will oversee the distribution of these seedlings to farmer families and ensure that the seedlings are given the proper care.

As its need for the coconut raw material rises, CPAVI also plans to tap partner farmers as suppliers, giving them market access for their products.

“This initiative is a unique opportunity to help our community, our planet, and our business all in one go. Coconut farmers in Mindanao get the benefit of improved quality and productivity of their farming, as well as market access to their products due to our growing company requirements. We are also able to offset our carbon emissions as a result of this project and, at the same time, ensure a more sustainable supply source of coconuts for our company,” Noel Tempongko, vice president and general manager of CPAVI, said in a press statement on Wednesday.

“We look forward to continue showcasing the quality of Philippine coconut products, proudly made in Mindanao, to the rest of the world, whilst helping our environment and community of coconut farmers in the process,” he added.

Friends of Hope is a non-profit organization with expertise in coconut-based farming systems, as well as growing coconuts and other intercrops. Since its establishment in 2012, it has reached almost 10,000 farmers, providing them access to better seedlings, facilitating end-to-end trainings on coconut and intercrop production, and helping reduce costs by linking farmers directly to markets.

“I am personally very excited about this project which allows us to augment the livelihoods of our farmers, enhance the supply of quality coconuts, and achieve a milestone of carbon neutrality for our coconut business. At the same time, the initiative supports our ambition to manufacture healthier products, and our vision of growth whilst doing business in a more sustainable and responsible way,” CNPF executive chair Christopher Po said.

CNPF entered the coconut business, initially through CPAVI, as an integrated manufacturer of high-value coconut products for exports, in line with its pivot towards manufacturing healthier products. Its entry into the category began with an ongoing long-term contract with a leading global coconut brand.

Since then, CNPF has diversified into other high-value coconut categories such as desiccated coconut, virgin coconut oil, coconut flour and coconut milk. It has been exporting these various Philippine-made products to the world. It has also debuted its own brand for the domestic market, Coco Mama Fresh Gata, a fresh coconut milk product in a convenient packaged format.

Recently, the company also signed a long-term contract exporting coconut products to the Linaco Group, a leading regional coconut producer headquartered in Malaysia.