Disposal-bound carabao milk saved though SMC’s packaging technology

The packaging unit of San Miguel Corporation recently completed development of a packaging solution that extends the shelf life of carabao’s milk for up to six months, without the use of preservatives. According to SMC president Ramon S. Ang, this will allow carabao farmers to market and distribute their products to more consumers, potentially boosting the local carabao industry. Image from SMC website

MANILA, Philippines — When the COVID-19 pandemic forced authorities to place a huge part of the country under a lockdown, one major predicament was the smooth flow of the economy, as checkpoints choked the delivery of services and goods.

The transport of products, especially perishable items that would need quick and delicate handling, became a headache.  This was the same problem that carabao milk farmers had when they registered an excess in storage, which led to them to thinking of just disposing it.

To help small farmers and milk producers overcome the problem, food conglomerate San Miguel Corporation thought of buying these milk products and donating the proceeds to poor communities, rather than allowing these to go to waste.

According to SMC president and chief operating officer Ramon Ang, the San Miguel Packaging Group found a way to make cans using retort technology that would keep the sterilized milk good for six months, without any extenders or preservatives.

Ang is confident that the technology could help jumpstart the carabao milk industry, with milk producers and farmers finding a way around the quick perishability of milk.

“This will be a major boost for carabao farmers and the carabao industry in general. The main limitation — perishability — that kept farmers from maximizing their income and growing their business, has been solved,” Ang said in a statement.

“Now, their products can be sold to more consumers in more markets,” he added.

A product development specialist works with carabao milk at San Miguel Yamamura Packaging Corp.’s facility in San Fernando, Pampanga. Image from SMC website

Ang further said that carabao milk has a potentially big market because it is naturally nutritious, thus ensuring food security.

“Carabao milk is very nutritious so there is a big market for it. We see this as potentially jumpstarting growth of the carabao industry. We look forward to continue helping them in any way we can to further grow their industry,” Ang explained.

“We are more than eager to work with, and help small producers. At the end of the day, this technology was developed with our farmers and entrepreneurs in mind, to help them through this critical period, as the economy is still not what it was,” he added.

Ang revealed that the technology that allowed the carabao milk to be saved was developed using their investment — a new equipment at its beverage filling facility in San Fernando, Pampanga that is equipped for the new retort process.

Aside from carabao milk, the process and equipment may also be used for other beverage products, including teas, coffee, soya, and other milk-based products.

The SMC chief said that they hope to help businesses who may want to learn more about the process, while opening San Miguel’s packaging unit as a packaging provider.

At the same time, Ang also sought to help ensure food security within the country — both goals handy especially in these times where the country is still grappling with the crises brought by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“By providing them a way to distribute their products to more customers, we’re hoping to help them stay in business, grow their industry, and support food security for our country as we deal with the pandemic,” Ang noted.

EDV