Mekeni Food Corporation, a multi-awarded Porac-based food processing company, is proving that global growth and local support can go hand in hand.
Mekeni President Prudencio Garcia affirmed the company’s commitment to the community as it backs the first-ever One Pampanga Food and Beverage Expo (OPFBEX), saying the firm owes much of its success to its roots. Garcia shared this during the KapiHann media forum of the Pampanga Press Club at Swissotel Clark, joined by OPFBEX lead convenor Chef Felix Asuncion and event co-convenor Chie Basco.
“We are now moving in the global arena, we want to show that Mekeni is not just about hotdogs, tocino, or longganisa. Mekeni is not just about what we have achieved as a company but more on what we can contribute to the community. This is more important to us,” Garcia said.
Mekeni, which turns 40 next year, began as a backyard business founded by teacher-couple Felix and Meding Garcia. It has since overcome major challenges—including the Mt. Pinatubo eruption, the Asian currency crisis, and the bird flu scare—to become a trusted name in the food industry.
Today, Mekeni exports, manufactures, and distributes its products to 23 countries, including the United States, Canada, Australia, Japan, the Middle East, and Europe. Its offerings range from its flagship Picnic Hotdog to tocino, longganisa, and marine-based products such as fish balls, squid balls, and kikiam. In the Middle East, Mekeni caters to its market with Halal-certified products.
According to Assistant Vice President for Exports and Human Resources Marilou Olalia Uy, Mekeni remains the only Philippine meat company authorized to export heat-treated products to Japan and has recently entered the Korean market with plans to further expand across Asia.
Meanwhile, OPFBEX Lead Convenor Chef Asuncion emphasized that the expo aims to showcase not just food and beverage products but the broader ecosystem of the local food industry, including farmers, culinary innovators, and service providers.
The inaugural OPFBEX will be held on September 13-14 at the SMX Convention Center in SM Clark, bringing together renowned chefs, food manufacturers, service providers, and other key players. It is expected to be the biggest food expo in Central Luzon, befitting Pampanga’s reputation as the culinary capital of the Philippines.
