A new branch store of Milka Krem was recently opened at the University of the Philippines-Los Baños (UPLB).
It was established to serve as a technology demonstration and learning hub and where the Philippine Carabao Center (PCC) at UPLB and farmers could sell their dairy buffalo products.
Among the dairy products available at the said store are fresh milk, choco milk, coffee milk, fruit-flavored juices, white cheese, mozzarella, pastillas de leche, assorted flavors of yoghurt and yoghurt drink, flavored yema and ice cream. These are products of PCC@UPLB under the brand name Carabest and of the four dairy cooperatives and/or associations being assisted by the said center such as the General Trias Dairy Raisers Multi-Purpose Cooperative, Rosario Dairy Raisers Association, Magdalena Dairy Raisers Association, Llano Farmers Multi-Purpose Cooperative; and private entrepreneur from Balayan, Batangas.
“The creation of Milka Krem at UPLB upholds the PCC’s mandate on promoting food safety using quality control protocols and modern dairy processing technologies that can be adopted by private entrepreneurs and business sectors,” Dr. Arnel N. Del Barrio, Acting Executive Director of PCC, said during the store’s soft-opening on March 9.
Meanwhile, Dr. Flordeliza Lantican, UPLB retired professor and lead researcher of the “Value Chain Analysis for Carabao and Carabao-Based Products”, said that the creation of Milka Krem at UPLB is a great opportunity for farmers, cooperative and association in CALABARZON, MIMAROPA and the Bicol Regions to have an access to commercial market for bigger income.
“In our conducted study on the value chain analysis, we discovered that market is one of the problems of the key players in selling their milk and meat products to the public. With the creation of Milka Krem at UPLB, there’s no reason for them not to succeed in their dairying businesses,” Lantican emphasized in her talk during the event.
The 300 sq m facility worth Php10 M is located beside the UPLB’s Baker Memorial Hall. Its soft-opening coincided with the UPLB-College of Agriculture and Food Science (CAFS) 108th foundation day and PCC’s 24th anniversary celebration.
Also present during the event were UPLB Chancellor Dr. Fernanco C. Sanchez, Jr; Dean Enrico P. Supanco of UPLB-CAFS; National Dairy Authority Representative Warren C. Pagdato; and some staff from the PCC national headquarters and its regional centers.
