The digital age has come to the local dairy industry, with Israeli firm LR Group aiming to increase the country's fresh milk production three-fold in partnership with Metro Pacific Investments Corporation.

MPIC chairman, president, and CEO Manuel V. Pangilinan announced the collaboration with LR Group in a ceremony at Metro Pacific Agro Ventures Inc.'s dairy farm in Los Baños, Laguna. MPAV is a wholly-owned subsidiary of MPIC.

"Our investment in agriculture is synonymous with food security and substantial independence but will ultimately become a means of alleviating hunger in our country — a pressing issue that we have taken as a challenge to address," Pangilinan said. "Our goal will always be to feed our people first."

Early this year, MPIC began its foray into the dairy industry by partnering with Carmen's Best Group to further develop and expand the operations of its dairy farm and dairy products manufacturing facilities by agreeing to acquire a 51 percent interest in The Laguna Creamery Inc.

MPIC seeks to ramp up investments in the agricultural sector and reduce the country's dependence on food imports amid ongoing global supply chain disruptions and high inflation. This transaction presents a significant growth opportunity for MPIC and the Philippines, as the country currently imports 99 percent of its annual dairy requirements.

The LR Group, MPIC joint venture, aims to build world-class, modernized Metro Pacific Dairy Farms by employing modern, sustainable farming techniques in their facilities. MPDF plans to increase the country's fresh milk yield per cow from eight to 10 liters to 30 liters daily. This will be made possible by keeping MPDF's 1,000 cows, 600 of which will be milking cows, and the farmers who care for them happy and well taken care of through modern farming practices.

Growing the herd

Founded in 1985, the LR Group operates worldwide in the financing, managing, developing, producing, and maintaining medium and large-scale national projects in high-growth economies worldwide.

The company and its affiliates have completed hundreds of sustainable projects in Africa, Europe, Oceania, and South America in the fields of agriculture and agro-industry, housing and construction, renewable energy, water treatment, communication, health, education and training.

Through the support of Israeli Ambassador Ilan Fluss, the LR Group became instrumental in the deal between MPIC and Carmen's Best, serving as the technical advisors during the transaction.