Tuesday, June 28, 2011

2011 I Choose Wellness Expo

Miss the fun activities that you and your friends had last year? On July 2-3, the 2011 I Choose Wellness Expo will be held at the Megatrade Hall 2 and 3 of SM Megamall. Interactive games, free nutrition consult, Wellness talks and a whole lot more await those who will attend! And not only that – if you didn’t make it to the Nestlé Centennial Film Showing, this is the chance for you to catch up on the flicks you missed!

So what are you waiting for? Block the dates and see you there!


Tuesday, June 21, 2011

NESTLÉ GLOBAL CEO AFFIRMS COMMITMENT TO PHILIPPINES


In a meeting with President Benigno Aquino at Malacanang Palace, Nestlé S.A. CEO Paul Bulcke re-affirmed the Nestlé Group’s commitment to the Philippines as the company celebrates its 100th year of doing business in the country.

Accompanied by Nestlé S.A. EVP Frits van Dijk, Zone Director for Asia, Oceania, Africa and the Middle East, and Nestlé Philippines, Inc. Chairman and CEO John Miller, Mr. Bulcke is in the country for an update on Nestlé operations in the Philippines and to meet with public and private sector leaders.

“The global Nestlé family proudly congratulates Nestlé Philippines on its centennial. This is a remarkable milestone in its enduring mission to provide generations of Filipino families with tasty food and beverage products that promote nutrition, health, and wellness. We are deeply grateful for the trust that Filipinos have put in Nestlé brands through the years,” Mr. Bulcke said.

Mr. Bulcke said the Nestlé Group looks forward to the next 100 years of serving future generations of Filipinos with high-quality brands offering affordable nutrition. These brands are supported by Nestlé’s outstanding food and nutrition R & D capability, which is the largest in the world. “We will strive to continue to create shared value by working with leading stakeholders in society and by focusing upon nutrition, water management and rural development, all of which are areas that are particularly pertinent to our business. We take very seriously our corporate responsibility towards our shareholders, the local communities where we operate and the society that we serve. In this way we build long term sustainable businesses which benefit a wide range of stakeholders. This is the case both in the Philippines and globally,” he said.

Mr. van Dijk, who served Nestlé Philippines, Inc. for many years, said that the Philippines is a key market for Nestlé both in ASEAN and worldwide. Sales of Nestlé Philippines totaled PhP 92 billion in 2010, making it the 8th largest corporation locally. NPI currently has four factories manufacturing coffee, milks, chocolate energy drinks, cereals, infant nutrition products, ice cream and chilled dairy products.

A fifth Nestlé factory is under construction in Tanauan, Batangas, and will start operations in 2012. “As Nestlé Philippines marks its centennial, the ongoing construction of the Tanauan factory is a concrete re-affirmation of our commitment to the Philippines,” said Mr. van Dijk. Nestlé has invested over PhP 10 billion in the country in the past five years, with PhP 4.8 billion allocated for the Tanauan facility. The bulk of these investments have gone towards enhancing production capability to meet growing local market demand.

Mr. Bulcke said, “By opening a new factory, we are closer to our consumers and our valued customers. At the same time, we are able to enhance local economic activity by creating employment and business opportunities for partners and suppliers.”

Turning to global operations, Mr. Bulcke said that a significant portion of Nestlé’s growth has and will come from emerging markets, in which it is already strongly represented. Nestlé sales in these markets currently amount to CHF 39 billion or 35 percent of turnover, and are projected to grow to 45 percent by 2020.

“The Philippines continues to grow in importance to Nestlé. We believe that making long-term investments will help unlock the country’s great potential. The diversity and dynamism of Filipinos and the favorable demographic and economic growth trends mean that the country will continue to draw foreign investments which, I believe, will contribute significantly to its growth and development. Nestlé’s long-standing presence in the Philippines and our ongoing investments re-affirm our confidence in the country and our commitment to nurture future generations of Filipino families,” Mr Bulcke said.

Friday, June 3, 2011

Nestlé celebrates 100 years in Pinoy culture



BY ED UY STAFF WRITER

SOURCE: The Manila Times

FROM the President’s sister Kris Aquino, Mega couple Sharon Cuneta and Sen. Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan, Piolo Pascual, Regine Velasquez, Ogie Alcasid, Ai-Ai de las Alas, Pokwang, Kim Chu and Gerald Anderson (who arrived separately and chatted briefly), to Eddie Garcia, Marvin Agustin, Mike Enriquez and other notable personalities—the guest list was enviable as it was impressive. It was after all an event that was 100 years in the making.

Nearly a thousand people graced the premiere screening of Nestlé’s short film anthology Kasambuhay, Habambuhay on Sunday at the Newport Theater in Resorts World Manila.

With the theme, “Companion in Life, for Life,” for its centennial celebrations, Nestlé Philippines first came up with a heartwarming 90-second television advertisement that illustrates how the company’s products have become a significant part of Filipino family life.

John Miller, CEO and chairman for Nestlé Philippines, said: “This relationship with the Filipino consumers, anchored on the quality of our brands and the role that these much loved brands have played in helping nurture and nourish Filipino families, is what led us to our centennial theme Kasambuhay, Habambuhay.”

100 years in the telling

But with still so many great stories left to tell, Nestle decided to come up with Sine Kasambahay, a 100-minute anthology of 10 short, entertaining and creative films each reflecting a part of Philippine culture and how each of their brand has become part of Philippine culture.

The bar, however, had been set quite high as Nestle had produced some of the most memorable ads and catchphrases throughout the years—from “I remember yesterday the world was so young;” “Great things start from small beginnings;” “Let’s sit and talk awhile;” to favorites such as “You’re my No.1;” and “I-bottomless ang saya.”

Choosing from a select roster of commercial directors who have previously helmed Nestlé TV commercials, the challenge was to capture the wide spectrum of emotions and present it in a way that shows how Nestle has become a part of Pinoy culture itself.

The directors pitched stories of various genres for brands Bear Brand Powdered Milk Drink, Nescafé, Milo, Nestea, Mido, Coffee-Mate, Maggi, Bear Brand Sterilized, Nestlé Ice Cream, Koko Krunch, Nestlé Fruit Selection Yogurt and Nestlé Fitnesse. The exercise yielded a spectrum of stories—but there could only be one story per brand. After a difficult process of selection, 10 stories were selected, which vary from drama, romantic comedy, musical, fantasy, satire, family comedy, suspense, adventure, mock-umentary and even a Shakespearean parody.

“We envisage the films as an opportunity to look to the future and our mission to continue providing Filipinos with tasty and high-quality products that promote nutrition, health and wellness,” Miller said. “Creativity plays a central role in this mission and these excellent films display the very best of Filipino creative talent in the realm of filmmaking.”

“Through this film series, we would like to thank and honor the generations of Filipino consumers and families who have put their trust in Nestlé and its brands, and have made them a part of their everyday lives,” Nestlé Communications director Sandra Puno said.

Sine Kasambahay opened with “The Howl and the Fussyket” (Eugene Domingo and Kiray Celis), a humorous take on how the family comes together during competitions—whether it’s for a national contest or in this case a second grade declamation. Determined to help her son win despite his obvious “f” and “p” speech defect, (“What a veautiful ‘fussy’ you are!”), Domingo decides to hire a call center agent and an upstart stage actor to prepare him for the contest and taking the word “kinareer” to new heights.

Next was “Unplugged” (Eddie Garcia, Marvin Agustin, and Kaye Abad) a story of a young football team who goes on a field trip to the province to learn the value of team work. Initially too caught up with their gadgets, the boys eventually learn to value the simpler things in life and unlock a new world of natural wonder of nature and discovery—that going offline is the only way to reconnect back to life.

“Silup” (Sid Lucero and Gloria Romero) on the other hand is a peek into the often dangerous life of a cop—his dealings with denizens and the crimes they commit; why he has remained single; and the reason behind his seemingly strange and symbolic routine of taking out a can of sterilized milk and depositing his gun in place.

Paying comedic homage to the epic film Himala, “Isang Tasang Pangarap” (Ramon Bautista) tells the story of Elias, a down and out young man whose most prized possession is a shiny red coffee cup. After an encounter with a Nora Aunor-looking sari-sari store owner, Elias gains the ability to tell the future and with it the fame and responsibility that goes with his newfound power.

The mere appearance of Kuya Bodjie Pascua of Batibot fame in “Sali Salita” (Migs Cuaderno, Bodjie Pascua and Judy Chua) was a giveaway that some good story telling was about to ensue, and he did not disappoint. The story was about a mother who writes children’s storybooks but doesn’t have enough time to create stories for her own son. The young boy eventually finds the attention he desperately craves for with the arrival of his grandfather (Pascua). Together the two fill up an empty milk can with words and creates a magical tale of heroes and villains—all that was needed was a good ending.

Fans of the Nicos in the Nestea-serye of commercials will enjoy “Oh! Pa Ra Sa Ta U Wa Yeah!” (Neil Coleta and Jillian Ward), which takes the Clemente family on an MTV-esque road trip. But while the entire family was in high spirits, Nicos seemed to be out of it. Seeing his son distraught in trying to figure out Mattina, Nicos’s father finally shares the centuries-old family heirloom—an alphabetical manual of how their clan courted women.

One of the most applauded and the best films of the night, “Downtown” (Virgilio Que) is a tale of an aging Chinese man who has floated through life with his ladylove by his side. But now, times have changed as he begins each day waking up alone on his bed made for two. He becomes distant, alienating people around him and realizes that even a cup of coffee has it better because it will always have a creamer as its mate. He eventually decides to get his act together for a second shot at the greatest thing in life—love.

“Tingala sa Baba” (Arby Cesar Viduya, and Eubert Marc de la Cruz) is a coming of age satire featuring two kids on a seesaw from different social backgrounds. The chubby kid who comes from a well to do family finds himself always at the bottom—looking up to a lanky child brought up in poverty. How they try to reverse positions shows just how friendship is more valuable than money and the true worth of a friend.

The classic tale of Romeo and Juliet takes on a Shakespearean (or is it Balagtasan) twist in “Cooking Mo, Cooking Ko” (Isay Alvarez, Nonie Buencamino and Robert Sena) as two warring families try to battle it out for carinderia supremacy—while their two children have secretly fallen in love with each other. It portrays the often copy-cat mentality of Filipinos and our love for food.

Finally, “Sign Seeker” (John Lloyd Cruz and Solenn Heussaff) takes the Filipino belief in superstition to a romantic level as a young man seeks all sorts of divine signs to determine his decision to ask the girl of his dreams out on a date. As each sign materializes, however, he begins to ask for more unfathomable ones as the fear of rejection seems too much for him to bear. John Lloyd Cruz once again proves why he is one of the best actors of today, as he shines throughout the 10 short minutes, making you wish it was a full-length movie instead.

The films will be shown to the public on June 10 at SM Megamall. June 11 and 12 will Free Movie Weekend, and viewers get to watch for free at selected SM cinemas nationwide (Megamall Cinema 3, Southmall Cinema 6, Rosales Cinema 1, Davao Cinema 1 and Cebu Cinema 7). Five lucky viewers (one per cinema) will get a chance to win P10,000 per area just by voting for their favorite short film.

Nestle also published a centennial cookbook entitled Celebrating 100 years of Cooking with Nestlé. It features 100 easy-to-prepare, affordable and tasty recipes developed for Filipino taste buds using Nestlé products.

Miller added that its century-long presence in the Philippines is just the start of things to come and concluded: “Our mission continues into the future as we forward to the next 100 years. That mission centers on our commitment to nurture generations of Filipino families with tasty products that promote nutrition, health and wellness.”

Wednesday, June 1, 2011

100 Years of Nestlé in the Philippines


Kasambuhay, Habambuhay: Scenes from a good life
Cover Story by Jesselynn G. de la Cruz
SOURCE: Sunday Inquirer Magazine

MILK memories are among the best flashback moments of life.

And every Filipino childhood has them – tucked away in the heart. Scenes that pop up in the mind and shoot a feel-good rush through the body. A glance or gesture that evokes a familiar thrill or recalls the calm certainty that all is right and well in the world. Snapshots so crisp they shimmer even through the haze of an approaching twilight.

It’s not difficult to get people reminiscing and talking about such moments, Nestlé Philippines, Inc. (NPI) realized, when they sought to find out what generations of Filipinos across a century think and feel about Nestlé and its brands.

The company got on this track about a year ago, when it was looking towards a corporate milestone – a hundred years of continued presence in the country, from when the Nestlé and Anglo Swiss Condensed Milk Company established its first sales office in Calle Renta, Binondo. That should have been reason enough to celebrate. Except that for Nestlé Philippines, corporate longevity alone does not necessarily call for a celebration.

“It was not so much a question of whether we should celebrate, as what we wanted to celebrate,” recalled Sandra C. Puno, Nestlé Director of Communications. “We didn’t want an event that would just be an occasion to trumpet our age and extol our achievements.” If a centennial celebration was to have meaning for the company, she added, it would have to be in the context of the relationship Nestlé has, and that it hopes to continue, with Filipino families who have trusted the Nestlé brand and welcomed its products into their homes for generations.

“We believe our consumers are part of our 100 years and that we’ve somehow connected with their lives, so we went and asked them what they thought of a 100-year milestone,” Puno explained. “And it was so heartwarming because we discovered that people, over a wide range of ages and sectors, had vivid memories of growing up with Nestlé products.”

The memories were actual vignettes of real Filipino family life, at various decades and in different settings. Young boys and girls languidly sipping BEAR BRAND Sterilized Milk back when it was packaged in the unique paper-wrapped tin cans. Siblings waking up to a glass of warm NIDO Instant Full Cream Milk at the breakfast table and downing another one at bedtime. Stirring in MILO for a thick refreshing choco-malt treat and time-out energy boost. Idyllic yet scorching summers made bearable with pitchers of NESTEA enough to go around among friends. Cherished NESCAFÉ moments, through life’s highs and lows, through tumult and tranquility, stimulating each day, each effort and making them all worthwhile. And other scenes around the dinner table or in the kitchen where Nestlé was part of the Filipino family.

It was clear then that the story of 100 years of Nestlé in the Philippines was tightly woven into the fabric of Filipino life. Tracing the history of the company was like peering into the window of a home where generations live and love, keeping alive the very ideals and traditions that Nestlé lives by, and that generations of consumers have continued to rely on.

This led to the crafting of the Nestlé centennial television commercial (TVC) “Kasambuhay, Habambuhay” (Companion in life – for life) as a special tribute to this unique relationship between the company and the Filipino family.

The centennial TVC, with the background song “Pag-ibig” written and composed by APO Hiking Society member Danny Javier, unfolds before the audience in 90 seconds, a 100-year saga of the Filipino family, all the while mirroring scenes from the viewers’ own childhood and adolescence, courtship and marriage, parenthood and grandparenthood. The scenes are endearing because they are familiar to every Filipino family and individual of the past century – as real as the lump in the throat and the tug at the heart that come with each personal flashback moment.

"The centennial TVC is inspired by love for the family, a cultural trait which unites Filipinos. We are grateful because through the years, Nestlé products have become very much a part of the Filipino families’ way of life, from generation to generation, in various stages of their lives,” said Nestlé Chairman and CEO John Miller. “This relationship with the Filipino consumers, anchored on the quality of our brands and the role that these much loved brands have played in helping nurture and nourish Filipino families, is what led us to our centennial theme, Kasambuhay, Habambuhay.”

Nestlé Creative Services Executive Leslie Go-Alcantara said the 90-seconder TVC, which was directed by Stephen Ngo, significantly focuses not solely on the centennial milestone of Nestlé Philippines but on the milestones in the life of a Filipino family, during which the Nestlé brands bear quiet witness.

“The message is that Nestlé has always been there during family milestones, and this presence through 100 years is why we are celebrating, and sharing with them, our own milestone,” Go-Alcantara underscored.

“Good Food, Good Life,” the global slogan of Nestlé, is a commitment honored by Nestlé Philippines and well understood, appreciated and expected by Filipinos – not just the company’s consumers but its employees and workers as well. Conscious of and driven by the mission to nourish and nurture generations of Filipino families, the Company’s 3,200 employees – just as much its Kasambuhay – are committed to produce and market products under Nestlé’s well-known and trusted brands such as, NESCAFÉ, NIDO, MILO, NESTEA, MAGGI, BEAR BRAND, NESTLÉ, and PURINA.

Through the years, as a genuine Kasambuhay in growth, Nestlé has also continually affirmed its confidence in the Philippines through investments and expansion. Fittingly, a fifth Nestlé factory in Tanauan, Batangas is currently under construction in the country during this centennial year and will start operations in 2012. The company’s growing investment in the Philippines also provides business opportunities to over Philippine 3,000 partners and suppliers, most of whom are thriving small and medium enterprises.

Alongside these investments are Nestlés sustained programs for Creating Shared Value in the areas of Nutrition, Health and Wellness (NHW), Rural Development, and Environment that impact positively on people’s quality of life.

Grateful for the memories and scenes of 100 years of a good life in the Philippines, and crossing the threshold into the next century, Nestlé Philippines celebrates this relationship of nurturing and trust with all who have been Kasambuhay, and promises to be around Habambuhay.

“Our mission continues into the future as we look forward to the next 100 years,” Miller said. “That mission centers on our commitment to nurture generations of Filipino families with tasty products that promote nutrition, health and wellness.”