COMPANY PROFILING

https://www.scribd.com/doc/132221743/Universal-Robina-Corporation-A-Financial-Analysis

I. BACKGROUND

http://www.www2.urc.com.ph/company_history.html

Company History

Universal Robina Corporation (URC) traces its beginnings in 1954. At that time, Mr. John Gokongwei, Jr.
did well as a trader. He had learned the trade when his father died before the Second World War. Mr.
John worked hard during the conflict and postwar years, in order to prosper. However, while he thrived,
he carefully examined his company and correctly predicted that trading would remain a low-margin
business.
Mr. John decided to construct a corn milling plant to produce glucose and cornstarch. He named it
Universal Corn Products (UCP), the first linchpin of the company that became the URC we know today.
Business was good for a time, it’s producing a commodity that consumers could easily access, until similar
multinational companies in the country became hurdles. That’s why, Mr. John is continuously working
with an eye towards the future. To stay ahead of the game, Mr. John had to diversify by producing and
marketing his own branded consumer foods. He wanted to build the first 'local' multinational company
(MNC), borne out of best practices.
Thus, Consolidated Food Corporation was born in 1961. Its 'home run' and pioneer product is Blend 45,
the first locally-manufactured coffee blend, dubbed as the "Pinoy coffee". Blend 45 became the largest-
selling coffee brand in the market, beating market Café Puro and Nescafé Panned chocolate Nips came
after coffee. It’s a Filipino childhood staple. In 1963, Robina Farms started its operations of poultry
products. This was also the beginning of the vertical integration of the Gokongwei businesses. In the late
‘60s, Robichem Laboratories were built. Its main purpose is to provide veterinary needs to farm
businesses. In the latter part of the ‘70s, Robina Farms expanded when it entered the hogs business.
In 1966, Universal Robina Corporation was established. It pioneered the salty snacks industry through Chiz
Curls, Chippy, and Potato Chips, under the Jack 'n Jill brand. Other snack products followed, as the
company successfully introduced market leaders like Pretzels, Piattos, and Maxx.
In the coming decades, URC had more acquisitions and developments. In the early 1970s, the family
entered the commodities business through the formation of Continental Milling Corporation, for flour
milling and production. The late 1980s brought the acquisition of three sugar mills and refineries, under
URC Sugar. These two businesses provided stable cash flows, and allowed for further vertical integration
in the supply chain, to help URC weather any volatility in the cyclical commodities market. In line with this
strategy, during the late ‘90s URC entered the plastics business, through URC Packaging.

While the businesses became more diversified, the companies were slowly integrated in order to
streamline and minimize costs. In 2005, the present structure of the group was completed. All the
different companies are now organized under the Universal Robina Corporation umbrella, divided into
three focused groups:
 the Branded Consumer Food Group, comprised of BCFG Domestic (including packaging) and
International;
 the Agro-Industrial Group, comprised of Universal Corn Products, Robina Farms, and Robichem;
 and the Commodities Group, for sugar and flour divisions

COMPANY PROFILE
https://www.jgsummit.com.ph/our-company/business-units/universal-robina-corporation
Universal Robina Corporation (URC) is one of the largest branded consumer food and beverage product
companies in the Philippines. The company has a significant, and growing presence in the ASEAN and
Oceania markets. It is among the Philippines' pioneers in the industry. It has been operating for over 50
years since Mr. John Gokongwei, Jr. established Universal Corn Products Inc. in 1954, a cornstarch
manufacturing plant in Pasig City.

URC is engaged in an array of food-related businesses, including the production and distribution of
branded consumer snack foods and beverages; commodities such as sugar and flour; and agro-industrial
businesses mainly hogs, animal feed, and other related products.

URC has established itself to be the trailblazer in manufacturing through best-in-class technologies and
processes. It has unswervingly showcased its innovation and excellence through groundbreaking products
to the ASEAN market and wide distribution networks in both modern and traditional channels.

Mr. John envisioned URC to become a premiere food and beverage player across the ASEAN region with
strong market position. URC products are also exported to other markets like the US, Europe, Japan,
Korea, the Middle East, and also in West African countries like Ghana, and Nigeria through our URC
Thailand office. In 2014 URC started its venture to developed markets such as New Zealand and Australia
which is now called, URC Oceania.

URC has built three strong regional brands over the years— Jack 'n Jill for snack foods, C2 Cool and Clean
for ready-to-drink tea, and Great Taste for coffee. These brands are becoming popular across the ASEAN
region. We also have premium brands from SBA through their snackfoods segment such as Thins,
Cheezels, CC’s, Kettle and Natural Chip, Co., and Griffin’s through their high quality sweet biscuits and
wide range of healthy wrapped snacks called Nice and Natural.

URC's key to success has been attributed to building strong brands, robust product innovation pipeline,
and world-class manufacturing and supply chain capabilities. URC will continue to transform and delight
consumers in line with the changing competitive dynamics, and growth opportunities in Asia.