Agriculture Business Week

Goat farmers may soon have a new market for goat meat as Fortress Food Manufacturing Corporation embarks on two new canned products – sinampalukang kambing(chevon with tamarind soup) and kalderetang kambing(chevon stew).

Amelia R. Coronel, Fortress Food’s general manager, said that the two new products would soon be available commercially after it recently got the Halal certification from the Islamic Dawah Council of the Philippines (IDCP). This means that these products comply with the Islamic standards on food, allowing the Muslim consumers to make canned goat meat as a part of their diet.

There is an increasing demand for less popular meat products that are nutritious but have less cholesterol compared to other meats. “Goat meat can be a good substitute, which contains less fat yet is comparable to other meat in terms of taste,” Coronel added.

With the commercialization of canned goat meat, the demand for goat would increase in the coming months. For their monthly requirement, Coronel estimates that they will need about 30 to 50 head of goats a day for a daily production rate of 3,000 to 5,000 cans per shift. “Production can go to as high as 10,000 cans a day if we go on double shift,” she said.

To ensure the supply of goat meat for canning, Fortress Food has contracted local raisers. It is also cooperating with the Federation of Goat and Sheep Producers Association of the Philippines for additional supply of goat. Coronel said that they prefer the meat-type breeds over the native breed because of the former’s higher meat yield. Soon, the company will be putting up its own goat farm for a regular source of goat meat.

Currently, the company has already its own slaughterhouse and processing plant located at Ma. Corazon Subdivision, Cupang, Antipolo City. The slaughterhouse, which is intended solely for goat slaughter, and the processing plant are both accredited by the National Meat Inspection Service (NMIS).

Apart from the local market, Fortress Food is also eyeing to export its canned goat meat products. “We would also like to make these products available to the overseas Filipino workers abroad, aside from our Muslim brothers,” Coronel said. She also stressed that there is a need to educate the consumers on the health benefits from eating chevon, adding that it is not only for pulutan but can also be a part of a healthy diet.

The company has been continuously receiving inquiries from interested parties since it launched the products at the recent International Food Exhibition (IFEX) held at the World Trade CenterManila.

Established in 2002, Fortress Food Manufacturing Corporation also produces canned laing (taro leaves in coconut milk) and puso ng saging (banana blossom in coconut milk) which are exported to US, Australia, Dubai, Jeddah and Singapore.