Having been invited to be a key panelist for CITEM's IFEX Philippines Media Salu-Salo last April 26, 2024, we asked his thoughts on the main challenges facing food industry manufacturers in export trading.
An industry veteran, Ruben See says that the country needs to focus on competitive pricing in the global market. “If we compare our products with neighboring countries, their prices are really lower, making them more competitive.” As for a possible solution to this situation, he believes it is through raw materials. The availability, to be exact.
He explains the supply-demand dynamic, but stresses that having just enough available supply is crucial, since an over abundance would result in low prices, something that is detrimental to a seller's bottom line. Being the president of See’s International Food Marketing Corporation, manufacturer and distributor of premium Gold Chips banana chips brand, he has seen first hand the impact of this challenge, as coupled with the ever-tipping scale of supply and demand.
And it is not just with bananas, but with most raw materials intended for export like cacao, calamansi, coconut, and durian. Along with riding the wave of price fluctuations, See points to other inevitable factors, such as climate. With an El Niño, he sees a definite effect on supply. An all-encompassing need he sees that will definitely level up the competitive edge of Philippine exporters, however, is a more robust support from the government.
Ruben See sharing industry insights with fellow panelists from CITEM, Deputy Executive Director Ma. Lourdes Mediran and IFEX Philippines Project Director Rowena Mendoza (center and left, respectively) at the Media Salu-Salo last April 26, 2024.
Expounding on this point, he quickly talks about how the one-town-one-product (OTOP) program can serve as a competitive tool for enhancing demand for the country’s food products and raw materials. “With OTOP, a town’s considerable supply, given the proper focus, can really become a competitive player. If you look at Thailand, or Japan where it started, these countries go all out in implementing OTOP. They have schools and hospitals for, say, the potato crop. They really invest money into helping rural towns create viable economic and social opportunities for the people and communities involved.”
Some of these insights he also shared later in the evening at the Media Salu-Salo panel discussion, as he and other personalities exchanged views on various industry challenges and issues.
Asked about his thoughts on the importance of receiving awards, he cheekily replies that it would be hard to tell as he hasn’t received any. Yet. Though, he does appreciate the value of awards, making him happy to see when it results in more quality products from producers and manufacturers.
As an IFEX Philippines exhibitor, he looks forward to strengthening ties with CITEM. Partnerships as such offer more room for new product development and for the government to support and produce more programs for the country’s MSMEs.
