Magnolia (company)

Magnolia Inc. is one of the largest dairy companies in the Philippines. It is a subsidiary of San Miguel Pure Foods Company. The company comprises over 90% of the non-refrigerated margarine market and over 80% of refrigerated margarine market in the Philippines.

History

The history of the Magnolia brand can be traced back to 1899 when an American by the name of William J. Schober arrived in the Philippines as a cook in the volunteer army and introduced the “magnolia pie”, “magnolia ice cream” and “magnolia ice-drop”.^[1] In 1925, Schober sold his business interests to SMC (then known as San Miguel Brewery). The dairy plant at 526 Calle Aviles in the San Miguel district of Manila stood on the same street as the site of the original San Miguel brewery (6 Calle Aviles). A year later, the dairy was relocated to Calle Echague (now C. Palanca Sr., Street) in Quiapo, Manila.^[2] In 1970, production was transferred to a new modern facility in Aurora Boulevard, Quezon City, known as the Magnolia Dairy Products Plant. The facility also housed the main branch of its Magnolia ice cream parlor.^[3]

Magnolia, Inc. was established in 1981 when SMC spun off its butter, margarine and processed cheese assets into Philippine Dairy Products Corporation (PDPC), a joint-venture between San Miguel Corporation (SMC) and New Zealand Dairy Board (NZDB). The company was a business unit of SMC's Magnolia Division and engaged in the manufacture of butter, margarine and processed cheese. Its production facility was the Magnolia Dairy Products Plant on Aurora Boulevard. The Aurora Boulevard plant remained as its production facility until 2000 when it transferred to a new facility in General Trias, Cavite.

In 1994, PDPC acquired the margarine brands, Star Margarine and Dari Creme, from Procter & Gamble Philippines Inc.

In 1996, SMC spun off its ice cream and milk business into a joint-venture with Nestlé, forming Magnolia-Nestlé Corporation. The Aurora Boulevard property remained under the ownership of SMC and served as the venture's main production facility and site of its ice cream parlor. After SMC withdrew from the venture in 1998, Nestlé Philippines continued with the business under the Nestlé brand name (the ice cream parlor became known as Nestlé Creamery). Nestlé’s production was gradually transferred to a new site and in 1999, Nestlé closed down operations in the Aurora Boulevard facility.^[4] In 2008, SMC sold the property to Robinsons Land Corporation (RLC), a subsidiary of JG Summit Holdings, Inc. News reports cited that the property was sold reportedly in the amount of P1.6 billion. The property was developed by RLC into a mall (Robinsons Magnolia) and residential condominiums (The Magnolia Residences).^[5] One of the mall’s establishments is a Magnolia-franchised ice cream parlor named Magnolia Flavor House, as a fitting homage to the property’s roots.^[6]

In 2000, PDPC transferred its production from the Aurora Boulevard facility to a new facility in General Trias, Cavite.

In July 2002, SMC gained full ownership of the company after NZDB divested its stake.^[7] With this, the company name was changed to Magnolia, Inc. and became a subsidiary of San Miguel Pure Foods Company, the new corporate parent for the entire food portfolio of SMC.

Magnolia, Inc. has since diversified from the manufacture of butter, margarine and processed cheese, to include jelly snacks, cooking oil, salad aids and the revived Magnolia ice cream and milk products.

Brands

• Baker's Best
• Buttercup
• Daily Quezo
• Dari Creme
• Delicious
• Jellyace
• La Pacita^[8][9]
• Magnolia
• Star

Products

Plants

• General Trias, Cavite
• Santa Rosa, Laguna

Aurora Boulevard site

The plant facility located along Aurora Boulevard, Quezon City was inaugurated in 1970 by SMC as the Magnolia Dairy Products Plant, producing ice cream, milk, butter, margarine and processed cheese. The property where the plant stood was owned by SMC. When the plant closed, the property was sold to Robinson's Malls.

References

External links

• San Miguel Pure Foods Company, Inc.
• Magnolia, Inc.
• Magnolia Ice Cream
• Magnolia Chocolait