The Mekeni Food Corporation (MFC) was recently awarded the Century International Quality Era (CQE) Gold category, under the food and beverage industry, in Geneva, Switzerland – the first Filipino company to be conferred such an award.
Governor Lilia G. Pineda and other local officials who take pride in the achievements of fellow Capampangans expressed pride over MFC’s latest award and congratulated the people behind it for this very rare feat.
“Ikinararangal ng Pampanga ang pinakahuling pagkilala sa Mekeni Food Corporation, patunay ito na kaya ng Capampangan ang managumpay sa pamamagitan ng pagsisikap, kasipagan, at mabuting pakikipag kapwa-tao.” the governor said.
Prudencio Garcia, president of the MFC, along with Mary Hope Ulibarri, plant manager, received the award on March 11 at the InterContinental Geneve Convention Hall during the 14th Century International Quality Era Convention.
Garcia expressed elation for having joined the elite group of CQE awardees belonging to top corporations worldwide, most of which are included in the list of Fortune 500, Fortune Global 500, and recognized for their remarkable achievements in quality culture.
For the year 2012 awards, MFC shared the stage with such companies as the ICICI Bank of India; Istanbul Shipyard of Turkey; Telecom of Cambodia; Turner Construction and OGASCO LLC of the United Arab Emirates (UAE); Iranian Offshore Engineering Corporation and construction; and Saudi Iron and Steel Company.
The CQE Award is carried out by the Business Initiative Directions (BID), a private organization with networks worldwide whose primary activity is oriented towards sharing quality culture of leading companies. The BID is said to be the most important private organization in the world that presents a quality award on the basis of principles as solid as those of the Deming in Japan, the Balridge in the United States, or the EFQM in Europe.
The CQE selection committee decided to give the gold category award to MFC on the basis of the criteria of principles of the QC100 TQM, a quality model implemented in 100 countries. The criteria included customer satisfaction; communication strategies; benchmarking; information and data analysis; leadership; planning and decision-making; human resources; continuing education and training; processes and production; financial outcome; business results; ISO 9000; and TQM.
In 2006, the MFC got the distinction of being the First Meat Processing Plant in the Philippines and Asia, and second in the world, to be certified to ISO 2000 under the Food Safety Management System.
Apart from these awards, the MFC continues to pursue its vision of “serving as a benchmark in the food industry, while also serving as a prime mover in community building”, Garcia made the assurance. (Eloisa P. Galang)
