Universal Robina

{{Infobox company

| name = Universal Robina Corporation

| logo = Universal Robina logo 2016.svg

| logo_size = 200px

| logo_alt =

| logo_caption = Logo used since 2016

| image =

| image_size = 250px

| image_alt =

| image_caption = The Tera Tower in Bridgetowne, Quezon City, the headquarters of Universal Robina.

| trade_name = Universal Robina

| former_names = Universal Corn Products, Inc. (1954–1966)

| type = Public

| traded_as = {{Pse|URC}}

| genre =

| fate =

| predecessor = Consolidated Foods Corporation (1961–1974) / CFC Corporation (1974–2010)

| successor =

| foundation = {{Start date and age|1954|9|28}}

| founder = John Gokongwei Jr.

| defunct =

| location = 6/F Tera Tower, Bridgetowne, E. Rodriguez, Jr. Avenue, Barangay Ugong Norte

| location_city = Quezon City, Metro Manila

| location_country = Philippines

| locations =

| area_served = Asia

| key_people = {{Plainlist|

Lance Y. Gokongwei
{{small|(Chairman)}}
Irwin C. Lee
{{small|(President and CEO)}}{{cite news|url=http://business.inquirer.net/249820/urc-names-lee-new-ceo|title=URC names Lee new CEO|first=Doris|last=Dumlao-Abadilla|newspaper=Philippine Daily Inquirer|date=26 April 2018|access-date=5 June 2018}}

}}

| industry = Manufacturing

| products = Confectionery, snack foods, grocery and convenience foods, beverages, animal feeds and other agriculture-based products

| production =

| services =

| revenue = {{increase}} ₱2.9 billion (2022){{cite web|url=http://edge.pse.com.ph/companyPage/financial_reports_view.do?cmpy_id=124 |title= Universal Robina Corporation }}{{cite web|url=https://quotes.wsj.com/PH/XPHS/URC/financials/annual/income-statement |title= Wall Street Journal }}

| operating_income = {{increase}} ₱4.0 billion (2022){{cite web|url=http://edge.pse.com.ph/companyPage/financial_reports_view.do?cmpy_id=124 |title= Universal Robina Corporation }}{{cite web|url=https://quotes.wsj.com/PH/XPHS/URC/financials/annual/income-statement |title= Wall Street Journal }}

| net_income = {{decrease}} ₱{{color|red|−13.4 billion}} (2022){{cite web|url=http://edge.pse.com.ph/companyPage/financial_reports_view.do?cmpy_id=124 |title= Universal Robina Corporation }}{{cite web|url=https://quotes.wsj.com/PH/XPHS/URC/financials/annual/income-statement |title= Wall Street Journal }}

| aum = {{increase}} ₱64.8 billion (2020){{cite web|url=http://edge.pse.com.ph/companyPage/financial_reports_view.do?cmpy_id=124 |title= Universal Robina Corporation }}{{cite web|url=https://quotes.wsj.com/PH/XPHS/URC/financials/annual/income-statement |title= Wall Street Journal }}

| assets = {{increase}} ₱168.7 billion (2020){{cite web|url=http://edge.pse.com.ph/companyPage/financial_reports_view.do?cmpy_id=124 |title= Universal Robina Corporation }}{{cite web|url=https://quotes.wsj.com/PH/XPHS/URC/financials/annual/income-statement |title= Wall Street Journal }}

| equity = {{increase}} ₱95.2 billion (2020){{cite web|url=http://edge.pse.com.ph/companyPage/financial_reports_view.do?cmpy_id=124 |title= Universal Robina Corporation }}{{cite web|url=https://quotes.wsj.com/PH/XPHS/URC/financials/annual/income-statement |title= Wall Street Journal }}

| owner =

| num_employees = 13,171

| num_employees_year = 2024

| parent = JG Summit Holdings

| subsid = {{plainlist|

Danone Universal Robina Beverages{{efn|Joint venture with Danone S.A.}}
Munchy's
Nissin-Universal Robina Corporation{{efn|Joint venture with Nissin Foods Holdings Co., Ltd.}}
URC China
URC Hong Kong
URC Indonesia
URC Malaysia
URC Myanmar
URC Singapore
URC Thailand
URC Vietnam
Vitasoy-URC, Inc.{{efn|Joint venture with Vitasoy International Holdings Ltd.}}

}}

| divisions =

| homepage = {{URL|urc.com.ph}}

| footnotes =

| intl =

}}

File:Universal Robina Logo.png

Universal Robina Corporation, abbreviated as URC and also known as Universal Robina, is a Philippine company headquartered in Quezon City. It is one of the largest food and beverage companies in the Philippines, along with San Miguel Corporation, Monde Nissin, Mondelez Philippines and Nestlé Philippines.{{cite web|url=http://www2.urc.com.ph/about-us |title= About Us }}

URC is a core subsidiary of JG Summit Holdings, Inc. (JGSHI) which is one of the largest business conglomerates listed in the Philippine Stock Exchange.{{cite web |title=Company Information |url=http://edge.pse.com.ph/companyInformation/form.do?cmpy_id=210 |access-date=29 September 2019 |website=PSE Electronic Disclosure Generation Technology |publisher=The Philippine Stock Exchange}}

File:0874jfCircumferential_Road_47_Flour_Mills_Highway_Boundary_Pasig_Makati_Bridge_River_Cityfvf.jpg]]

History

{{multiple issues|section=yes|

}}

The company was founded on September 28, 1954 by John Gokongwei, Jr.{{Cite web|title=URC.PH {{!}} Universal Robina Corp. Company Profile & Executives - WSJ|url=https://www.wsj.com/market-data/quotes/PH/XPHS/URC/company-people|access-date=2020-09-28|website=www.wsj.com}} under the name Universal Corn Products (UCP) after Gokongwei decided to construct a corn milling plant to produce glucose and cornstarch.

In 1961, Consolidated Food Corporation (later known as CFC Corporation) was established. The company's first product was Blend 45 instant coffee. It became one of the best-selling instant coffee brands in the local market, beating Café Puro and Nescafé at that time. After the success of Blend 45, the company launched the Presto brand to enter the chocolate segment in the late 1960s with its cocoa powder, powdered chocolate drink and confectionery. It later launched Nips, a brand of chocolate candies similar to M&M's. It became a staple among Filipino children.

In 1963, Robina Farms started their operations with poultry products. This mark the beginning of the vertical integration of the Gokongwei businesses, as the farms would be able to purchase feeds from UCP in the future. In the same decade, Robichem Laboratories was established for the veterinary needs of the farms' businesses. In the 1970s, Robina Farms expanded their operations as they entered the piggery business.{{Cite web|url=https://asia.nikkei.com/Companies/Universal-Robina-Corp|title=Universal Robina Corp.|website=Nikkei Asian Review|language=en-GB|access-date=2019-01-28}}

In 1966, SmithKline Beecham (SBS) was established. It pioneered the snack food industry in the Philippines with its Jack 'n Jill brand. In 2010, SmithKline Beecham Corporation would be merged with GSK.

In 2014, URC announced a joint venture with Danone for a beverage production and distribution business in the Philippines.{{cite web|url=https://business.inquirer.net/180765/urc-danone-sign-joint-venture-to-manufacture-beverages-in-ph/amp|title=URC, Danone sign joint venture to manufacture beverages in PH|website=Inquirer|last=Dumlao|first=Doris|date=October 23, 2014|access-date=November 17, 2024}} In the same year, URC established a joint venture with Calbee to establish local manufacturing for Calbee products.{{cite web|url=https://business.inquirer.net/167346/urc-calbee-sign-joint-venture-to-set-up-snacks-factory-in-pasig-city|title=URC, Calbee sign joint venture to set up snacks factory in Pasig City|website=Inquirer|last=Dumlao|first=Doris|date=March 31, 2014|access-date=April 3, 2025}} The joint venture was later terminated in 2018 upon Calbee selling its shares to URC.{{cite web|url=https://www.philstar.com/business/2018/09/27/1855220/calbee-terminates-joint-venture-philippine-partner|title=Calbee terminates joint venture with Philippine partner|website=Philstar|date=September 27, 2018|access-date=April 3, 2025}} Also in the same year, URC expanded to Oceania by acquiring New Zealand-based biscuit company, Griffin's Foods. This was followed by the acquisition of Snack Brands Australia in 2016.{{cite news |last1=Dumlao-Abadilla |first1=Doris |title=Globalizing corporate Philippines |url=https://business.inquirer.net/261558/globalizing-corporate-philippines |access-date=29 September 2019 |newspaper=Philippine Daily Inquirer|date=3 December 2018 |language=en}} In December 2019, URC and German company Intersnack formed Unisnack ANZ, a joint venture comprising Griffin's Foods and Snack Brands Australia. Intersnack held a 40% stake in the consolidated business.{{Cite web |date=2021-07-30 |title=URC sells stake in snacks joint venture to partner Intersnack |url=https://www.bworldonline.com/corporate/2021/07/30/386078/urc-sells-stake-in-snacks-joint-venture-to-partner-intersnack/ |access-date=2023-01-05 |website=BusinessWorld Online |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Berry |first=Kim |date=2019-07-17 |title=Snack Brands Aust owner and Intersnack Group deal |url=https://www.foodanddrinkbusiness.com.au/news/snack-brands-aust-owner-and-intersnack-group-deal |access-date=2023-01-05 |website=Food & Drink Business |language=en}} However, URC would exit the venture in August 2021 by selling its stake in Unisnack ANZ to Intersnack.{{Cite web |last=Burgos |first=Jonathan |date=2021-08-02 |title=Philippine Gokongwei Group Exits Australia, New Zealand Snack Foods Business |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/jonathanburgos/2021/08/02/philippine-gokongwei-group-exits-australia-new-zealand-snack-foods-business/ |access-date=2023-01-05 |website=Forbes |language=en}}

In November 2021, URC entered an agreement to purchase Malaysia-based Munchy's from CVC Capital Partners for US$454 million.{{Cite web |last=Burgos |first=Jonathan |title=Philippines' Gokongwei Group Buys Malaysia's Munchy For $454 Million, Boosting Southeast Asian Footprint |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/jonathanburgos/2021/11/29/philippines-gokongwei-group-buys-malaysias-munchy-for-454-million-boosting-southeast-asian-footprint/ |access-date=2023-01-05 |website=Forbes |language=en}}

Presence

URC is based in Quezon City and as of 2018 has 19 production sites in the Philippines. It also has production sites in China, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam and Malaysia. The company also maintains an exclusive distributor presence in Laos and Cambodia, as well as sales offices in Hong Kong and Singapore.

Sports

URC owned the Philippine Basketball Association franchise Great Taste Coffee Makers which played from the inaugural 1975 season to 1992 when the company sold the team to Sta. Lucia Realty.{{Cite web|title=PBA honors founding team owner John Gokongwei with a moment of silence|url=https://www.spin.ph/basketball/pba/john-gokongwei-moment-of-silence-pba-team-owner-a795-20191110|access-date=2020-09-28|website=Spin.ph|language=en}} The Coffee Makers won six PBA championships.