Happy 50th Birthday Dolefil!

This year, one of the largest integrated pineapple plantation, cannery and packaging complex in the world based in South Central Mindanao is turning Gold!

Yes, Dole Philippines, Inc. or Dolefil for short is turning 50 this year!

Dolefil which is a Grand Kapatid Awardee has just been acquired last year by ITOCHU Corporation of Japan as part of  Dole’s Worldwide Packaged Foods and Asia Fresh businesses.  This new development ushers in an exciting new future for Dolefil even as it is making sure that its 50th birthday will be one for the books.

For starters, Dolefil kicked off its year-long celebration with simultaneous grand fireworks displays during the New Year, January 1, 2013 at its operations plants in Calumpang, General Santos and in the municipalities of Polomolok and Surallah, in South Cotabato.

And starting tomorrow, January 14th and up to the 19th, Dolefil in partnership with the Philippine Medical Society of Florida (PMSF) is conducting its SURGICAL MISSION 2013 at their Howard Hubbard Memorial Hospital in Polomolok.  They are also joined by the Mahintana Foundation, Inc. and Mt. Matutum Healthcare Foundation, Inc.

[pullquote]…50 years after, it has grown into one of the country’s top contributors to its economy, with an annual production equivalent to 8 Billion servings…[/pullquote]

The mission aims to assist over a hundred indigent residents of South Central Mindanao needing surgery but couldn’t afford to undergo such procedure.  This and other anniversary activities Dolefil has prepared all throughout 2013 will involve not only its employees but will also aim to benefit the communities that the pineapple giant has been serving since its inception.

It seems just yesterday when Dolefil started converting the rolling hills of Polomolok into a vast pineapple plantation in 1963.   Two years later, in 1965, its first shipment of 30,000 cases of canned pineapple products reached Newark, New Jersey in the US of A.

Now, 50 years after, it has grown into one of the country’s top contributors to its economy, with an annual production equivalent to 8 Billion servings as it provides healthy, nutritious and high quality food products to various international markets.  Dolefil is also the largest employer in Region 12.

In an intimate dinner with the SoCCSkSarGen Bloggers, Dolefil’s VP and Managing Director, Simon Denye, remarked that Dolefil‘s turning 50 is an “impressive achievement“.

“We are fortunate that our clients still love pineapple, ” he explains.  “With ITOCHU backing us with their financial support and growth opportunities in countries such as China, we can look forward to another 50 years.”

We can only agree and say, Amen.

From us here at GenSan News Online Mag and in behalf of the SoCCSkSarGen Bloggers, may this your 50th Foundation Anniversary celebrations be frutiful and blessed!  Happy Golden Birthday!!