Jollibee Group Chairman and Founder, Tony Tan Caktiong, decided to pursue a bold and valuable idea back in 2008. He thought: what if the company were to buy directly from farmers so they can have a regular and stable market to sell to? This comes from a recognition that even if agriculture is one of the country’s key sectors, farmers remain among the country’s most vulnerable. Their lack of opportunities and resources prevents them from earning a higher income.

Jollibee Group Foundation (JGF), the company’s social development arm, then took on the challenge of translating the idea into the Farmer Entrepreneurship Program (FEP), which would eventually link small-scale farmers to their supply chain.

Today, the white onions, green bell peppers, tomatoes, and other vegetables that the company uses in Jollibee, Chowking, Greenwich, and Mang Inasal come directly from the seventeen (17) accredited farmer groups located in nine (9) provinces. The company currently sources about 15% of its vegetable requirements from Farmer Entrepreneurship Program farmers, giving them a stable market for their produce and emboldening them to dream of better lives.

Since 2009, FEP farmers have consolidated and delivered more than 7,000 metric tons or 700 truckloads of vegetables to the Jollibee Group, earning more than P300 million in total sales. Furthermore, 94% of FEP farmer groups are already GAP-certified as the others continue to work towards this milestone.

In extending its mission to rural communities, the Jollibee Group has helped smallholder farmers gain greater pride in their profession and they too become part of the mission of bringing the joy of eating to everyone.

To learn more about the Farmer Entrepreneurship Program and to watch the video essay inspired by the growth of FEP farmers, visit the Jollibee Group Foundation official Facebook Page at https://fb.watch/eMxKqKWXgI/