How three iconic brands are marking 100-plus years of heritage, innovation, and community impact in the Philippines.
This year brings a rare moment in Philippine consumer history: three familiar names from food and nutrition—Magnolia, Del Monte Philippines, and Wyeth Nutrition—are marking major milestones. Two of them celebrate their 100-year presence in the country, while Wyeth marks 110 years of nurturing generations.
These anniversaries show longevity, illustrating decades of evolving food culture, shifting consumer needs, and how global-scale brands have become woven into everyday Filipino life.
Over time, each brand has adapted to changing tastes and demands. Magnolia has become a household staple with its wide range of dairy and meat products. Del Monte has grown from plantation fields to pantry essentials nationwide. Wyeth Nutrition has guided generations of Filipino parents through evolving standards of child nutrition.
These anniversaries are timely because each brand continues to remain relevant with their products. But more importantly, they have become contributors to community, nutrition, and sustainability.
radar Business takes a closer look at how these brands began, navigated decades of social and economic change, and what their centennial or 110th-year celebrations reveal about food, health, and community in the Philippines today.
1. Magnolia
Magnolia has become a mealtime staple in Filipino homes, offering dairy and meat products for everyday meals and special occasions. Its reach extends beyond tables into communities through programs supporting small businesses, livelihoods, and wellness.
Magnolia’s roots go back to 1925, when former US Army cook William J. Schober began selling magnolia ice cream and ice drops in the aftermath of the Philippine-American War. San Miguel Brewery later acquired his business and established an ice cream factory in San Miguel, Manila, laying the foundation for a century of growth that continues to influence Filipino food culture. Generations of families have created lasting memories at the iconic Magnolia Ice Cream House in New Manila, gathering with friends and loved ones over cool treats.
A formal gala on August 4, 2025 marked Magnolia’s centennial in the Philippines, attended by company executives and longtime celebrity endorsers Judy Ann Santos, Marian Rivera, and Alden Richards. Magnolia also distributed meals and business kits to support livelihoods and wellness among underserved communities at Better World Tondo, the food bank of San Miguel Foundation.
2. Del Monte Philippines
For a hundred years, Del Monte Philippines has nourished Filipino homes and become part of family traditions. Its centennial celebration, running through 2026, highlights this legacy through “The Kaayo Film: A Century of Goodness in Motion,” tracing the brand’s journey from Bukidnon farms to kitchens nationwide. “Kaayo,” meaning goodness, reflects care passed from the hands that nurture the land to the families who enjoy its fruits.
Del Monte is best known for canned fruits in holiday fruit salads and pastries, pineapple juices in restaurants and fast-food chains, and ketchup and tomato-based products in kitchens nationwide. Founded in Bukidnon in 1926, the brand transitioned from manual farming to mechanical production in the 1930s, later expanding to tomatoes, papaya, and tuna in the 1960s. Today, over 24,000 workers, many third- and fourth-generation, continue the legacy.
Del Monte also emphasizes sustainability, planting 700,000 trees nationwide, recycling water for irrigation, and maintaining carbon-negative operations. As it reaches its centennial, Del Monte continues blending tradition, innovation, and care, shaping how food nourishes lives and communities.
3. Wyeth Nutrition
Wyeth Nutrition has spent over a century advancing child health in the Philippines. Now part of Nestlé, its products and operations have built a legacy of nourishing generations.
Its presence in the Philippines began over a century ago, bringing science-based child nutrition to Filipino families. Originally part of the global Wyeth brand, it established local operations to produce and distribute infant and children’s formulas that met evolving nutritional standards. Over the decades, Wyeth grew its footprint through innovations in milk products, healthcare partnerships, and parent education, building a legacy of supporting child development and wellness across generations in the Philippines.
Celebrating its 110th anniversary, Wyeth collaborated with Museo Pambata to renovate the museum’s “Ang Katawan Ko” exhibit, featuring interactive displays on cognitive development—focus, memory, language, and problem-solving—highlighting the importance of health literacy for Filipino families.
With flagship products like Promil and Bonakid, Wyeth continuously innovates formula composition to meet developmental needs through science-based child nutrition. Its sustainability initiatives include mono-material packaging, 100% renewable electricity in factories, and electric vehicles for logistics.
With reports from Kenneth M. del Rosario, Kiara Gorrospe, Jacob Lazaro, and John Lloyd Aleta.
Magnolia, Del Monte Philippines, and Wyeth Nutrition celebrate major milestones this year, each with a legacy that spans generations.
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