Innovation has always been a core part of Aboitiz Foods’ identity.
This commitment drives our efforts as part of the Aboitiz Group’s Great Transformation, a journey where we harness data, technology, and fresh thinking to shape a future-ready business.
Our partnership with Amazon Web Services (AWS) and the implementation of AWS Outposts is a prime example of how we’re turning this mindset into action. This solution brings the power of the cloud directly into our manufacturing facilities, allowing us to build a more resilient and efficient food value chain.
Overcoming the Challenges of a Complex Food Manufacturing Network
Pilmico Foods Corporation (Pilmico), our food and agribusiness subsidiary in the Philippines, operates a vast network of facilities across the country, serving both domestic and international markets. With production sites in geographically dispersed locations — many in areas with limited internet connectivity — we faced several operational challenges:
- Ultra-low latency demands: Our real-time quality control and production monitoring systems require millisecond response times that traditional cloud-only solutions couldn’t guarantee.
- Connectivity dependencies: Internet disruptions risked halting production schedules, impacting food safety and customer commitments.
- Data sovereignty requirements: Strict food safety regulations required certain production data to remain within Philippine borders.
- Legacy infrastructure constraints: Older systems struggled to keep up with peak processing demands, limiting scalability and innovation.
These were not merely IT challenges; they were critical business issues directly impacting operational continuity, regulatory compliance, and our capacity for innovation.
A Game-Changing Solution: AWS Outposts
To address these challenges, we adopted AWS Outposts, which delivers true hybrid cloud capabilities by bringing AWS infrastructure and services on-premises.
- Ensuring uninterrupted operations of latency-sensitive applications locally, even during internet outages.
- Enhancing food safety compliance through localized data processing to meet stringent data residency requirements.
- Simplifying IT operations by unifying on-premises and cloud environments onto a single, consistent platform.
- Establishing a foundation for innovation by integrating IoT, AI, and real-time analytics across all our facilities.
After a successful pilot implementation at our Capas, Tarlac facility — the first AWS Outposts deployment in the Philippines —Aboitiz Foods now plans to roll out AWS Outposts across its other manufacturing sites in the Philippines, with plans to extend this strategy to international operations.
“AWS Outposts provides us with a consistent, cloud-native platform that maintains the local processing capabilities we need while significantly simplifying our IT operations,” says Gary Eugenio, Assistant Vice President for IT Infrastructure at Aboitiz Foods. “This allows our team to focus on strategic initiatives that directly benefit our customers and enhance our brand promise.”
Building a Future-Ready Food Value Chain
AWS Outposts is a cornerstone of our long-term digital transformation strategy. By standardizing our IT infrastructure and enabling advanced capabilities, we are unlocking new possibilities, including:
- IoT-powered production insights for smarter, real-time decision-making
- AI-driven quality control to enhance food safety and efficiency
- Predictive maintenance that minimizes downtime and optimizes operations
- Supply chain intelligence for better forecasting and demand planning
Through this partnership, we are building a more resilient, efficient, and innovative food value chain—one that supports our growth ambitions and strengthens our ability to deliver on our brand promise: Together, we nourish the future.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What efficiencies does this technology bring to Aboitiz Foods?
The implementation of AWS Outposts significantly enhances Aboitiz Foods’ operational efficiency by enabling key capabilities that streamline its processes. The company can now use predictive maintenance to minimize downtime and employ IoT-powered production insights for smarter, real-time decision-making. These improvements help the company optimize operations, enhance productivity, and manage its supply chain more intelligently.
- What is AWS Outposts in simple terms?
AWS Outposts is a solution that brings the power of the cloud directly into Aboitiz Foods’ facilities. It helps the company overcome challenges like limited internet connectivity and strict data regulations by allowing it to run essential systems locally while still being connected to the cloud for more advanced capabilities.
- How does this partnership benefit customers?
This partnership directly benefits customers by ensuring the highest standards of quality, safety, and reliability. By using AWS Outposts, Aboitiz Foods can implement real-time quality control, reduce downtime, and strengthen its ability to maintain consistent production schedules. This guarantees that the company can continue to deliver on its commitment to its partners and customers.
- What is the “Great Transformation” mentioned in the article?
The Great Transformation is the Aboitiz Group’s long-term strategy to become the Philippines’ first Techglomerate. It is a journey focused on leveraging technology and innovation to build a more resilient and sustainable business for the future. The company’s partnership with AWS is a key component of this strategy, enabling it to modernize its operations and create a more efficient and future-ready food value chain.
