By PNA and U.S. News Agency / Asian

The Department of Science and Tehnology and its Small Enterprise Technology Upgrading Program (DOST-SETUP) has provided a P120,000 grant to a peanut butter processing small and medium enterprise (SME) project in Dipolog City, Zamboanga del Norte.

Thelma E. Diego of the DOST regional office identified the recipient of the grant as the Kram’s Food Products, located at Padre Ramon Extension, Estaka, Dipolog City.

The firm currently distributes its products in the cities of Dipolog and Dapitan and in the municipality of Manukan. As soon as the firm gets Food and Drug Administration (FDA) license, it plans to expand its market to major grocery stores in the province.

The amount will be used for the upgrading of the peanut butter processing facility.

Diego said the low-production existing equipment prompted the firm to avail of DOST-IX’s support.

Through the project, the firm is set to acquire two (2) units of peanut grinder, two (2) units of stainless steel table, peanut roaster, and biomass stove.

DOST IX also conducted trainings on Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) and Basic Sanitation and Hygiene to the company’s workforce.

With these interventions, the firm is expected to produce 30 percent more than the current production, which will result to 1,008 more peanut butter jars a year; increase sales by 30 percent; generate additional employment; improve quality of products through adherence to good manufacturing practices (GMP); and acquire License to Operate from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

The DOST said Krams’s Peanut Butter is made from roasted peanuts, grilled and mixed with sugar, salt and butter. The product is consumed mainly as a sandwich spread and an ingredient in making fresh lumpia and kare-kare among others.

SETUP, a flagship program of DOST, is a nationwide strategy to encourage and assist micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in implementing technological innovations and improvements in their operations to boost productivity and competitiveness.