CLARK FREEPORT – La Rose Noire Philippines, one of the country’s leading export manufacturers of artisanal baked goods, has begun letting go of hundreds of employees following the continuing European Union ban on Philippine food products containing eggs and dairy.
The Clark-based company, which has been operating since 2012 and exports to more than 60 countries across five continents, announced that 466 employees were laid off this week, with more expected in the coming weeks if the situation remains unresolved.
The EU ban, which has been in effect since 2023, stems from the Philippine government’s failure to submit a required Residue Monitoring Plan — a compliance document the EU requested as early as 2019 and expected by 2021. The Residue Monitoring Plan is necessary for the export of both shelf-stable and non-shelf-stable food products containing eggs and dairy.
Neighboring countries such as China, Japan, and Thailand have long complied with the EU requirement, allowing their food exporters to continue trading freely. The Philippines, however, has yet to complete its submission, leaving companies like La Rose Noire without access to one of their largest markets.
“Europe has always been our biggest export destination,” a company representative said. “We have all the international certifications, follow EU food safety standards, and use only EU-approved ingredients. Yet, our products are being blocked—not because of non-compliance on our part, but because the Philippine government has not fulfilled its obligation to submit this one crucial document.”
La Rose Noire has certifications from the Philippine FDA, as well as international accreditations under FSSC and GMP standards. Despite this, the company’s products are being rejected in the EU simply due to the country’s pending Residue Monitoring Plan compliance.
The impact has been immediate and severe. Export to Europe for their world class products like macarons, cheesecakes, croissants and chocolates have been denied entry into the EU since 2023.
It has been more than 2 years since the company has been coordinating and urging the Philippine government to comply with EU requirements. Recently, even their shelf-stable products like tarts, cones and baskets are affected too and banned entering France.
Orders from long-time European partners have been cancelled, and orders have stopped coming in. Management said it had no choice but to start reducing its workforce. The company warned that unless urgent action is taken, even more Filipino workers could lose their jobs, and the future of its Clark facility could be at risk.
La Rose Noire chose to transfer its factory from China to the Philippines in 2012 precisely because there were no regulatory barriers. For over a decade, it has invested heavily in the Philippines, producing premium pastry, bakery, and chocolate products from our Clark facility for luxury hotels, airlines, institutions, and cruise lines worldwide.
Beyond its business, La Rose Noirs has built five schools for indigent Filipinos and trained 371 scholars thus far, through its La Rose Noire Foundation’s Bakery, Bread, Pastry and Barista programs — as the company believes in uplifting the communities around the factory.
“We appeal to the Philippine Government to act swiftly and decisively,” the company said. “Hundreds of livelihoods depend on this. The longer the delay, the more irreversible the damage becomes—not just to La Rose Noire, but to the reputation of the country’s entire food export industry.”
La Rose Noire Philippines, with Clark Development Corp. assisting the whole way, said it continues to coordinate with the Philippines FDA, Department of Agriculture, Department of Foreign Affairs, and the Office of the President, expressing hope that the issue can still be resolved soon.
The company also assured that it remains committed to re-employing affected workers once EU market access is restored.
About La Rose Noire Philippines
Founded in 2012, La Rose Noire Philippines is part of the global La Rose Noire Group, a premium producer of artisanal pastries, bakery products and chocolates. The company’s Clark facility serves as one of its main global manufacturing hubs, exporting to over 60 countries in five continents. Press release
