SO MUCH has been said, and much more will still be said of the culinary excellence of the Kapampangan, more so with Pampanga declared by legislation as the culinary capital of the Philippines.
Kapampangan cuisine in all its exquisite glory invariably comes as main serving in every table talk on gustation. Celebrated, as fittingly should, the delectable Kapampangan dishes though are but one side of the delighting gustatory story; the other being the source of the main ingredients, even for other cuisines, regional or international, served in the province, in the region as well. And not only in matters of quality, but also in edibility, in safety.
Here is where RMM Cold Storage & Meatshop stamps its mark.
From its modest start in 2009, the company has grown into a key player in the meat importation industry, meticulously sourcing food products – from pork parts and cuts, chicken and seafoods to quality beef, including tomahawk and Kagoshima A5 Wagyu steak – from top global producers while rigorously ensuring compliance with both local and international regulations.
“Our commitment to quality starts at the source. We select our suppliers with the utmost care and ensure that every shipment meets rigorous safety standards,” said couple Gheric and Rizalyn Manaloto, founders of RMM Trading that evolved into the RMM Cold Storage & Meatshop, underscoring the company’s steadfast commitment to quality as they import meat products from the United States, Canada, Brazil, and some parts of Europe.
Gheric furthered that the company works closely with regulatory bodies, including the National Meat Inspection Services (NMIS), to ensure compliance with stringent safety standards.
“Actually, we have NMIS office here for proper handling. We are not allowed to open our containers if we don’t have a representative from NMIS. Our permit will come from them. If they didn’t give us the permit, we wouldn’t be able to operate),” shared Rizalyn.
Even in the face of daunting challenges like fluctuating exchange rates and heightened competition, the highest product standards are non-negotiable to RMM Cold Storage & Meatshop. The company utilizes reefer containers and adheres strictly to temperature controls to ensure optimal conditions for their products.
“At the time of the ASF (African swine fever), our proactive approach to compliance and safety has helped us maintain the highest standards of product integrity,” Gheric noted.
A greater challenge was the Covid-19 pandemic where the first four months of the quarantine really took its toll. “We zeroed out,” recalled Rizalyn, noting that subsequently, the demand for meat products spiked, and the business even grew more. She credited this to the premium quality of their products.
Fittingly, hailed as “the biggest economic activity in Mabalacat City at the end of troubled 2020” was the opening in Barangay Sapang Biabas of RMM’s cold storage facility with a capacity of two million kilos of frozen meat and seafood products. Four years later, in November 2024, the Manaloto couple were joined in breaking ground for the expansion of that facility by Mayor Crisostomo Garbo, citing its “impact to the local economy and even beyond” as it highlighted the growing investors’ confidence in Mabalacat City.
RMM Cold Storage & Meatshop has three more cold storage facilities located in Miranda and Bagong Bayan in Angeles City, as well as in Calibutbut in Bacolor. They also have a total of 15 meat shops principally located in Pampanga delivering nationwide.
“Our goal is to remain a leader in the industry by continuously improving our processes and ensuring that we meet the evolving needs of our clients,” said Gheric of the company’s vision.
