Zest-O, the Philippines no.1 juice brand, is at the forefront of innovation once more. Zest-O Corporation has launched its initial Community Incentive Program in partnership with GreenCycle Innovative Solutions at Barangay Tungkong Mangga, in San Jose Del Monte, Bulacan on August 1, 2023. This collect and redeem initiative is part of Zest-O Corporation’s commitment to supporting the needs of a circular economy while ensuring that it remains environmentally responsible throughout the life cycle of its products.

43 years ago, Zest-O Corporation’s founder and chairman, Mr. Alfredo M. Yao, introduced the first doy packaging to the Philippines and pioneered its use in the ready-to-drink (RTD) juice market. Since then, Zest-O Corporation has continued to expand into other product categories like RTD chocolate drink, carbonated soft drink, noodles, and condiments. This passion for innovation, excellence, and providing value-for-money products has made Zest-O Corporation one of the country’s leading FMCG companies, and the Zest-O juice brand a ubiquitous part of the Pinoy experience.

We now have a generation of parents who grew up with Zest-O raising a generation of children who are also #BatangZesto. Zest-O Corporation has been leveraging this in past campaigns to promote Filipino values like family-centeredness, gratitude, respect for elders, diligence, creativity, and responsible citizenship. “Mula noon hanggang ngayon, ang Batang Zest-O, EcoAlisto.”

Zest-O Corporation kicked off this new campaign with a Townhall Meeting at Barangay Tungkong Mangga. The LGU of San Juan Del Monte Bulacan showed up in full force as well as City Environment & Natural Resources Office (CENRO) officials, and representatives from the different districts (purok), schools, homeowners’ associations, markets, and commercial establishments in the area.

The Community Incentive Program empowers ordinary citizens to take action against plastic pollution by turning their plastic trash into cash. Ms. Raychelle Fran Reyes, Zest-O Group Brand Manager, shared that part of the program’s aim is to give extra livelihood to members of the community by giving cash incentives for every kilo of collected plastic waste. She emphasized the need to care for the environment and how the Batang Zest-O Eco-Alisto campaign addresses this need. She hopes that Zest-O’s Information Drive will help instill this value in generations of Batang Zest-Os.

Mr. Roland Vera Cruz, President and General Manager of GreenCycle Innovative Solutions shared how they have been helping LGUs be in compliance with RA 9003, the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000. He also gave a walk-through of what will be done to the different plastics that will be collected—depending on the type some will be recycled, upcycled, or coprocessed. Co-processing refers to the use of waste materials as a substitute to fossil fuels and/or raw materials.

Zest-O Corporation turned over 12 collection bins to be placed throughout Barangay Tungkong Mangga. Barangay Chairman Alexander “Bong” Medina expressed support for the Batang Zest-O, Eco-Alisto campaign and their gratitude for being the first community partner to kick off the program.

Zest-O Corporation is partnering with different communities and schools, and will be rolling out an Information Drive in the succeeding months. They are committed to transform hundreds of tonnes of plastic waste into new products of great value to create a better future for the planet. Mula noon hanggang ngayon, ang Batang Zest-O, Eco-Alisto.