Ajinomoto Philippines Corporation (APC) recently participated in the first Nutritionist-Dietitians’ Association of the Philippines (NDAP) Food & Nutripreneurship (FUN) Summit held on July 3–4, 2026, a landmark event that brought together nutrition professionals, industry leaders, innovators, and aspiring entrepreneurs from across the country.
Themed “Fueling Innovation in Food Service by Uniting Nutrition Advocates and Entrepreneurs and Nurturing Sustainable Ventures for Health and Wellness”, the summit served as a platform to exchange insights, discuss emerging trends and issues, as well as strengthen ties with fellow advocates dedicated to shaping the future of nutrition and food service in the Philippines.
APC’s registered nutritionist-dietitian, Bea Menorca-de Jesus and Food Service Division Corporate Chef Manager, Glen Dino, led a lunch symposium emphasizing that increasing vegetable consumption is one of the most impactful strategies to improve the health of people and the planet.
Through a quick and fun cooking demo, Chef Dino showed easy to cook vegetable recipes like Chopsuey Salad with CaterServe® Sesame Dressing and Mango Shrimp Salad with AJI-MAYO® Professional Style Mayonnaise. Both featured umami or savory taste to bring out the “linamnam” factor of the vegetable dishes, making them tastier and more palatable.
Bea Menorca-de Jesus, highlighted, “The reality we’re seeing from DOST-FNRI data is that there is a gap between nutrition and sustainability in the country now. While millions of Filipinos are not meeting their daily energy needs, household plate waste continues to rise, and vegetables are among the most wasted.”
She pointed out that, “Vegetables should be at the center of this conversation because increasing consumption supports nutritional goals such as providing essential vitamins and minerals, and fiber. At the same time, it contributes to sustainability as plant-based foods have lower environmental footprint.”
This message is also at the heart of APC’s flagship nutrition campaign, I Love Veggie-Licious®. Since 2023, APC has been encouraging Filipinos to eat more vegetables, visiting different schools and communities nationwide to spearhead practical nutrition education and cooking demonstrations. The initiative aims to empower families, particularly mothers, with the knowledge and skills to make vegetables a part of their daily meals and develop the habit of eating healthier as aligned with APC’s corporate slogan, Eat Well, Live Well.
I Love Veggie-Licious® is one of the major ways APC continues to contribute to the Ajinomoto Group’s 2030 outcomes — help extend the healthy life expectancy of one billion people and to reduce its environmental impact by 50%.
Likewise, APC continues to support organizations like NDAP, that share the company’s commitment to promoting nutrition, health and sustainability.
According to Lawrence Kyle Dela Cruz, RND Program Chair, NDAP National Board Director for Food Service, “NDAP recognizes the value of multisectoral participation in promoting safe, sustainable, and evidence-based public health nutrition education for Filipinos. This event provides a platform for the exchange of knowledge and practices among nutrition professionals, businesses, food service organizations, and other stakeholders in support of shared public health and nutrition goals.”
