Rice

The 1980s saw the boom of the rice milling industry in the Philippines and Mr. Juanito Tio was at the forefront as the owner of the widely-known Valiant Rice Mill Corporation.   With extensive knowledge and experience gleaned through the years, the rice-milling magnate decided to expand operations by setting up a grains processing center to ensure that his expertise will be sustainably maximized by the second and succeeding generations of his family.  In 2003, Mr. Tios desire gave rise to what is now known as the Family Choice Grains Processing Center, Inc. (FCGPCI) located in Isabela, 363 kilometers north of Manila.

The company is driven to be among the most respected suppliers of agricultural products in the country - the first in mind when it comes to rice milling.  The company aligns its endeavors to make Family Choice the brand of choice for quality rice products for each Filipino family.

When the company started, it had 3 lines of highly sophisticated and state of the art grain processing equipment.  With this system, FCGPCI had a milling capacity of at least 10 tons per hour.  In December 2008, the construction of an even newer and more advanced mill line brought FCGPCIs total milling capacity to at least 20 tons per hour.  Aside from increasing total output, this new line features a plant-wide dust collection system.

For wet rice paddy, FCGPCI uses a mechanical rice husk-fed dryer that can dry 180 tons of grain at the same time. This drying system allows the paddys moisture to be kept at the best level to ensure its quality.  Another process recently added to the already highly-developed rice milling procedure is the Brock Grain Silo which is used to receive the paddy and maximize its rice yield.

Aside from taking pride in its fully-automated machinery and processes, FCGPCI boasts of its prompt and efficient delivery system, having attained nearly 100% on-time delivery to its clients. In addition to a wide customer base in Metro Manila, FCGPCI also directly supplies rice to major wholesalers and institutional buyers nationwide.  The company plans to expand its distribution network and continue reaching untapped markets.

Armed with its expertise, the company is committed to producing rice of the best quality in the country. This goal fuels them to continuously improve and innovate. Family Choice is now expanding by diversifying its portfolio to include supermarket operations.  Not too far away from the rice mill is the Family Choice Megamart.  In addition, Family Choice is now embarking on another big project - the construction of a 2-megawatt biomass power plant adjacent to its main facility at Diamantina in Cabatuan, Isabela. This power plant will use Danish technology to power the entire operation of the rice mill, eliminating dependence on the local electricity provider and assuring continuous fail-safe power supply.  Consequently, the rice processing plant will more efficiently maximize its high production capacity.

Today, the second generation leads FCGPCI under the guidance of Mr. Juanito Tio, its patriarch. Grateful for their humble heritage, the companys current management aims to harness the wisdom of the rice magnate. With their commitment to quality, the company will continuously upgrade production techniques by heavily investing in top-of-the-line equipment and technology from Japan, Thailand, Korea, Malaysia, the United States, and Denmark. They will also standardize its operational and organizational systems and develop a modern marketing approach to stay abreast with changing trends in the rice industry.

Ultimately, Family Choice Grains Processing Center, Inc. will consistently remain true to its commitment to produce rice of the best quality in the country.  As the tagline goes: "QUALITY is not a LUXURY, it is a NECESSITY"

Family Choice