# CDO Foodsphere

CDO Foodsphere, Inc., commonly known as CDO, is a Philippine meat processing company based in Valenzuela, Metro Manila.

## History

The company was founded by Corazon Dayro Ong along with her husband Jose Ong on June 25, 1975 as small business in her residence in Valenzuela. The business was initially known as CDO Food Products with "CDO" derived from the initials of the founder. Their house was transformed into a home factory. CDO started with selling siopao with a longanisa filling, longanisa and tocino products.
In 1981, the company registered as a corporation under the name CDO Foodsphere Inc. with CDO becoming the flagship brand.
It opened its first modern factory in Canumay, still in Valenzuela in 1990 amidst the early 1990s financial crisis. It opened its second factory in 1997, when they started their first canning line and launched CDO Karne Norte.
In June 2009, it opened its 9 hectares (22 acres) factory in Malvar, Batangas.

## Products

Its products include sausages, hams, bacon, hamburger patties, loaves, sweet preserves and processed cheeses. Many of its products are marketed under the CDO brand name. In 2009, the company ventured into the Canned Tuna and broke the monopoly by introducing corned tuna.
In April 2020, CDO Foodsphere launched its online food delivery service through the Viber messaging app.

## Product Expansion

During the 1980s and 1990s, CDO Foodsphere expanded its product range to include tocino, tapa, cheesedogs, bacon, chorizo, hams, and sausages. In 1990, the company established its first modern manufacturing facility in Valenzuela City to support large-scale production and enable nationwide distribution. In 1998, it opened a new technoplant with a production capacity of 100,000 kilograms per day.

## New Products

In 2009, CDO Foodsphere expanded into the canned tuna market by introducing San Marino Corned Tuna, entering a segment with established competitors. In 2011, the company launched Highlands Corned Beef, targeting the premium corned beef market.

## Products

CDO Foodsphere produces a range of food products across various categories:
* Processed Meats: Hotdogs, sausages, hams, bacon, tocino, tapa, chorizo, and hamburger patties
* Canned Goods: Corned beef, corned tuna, and other canned meat products
* Dairy Products: Processed cheeses and sweet preserves
These products are sold under brands including CDO, Bibbo, Holiday, San Marino, Highlands, and Danes.

## Corporate Social Responsibility

CDO Foodsphere, Inc. established the Odyssey Foundation, Inc. in 2004 as its corporate social responsibility (CSR) arm. The foundation focuses on initiatives that benefit underprivileged communities, including supplemental feeding programs, education-related activities, and livelihood development projects.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, CDO Foodsphere launched the Million Meats Project to address hunger among Filipino families affected by the crisis. The project aimed to produce and distribute one million cans of CDO meat loaf to severely impacted communities. Initial distributions took place in Malvar, Batangas, and eventually expanded to other areas, benefiting thousands of households, including approximately 57,000 in Valenzuela City and nearly 4,000 in Malabon City. This initiative was part of the broader #CanDO campaign, which also provided support to frontliners and other communities through various relief efforts.
For additional context, CDO Foodsphere serves 12M meals to undernourished children (https://www.philstar.com/other-sections/the-good-news/2015/08/10/1486249/cdo-foodsphere-serves-12m-meals-undernourished-children). 473 undernourished children in Batangas benefit from E-Nutribun feeding program](https://mb.com.ph/2021/12/15/473-undernourished-children-in-batangas-benefit-from-e-nutribun-feeding-program)

## Leadership

Jerome D. Ong serves as the President and CEO of CDO Foodsphere, Inc. Under his leadership, the company has expanded its product portfolio and strengthened its presence in the Philippine food industry. His tenure has been marked by initiatives to explore new markets and adopt technologies aimed at optimizing production.

## Recent Developments

* In April 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, CDO Foodsphere launched an online food delivery service through the Viber messaging app to ensure consumer access to its products despite mobility restrictions.
* In June 2021, the company received the Safety Seal Certification from the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) in recognition of its compliance with health and safety protocols.
* In November 2020, CDO Foodsphere was recognized with the ASEAN Business Award in the Large Family Business Enterprise category for its contributions to sustainability and its role as a family-owned enterprise in the region.
* In May 2023, the company implemented Freshworks' IT service automation solutions to enhance internal operations, achieving a first response rate of over 94% within 30 minutes and a nearly 99% resolution rate for service-level agreements.