Reaping the Bounty of Courage: BAVI’s Mascarinas recognized as Outstanding Leader in Asia at recent ACES Awards

Leading with vision and courage. Bounty Agro Ventures, Inc. (BAVI) President and General Manager Ronald Mascariñas accepts award as one of the Outstanding Leaders in Asia at the Asia Corporate Excellence & Sustainability (ACES) Awards.

Bounty Agro Ventures, Inc. (BAVI) President and General Manager Ronald Mascarinas was recently lauded as one of the Outstanding Leaders in Asia at the Asia Corporate Excellence & Sustainability Awards (ACES) held at the Fairmont Singapore last October 11, proving that he isanything but chicken in his leadership.

Cited as an individual who exhibits the ideal blend of business acumen, professionalism, entrepreneurial caliber and astuteness, Mascariñas was instrumental to the continued success of one of the largest poultry integrator companies in the country.

Under Mascariñas’ leadership, BAVI rose to be one of the top poultry integrators, and has set itself apart from the industry by being the first and only poultry integrator to offer No Antibiotics Ever (NAE) chicken. BAVI is presently the country’s largest rotisserie chicken chain, with more than 1,200 rotisserie stores nationwide.

BAVI was initially established as a poultry integrator company operating in Cebu and Davao, Philippines, carrying the Bounty Fresh brand. Incorporated in 1997, BAVI is presently ranked 207th among the top 1,000 corporations in the Philippines.

In 2002 the company embarked on a program to modernize operational capability and market expansion, led by Mascariñas. The President helped link together hundreds of broiler contract farms, dozens of hatcheries, feed mills, poultry processing plants and processed meats plants, with the end goal of establishing a highly efficient supply chain in poultry integration. The venture was an unmitigated success, and consistently earned Triple A ratings from the National Meat Inspection Service for cleanliness.

The implementation of the Asian Free Trade Agreement, however, led to an open market, which led to cheaper imports. Faced with thin margins and fierce competition, BAVI faced a dire threat to its existence. In the light of this challenge, Mascariñas made a bold move to diversify operations. BAVI launched its own retail operation, and developed a complementing range of cooked chicken and dressed chicken products. In 2009, the company launched its oven roasted chicken business under the trade name “Chooks-to-Go”, completing the integration cycle of poultry operations, from the farm to the dinner table.

Mascariñas, attributed his bold business strategy to the trinity of Vision, People and Training. “I have always believed in the importance of a good reputation founded on ethical and fair business relationships; and the paramount importance of competent and trustworthy people in the organization working as a team. What connects the two is good management. A good leader teaches, guides, and even handholds, if needed. A good leader does everything to ensure that people who work with them are encouraged, and taught the value of discipline.”

Mascariñas’ win is one of 11 awards won by the Philippines at the fifth Asia Corporate Excellence & Sustainability Awards.