The story
Founded by Salvador Araneta on Aug 16, 1957.1
Its founders included Salvador Z. Araneta, José N. Concepcion Sr., B.J. Server, Albino Z. SyCip, Zoilo Alberto, Francisco D. Gamboa, Edward Miller Grimm, Leonardo Eugenio, David SyCip and Charles "Chick" Parsons. In 1973, RFM entered into an exclusive licensing agreement with Swift & Company to use the brand "Swift" for its meat processing business (in 1987, RFM purchased ownership rights for its exclusive use in the Philippines). For the next 15 years, RFM concentrated on growing its established core businesses and also introduced other grocery products, such as cake mixes, hotcake mixes, and ingredient mixes.
As it entered the 1990s, RFM began acquiring of a number of local companies and established partnerships with foreign companies.
In 1994, RFM divested its interest in hog operations and the poultry operations became known as Swift Foods Inc. (SFI). In 1995, RFM Properties and Holdings, Inc. was established to consolidate RFM's real estate assets as well as break into the property development business.
Between 1995 and 2000, RFM briefly ventured into noodle manufacturing, tuna processing, bakeshop business with the acquisition of the Rolling Pin trademark, food franchising (Little Caesars Pizza and Dairy Queen) and thrift banking (Consumer Bank).
In 1999, RFM formed a partnership with Unilever (through its Philippine subsidiary) to produce Selecta ice cream under the joint-venture company, Selecta Walls Inc., (now Unilever-RFM Ice Cream Inc.).
In 2001, RFM sold its soft drink subsidiary Cosmos Bottling Corporation ("Pop Cola" brand) to Coca-Cola Bottlers Philippines Inc. (now known as Coca-Cola Beverages Philippines Inc.), from San Miguel Corporation and The Coca-Cola Company. Cosmos continued to be listed in the Philippine Stock Exchange until 2013. Thus, unfortunately making sure that Cosmos didn't get to see its centenary which would have happened in 2018.
In 2003, RFM spun off Swift Foods Inc., which formerly operated RFM's Swift poultry business, to become a separately owned company.
By the end of the first decade of the 2000s, RFM significantly reduced its holdings in Philtown Properties, Inc. after 66% of the outstanding shares were declared as property dividends in 2008 and 15% in 2009.
From Wikipedia’s article on RFM Corporation, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.4