ALASKA MILK Corp. said that it will be keeping prices steady this year, citing the need to maintain affordability and accessibility across its product lineup.

“For the rest of the year, which is five months, we are not looking at any price increases, as that is also going against the principle of affordability,” Alaska Milk Managing Director Tarang Gupta told reporters on the sidelines of the 2025 Nutrition Forum.

He said that the company has been trying to hold the line on prices.

“We are trying to do as much as possible to hold prices steady because (we consider) affordability to be critical,” he added.

According to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Suggested Retail Price Bulletin of basic necessities and prime commodities, a 165-gram unit of Alaska Fortified Powdered Milk Drink is sells for P44.

This year, Trade Secretary Ma. Cristina A. Roque said no price increases are expected.

Mr. Gupta said that the company has been pursuing cost-efficient solutions since the high-inflation year of 2022.

“We are trying to stay away from price increases. Rather, we are focusing more on pricing and packaging in such a way that we can support affordability,” he added.

He also said that Alaska Milk is also working with the government to help address persistent malnutrition.

Citing results of the 2023 National Nutrition Survey, Mr. Gupta said malnutrition has been persistent across age groups, resulting in stunting among children and increasing obesity in adolescents.

“This is not just a statistic; it is a call to action … We must make significant investments in human capital today to secure the nation’s tomorrow,” he added.

To help address malnutrition, he said Alaska Milk has been developing accessible and fortified dairy products and training dairy farmers.

According to Mr. Gupta, only 1% of the milk supply is produced locally, leading to the launch of its Dairy Development Program in 2021.

The program has trained over 1,500 dairy farmers to build up the dairy industry.

This year, he said the target is to train 500 more beneficiaries nationwide, predominantly in Southern Luzon. — Justine Irish D. Tabile