I. Industry Background A.

Gonzales Vigan Longganisa, on the other hand, at barangay Capangpangan, Vigan City is a sole proprietorship type of business engaged in the production of Vigan longaniza and other meat products such as bagnet, embotido and chicharon, pork tapa, lechon and fresh meat. The firm started with an initial capitalization of only P30,000. In 2007, the Department of Science and Technology conducted a technology needs assessment which showed that the firm needed to improve its product quality. The intention of the firm to increase production, sales and income as much as 20 percent could be accomplished through acquisition of production equipment. The DOST provided technical and financial assistance for the company to acquire Meat grinder, meat mixer, meat stuffer, nutrition analysis, Shelf life Testing, Label design, and Barcoding assistance. The cooperator using the sets of equipment increased its production with efficiency of stuffing increasing by almost 200 percent; and mixing of meat reduction from 20 minutes to 1 minute which has contributed greatly to the success of Gonzales Vigan Longganisa.