Stephen Michael H. Co, Co-Founder and CEO of Worth The Health Foods (WTH Foods) and Nipa Brew Craft Beers, is a visionary Filipino entrepreneur driving sustainable innovation in food and beverage.

In 2014, Stephen launched Nipa Brew, one of the Philippines’ pioneering craft beer brands, crafting 60+ beer styles using local ingredients and collaborating with smallholder farmers. Nipa Brew has since served over one million craft beers, celebrating Filipino creativity and sustainable brewing.

In 2020, Stephen co-founded WTH Foods, a plant-based food tech startup behind the brand UMANI—a line of innovative plant-based meats and seafood made from mung beans, jackfruit, coconut oil, and seaweed. Despite launching amid the pandemic, WTH Foods quickly gained traction, offering over 20 plant-based alternatives and distributing to 200+ outlets across Luzon and Cebu.

The brand's commitment to sustainability and innovation earned international recognition—winning the 2022 Meatless Meat Challenge in Singapore and being a Top 5 finalist at the 2023 Scale It Up Innovation Challenge for its microalgae tuna. WTH Foods also received a ₱4 million PCIEERD grant to expand R&D in plant-based innovation.

Through his ventures, including Umani Bistro food kiosks serving over 200 plant-based meals daily, Stephen is reshaping the Filipino diet—making it easier, healthier, and more sustainable. His dual commitment to local sourcing and global innovation cements his role as a changemaker and a deserving honoree of the Ramon V. del Rosario Siklab Award 2024.