MANILA — An in-demand actor and a record label CEO, James Reid is still looking to expand his horizons with efforts to go into sustainability.

Reid, 27, announced on Monday that he is venturing into urban farming through his own company, The Freshest.

Reid also happens to be the new face of the Department of Agriculture, with his recent appointment as Ambassador of Food Security.

"I'm doing a couple of things on my own, with a company I started, called The Freshest," he said during a MYX Philippines live stream, when asked about his work with the DA.

"Basically we're working on urban farming. We're bringing hydroponics," he said, referring to a method of growing plants without soil.

Plans for The Freshest will be detailed in the coming weeks, according to Reid.

Explaining what motivated him to form the company, Reid said: "We're recovering from quarantine and the economy has dropped... Now is the right time to also think about sustainability and including that in our recovery strategy, because if we don't, then we'll go back to same, old normal. If there's a time to make change, it's really now."

Since his showbiz breakthrough via "Pinoy Big Brother" in 2010, Reid has become one of the most sought after leading men of his generation — a reach which he said he intends to bring attention to worthwhile causes.

"Our greatest strength is our voice. Our greatest asset is we can reach so many people. There's so many crazy things going on in the world right now, I can't even get into it," he said.

"I think it's important to be part of it, that we're not just part of the distraction, but we're part of the solution — even if it's just starting a conversation to find a solution, or just to raise awareness about it, so people are focusing on directing their attention to where it should be."