Alfamart is aiming to expand its presence with the recent opening of its store at The Viceroy in McKinley Hil

Megaworld employees and residents of the Viceroy McKinley were happy with the convenience of having Alfamart, a Super Minimart, right at their ground floor. Alfamart is partnering with Megaworld and other developers to expand their operations into more vertical developments.

Alfamart, the first and only Super Minimart in the Philippines, is aiming to expand its presence in more vertical developments with the recent opening of its store at The Viceroy in McKinley Hill, Taguig City.

 

“We’ve been working with SMDC these past few years to serve the needs of their residents,” said Alfamart Philippines COO Harvey Ong. “We are encouraged by the regular feedback we receive from the residents of SMDC developments that we have branches in. They are very happy with the convenience brought about by having a super minimart, with all the essential groceries they and their families need, right at their doorsteps. And now we are excited to be collaborating with Megaworld Corporation, and we look forward to serving their developments, starting with The Viceroy."

 

The Viceroy was more than happy to have an Alfamart store in their building. “We at Megaworld welcome the opening of Alfamart's newest branch here in our McKinley Hill township. With its complete and wide range of products and accessible location, Alfamart will bring added convenience to the residents and employees in McKinley Hill when shopping for their groceries and other home needs,” said Estaban Cabanos, general manager, McKinley Hill.

 

Alfamart hopes that this partnership will lead to more branches being opened in other condo complexes and buildings.

 

“We’ve been able to rapidly grow our business through partnerships. We see the collaboration with Megaworld and other property developers as an opportunity to not only mutually grow our businesses, but importantly, to also add value and provide service to the residents of their developments,” Ong concluded.

Alfamart is a joint venture between SM and Alfamart Indonesia and currently has over 1200 super minimarts in Central Luzon, Southern Luzon, and the National Capital Region. It has also been recently honored at the Asia Leader Awards 2021 for its continued growth and ongoing efforts to achieve their goal to uplift communities through a service-oriented business mindset.

 

For more information on how to partner with Alfamart, please visit https://www.alfamart.com.ph/do-business-with-us/.

 

Alfamart now accepts GCash barcode payment

Almost 700 branches of Alfamart, the first and only Super Minimart chain in the Philippines, are now accepting GCash barcode payments. This contactless payment method is safer, faster, and more convenient for customers.

When you’re shipping for your daily needs at Alfamart and need to pay, you can simply log into your GCash app, tap ‘Pay QR’ and ‘Generate Barcode’ and show the GCash barcode to the cashier for scanning. Once the barcode is scanned by Alfamart’s cashier, the cost of the items will then be paid with your GCash balance.

“Serving the underserved has always been our credo, so we’re always looking for ways to be accessible to as many customers as possible.” said Alfamart Philippines COO Harvey T. Ong. “With GCash being a popular payment method, even in the furthest-flung communities, we are grateful for the opportunity to partner with them--to give our communities a safe and reliable payment option when shopping for their daily needs at their nearest Super Minimart,” he continued.

“GCash and Alfamart share the same goal of providing safety, convenience, and security to all Filipinos, especially during these trying times. We hope to encourage the communities that we serve to opt for these digital cashless options to minimize the need for physical contact as we prioritize the health and safety of our valued customers during the pandemic,” said GCash President and CEO Martha Sazon.

You can easily register and have your account fully verified on GCash in just a few steps. Simply enter your mobile number on the GCash app and submit the 6-digit code sent to you via SMS. Then, provide the necessary details and create a 4-digit PIN, which you will be using every time you log in to access all your transactions on the GCash app.

The new GCash payment option will soon be rolled out in more of Alfamart’s 1100 branches.

To know more about Alfamart please visit https://alfamart.com.ph/.

Alfamart’s doors are always open to small businesses looking to grow together

As the pandemic has isolated us from each other for over a year now, compassion and love for another have taken on new meanings and new faces. For 48-year old baker Jannice Enas, kindness takes the form of her baked goods, fresh out-the-oven and made with care. She realized through her passion for baking that feeding others through a community-based bakery was her life’s calling, and thus, 12C-4 Bread Station was born.

 

But passion, however fierce, is only half of the equation. Jannice and her team faced various challenges in the genesis of her bakery: the pandemic, of course, but also flooding from the recent typhoons, and logistical obstacles for setting up a physical bakery in the middle of community lockdowns.

“It was difficult to create something like this and have our safety be secondary to the pandemic,” shared the 12C-4 Bread Station franchisee. 

MUTUAL GROWTH. Alfamart’s “local jewel” partners, like 12C-4 Bread Station in Silangan, Rosario, Cavite, get to take advantage of riding with the Super Minimart chain’s continuous growth and other potential opportunities to expand their respective businesses.

 

This is where Alfamart, the country’s first and only Super Minimart chain, stepped in and changed everything. Jannice shared that once the Bread Station team had committed to working with a franchise, Alfamart was the first and perfect choice.  recently opened its doors to customers in the Silingan 1 Alfamart branch Rosario, Cavite.

 

“Bread Station has blossomed since we started working with Alfamart. Customers who visit the super minimart find it equally convenient to have a bakery right beside it where they can pick up their fresh baked goods,” she said.

 

Besides convenience, Alfamart has provided Bread Station with a landmark location and with ample parking space, giving customers every reason to keep coming back. Jannice also owes 12C-4 Bread Station’s growth to the values and mission it shares with Alfamart: feeding the community, and serving the underserved.

 

“Once there was a clear direction to work with a franchise, we chose Alfamart because their structure offers exactly what we want to offer to our customers and community as well,” Jannice shared. It turns out, Alfamart was the missing half of the Bread Station equation.

 

“Local businesses are always welcome to partner with Alfamart,” said Alfamart Philippines’ Zet Barrinuevo, Head of Leasing. “12C-4 Bread Station is just one of the many businesses that we work with so we can showcase the best products from the local community in each of our stores. We are always looking to  put a spotlight on each community’s local jewels,” she further explained.

 

Alfamart’s doors are always open to small businesses looking to grow together. For more information on partnership opportunities, visit https://www.alfamart.com.ph/be-a-tenant/

 

Alfamart shares keys to success as it celebrates 7th anniversary

Alfamart, the first and only Super Minimart chain in the Philippines, has had quite an admirable rise from obscurity. From the fledgling first store in Trece Martires, Cavite in June of 2014, it has grown to over 1000 stores in a span of seven years.

 

This achievement was the result of a number of factors. Surely, being partnered with a retail luminary such as SM Investments Corporation (SMIC) was a significant facet to their success. However, Alfamart Philippines COO Harvey T. Ong credits the brand’s accomplishment to Alfamart’s people-centric culture and its people. “Since we started in the Philippines, we made sure to adopt the core values of the founders of Alfamart and SM,” Ong said.

Ong was referring to Alfamart founder Djoko Susanto, a self-made billionaire and one of the top Indonesian entrepreneurs, and the late Henry Sy, Sr., founder of SM.

 

Both men had similar rags-to-riches stories. In the same way that Henry Sy Sr. started SM by selling borrowed shoes from a store and turned it into what it is today, Djoko Susanto started Alfamart in 1999 and was able to make it grow from a single store into more than 17,000 all over Indonesia today.

 

The founders are the constant inspiration of every Alfamart staff member as they serve their customers.

 

COVID-19 and the ensuing lockdowns failed to stop Alfamart’s expansion, and a lot of that is attributed to the dedicated Alfamart staff--from management to store frontliners. Alfamart took measures to keep its employees safe, especially at the height of the pandemic: free shuttle service, WFH arrangements, reassignment of staff to closer branches and many others. “It is important to care for our staff because the employee experience and the customer experience are directly linked,” said Charity Trinidad, Alfamart’s Assistant Vice President for Human Resources. "We have to look out for our employees so they can provide excellent customer service,” she added.

 

Charity knew very well the challenges of keeping employees motivated. “Empathic Leadership is important for leaders of any organization to have. Leaders should be able to understand the people under their charge, their needs, feelings and thoughts,” she said. “Part of the importance of empathy in leadership is being able to provide emotional guidance and encouragement to their team members,” she continued.

To ensure that team members stay connected, Alfamart launched an online platform called AlfaCares. It allowed staff from even the far-flung stores to be heard and be guided through tough times, whether it be their personal or professional struggles.

Alfamart also pivoted in their training and quickly adopted e-learning to continuously upgrade their staff’s skills.

Technology was equally crucial in ensuring that communication remained seamless during times when Alfamart employees worked from remote locations, outside of the corporate offices. Lerry Sangalang, Alfamart’s AVP for Information Technology (IT), realized this when he was suddenly thrust into the forefront and had to rely on both his leadership and technological skills. “My team relied on me more to guide them during these uncertain times. I realized that little acts of kindness to one another or going the extra mile went a long way for others,” he said.

 

“As we look back at the seven years that we’ve been serving the communities, we believe that leadership values imparted to us by Alfamart and SM’s founders guided us through the toughest times. These values will continue to guide us in serving our communities better,” Ong concluded.

 

For more information on Alfamart, please visit https://www.alfamart.com.ph.

Shopppers turn to Super Minimart as transition to ‘normalcy’ continues

 Almost a year into varying levels of quarantine, the country has experienced quite a lifestyle shift that made people wary of going out too far from their homes.

While most are expecting the restrictions to taper off, we are still far from being “back to normal”. So there are still a few who choose to err on the side of caution, especially families who live with children and/or seniors.

 

Shoppers queue to get their daily needs at a nearby Alfamart. Foot traffic has gone down throughout the pandemic, but each customer buys more to stock up their respective pantries.

“I try not to go far, or to any places that may be crowded, when I have to shop for our household needs,” said Beverly, a household helper in a Quezon City subdivision. Beverly is employed by a senior citizen couple so she cannot go off too far and risk infection. “Fortunately, we have an Alfamart here inside the subdivision; walking distance from the house. That’s where I tend to shop nowadays,” she continued in Filipino.

 

Beverly added that, over the past year, she and other people in their subdivision have gotten used to going to Super Minimarts. “We thought the [Alfamart] was just a convenience store, but over the pandemic we discovered that it does provide other items like meat, fish, and many other household needs.” she said.

 

A customer is assisted by Alfamart staff. As more people turn to nearby Alfamart branches to get their needs, store staff are all the more helpful.

Minimarts have become a welcome convenience to communities, especially during the pandemic. According to Alfamart, the first and only Super Minimart chain in the Philippines, while there has understandably been less foot-traffic in their stores, the amount of items purchased per customer has increased.

 

How Alfamart helped this OFW get through the pandemic

Alfamart, the first and only Super Minimart chain in the Philippines, has been expanding its reach for the past six years of its Philippines operations. In that short period of time, Alfamart has opened over 1,000 branches by 2020 (a notably challenging year due to the pandemic). 

Martiniano “Degs” Valencia (center), a former OFW, is enjoying the fruits of his decision to become a partner and co-owner of the Alfamart in his hometown in Sta. Rita, Pampanga. Degs’ branch helped his local community survive the pandemic during the resulting lockdowns

As it expanded over the years, small businesses and individuals partnered with Alfamart were also able to ride on Alfamart’s expansion. Martiniano “Degs” Valencia was one of those individuals.

Degs has always had the heart and soul of an entrepreneur. As a young schoolboy in Sta. Rita, Pampanga, Degs plied the streets of his hometown, selling boiled corn and fresh carabao’s milk to earn some extra cash. His entrepreneurial streak continued well into his college years, supplying Pampanga’s meat products to various stores in Manila.

He had to put a pause on his passion for business when he entered the workforce. First as a broadcast engineer for a big TV network in the Philippines, then as a technical controller in Dubai. After more than a decade of being an employee, he and his wife decided to come back to the Philippines, which also turned to an opportunity to reignite Degs’ entrepreneurial spirit.

Degs invested most of his earnings on his land in Sta. Rita, building a commercial complex. That’s when he was approached by Alfamart with a partnership offer, to become a lessor of an Alfamart branch in his hometown. And the rest, as they say, is history.

“I always wanted to have a grocery store as a main business,” Degs said. “Alfamart did us one better and gave us the opportunity to partner with a Super Minimart,” he added.

When the pandemic struck, Degs lost some income because some of the tenants in his commercial complex closed down. Despite that, they survived because they had the Alfamart branch that sustained them. “We’re glad that [our branch] was able to remain open as people still did need a nearby Super Minimart, especially when people were not allowed to travel too far from their homes,” he said. “The community helped our branch survive and vice-versa,” he shared.

The dynamics between the community and the store encouraged Degs to offer up his other lots as possible Alfamart locations. Currently, Alfamart is working on opening a new branch at Deg’s other property in the neighboring municipality of Guagua.

Alfamart is looking forward to partnering with more people like Degs. “After 1,000 stores, we’re still moving forward with plans to reach more areas in the country. And we’ll pretty much do what we did before, find the perfect people and businesses to partner with,” said Alfamart Philippines COO Harvey Ong. “We definitely have more in store for our partners, both current and potential. Whether they are product consignees, suppliers, tenants, or lessors, we will always grow with them and the communities our branches serve,” Ong added.

For more information on how to become an Alfamart partner, you may visit https://www.alfamart.com.ph/do-business-with-us/.

Alfamart opens a new store in SM City Olongapo, Zambales

Alfamart, the first and only Super Minimart chain in the Philippines, recently opened a new store in SM City Olongapo, Zambales.

 

According to Alfamart Philippines COO Harvey Ong, it represents a milestone in the brand’s Northern expansion.  “Our goal has always been to serve more underserved communities, to provide them with a convenient and affordable Super Minimart where they can get their daily needs,” said Ong. “This latest store in Olongapo will be our ‘branch-off point’ as we plan to serve more communities in Zambales,” he continued.

Olongapo City Mayor Rolen Paulino (center) and Alfamart Philippines COO Harvey Ong (right of center) lead the ribbon-cutting ceremony at the opening of Alfamart’s SM Olongapo branch.

 

Olongapo City Mayor Rolen C. Paulino was also in attendance at the opening of the new branch and led the ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Alfamart had a banner year in 2020; despite the challenges, they were able to open their 1000th store last November. “As we mentioned before, the opening of the 1000th store is less an end and more of a new beginning. We were able to expand, despite 2020’s challenges, thanks to our staff, our partners, and the supportive communities that we serve. With the same support system, combined with our renewed fervor for 2021, we hope to continue expanding and reach more underserved communities and to grow with them,” Ong added.

Ong also pointed out that all Alfamart branches always look for partners in the local communities. They are always searching for small local businesses to become product suppliers, tenants, and co-locators, among others.

 

For more information on how to partner with Alfamart, you may visit https://www.alfamart.com.ph/do-business-with-us/.

Alfamart offers a variety of amazing “Christmasaya deals” throughout the month

Despite 2020 being a particularly challenging year, Filipinos still remain connected to the celebration of the country’s favorite season, Christmas. Even in the face of countless adjustments and new protocols, there is no stopping the ​Pinoy​ Christmas spirit.

To help Filipinos prepare for their celebrations, Alfamart, the first and only Super Minimart chain in the Philippines, will be offering a variety of amazing “Christmasaya deals” throughout the month.

“This is the first ‘new normal’ Christmas that we will have,” said Alfamart Philippines COO Harvey Ong. “It’s safe to say that many will have a harder time to line up and buy what they need for their small Christmas salu-salo and, specifically, their Noche Buena meal. We therefore made sure that their nearby neighborhood Alfamart stores are fully stocked with everything they need for a simple celebration,” he explained.

Among the first items featured in these amazing deals are sanitation items such as disinfectants, air-fresheners, sanitary wipes, and many others. Also included in the Christmasaya deals are staples for Noche Buena, such as meats, cheeses, fruit cocktails, and beverages.

“Needless to say, Alfamart stores will be implementing strict compliance to government-mandated sanitation and social distancing protocols.” Ong added,” Through these protocols and our Christmasaya deals, we hope to provide the communities we serve with safe and happy Christmas celebrations,” he concluded.

For more updates on what deals are available in Alfamart stores, please visit their official Facebook page at ​https://www.facebook.com/Alfamart-PH-110690137312658​.

Express Clean partners with Alfamart, open up new branches in the pandemic

For a small business, growing at a comfortable pace can be tough. Not only do you have to worry about keeping yourself out of the red, you’ll also have to make the right amount of profit so you have enough to invest back into developing your business.

 

This was pretty much the reality that Arles Uy was faced with when he started Express Clean, a self-service laundromat, back in 2017. “It was a total risk with doubts and uncertainty involved,” Uy related. He added that starting his business was a gamble with whatever savings he had at the time. “As an entrepreneur, you need to be ready to take those calculated risks.”

The Express Clean branch in San Fernando, Pampanga was the first of many in a fruitful partnership with Alfamart, the first and only Super Minimart chain in the Philippines.

 

But a chance meeting with Alfamart, the first and only Super Minimart chain in the country, changed everything. Fortuitously, Alfamart was looking for partners to grow with, by subleasing some of their space to small businesses. Express Clean began their partnership with Alfamart in December 2017, opening their first branch in San Pedro, Laguna, right beside the store.

 

Since then, Express Clean has expanded to seven branches; each beside an Alfamart store. “Alfamart provided us the platform to jumpstart our growth in the industry,” Uy said. “We saw remarkable potential in the concept of a self-service type of laundry. Our partnership with Alfamart helped us realize it,” he added.

Ever since its entry into the Philippine market in 2014, Alfamart has kept its development grassroots-focused, constantly looking for partners to grow with “When we brought the brand in from Indonesia, we didn’t just take the Alfamart name,” said Alfamart Philippines COO Harvey Ong. “We also brought with it the philosophy of starting from the bottom up, growing with the communities we serve and the partners that we engage with,” he continued.

 

Much like other small businesses, Express Clean was also affected by the recent Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID19) pandemic’s economic impact. “Undeniably, this pandemic has tested the mettle of many businesses, including ours,” Uy said. “Fortunately for us, our operational system has already been established, hence, enabling us to withstand the situation. With the support of Alfamart, as well as the flexible arrangements they provided their tenants during this crisis, not only were we able to consolidate our operations, but we were also able to open up new branches during the lockdown period,” he explained.

 

“It is through the help of reliable partners that we were able to overcome the challenges of the pandemic,” Ong concurred. “We can rely on them, and they can rely on us,” he concluded.

 

For more information on how your business can work together with Alfamart, you may visit https://www.alfamart.com.ph/be-a-tenant/.

Get your free Ecobags at Alfamart branches

Alfamart, the first and only Super Minimart chain in the Philippines, is currently giving away ecobags to its customers.

Most cities and municipalities are currently imposing ordinances that reduce, or even completely ban, the single-use plastics. Thus, ecobags have emerged to become a necessary item to bring when shopping around.

Get a free ecobag for every P500 purchase of participating brands

However, most people that go to 24-hour establishments may not always have an ecobag handy, and not everyone is willing to spend extra for a new one. So, instead of offering them for sale, Alfamart stores are now giving them away for a minimum purchase of PhP 500 worth of participating brands.

Apart from the practical convenience, giving better access to ecobags fits in with Alfamart’s community development advocacy. 

“It’s our small way of getting the communities we serve used to ecobags and reducing their dependency on single-use plastics,” said Alfamart Philippines COO Harvey Ong.

For more information on the participating brands and other Alfamart promotions, you may visit https://alfamart.com.ph/shop-with-us/ or their FB page, Alfamart PH.

Despite quarantine/lockdown challenges Alfamart opens 900th store

It was all smiles and celebration as the latest Alfamart branch in Valdez, Floridablanca, Pampanga recently opened its doors to serve the surrounding community. Alfamart, the first and only Super Minimart chain in the Philippines, was able to pull this off despite current circumstances, thanks to the dedication of everyone in their team.

“The first half of the year was definitely not easy,” said Alfamart Philippines COO Harvey Ong. “We were hoping to have our 900th store opening to coincide with our anniversary in June. But of course, we needed to realign -- to make sure that our frontline staff and employees were safe and well-equipped to deal with the challenges of the pandemic and the accompanying quarantine that came with it,” he continued.

Ong reiterated the fact that Alfamart employees were also frontliners who served the community. They needed to be safe so that they too can keep the customers’ shopping experience as safe and carefree as possible. “They are hard workers--dedicated to the core. We actually gave them freedom to choose whether they need to report to work or not during the quarantine. We were overwhelmed and surprised that a lot of them chose to still report to work, so, of course, we did everything in our power to make it easier for them to do their jobs,” he said.

Even up to now, Alfamart staff are still given free shuttle rides, provided PPEs and sanitation materials, and regular tests to ensure their health and wellness.

“We were fortunate that everyone in Alfamart adjusted well to the situation,” Ong continued. “We were eventually able to get our legs under us and continue with our plans to expand our operations further into Central and South Luzon,” he shared.

One of the biggest adjustments Alfamart implemented was establishing cashless payments in all 900 stores. Currently, they are accepting GCash and are planning to accommodate more cashless options in the future.

For more information regarding Alfamart and all its branches you may visit https://alfamart.com.ph.

Alfamart expands GCash payment coverage to all stores

The ease-of-access to cashless payment methods, and the contactless culture brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, has made cashless transactions pretty much the norm. In response to this shift in customer behavior, Alfamart, the first and only Super Minimart chain in the Philippines, will be accepting GCash for all its stores by the end of August.

Currently, there are over 20 million registered GCash users in the Philippines and it is continually growing because some cities used the cashless portal to give aid to those affected by the COVID-19 crisis.

According to Alfamart COO Harvey Ong, expanding the acceptance of GCash payments to other branches is in line with Alfamart’s goal of making shopping convenient and safe for all its customers. “In a post-pandemic society, there is more need for contactless payment options,” Ong said. “We hope to encourage the communities that we serve to use and get used to these cashless options to minimize the need for paper money and coins to exchange hands and limiting physical contact.” Ong further explained.

To date, there are close to 900 Alfamart stores serving Central Luzon, Metro Manila, and South Luzon. Each store is strategically located to cover subdivisions, neighborhoods, and communities so people will have a safe, comfortable, and convenient place to get their everyday needs at supermarket prices.

Alfamart is open for partnership and collaboration

The economic downturn brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic can never be overstated. In the wake of the disease – and the quarantines implemented to control it – countless businesses have been forced to cease operations, and ultimately, close shop.

Of course, there are those who are fortunate enough to survive. However, as the economy continues to bear the brunt of diminished consumer spending, even mere survival is becoming a challenge. The prospect of sustained growth seems to be on another level entirely. 

Alfamart, the first and only Super Minimart chain in the country, has always believed that collaborations and partnerships are the keys to growth, especially during trying times.

“Partnerships have been a key component and core foundation of Alfamart’s progress,” said Alfamart Philippines Chief Operating Officer Harvey Ong. “Ever since we started in 2014, we have been collaborating with landowners, lessors, suppliers, and partner consignees to make sure we can give the best selection and service to our customers,” he continued.

As far as Ong is concerned, an alliance can only be called a true partnership if the benefits apply to all stakeholders. A prime example of this is their tie-up with DECS, a spin-off of the original Diao Eng Chay Chinese deli of Binondo fame.

Justin Chua, a 4^th generation owner of DECS, was a former Alfamart employee who was inspired to start his own business. When he was starting DECS, he saw it fit to partner with Alfamart so that their products could reach more people.

“Partnering with Alfamart helped DECS achieve its main objectives,” Chua explained. “Our market reach has expanded considerably, and we have been given an opportunity and a channel to introduce DECS products to non-Filipino-Chinese.”

DECS’ lumpia, dimsum, and pies were a big hit with Alfamart’s customers and introduced the legendary Diao Eng Chay lumpia, dimsum, and pies to a whole new audience.

“DECS’ growth climbed faster than we imagined,” Chua enthused.

Another Alfamart partner-success story is Bakeshop16, a baked goods and pastry supplier. The proprietors, mom Eunette Ong and her daughters Erica and Eryll, believe that working with Alfamart gave their young business a good boost, especially with their brand equity.

“Being associated with Alfamart helps in building the consumers’ perception towards Bakeshop16,” Eryll said. She also pointed out that the partnership came with exciting challenges that became opportunities for growth.

“Our partnership with Alfamart encouraged us to learn more about production and logistics,” she explained. “Nowadays, with careful planning and close coordination with Alfamart, we are able to build an even stronger partnership with them. Thus, we are still growing with Alfamart,” she underscored.

Alfamart’s partnerships with DECS and Bakeshop16 have allowed the entrepreneurs behind them to look past the present challenges. “Through collaboration, we are able to maintain our growth-oriented perspective, instead of the prevailing survival-oriented one,” the Alfamart COO emphasized. “We are always driven by our advocacy of community development and service. Of course, that extends to our partners as well. We should always be lifting each other up, no matter what happens,” Ong concluded.

To know more about how to become a supplier for Alfamart, please visit https://alfamart.com.ph/be-an-alfamart-supplier/.

Alfamart turns 6; remains focused on focused advocacy-and-service-driven culture

As Alfamart Philippines, the first and only Super Minimart chain in the country, celebrated its 6^th year of operating in the Philippines, they have opened almost 900 stores across Central Luzon, Metro Manila, and South Luzon.

Despite the formidable and expansive numbers that they have achieved in such a short time, Alfamart nevertheless remains focused on its advocacy-and-service-driven culture. “We couldn’t have achieved the success that we now enjoy if we weren’t rooted in our advocacies of community development and service,” Alfamart Philippines COO Harvey Ong said.

Since Alfamart opened their first store in Trece Martires, Cavite in 2014, they have been establishing new Super Minimarts non-stop. According to Ong, the motivation for their rapid expansion was so they could bring daily needs closer to the communities that they serve. “From our first store in Trece Martires, we saw how having a neighborhood Super Minimart encouraged growth in the community,” he said. “So, we wanted to bring that possibility of community development to a neighborhood that needs it,” Ong added.

Ong also highlighted how their advocacy-driven culture has helped them through the recent quarantines that their affected communities went through. “Being an essential service, our Super Minimarts were able to remain open during the various quarantine periods. We gave most of the staff freedom to choose if they want to report for duty or not. And I was extremely proud and deeply moved when the Alfamart staff, from administrative, to managerial, to frontline, chose to serve despite trying times,” Ong shared. “It is very humbling and emotionally overwhelming. I was happy to know that everyone in the Alfamart family has imbibed our service-oriented culture,” he continued.

During the quarantine, Alfamart provided as much convenience as they can to employees, such as shuttles to and from work, personal protective equipment (PPEs).

Now that the country is transitioning out of quarantine, Alfamart continues its mission to serve more communities. Even before the COVID-19 crisis hit the Philippines, Alfamart’s expansion strategy has always been about creating partnerships, whether it be with landowners, lessors, product sellers, and local government.

“We are always on the lookout to partner with whomever wants to join the Alfamart family and contribute to our advocacy,” Ong said. “Partnerships are especially more relevant now that everyone is recovering from the economic effects of the pandemic. We also took our own hits, and as we recover, we hope to stand up and support other individuals or businesses who need a hand to get back on their feet,” Ong concluded.

For more information on how to become a lessor, a consignee, or an employee, you may visit the Alfamart website at https://alfamart.com.ph/.

Alfamart continues Super Minimart openings to serve more communities

Amid the Luzon-wide Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ), Alfamart, the first and only Super Minimart chain in the Philippines, has resumed its expansion to cater to the needs of local communities.

What was once a simple and mundane task has been made more challenging and risky by the ECQ. Grocery shopping is now much more complicated than it used to be, as people now have to contend with curfews, checkpoints, social distancing, and quarantine passes to help stem the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

To help address these concerns and alleviate the burden on individual households, neighborhood minimarts like Alfamart have become more popular destinations for these errands, as they are closer to home.

In the recent week, Alfamart opened eight new stores across Luzon; namely, in Tabun, Angeles, Pampanga; Barangay 176, Bagong Silang, Caloocan; Poblacion, Floridablanca, Pampanga; Palico, Imus, Cavite; Silangan, Rosario, Cavite; Daan Sarile, Cabanatuan, Nueva Ecija; Saog, Marilao, Bulacan; and Grand Valley Subdivision, Angono, Rizal.

Ten more stores are opening in other locations in May.

Alfamart Philippines COO Harvey Ong pointed out that the expansion amid the ECQ is more about following through on Alfamart’s advocacy to improve communities. “The ECQ has been very challenging for everyone, especially those living in communities that are significantly farther from malls, supermarkets, and groceries,” Ong said. “We want to bring that safe, convenient, and comfortable shopping experience closer to home through our Super Minimarts,” he continued.

Ong also highlighted how Alfamart is doing everything it can to reduce health risks, and inconveniences, for both employees and customers. “Our stores follow strict sanitary and hygiene protocols. We also provide PPEs for our frontline and backend staff,” he said. “Also, as part of our walk-to-work philosophy, we hire our store crew locally. As much as possible, we prefer our employees to be within walking distance of their assigned stores. This helps manage their travel time,” he further explained.

Ong enumerated other measures that ensure the store staff are taken care of such as free shuttle rides, proper coordination with checkpoints for expedited supply chain deliveries, proper scheduling and shorter operating hours.

“In these trying times, everyone is called to be vigilant and serve. Alfamart will do its part to help the community by keeping as many of our existing stores open and reaching out to more communities so we can serve more people,” he concluded.