Mall spaces sought
CCCI asks mall managers to allocate spaces for small businesses that need market exposure
THE Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry ( CCCI) is calling on malls to provide designated areas for micro, small, and medium enterprises ( MSMEs) as part of an inclusive business strategy.
During the opening of the Sinulog Fiesta Fair in SM City Cebu on Thursday, CCCI vice president for business development Virgilio Espeleta emphasized that MSMEs require exposure in the local market to grow, and that malls can be instrumental in making this happen.
“Maayo unta nga ang SM naa’y ibutang nga portion sa mga small players (We hope SM can have a place for small players),” said Espeleta.
Sought for comment, SM City Cebu assistant mall manager Maria Teresa Mempin said the idea is “promising,” but the mall has to study the proposal first.
“We have to work on it... It’s promising ( and) that’s what we want, ( for) entrepreneurs to be developed also,” Mempin said in an interview at the sidelines.
Espeleta said one of the challenges faced by MSMEs is breaking into outlets and channels that have been dominated by the big players, like malls, where the rental fees eat up their limited resources.
In addition, the business owner and consultant challenged entreprenuers to break into new markets by being different and by distinguishing their products and services in the market.
“If you are the same with the other players, you cannot compete with the big ones. You have to be different,” he said.
Further, he advised them to look for the unserved and underserved markets. “There is also a segment of the market that is not happy with the existing players. This, you really have to find out,” Espeleta addresses Sinulog Fiesta Fair exhibitors.
Annually, the Department of Trade and Industry ( DTI) Cebu organizes the Sinulog Fiesta Fair, where MSMEs in different parts of the country, but mostly in the Visayas, can showcase and sell their products inside SM City Cebu.
Now on its 18th year, DTI Cebu Director Maria Elena Arbon said MSMEs’ participation in the trade fair will not only allow them to sell inside a heavy traffic area, but also give them the opportunity to get feedback from the market.
This year’s Sinulog Fiesta Fair has 75 MSMEs participating, where nine are graduates of DTI Cebu’s first batch of the Kapatid Mentor Me program and 20 are from outside Cebu--as far as Baguio and Zamboanga. Product lines showcased in the fair are fashion accessories, processed food, health and wellness products, gifts, decor, houseware and agri products.
At the end of the trade fair by Jan. 16, DTI Cebu hopes participating MSMEs can generate P7.5 million in sales.