Alfamart to expand store network to 1,400 this year

Sy-owned Alfamart Philippines, SM Retail’s first super minimart grocery chain, is embarking on an aggressive expansion with the aim of bringing its store network to 1,400 by the end of 2022 from at least 1,000 stores at present.

It is actively looking for sites in terminals and residential communities around the country since opening its first store in the Philippines in 2014.

“Our dream for every Alfamart store is to help the local community through employment and also create opportunities for the local MSMEs,” said Harvey Ong, Alfamart COO.

In the past two years alone, Alfamart opened more than 500 new stores since the pandemic started in 2020.

“This health crisis reinforced our role and responsibilities to the communities. Throughout the tightest of lockdowns, we decided to remain open and continued with our expansion,” Ong said.

As a result, Alfamart has created over 4,000 jobs over the last two years.

Through partnerships with local property owners, Alfamart hopes to open more Super Minimarts in communities across Luzon.

Ong said Alfamart goes to these underserved communities and becomes part of their neighborhood.

“If you take a look at our regular shoppers, they don’t need to be fully made up to be here because they feel at home in our stores. We become an extension of their pantry,” he said.

The target for the expansion this year is to continue opening more stores closer to where customers live.

Alfamart is the minimart chain of SM Markets, the food retail brand of SM Retail.

It is a franchised convenience store brand from Indonesia which the Sy Group through SM Retail brought to the Philippines. It has more than 17,000 outlets in Indonesia.

In the Philippines, it caters to different types of customers and provides basic groceries, select SM Bonus products, fresh and frozen items, snacks such as turon, and personal care products at affordable prices.

SM Retail is one of the core businesses of SM Investments Corp., the listed conglomerate of the Sy Group.

It is one of the biggest holding companies in the country with investments in banking, property, mall development and retail.