Advocacy-driven growth pushed in Alfamart 6th Anniversary

As Alfamart Phillpines, the first and only Super Minimart chain in the country, celebrated its 6th year of operating in the Philippines, they have opened at almost 900 stores across Central Luzon, Metro Manila, and South Luzon. Despite the overwhelming and expansive numbers that they have achieved in such a short time, Alfamart remains focused on its advocacy- and partnership-driven culture. “We couldn’t have achieved the success the 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, Alfamart has been opening stores 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 has encouraged growth in the community,” he said. “So, we wanted to bring that possibility of community development to neighborhood that needs it,” Ong added. Ong also highlighted how their advocacy-driven culture has helped them through the recent quarantines their affected communities went through. “Being an essential service, our Super Minimarts had 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 ecstatic and deeply moved when most of the Alfamart staff, from administrative, to managerial, to frontline, chose to serve despite trying times,” Ong shared. “It is very humbling and truly overwhelming. I was happy to know that everyone in the Alfamart family has imbibed our service-oriented culture,” he continued. During the quarantines 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 the quarantines, Alfamart continues its mission to serve more communities through partnerships. 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.