SM’s Savemore steps up expansion

Neighborhood store chain Savemore Market has mapped out an aggressive expansion program this year, sustaining its rise as the SM group’s fastest-growing retailing format against the backdrop of stiff competition in the grocery business.

In a statement on Friday night, Savemore announced the opening of seven new stores in February, largely in the provincial areas, bringing its total number of stores to 166 nationwide.

Savemore Market also plans to open additional 13 stores for the rest of 2017, bringing its store network to 179 by the end of the year. This will mark an expansion of nearly 15 percent from its footprint of 156 stores as of the end of 2016.

“We continue to expand while taking into consideration the changing needs of the market. With more communities outside of Metro Manila still with minimal access to groceries and with the worsening Manila traffic, shoppers need a complete source of daily and weekly essentials that do not require them to travel far,” Savemore Market president Jojo Tagbo said.

SM Markets opened Savemore San Andres in Manila on Feb. 9, followed by four stores in Negros Occidental in a span of three days, namely: Savemore Market Kabankalan, Savemore Market Victorias, Savemore Market San Carlos, and Savemore Market San Carlos Citymall, from Feb. 14 to 16.

Savemore Market also opened a store on Boracay Island on Feb. 25, followed by the opening of another store in Tagum, Davao Del Norte, on Feb. 28, bringing the total number of Savemore Market stores to 166.

This innovative retailing format, the SM group said, was geared toward addressing shoppers’ last minute grocery needs while remaining “compact, complete, and very convenient to shop at.”

Savemore Market was recognized by six different cities and municipalities in the Philippines as their top tax payers for 2016.

The majority of Savemore Market’s branches are also recipients of the Department of Trade and Industry’s “Gold Bagwis Seals” for service excellence. And by upholding SM’s standard of service, Savemore Market received the 2015 Best Supermarket award from the Philippine Retailers Association joining previous winners SM Supermarket and SM Hypermarket.

Savemore Market gives back to the community by supporting local government initiated campaigns likeDiskwento Caravans, clean-up drives and Brigada Eskwela.