Puregold set to launch Lawson convenience chain

Businessman Lucio Co’s Puregold Price Club Inc. said its venture with Lawson Asia Pacific, Inc. is set to open the country’s first Lawson convenience store in Sta. Ana, Manila on March 30 of this year.

The opening was disclosed Thursday to the Philippine Stock Exchange, with the same filing outlining plans for the venture, PG Lawson Inc., to open as many as 50 Lawson stores in 2015.

“Lawson has set a target of rolling out 500 convenience stores by 2020. Under the partnership, Lawson will provide its expertise in convenient stores know-how and product development while Puregold will provide its expertise in product procurement and localized knowledge of the retail consumers,” Puregold’s filing showed.

Both groups established a partnerships last year, with the aim of competing in a market dominated by players like 7-Eleven and the Gokongwei group’s Ministop. More recently, other foreign players like Japan’s FamilyMart, via a venture between Ayala Land Inc. and the Rustan’s Group, have been expanding in the country.

Lawson’s operations in Japan began with the opening of the first Lawson store in Sakurazuka (Minami Sakurazuka in Toyonaka City, Osaka Prefecture) in 1975.

But its name dates back to 1939 in Ohio, where J.J. Lawson ran a dairy milk store.

Lawson subsequently established Lawson Milk Co. and developed this into a chain of stores selling various commodities, including daily necessities mainly in the northeastern part of the United States.