Fruitas, Pan de Manila scale up partnership

Lester Yu

Leading multi-brand kiosk operator Fruitas Holdings Inc. has diversified its distribution network through an expanded partnership with food retailer Pan de Manila.

In a disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange on Monday, Fruitas said the parties aimed to expand the partnership – which makes available Fruitas fresh juice products in Pan de Manila stores – to 100 of the latter’s stores upon full rollout.

The partnership started just before the imposition of quarantine in Metro Manila. Since then, Fruitas fresh fruit juices have been made available in more than 20 Pan de Manila stores in the densely populated cities of Manila, Mandaluyong, Pasig, and Quezon City.

Certain Pan de Manila stores in Cebu are also expected to carry Fruitas fresh fruit juices once quarantine in that area is lifted.

“We are extremely excited with our partnership with Pan de Manila as we are both aligned in our mission to serve fresh local products to Filipinos. We owe it to our customers, employees, partners, and shareholders to ensure that more Filipinos gain the benefits from our healthy products even in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic and as we emerge from it,” Fruitas president and chief executive officer Lester Yu said.

This partnership is seen in line with Fruitas strategic initiative of diversifying distribution channels to grow its sales and profits.

Moving forward, the disclosure said Fruitas and Pan de Manila would explore opportunities to offer more Fruitas products in Pan de Manila stores, further unlocking synergies between the two groups.

From a single Fruitas stall opened in 2002, the group ended last year with 1,068 stores across the country and over 20 brands in its portfolio, including Fruitas Fresh from Babot’s Farm, Buko Loco, Buko ni Fruitas, De Original Jamaican Pattie, Johnn Lemon, Juice Avenue, Black Pearl, Friends Fries, The Mango Farm, 7,107 Halo Halo Islands, Tea Rex, Kuxina, Shou La Mien Hand Pulled Noodles, and Sabroso Lechon. It recently launched the Soy & Bean soy product line.

The products available on delivery platform CocoDelivery during the enhanced community quarantine are fresh buko juice, Jamaican Pattie, Tea Rex milk tea, and selected Soy & Bean products like soy milk, taho and tofu.